Fore! Bill Murray takes on Ireland in a new YouTube golf series

What’s better than total consciousness on your death bed? How about a golf trip to some of the great courses of Ireland.

Bill Murray of Caddyshack fame has played in countless pro-ams, written a golf book, been inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame and is a part owner along with his brothers in a golf-themed restaurant at World Golf Village. His love of the game knows no bounds. Next up: a YouTube series, “The Links Life,” hosted by author Tom Coyne, which will showcase the Hollywood star at some of Ireland’s best golf courses.

Murray arrived with his family, including four of his six brothers, three of his sons, three nephews, one brother in law, former poet laureate Billy Collins and Coyne, whose books include “A Course Called Ireland,” last week. In other words, everyone but Dr. Beeber was there.

They started at Druids Glen in Wicklow and made their way to Kildare (Carton House), Mayo (Carne), Sligo (Enniscrone) and Donegal (St Patrick’s Links at Rosapenna, Portsalon, Narin and Portnoo) and to Galway (Galway Bay). (A visit to Kerry and Ballybunion had to be postponed).

Along the way, Murray and his family jumped on stage and performed an impromptu gig for guests at the Mount Falcon Hotel, belting out the classic “Ride, Sally Ride.”

Saxophonist Lorraine McDonald said she was stunned to see the Hollywood legend climb up on stage.

“He’s the coolest man alive and I got to sing with him. It was amazing,” she said.

Murray also posed with a large Irish flag, adopted County Mayo in the All-Ireland football final and joined several clubs. Coyne noted in an article that Murray bought a life membership to Belmullet as well as at Carne for his four brothers and three-time cancer survivor and golf journalist Nick Edmund and his son, who were guests at the post-golf dinner, where Murray was presented a bottle of Irish whiskey.

“In fact, Bill shared his bottle of Jameson with a number of the members, getting each of them to throw their heads back before pouring a drop down their gullets,” said one of the attendees. “He was just a funny man and extremely generous to the caddies and indeed the bar staff, and it was just a lovely relaxed night, and he was relaxed because there was no pressure on him. It was purely a few locals and ourselves the staff.”

Of his epic golf trip back to the country of his ancestors, Murray cracked, “So many Irish were forced to emigrate to America, we thought we should try to return the favor and get some people back.”

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