Bill Murray's TV tour goes to Cork golf course

A Cork golf course is among the highlights in a new travel documentary in which Hollywood star Bill Murray embarks on an Irish road trip.

Titled A Course Called Ireland, it starts a six-part run on BBC1 next Friday, October 23 at 9.30pm.

Murray, 76, is best known for films such as Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day, but away from the screen is an avid golfer. He also has Irish ancestry, so there is a personal connection as he tours the island with his long-time friend, fellow golfing fan Tom Coyne. The trip is inspired by Coyne’s bestselling book of the same name.

Murray’s travels take him from Cork and Clare to Donegal and the Giant’s Causeway as he tees off on some of Ireland’s finest golf courses.

He says his favourite Irish courses include Tralee, adding: “I must say that Old Head, people blab about it all the time, about how beautiful it is. They always go, ‘It’s like the Irish Pebble Beach.’ I go, yeah, maybe not. I have a soft spot for Pebble Beach. But when we went, we could only see the course for about 45 minutes before it was enveloped in fog, yet I can tell you that visually and in terms of spectacle, it is not overrated.”

While the golf provides the excuse for the adventure, the series is as much about what happens away from the green as Murray reflects on his life and delves into his Irish heritage.

Along the way, he is joined by his brothers, Joel and John, as well as celebrity friends, including actor Chris O’Dowd, comedian Joanne McNally and American footballer Jason Kelce. Immersing themselves in Irish life, there are chance encounters with locals, and warm conversations over a pint as Murray explores the people, places and stories that make Ireland so special.

Warm, funny and delightfully unpredictable, the series is as much a celebration of friendship and the pleasures of taking the scenic route as it is a golfing adventure.

Murray admits when the series was pitched, “it sounded like it was going to be a piece of cake. We’d have to go over to Ireland, talk to bartenders, play beautiful golf courses, eat beautiful food, and roll around through a beautiful country. It sounded like a beautiful, beautiful idea. I’m a sucker for beauty. Tom and I actually became better friends because driving in Ireland requires a certain amount of attention.”