The Loop

You should buy Rory McIlroy's old house in Northern Ireland, because that would be a great conversation starter

May 26, 2015

Not so long ago we marveled at Rory McIlroy's 15,000-square foot Florida home and all the accoutrements that go with a superstar athlete's new digs. It's the type of place we'd like to retreat to after a tough day making birdies in bunches (or more likely in our case, after making four pars). But we should be clear that it wasn't like McIlroy was living in squalor before that.

In fact, McIlroy's old home, Robinhall House in County Down, Northern Ireland, is now for sale for $3.8 million. You should buy it, because that would be a handy ice breaker at cocktail parties.

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Among Robinhall House's features:

-- Five bedrooms and five "reception rooms" over 7,200 square feet.

-- An eight-acre practice area and driving range, including several pot bunkers as seen here.

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-- An all-weather tennis court in case you happen to be dating a top-ranked women's tennis player.

-- And a sweet entertainment room in case you break up with your top-ranked women's tennis player girlfriend, but you still want to keep tabs on her progress.

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Some more photos here:

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If nothing else, you should try to get a tour of the house, because I'd bet good money McIlroy left behind a wedge in one of the closets.

Below, Mark Crossfield in "The Waggle" on everything a tour player's house has to have.