Thurs Sept. 27th Sincere apologies to all readers as our fearless foursome was beset by a series of logistical snafus preventing the maintenance of this blog. We were a victim of "non-support" for our chosen blog browser. Moreover, Kevin "Paddy Wagon" Haggerty's arrival was delayed for one day; our van was under-sized; and plumbing problems at the hotel kicked Farrell out of his room. Healy's toilet is still running. But we are back!!!! Belfast was our first stop. This vibrant city appears to be teeming with youthful activity, and reportedly sports a burgeoning Irish-music scene. We stayed at Benedicts Hotel, proximate to Queens University. The toney Malone Golf Club was the site of our initial round on Thursday. This 27 hole parkland beauty has a storied history, including possibly being the only employer to dismiss famed architect Alistair MacKenzie for some early design work. It was also the site of an extremist bombing during The Troubles in the '70's. All that seemed a distant memory as Considine, Healy & Farrell teed off in chilly weather. This was jet-lag golf, highlighted by some good shots and a few solid pars----no birdies on day one! The course itself prided itself on its tree-lined fairways, many of which arguably interfered with shot-making and tenets of modern course design. No matter, Malone was a welcoming first golfing venue. But we missed Wagon, and we agreed that the tour would not begin until our Social Chairman joined us in the hotel lobby. Dinner at chef Paul Rankin's Cayenne Restaurant with the convivial and generous Ian Brown (orthopaedic frinnd of WLH) was terrific. The beds beckoned after a long day of travel and golf.