The last time I was in the UK, I played most of the justifiably famous courses one does when first golfing here.
This time, apart from Porthcawl, I haven't. Instead, I've stuck to the lesser lights like Southerndown, Silloth, Brora, Tain etc, and haven't really the biggies.
There is so much quality golf amongst the lesser lights in the UK. Allright, the front nine at Brora may appear a little similar to each other, but there are some terrific, small greens, a wonderfully warm welcome (Ring up to enquire as to the possibilites of a game - you'll be interrupted with a jolly, booming, 'absolutely nooooooo problem there'), and several thrilling holes, notably the 16th, and, especially, the 17th, which is just out of this world.
Even Tain, a nice but hardly earth shattering course, has several nice surprises - the rumped fifth fairway and small green saddled in a pocket, as well as the out-of-this-world 15th green.
With the price of golf in the UK seemingly heading for the stratosphere, most of the lesser brigade can be had for less than forty quid, you're assured of a hearty welcome, might even get the opportunity to trot along with the more 'down to earth' members there and learn something of the club and course itself, and you're still assured of some quality architecture, albeit with not quite as many standout holes as the biggies, but some beauties (which you can stay and study long after you would have been chainsawed and dumped in a burn at a Royal club), and some mostly stunning scenery too.
If Mark Rowlinson had somehow managed to keep the gruesome twosome in check, it would almost be worth emigrating from the land of sun-kissed delight. (Oz, to you neophytes).