Bill's List - 10 Favorite Accessible AND Fun Courses

[James Boon]

Bill,

I love your list! North Berwick, Pennard and the delightful Painswick are all great fun golf and I hope soon to be able to get to Crail and Elie, but Ardglass?

I see several others here have supported its inclusion, and sorry to disagree, but I just didn't get it? I did really like the first 4 holes, great fun, great setting and a decent challenge as well without being long, but then it just seemed to hit a level of mediocrity for the rest of the round. The new par 3 10th at the end of the course was also up there with a great setting and the last as a short downhill par 4 was fun, but the rest just didnt excite me in the way that the other courses above have done. If RCD wasn't just round the corner I'm not sure it would register to most people? Maybe I should give it another go, but I'll struggle to pull myself away from RCD as I played rubbish there, in real crappy weather and still had miles more fun the previous day at Ardglass...

BTW my understanding of the revisions to the course are that the current 9th, 10th and 11th at the far end were added on new land, while two holes that ran up and down between the 4th and 16th wwere removed to give more room as were a short par 3 penultimate hole that you walk past from the current 17th green to the last tee. The old 17th looked to be a little cracker? I was there in Sept 2008 and from the grass on the new holes its possible that they hadn't been open too long?

Cheers,

James

ps I too would love to see some others that just missed out?

[Mark Pearce]

Bill,

The Gorsemen will be in Scotland in August.  If we had just one space to fill, do you pick Crail or Elie?  Why? How many rounds do you have at each?

Thanks Bill,

Shane

Depends what you like but I'm relatively alone here in not being knocked sideways by Crail, but Elie's a tease and a test.  3 to 7.

Disclaimer: I'm a member of Crail Golfing Society and my eldest son is a member of Elie, which I am hoping to join.  I play a lot of golf in the summer at both.  I knew Elie well before I joined Crail and, at first, I would have agreed with this.  However, as time passes, I have come to enjoy Crail more and more.  I'd now probably say that Crail has higher highlights (3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16) but the more mundane holes are more mundane (6, 15). 

I love both and would probably go 5:5 with, if I have a slight preference, a very slight preference for Elie.  Crail does benefit from its proximity to the water (you can see the see from every hole and a good player could hit a ball into the see from anywhere on the course, I suspect).

Cruden Bay should be in the mix and, in England, Kington is right up there.  In fact, Bill, if you haven't played Kington you should find a way of playing it soon.

Of the other courses on the list I have played, yes, they're great fun.

[Jamie Barber]

I've only played one on that list, Ardglass, and whilst it has some good holes I wasn't that struck by it personally. Some very good clifftop holes, but some forgettable holes too.

Our past captain organizes a trip there each year which includes Ardglass and some interest tales have come back. The past captain himself managed to miss the entire island of Ireland on his opening tee shot (hooked into the Irish see with all of Ireland on the right). Another low handicapper almost drove the 18th but found a greenside bunker, but then somehow bladed a wedge which ended up on the clubhouse roof, and the clubhouse is a castle!

[Tim Leahy]

UK
Prestwick, St. Enodoc, Littlestone, Tenby, Cruden Bay
US & Canada
Wine Valley, Juniper, Sagebrush, Mt. Shasta, Astoria, Rustic Canyon, Wildhorse
Australia & NZ
Portsea, Dunes, Barwon Head

Pete, which course in Shasta? Is it just the views?

[Bill_McBride]

I've only played one on that list, Ardglass, and whilst it has some good holes I wasn't that struck by it personally. Some very good clifftop holes, but some forgettable holes too.

Our past captain organizes a trip there each year which includes Ardglass and some interest tales have come back. The past captain himself managed to miss the entire island of Ireland on his opening tee shot (hooked into the Irish see with all of Ireland on the right). Another low handicapper almost drove the 18th but found a greenside bunker, but then somehow bladed a wedge which ended up on the clubhouse roof, and the clubhouse is a castle!

I thought there were enough fun holes at Ardglass that it qualified for this list.  Agreed you wouldn't give up a day at County Down for it!

[Pete_Pittock]

UK
Prestwick, St. Enodoc, Littlestone, Tenby, Cruden Bay
US & Canada
Wine Valley, Juniper, Sagebrush, Mt. Shasta, Astoria, Rustic Canyon, Wildhorse
Australia & NZ
Portsea, Dunes, Barwon Head

Pete, which course in Shasta? Is it just the views?

Tim,
I mean Mt Shasta Resort, which is west of I-5 and built down into the canyon. This is different than Shastina Resort, IMHO is just a typical RTJ course.

[Scott Szabo]

Any discussion surely has to include Wild Horse in Gothenburg, Nebraska.

Not if you haven't been there!

Next time you come out my way look me up - I'm sure I can round up a couple of GCAers' and we'll make the trek to Gothenburg.  You won't be disappointed, I promise you!

Can we take the foot doctor?!

That could be arranged!

[jeffwarne]

I've only played one on that list, Ardglass, and whilst it has some good holes I wasn't that struck by it personally. Some very good clifftop holes, but some forgettable holes too.

Our past captain organizes a trip there each year which includes Ardglass and some interest tales have come back. The past captain himself managed to miss the entire island of Ireland on his opening tee shot (hooked into the Irish see with all of Ireland on the right). Another low handicapper almost drove the 18th but found a greenside bunker, but then somehow bladed a wedge which ended up on the clubhouse roof, and the clubhouse is a castle!

I thought there were enough fun holes at Ardglass that it qualified for this list.  Agreed you wouldn't give up a day at County Down for it!

Bill,
It's a great list, and more importantly-your list!
While you "wouldn't give up a day at RCD for Ardglass" (methinks many on this site miss a lot of great golf due to excessive "linkslove"), you'd certainly wander over for a great afternoon post RCD.
The same as Aiken Golf Club is a great afternoon compliment to Palmetto.

[Bill_McBride]

I've only played one on that list, Ardglass, and whilst it has some good holes I wasn't that struck by it personally. Some very good clifftop holes, but some forgettable holes too.

Our past captain organizes a trip there each year which includes Ardglass and some interest tales have come back. The past captain himself managed to miss the entire island of Ireland on his opening tee shot (hooked into the Irish see with all of Ireland on the right). Another low handicapper almost drove the 18th but found a greenside bunker, but then somehow bladed a wedge which ended up on the clubhouse roof, and the clubhouse is a castle!

I thought there were enough fun holes at Ardglass that it qualified for this list.  Agreed you wouldn't give up a day at County Down for it!

Bill,
It's a great list, and more importantly-your list!
While you "wouldn't give up a day at RCD for Ardglass" (methinks many on this site miss a lot of great golf due to excessive "linkslove"), you'd certainly wander over for a great afternoon post RCD.
The same as Aiken Golf Club is a great afternoon compliment to Palmetto.

Exactly!