Feature Interview with Sean Arble is posted

[Ran Morrissett]

The Discussion Group reminds me in some ways of professional golf.  We all start off level. No one has a head start and no one gives you anything because you are a ‘name.’ Each post is like a shot with the object being to build from one good one to the next. When you go astray -on tangents (sometimes it is hard not to) your work suffers. Hopefully, over the course of time you will compile scores of posts that make you proud.

Sean Arble has done that about as well as anybody since this Discussion Group began in 1999. I say that based not only my own observations but by the large number of people who ask me, ala Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, ‘Who is that guy?’

After recently watching him storm around Reddish Vale in a tidy fashion, I asked him to do a Feature Interview for the site. He initially said ‘No, everyone knows me pretty well and I doubt that I have much new to offer.’ I persevered and happily won out. Frequently, it seems that the modest people have the most to say. The more they see, the more they realize how much there is to learn. That’s the impression that you are left with after reading Sean’s interview: he is like a gigantic sponge, absorbing knowledge as he golfs across GB&I. Who else is going to talk  about Cleeve Cloud, Edgbaston, Minchinhampton Old Course, Hockley, and Church Stretton?! In addition, Sean is very much into the game’s history and the names Molly Gourlay, 1886’s Champion Golfer of the Year David Brown and Sir Harry Mallaby-Deeley are sprinkled throughout this Feature Interview. You can almost imagine the gears turning in his head as he “connects the dots” as to how golf course architecture evolved in GB&I. As an added bonus, Sean happens to be great at both playing and taking photos at the same time as witnessed by the thirteen high quality photos of his found throughout the Feature Interview.

Happily, there is good news for us all: Sean has started his own travel business, Classic British Golf Tours. We all head to the UK and naturally play the famous Open courses and other heralded landmarks. That’s logical, but then what? Where to play next? Just one read through this month’s Feature Interview provides the easy answer! Feel free to email Sean directly at sean@classicbritishgolftours.com or visit his web site www.classicbritishgolftours.com.

I am certainly biased toward Sean and his writings/observations and I hope that we have an opportunity to write some course profiles together. He shares the same values that I do: natural golf in authentic settings and observing how man capitalized (or not) on those opportunities. Additionally, he is tight with a £, which has the added benefit of sending him (and in turn us through his writings) to bouncy-bounce golf courses that aren’t overly manicured.

Hope you learn as much from this month’s Feature Interview as I did.

Best,

[Garland Bayley]

"For me, golf is a game and I don’t think it should require a large budget to enjoy oneself."

+1

Thanks for your thoughts Sean.

[Jud_T]

Excellent interview!  When I fill in the gaping hole in my golfing resume that is England and Wales I'll be utilizing Sean's services.  As a Yank who's been on several barnstorming tours of the big names in GB&I,  Sean's expertise and eye makes one realize there's more to life than paying up for a guaranteed time at The Old Course and a cold pint with a bunch of tourists.

Sean,

Have you ever met Frank Pont in the flesh?  I recently had the pleasure of touring several Colt/Alison courses with him and I can't imagine there's anyone on the planet more qualified to do faithful restoration work on one of their courses,  not to mention his intriguing original design work.

[PThomas]

good stuff...even though he's a Red Wings fan

[David_Tepper]

Very nice and very informative interview. Sean knows even more than I thought he did! 

[Martin Toal]

Sean is an American?

Harrumph. All this time, I had believed him to be a gentleman!

[Thomas Dai]

Splendid interview. Very readable and very informative.

All the best

[Neil White]

First off, I want to point out that all that I am about to say is is no way me 'blowing smoke.......' 

I first met Sean after cheekily asking him if I could join him on one of his many visits to courses during his annual winter tours, he had to let me down as he already had his playing partners organised but offered me a game at the delightful Burnham & Berrow a couple of days later.  Since then I have been fortunate enough to join him on a number of days out throughout the U.K.

I can safely say he is possibly one of the most welcoming and genuine guys I have had the pleasure of meeting and epitomises all that is good, dare I say great about this site.

As Ran alluded to Sean's substantial knowledge is evident and he is at no pains to share it with you.  Indeed without him I fear this site would only be a mere fraction as interesting (to us this side of the pond at least) as what it is.

Best,

Neil.

[James Bennett]

Sean at Notts Hollinwell in May 2013.

[John Mayhugh]

Thanks to Ran & Sean for an interesting read.  Sean's tours of lesser-known courses are one of the real highlights of GCA for me, and it's great having him as a resource.  Thanks to this site, I've managed to see loads of courses I had never heard of a mere ten years ago, and my golf life is the better for it.  While I may like some courses that Sean's not crazy about, there's nothing he has recommended that failed to live up to expectations.  Great knowing someone like that.

[Terry Lavin]

Thanks to Ran & Sean for an interesting read.  Sean's tours of lesser-known courses are one of the real highlights of GCA for me, and it's great having him as a resource.  Thanks to this site, I've managed to see loads of courses I had never heard of a mere ten years ago, and my golf life is the better for it.  While I may like some courses that Sean's not crazy about, there's nothing he has recommended that failed to live up to expectations.  Great knowing someone like that.

Couldn't have said it better, so I won't try.

[Joe Andriole]

It is one of the great pleasures of this site to espy one of Sean's course reviews. They are so erudite, well-written and beautifully photographed. Thanks to all that make them possible.

