The epitome of quirk: Painswick, England

[Paul Turner]

I played Painswick (1891) during my most recent trip back to the UK and took a few snaps which I hope will post properly.  It's quirky in the extreme!

The course is routed over common ground on the Cotswold escarpment; which means no bunkers or irrigation.  But replacing the bunkers are ancient excavations and even an Iron-Age fort!  Also, you have to share the course with dog walkers,kite flyers... (on the day I played there were only golfers; all other activity was banned because of foot and mouth!).  On some holes these excavations even give a psuedo links feel to the course with loads of movement in the terrain.  On others the only route is to let fly over a gaping chasm.

At 5000 yards from the tips it's not a full length course with most of the holes par 3s and "go for the green" short 4s.  But it was a lot of fun and worth the 10 quid in the honesty box.

[ForkaB]

WOW!!!

Even the name is GREAT! All you need is a leather-clad dominatrix in the clubhouse to give you a good spanking if you forget to replace your divots!

[Mike_Cirba]

Rich;

And don't purposefully forget to fix your balls marks, as well!  

Paul;

Looks tremendous!!  I bet it's a blast to play.  Thanks for sharing, especially that 4th pic, where I don't have a clue what's going on but implicitly know that I'd love it anyway.  I've already located 5 spots that I would hope the green is, and each is better than the next.

[Paul Turner]

Mike, Rich

Glad you like 'em  

I should have explained the photos.

Photo 1 is the looking back down the 11th.  There's an enormous pit on the left which you can't see.

Photo 2 shows the 6th green.  The tee is up on the right where the stone marking Painswick Beacon is.  I think this hole was a favourite of Henry Cotton.

#3 This is the tee shot on the 14th; it really is some carry and tempts the draw.

#4 And the green is actually about 40 yds behind me.  The tee is obviously way up in the gap.  

[kilfara]

Paul, I can't believe that for all of the courses I just got to play that you didn't, I'm envious for the one I didn't play that you did! That looks super interesting. I guess it's not quite as good as it looks, though? (But in what way?)

Cheers,
Darren

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Oh Great, Here is another I have to go play in the UK!

What great photos, but I have to tell you I almost wish they were of a wider angle so as I could see more!!!!

Please post more!

[Paul Turner]

Darren

You're right, the course is too quirky for analysis.  About half the holes cross over! But it appears work OK with typically two holes routed around the excavations at different angles.

I wonder, could I have fooled any of you with the first two pics into thinking this is a links course? Rather than being about 400ft above sea level?

Tommy, here's a couple more.  Is this beyond the pale?

The tee shot at 10 over the "dune"

To the punchbowl green.

And here's the same pit shown in the 14th tee shot but as approached from the 2nd.

[ForkaB]

I've forgotten about Pacific Dunes aready!  Take me to Painswick!

[Paul_W]

Paul T:  An inspired posting!  I am reminded of the front nine at Portsalon; not visually, but quirkilly.  I am still scheduled to play the Devon-Cornwall links the second and third weeks of June.  I think my son, just learning the game at fifteen, would find Painswick a charming intro, and I will seek it out.  The interesting aspect of the links designed for the feather ball is that they are ideal for the junior golfer, or dare I mention it on this site: female of the species.  

[RT]

Paul,

Was there a Thatch Inn nearby?  You son of a gun.  Where did you have this up your sleeve??  Darren and I must protest, loudly.

Cheers,
Russell

[Ran Morrissett]

Paul,

Is there an architect of record as best you are aware?

Is its location on the escarpment the limiting factor (ie could it be longer than a 5,000 yarder with a majority of one shotters)?

How fortunate are you (and now we) to even know of such a course??

Truly inspired photos - you need to make a My Home Course entry from something over there.

Cheers,

[Mike Hendren]

Ran,
I suggest a new award for year-end:  Debutante Award for "best coming out."  This post is clearly the early front-runner.

[Mike_Cirba]

I think I'm in love.

5000 yards built in 1891.  I think we need to open our minds to what constitutes a great golf course.  

Who would care what you shot out there?  85, 75, 65, 55?  What would it matter?

Sheesh...I'm blown away.

[Paul Turner]

Mike

I agree, that's how you have to view Painswick-as something different.  Low handicappers could easily have contempt for the course and play the very short 4s with a mid iron and short iron.  But if they have a sense of adventure and try and go for as many greens in one as possible, then the challenge is much greater.

