London, here I come!!!

[David Ober]

Going to visit a friend in London in early August. Can't wait!!! Never been across the pond, but have always been a bit of an Anglophile at heart. 

Will probably be there for 7 - 10 days and will, of course, be playing some golf. Any ideas as to where I should play while there? I'm willing to travel to Ireland/Scotland/Wales also, of course. :-)

Have always wanted to play Ballybunion, ever since I saw pics many years ago as a newbie golfer when I was in my early 20's....

David

[Bart Bradley]

David:

Ballybunion is, of course, wonderful.  But London and its surrounds would more than fill a trip of that length with top notch golf.  Sunningdale New and Old, Swinley Forest, Walton Heath, Deal, Rye, Royal St. Georges are all within an hour or two of London.

Good luck and I'd be happy to help in any way possible.

Bart

[Will Lozier]

Going to visit a friend in London in early August. Can't wait!!! Never been across the pond, but have always been a bit of an Anglophile at heart. 

Will probably be there for 7 - 10 days and will, of course, be playing some golf. Any ideas as to where I should play while there? I'm willing to travel to Ireland/Scotland/Wales also, of course. :-)

Have always wanted to play Ballybunion, ever since I saw pics many years ago as a newbie golfer when I was in my early 20's....

David

David,

What is your ability to travel around London?  Definitely hit a number of Heathland tracks - there are literally 10's of courses of that mold that are totally unbelievable experiences.  Also, if you can get to SW England, Deal is one of my favorite courses in the world with great support here on GCA.  In Ireland, I'd definitely hit the west coast for Ballybunion Old and Lahinch and N. Ireland for Royal County Down and Portrush (I didn't quite make it up there).  If you want to head north of London, I played a British Open Qualifier at Alwoodley (MacKenzie's first solo design) and Ganton while you are there.  

I'll be glad to offer more specifics on the Heathland course if you can give some time frames.

Cheers

[hhuffines]

I just got back from there in April... Stay in England and enjoy great links courses and the heathland courses.   Both courses at Sunningdale are wonderful and offer an incredible day if you can combine them.   Make sure you get a shot of ice cold Kümmel at the halway house!  Deal is a simple drive and Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St. George's are really close to each other.

[Michael Whitaker]

As I write this I'm sitting at gate 8 at JFK waiting to board my flight to London. After a rough start to the year I'm finally going to get to get back to Deal. Interestingly, I've never been in June, so this will be a new experience. Can't wait to see the place agaIn!

[Garland Bayley]

If believe (if it ever happens) my first trip across the pond with be to play links golf in Cornwall. West Cornwall, Perranporth, Trevose, St. Enodoc, Saunton East and West, Westward Ho, and some obscure course that Sean Arble belongs to. Unfortunately, Sean says that itinerary is best done outside the summer vacation madhouse time period.

[Tommy Williamsen]

In ten days you should be able to play a lot of golf and still have time to get a little feel of the culture.  English heathland golf is unique.  It does not exist anywhere else.  There are many worthy candidates in Surrey and Berkshire.  I would pick one section of England or England and Wales for links golf and concentrate your efforts there.  It is quite possible to play some golf in southwest England and Wales in a short time period.  Don't try to do too much or spend a lot of time driving all over the place. I find it good to even play one place two days in a row and meet someone.  Stay in bed and breakfasts.  They are a great way to get a feel for the people.  Even though it is a busy time of the year I usually have been able to find a room.

[Will Lozier]

Don't try to do too much or spend a lot of time driving all over the place. I find it good to even play one place two days in a row and meet someone.  Stay in bed and breakfasts.  They are a great way to get a feel for the people.  Even though it is a busy time of the year I usually have been able to find a room.

Good advice from Tommy...stay in Deal and play RCP for 2 days - you can easily get in 4 rounds.  Play RSG and Rye while staying in the SE of England for 4 days.  Do this after playing, say, Sunningdale (Old & New) or, for a less costly experience, some place like Swinley, Woking, West Hill, Walton Heath, St. George's Hill, or the Berkshire.  MANY more choices than that even and they are all fantastic.  Play Heathland golf for 3 or 4 days before heading southeast.  After that, if you have the urge...play some more sand belt golf before heading to Heathrow for the flight back!

Have fun and enjoy!

Cheers

[Mark Chaplin]

David - sound advice all round. It is a busy time of year so I'd recommend setting a plan fairly early and making arrangements. If you choose RCP/RStG call the clubs early to check their availability, I maybe able to assist with a good quality B&B!

[David Ober]

David - sound advice all round. It is a busy time of year so I'd recommend setting a plan fairly early and making arrangements. If you choose RCP/RStG call the clubs early to check their availability, I maybe able to assist with a good quality B&B!

I'll actually be staying at my friend's home in London. No need for lodging, which means more $$$ available for golf!!! Woohoo!!!

[Tony_Muldoon]

David

All good advice so far.

A couple of points, you'll likely be here during the Olympics and travel will bee....interesting.  However you can watch the Marathons for free. Women’s first Sunday and Men’s Last - 12th.


I'd be happy to host you at Deal on Sat the 11th (will need to check what’s on.)  If you can get to Mile End tube I'll do the rest. Its 1.5hrs drive from there, can probably manage 36 holes, if that sits easy with your plans.


Have a great trip.


Tony

[David Kelly]

David,

Olympics, Olympics, Olympics.  They will be going on from July 25 through August 12.  I have no idea how that will impact the local courses but as Tony mentioned travel could be a problem as could seeing any sights or getting hotel or restaurant reservations.

