Donald Trump flew home with a shiny new driver after developing a fondness for one of his friend’s golf clubs.

The US president played 18 holes at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg when he realised the club was giving him an edge.

Mr Trump – who Rory McIlroy once described as a better golfer than both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton – went on to win the four-ball on the Martin Hawtree-designed course.

Brian Shaw, pro golfer at the resort, explained why he decided to part with his Taylormade M5: “I brought it out on the course for the president because he didn’t bring his clubs. And he absolutely ripped it. In golf parlance, that means he was flawless. He looked at the driver and he said ‘is this yours, pro?’

“And I said ‘I think it might be yours now, sir’ so that was it… That was his parting gift. He was thrilled to bits.”

Brian Shaw and hotel manager Joe Russell said the president’s demeanour was relaxed while on the course.

As Brian Shaw explained;

“Even though there was all kinds of secret service and police around we were very relaxed as a foursome because we were very familiar with one another and had played at few times before.

“When we last played he wasn’t president but this time he was still able to click into ‘Donald Trump’ and have the needle with us so we were teasing each other when anyone hit a bad shot.”

Mr Russell, who was said to have ‘ham and egged it’ with the president on the course – golf speak for dove-tailing into holes alternatively – also sank a birdie on the 12th.

This championship golf links course overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and was named the Number One Resort in Europe by ‘Conde Nast Traveler’.

There were rumours that Mr Trump would visit the village of Doonbeg and meet locals as his two sons had on Wednesday night.

But instead, chief of staff Mick Mulvaney hosted a dinner at Mr Trump’s hotel, where Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly was among those in attendance.

Mr Daly was said to have raised issues with Mr Mulvaney including access to visas and the dangers of a return to a hard Border.

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