Links Helicopters provides serious golf enthusiasts with an aerial advantage. John McDermott, chief pilot, is himself a regular on Ireland's famous courses, accessed promptly by helicopter from Shannon, and can give clients a bird's eye view of the hazards along with informed practical counsel on how to overcome them.

"We have a lot of serious golfers including Jack Niklaus's sons among our clients," says McDermott. "Some will start at 7 a.m. in the morning and play two courses in one day. Many are familiar with the courses but, for those who are not, an aerial circuit enables them to plan their tactics in advance."

Links Helicopters, whose other main pilot is Carmel Kirby, the first female SAR pilot in Europe, has been operating for over six years basing its operations on two EC130s which were among the first to operate in Europe.

Fittingly the company is owned by Wayne Huizenga, proprietor of the Miami Dolphins, who decided that launching a charter operation was a better alternative to shipping helicopters into Ireland to fulfill his own schedules that tended to revolve around activities spanning three months each year.

Links, whose business has grown to justify operations on its own AOC in 2008, sub-contracts to cope with escalating demand in the April to October golfing season, especially during the peak months of May and September.

"We could keep six helicopters busy but have to work to a business model that also caters to the slacker months of the year when activities such as aerial photography do not yet keep our fleet at full stretch," says office manager Aisling Duffy.

McDermott, who has clocked up 2,000 hours, says the EC130s are ideal for golfers with seating for six, room for baggage and six sets of clubs, a range of 300 miles, a cruise speed of 120 knots and all-round visibility that assists with pre-play aerial briefings.

He believes there will be significant development of FBO facilities at Shannon from 2008 onwards that will help cement executive demand leisure breaks, including golf which attracts the famous as well as the amateur.

Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Lee Janzen and David Duval are all members of Waterville Golf Links and the inaugural women's World Cup was played at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort. Tom Watson says Ballybunion is a course that golf architects should play before they build courses, while some enthusiasts make it a point that their intensive annual golfing itinerary covers all, or most, of the picturesque venues that include Dingle, Dooks, Doonberg, Dromoland, Fota Island, Killarney, Lahinch, the Ring of Kerry, Tralee and Waterville.