Two great heathland holes in one picture

[Ted Kramer]

As much as I'm dying to get across the Atlantic to play some real links golf, I think that the heathland layouts look like they might end up being my favorites . . .

The landscapes in those pictures look so serene.

-Ted

[Ed Tilley]

Some more pics of Broadstone

[Paul_Turner]

Noel, it was a good and different trip!  

Broadstone must have one of the biggest routings in the Isles, in an earlier thread we discussed big routings and I think I remember that Notts and Broastone were the two picks from over there.

Some amazing holes there including the 13th and 14th in your pic.  If the spinney of pines behing the 13th/15th green was removed the spectacular position of the 13th green would be highlighted.  I know the trees were added later 'cos I have an old pic of the 15th (not 13th unfortunately).

Only reservation with Broadstone is the 18th, which is a let down after so many top holes.   I'm not sure but maybe the new clubhouse changed it?  The clubhouse used to be on the other side of the rail tracks by the 1st tee.  The 17th is only "good" too after the steller 6-16 stretch.

Overall, I think Parkstone is probably as good as Broadstone.  Consistently strong holes even if Broadstone has several world class hole when Parkstone maybe has only 1 in the 17th.

The 17th at Parkstone in your photo used to be 2 holes (I have an old pic).  A par 3 from the current tee to a green in front of the ridge, followed, I guess, by a par 4 to the current green.   All the courses should take a leaf out of Parkstone's book and start restoring the heath.  The 4th at Broadstone would be, visually, an amazing hole with tree clearing up to the 7th hole.

I thought Meyrick Park was an unexpected gem, particularly being a muni that gets swamped.  The 1st is amazing and the set of 3s is as fine as just about any course I've played.  But the 14th is probably the best hole and celebrated in its day, a par 5 up a natural valley.  It does get a little cramped at the 17/18th which is a bit of a shame.

I'm pretty sure that Colt did a full redo of Dunn's course.  But on the 7th hole, there is evidence of Dunn's rampart/dark ages bunkering shown in Horace Huchinson's "British Golf Links"...it's a grassed mound now.

Bournemouth is an attractive town but as Mark points out, it is a bit "blue rinse",  unless you hit the town on a weekend night when all the Chavs are partying.

I haven't played Ferndown or Purbeck but there's another heathland course in the area which never gets mentioned, I can't remember the name "King...?"

[Bill_McBride]

In "Golf Courses of the British Isles (1910)," Bernard Darwin says that Broadstone is "rather an easy course to remember, which is the same as saying that the holes have each got very definite characters of their own; at any rate, although I have seen them but once, I can play them all quite clearly in my mind's eye, save only the park holes, which, truth to tell, are not much worth remembering."

He described the first six holes as "excellent golf in the right golfing country, with heather and sand,..." and then going through a gate into very typical inland golf, not very good, for the next six holes. Then the course finishes with six more very good holes back in the heather.

Were these holes changed or relocated over the years?  I've heard good things about Broadstone from this group, but Darwin had mixed emotions almost a hundred years ago.  He does mention that Fowler was involved but that would have been pre-1910.  It sounds as though Colt came in and rerouted the course to improve that middle stretch of holes.

Paul, please define "Chavs."  

[Tony_Muldoon]

Paul, please define "Chavs."  

Council House And Violent.

It's a fairly recent additon to the vocabluary.

[Bill_McBride]

Paul, please define "Chavs."  

Council House And Violent.

It's a fairly recent additon to the vocabluary.

And not a particularly politically correct one, I'll bet!