Paul McGinley goes down in the annals of golf not only for being Ireland’s first ever Ryder Cup Captain in 2014, but for being a winning one to boot.Today he’s active on the Senior Tour circuits in the US and Europe, has a busy golf design business and is a pundit on Sky. He also finds time to get a round in with his mates. “I still love to play,” he says.
These days the Rathfarnham native divides his time between London and Florida, and visits Dublin every chance he can, up to 15 times a year, to see his parents, catch up with family and, of course, to play.
“There’s a line from a U2 song which says ‘You can’t return to where you never left’, and that’s how I feel. Dublin is home, 100 per cent,” he says.
This summer he was back in one of his favourite parts of the world, Portmarnock Golf Course, a many-time home of the Irish Open. He believes it’s not just the best course in Ireland but one of the best in the world.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on that course, any time I’m in Ireland I’ll go and play there. It’s just a really brilliant, testing course and, as a professional you want to play on the best courses you can,” he explains.
Dublin’s scenic north coast has plenty of familiar turf for McGinley, including the Royal Dublin, idyllically located on the nature reserve at Bull Island in Clontarf.
He has a particular grá for Howth too.
“I went to the College of Marketing at DIT and had friends from Howth, so I’d spend a lot of time there. I love the harbour. On a beautiful day it’s gorgeous and sure, with fish and chips from Beshoffs, you can’t go wrong.”
It’s also handy for a quick round on another of his favourite spots, the public golf course at Deerpark, on the grounds of Howth Castle. “It’s got a fantastic 3km walk over Howth Head with the most fabulous views,” he points out.
When his kids were younger, family holidays meant Donegal. “Dad is from Dunfanaghy and mum is from Rathmullan, two great spots right on the Atlantic coast where the kids could spend time with their cousins.”
BMW is a major sponsor of elite golf worldwide, including the Ryder Cup, and McGinley has been an ambassador for the brand for 25 years. He has particular views about what he wants from a car. “I’m a comfort driver, not a fast driver. I’m not particularly keen on fast speeds, which is why I’ve never bought a sports car. I like to glide along,” he explains.
He’s taking his current trip down Dublin’s memory lane in a BMW 530e Plug-in Hybrid. “I normally drive a BMW X5, so it’s the first saloon I’ve driven in a while,” he says, impressed.
It not only delivers the “glide” he likes, it has plenty of room for golf clubs too. That’s a huge factor in the McGinley household as not only is wife Alison a former professional player but his son is on a golfing scholarship in the US.
That said, a typical holiday for the McGinleys involves a lot less golf than you might think. In fact, it involves none.
“We’d rarely go to a place with a golf course. We live on one in Florida, so holidays for us are about arts and culture, and we particularly love Italy,” he explains.
McGinley clocks up huge car miles in a typical year. He recently drove around Ireland’s entire coast showcasing golf clubs for a TV documentary.
It was no hardship as he loves driving. “I often get the boat to Dublin, a five-and-a-half hour drive from London to Holyhead, and love it. Most of the time I’m on the phone but when I’m not I’ll put on a podcast or listen to music,” he says.
The BMW 530e Plug-in Hybrid is perfect. “It’s big and quick and has lots of acceleration if you need to overtake on a motorway but for me what’s important is that it is comfortable and safe.”
The car provides the latest camera and radar-based driver assistance systems, including optional features such as steering and lane control assistant, as well as active cruise control.
New interior features include a larger 12.3” Central Information Display, powered by the latest BMW Operating System 7.0, including voice control with BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant and smartphone integration. That’s great for McGinley, whose car is an extension of his office.
Sustainability is important to him too. “It’s very much driven by our 17-year-old daughter, she’s the environmental conscience of the family. We’re not allowed use plastic bottles for example. We all have these giant containers we fill with ice, and that has to do us for the day.”
The BMW 530e Plug-in Hybrid is perfect for all the long-distance driving that is all part of his job. “There are no issues around range,” he points out.
The winning Ryder Cup Captain is a much sought-after lecturer on leadership, which adds to his drive time too. They’re a kind of golf lesson he’s happy to share.
“Golf is a very complex and intrinsically difficult game which teaches you patience, the importance of planning and dedication,” he explains.
“It also teaches you humility because golf is a game you never master, just like life. So the best mindset you can have is to really enjoy it and have fun.”