A Course Called Ireland: A Walking Golf Journey Across Ireland | Penguin

Discover a walking odyssey through Ireland and the game you love

In A Course Called Ireland, Penguin presents Tom Coyne's 16-week trek across the island, trading golf carts for walking boots as he chases every seaside hole with a sense of curiosity and humor. From the world-renowned links to rustic nine-hole courses spotted with cattle, the journey unfolds in scenes that feel tactile: salt air on the face, turf underfoot, and the hustle of local pubs after a coveted round.

The book blends travel narrative, golf memoir, and a family-history thread into a vivid portrait of a country transformed by time. Coyne encounters roots that reach back through generations, witnesses the sway of economic change, and learns that the pursuit of the perfect round can mirror life itself—moments of focus, patience, and unexpected joy.

This Penguin edition invites readers to feel the wind, hear the gulls, and taste the pub meals as the story unfolds between chapters of landscapes and legacies. It’s a reading experience that rewards curiosity, patience, and a sense of wonder about places shaped by coastline, climate, and culture.

What you’ll experience

• Vivid landscapes and sensory details, from ocean breezes to peat-smoked taverns
• A broad range of courses, spanning world-class links to rustic, livestock-adorned fairways
• A humorous, lyrical voice that alternates between awe and self-deprecation
• Rich portraits of towns, pubs, and local characters who cross the journey

Real-life use cases for readers include drawing inspiration for your own golf travel ideas, sparking curiosity about family roots, or simply enjoying a companion for long flights and quiet evenings. The narrative suggests that a country can be explored as a single, continuous round of golf—one that travels through weather, memory, and folklore as much as through holes.

Why this Penguin edition might appeal to you

• Great for readers who crave travel writing with a strong sense of place
• Perfect for golf enthusiasts who appreciate a different kind of round—framed by landscape and culture
• An engaging memoir that celebrates curiosity, persistence, and connection

Whether you’re planning a golf-focused getaway or simply seeking a vivid, character-driven travel tale, A Course Called Ireland offers a generous invitation to dream, discover, and perhaps plan the next tee-time in your own travels.