Ran

I have absolutely no info on a possible  course architect.  And yes there's no room to expand because of the escarpment.  I've posted the card and routing below to give some perspective.  And needless to say, not every hole is a winner!  17th and 18th are very weak, especially 18 which basically a pitch and put hole.  Some of the greens are very basic too.

Rich

Look at the hole names: an underlying theme of PAIN!

PaulW

I think it would be a fine course for your son.  It really suits the shorter hitter.

Russell

Nothing quite in the class of The Thatch!  The Pelican in nearby Stroud is pretty good if a bit rough around the edges.

The route:

Card

The escarpment: looking down the 12th and up 13th with 3 and 4 crossing!

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The 5th tee, up over the ancient fort rampart!

To the bowl green: good for a gallery?

The 7th to another punchbowl

The 9th, can't see the quarry scars very well here.

Or the 9th from the other angle

And finally the 1st.  You go straight uphill and you're greeted with this!

And that's about it.  Sorry if I've gone a bit overboard on the number of pics!

[Paul Turner]

Nuts! One of those didn't work:

The escarpment: looking down the 12th and up 13th with 3 and 4 crossing!

[Steve Okula]

Speaking as a superintendent, it looks like a nightmare to mow all those craggy mounds. do you have any insight as to haw it's maitained?

[ForkaB]

I propose that in the future all unresolveable disputes on this site (e.g. PV vs. PB, numerical rankings vs. star ratings; proper subsoil cation exchange ratios; P Mucci vs. _______; GCA vs. Fazio; Tom Paul vs. bandwidth) be resolved at Painswick.

Contestants tee off simultaneously at 1 and 10 and take aim at each other with mashie niblicks at every crossing hole.  First to drop to the ground laughing buys the first round at the Falcon Inn.

PS--Mucho Gracias Paul T.  The piece de resistance has to be #17 "Graveyard" where the tiger tees are 1 yard shorter than the everyday ones!

[RJ_Daley]

Why do I somehow have an image in my mind that the local caddy pool has loopers that resemble that banjo playing kid in "Deliverance"?

[Paul Turner]

Steve

Mackenzie's Rabbits?

No seriously, I don't know.  I have a few older (poor) photos from my one previous time there and it looks like they have mowed some of the mounds by hand.  The grass is actually quite long for a golf course, in keeping with the common ground; and I guess it is only cut fairly infrequently.  The course is probably playing much like it did 100+ years ago.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

This place is just way too cool! Lets all pack up right now and go to Glouchester!!!!

The only thing missing here is lots of condos, I see awful a lot of condominium opportunites that are going to waste just because of some silly escarpment. (I also suggested this at Pacific Dunes. The condo opportunites range in the thousands. Do you guys realize how much money could be made at these kinds of places?)

Somebody get Ted Robinson on the phone, we have got a great opportunity for him here. He can make some "minor" changes to the course and utilize the property to its fullest.

Paul, Next time you apologize for putting up more pictures such as these, I'm gonna send Paulie Walnuts over there to slap you silly!  

POST MORE!

This place might be the birthplace of Quirk.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Seems sort of silly to even have a scorecard for this place don't you think? This may be the ultimate match play course.

[Mike_Cirba]

Paul;

Thanks for sharing the additional pics.

One question, though.  How does one ever leave this place before nightfall?

[ForkaB]

Mike

I think the thought of what sorts of things might happen on that land after nightfall would be enough incentive to complete the gowfing before darkness arrived.

[JohnV]

If it is in the Cotswalds, how near is it to Chipping Camden?  We stayed there a quite a few years ago and I wish I had known about it.

I think it is the kind of course that should be played with wooden shafted clubs and a guttie.  Then 4831 yards would be more than sufficient.

[Paul Turner]

Tommy

In an attempt to keep me walnuts intact, here's some more.  And condos would be fine, as long as they use phony Cotswold stone

Looking back up the spectacular 6th to the Beacon:

Looking the other way down the escarpment towards the 3rd.  Over the posts is down into the underworld of Catsbrain Quarry.  The 4th green is tucked up in the trees in the far right corner:

A good site for the 4th green in that semi-circle of trees.

The approach at the "long" 9th:

And the approach to the 11th with the pit on the left:

Wish I had a photo of the 15th too, it's a bit like the 16th but shorter.