Having said that I just got back yesterday from a golf trip in the Midlands and had a wonderful time playing: Cavendish, Notts GC, Woodhall Spa, Royal West Norfolk, Hunstanton, Beau Desert, Royal Birkdale, Hillside GC, Ganton and The Alwoodley.

[Rich Goodale]

David O

David K makes a very good point.  It will be "interesting" to be in London while the Olympics are on--travel will be iffy at best, or even, in the immortal words of Neil Young, "and, once you're gone, you can't come back." Of course there are worse fates in life than being stuck at Swinley Forest or in Deal....

I doubt if you have the time to do any more than justice to your friend, seeing London and golfing in the shires, but if you want to get away from the mdness to Scotland for a day or two, let me know and I can arrange something.

All the best

Rich

[Mark Chaplin]

The doom mongers have ensured people will avoid London so I expect there will be relatively little disruption exception when certain Presidents are on the move. That's when I'll be at my busiest.

Train travel to Sunningdale, Swinley, Woking, etc shouldn't be too bad, nor should it be to Deal and Rye. As I said earlier just pick a schedule and make early enquiries with the clubs.

Just avoid car hire!! 

[Bill_McBride]

The doom mongers have ensured people will avoid London so I expect there will be relatively little disruption exception when certain Presidents are on the move. That's when I'll be at my busiest.

Train travel to Sunningdale, Swinley, Woking, etc shouldn't be too bad, nor should it be to Deal and Rye. As I said earlier just pick a schedule and make early enquiries with the clubs.

Just avoid car hire!! 

The anticipated horror stories about Los Angeles never happened in the 1984 Olympics.   People just stayed off the freeways.   

[Brent Hutto]

David,

Take up the offer from Tony_M if at all possible within your schedule. He's a fine golf companion and I will say at least when he manages not to lose his car keys he's a safe driver and somewhat less alarming to ride with than most...by crazy English standards at least.

As a point of comparison, the back seat of an Audi car being hurled at immoderate velocity along the streets of a medieval Northern university town can be distressing for an American used to wider avenues and lesser speeds. But that particular jaunt did not involve Mr. Muldoon.

[Giles Payne]

Brent

Not Conrad by chance?

[Brent Hutto]

Definitely Conrad!

That trip between the hotel/stadium downtown and Alwoodley was taking me 20-25 minutes to drive myself yet I believe he did it in eight minutes flat that night. No mean feat as I believe it's around six miles and no street in that city is straight for longer than 100 yards.

I found it equal parts amazing, frightening and funny. Thank goodness I'd had plenty of wine with dinner or the amazing and funny aspects might have escaped me.

[Mark Pearce]

I suspect a very substantial thread could be produced, consisting entirely of memories seared into the minds of Conrad's passengers at BUDA.

[James Boon]

David,

Pretty sound advice so far regarding your trip this way.

For what its worth, I'd suggest staying in England and travelling back this way another time to experience Ireland or Scotland, and I do love Scotland, so its not just the Englishman in me talking!

I would suggest that even if you aren't playing golf every day, there is more than enough opportunity to mix it up a little. You could easily spend 10 days playing the London heathlands and not get bored, but it would be pretty easy to make a trip or two further afield?

Walton Heath, Sunningdale, Swinley, The Berkshire are all classics and you could easily add New Zealand, St Georges Hill, Woking or many others to that list of those close by. The Addington is a little more central, south London way, and though I've not played it myself, certainly sounds worth it! A handful of those should form the basis of your London / heathland golf.

Pushing a little further out, Royal Ashdown Forest is probably worth a look, Pulborough and Liphook also. If you fancied a trip to Oxford or Cambridge, then Huntercombe or Royal Worlington come into the equation.

Further afield still, as has already been mentioned there is Royal Cinque Ports in Deal (take up Tony's offer, and also if you wanted to play Royal St Georges a night at the B&B Mr Chaplin mentions shouldn't be so quickly dismissed!), and then of course Rye is sort of that way also.

Garland's trip to the south west is also possible for several days and probably a good way to get away from London. Check out Painswick if you fancy a bit of quirk, and if Sean can't get diaries to work out at Burnham & Berrow, I might be able to?

I think there is more than enough to be getting on with, but if you did fancy a little trip north, to the Midlands (just under 2 hours drive from London) I'd be happy to host at Notts (Hollinwell) which you could probably tie in with say Woodhall Spa or Beau Desert, assuming we can get diaries to work out?

Cheers,

James

[Brent Hutto]

Another short trip "away" from London (actually not far at all past Heathrow) would be taking a day and visiting Oxford, Henley-on-Thames and playing golf at Huntercombe. You'd need to organize yourself a car for a few hours to make all that fit together though. But it's a cool area IMO and Huntercombe is a bit out of the ordinary compared to some of the other places you'll no doubt play.

[James Boon]

Brent,

I thought I was cracking up for a minute after mentioning Oxford and Huntercombe only to realise my brain had left me for a minute and I'd typed a certain links in Norfolk that also begins Hun... Have edited my post!

Cheers,

James

[Brent Hutto]

That would be a heck of a day-trip! Go check out the Ashmolean first thing then a late-afternoon round at Hunstanton. Maybe if you had the right Audi and the right driver...

[David Ober]

Looks like the trip will now be in earlyish September. Will the weather still be nice in London? 

[Brent Hutto]

the one September trip I made was up north and it was glorious weather except for one rainy day. It was mid-September and cool to fairly warm with mostly sunshine.