[Peter Pallotta]

Thanks to Ran & Sean for an interesting read.  Sean's tours of lesser-known courses are one of the real highlights of GCA for me, and it's great having him as a resource.  Thanks to this site, I've managed to see loads of courses I had never heard of a mere ten years ago, and my golf life is the better for it.  While I may like some courses that Sean's not crazy about, there's nothing he has recommended that failed to live up to expectations.  Great knowing someone like that.

Couldn't have said it better, so I won't try.

Neither will I. Well, I will add this: if every great post and lovely photo and friendly IM was stripped off this site and only Sean's posts and tours were left, I'd still consider myself very lucky to be a member here.

[Paul_Turner]

Sean

Enjoyed the interview...you'll have to get back to Hockley and check out the 9th green.  Definitely could qualify and one of England's "wackiest".

[Sean_A]

Thanks for the kind words all.  I was very surprised to be selected for an interview and it just goes to show how desperate Ran has become. 

JudT

No, I have not yet met Frank.  He seems like a genuine and very keen guy.  I hope more Colt clubs take up his ideas.

PThomas

We can't all be perfect.  I balance my Red Wing arrogance against the many childhood years when the Dead Things drove Detroiters to Boston, The Islanders, Edmonton...you get the picture - my childhood was rough.

Paul

There are a few very cool greens at Hockley.  I would like a return visit, its been too long.

Once again, thanks for the generosity. 

Ciao

[Craig Disher]

Sean,
Regarding Rye, there's no need to feel any chagrin. The full-course irrigation was installed to keep the native fescues alive during the difficult summer months. After the heat and wind this week, the course still looks and plays like a true links; but rather than having large stretches of fairway that would have turned to dirt, the grass coverage (although quite brown) is almost 100%.

And thanks for a great interview.

[Tim Martin]

I really enjoyed this interview and find Sean's perspective enlightening. With so many chasing the Holy Grail courses it is refreshing to see someone that has a different mindset when choosing where to play. With the breadth of UK/Ireland courses than Sean has seen including a pile of "hidden gems" he seems uniquely qualified to run a travel business with a something for everyone take. I wish him the best of luck going forward and hope he continues to chronicle many of his finds both via photo and print.

[Eric Smith]

Thanks for the interview, guys.

Sean's organizing the BUDA in 2010 was a godsend, as he was able to introduce me and many other GCAers to his beloved Pennard, as well as a number of other Welsh gems. This would be my very first visit to the UK and so I took it upon myself to travel further into Wales, pre-BUDA, to Tenby Golf Club, because of the words written on this site by Mr. Arble. Happy to say it was well worth the journey. I imagine Sean's foray into the golf travel business will provide many others the same joy his efforts have given me.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I have played a number of courses with Sean and I am very impressed with way, like Ran, he can make a very thorough assessment of the merits and demerits of a golf course on a single visit. He takes but a few photographs yet has the knack of taking photographs which illustrate the point he is making. He doesn't seem to make any notes as he goes along, but when he writes up the course he has clearly noticed every relevant feature (and some irrelevant ones as well). Sean is excellent company on and off the course and I hope this will ensure the continued success of his venture. He deserves to succeed.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Sean, I wish you the best in your new venture.  Hopefully we can tee it up again the next time I am in England.

[John Kavanaugh]

Sean, I wish you the best in your new venture.  Hopefully we can tee it up again the next time I am in England.

New venture?  I'll believe it when he posts under his real name. I love the guy, but really.

[Jason Topp]

I think of Sean's course profiles as carrying some of the same advantages as minimalist architecture.  Because he focuses so heavily on lower cost golf courses he has exposed more hidden gems for me than anyone.  His influence had to have been significant in John Mayhugh and my itinerary that included Painswick, Kington, Southerndown, Burnham & Barrow and Woking.

I did not even attempt to explain that trip to non GCA Geeks.  I would gladly take it again.

[henrye]

I've always enjoyed Sean's golf course profiles as they expose me to courses I would otherwise have never heard of.  They truly show the depth of wonderful golf in GB & I.

I'm confused, however, by the response to the favourite course over 100 pounds?  Do you really prefer Prestwick & Rye to courses like Muirfield, The Old Couse, RCD or Portrush?  Also, I didn't think Rye was that expensive?

[James Boon]

Ran, and Sean,

Thanks for a great interview.

When I first joined GCA I mentioned I was a country member at Burnham & Berrow, and I got a message from some chap called Sean Arble saying he was too and we should meet up. Though it took a while and our first real attempt got no further than a quick meeting in the clubhouse before I had to head home, I have since played many rounds with Sean at Burnham and elsewhere. In fact, after my brother Sean is probably one of the people I have played golf with the most! I can therefore say, that anyone who enjoys there time on this site, should make every effort to get a round of golf in with this man!

A warning however. He will complain that some courses are too long, or he isn't that great a golfer, and will then proceed to knock most of his drives past you and leave you for dust! 

Though I have often found myself agreeing with so much that Sean writes, and if he beats me to it on a thread I've therefore probably not added to it, he has also taught me so much and fine tuned my love and appreciation of golf and its courses. Though the likes of Cavendish or Painswick may not have been on most peoples radar, I loved them long before Sean posted a thread. But he also introduced me to Pennard and Kington which I very much love! For all of that I have to again thank Sean, and also Ran, and I very much look forwards to my next round with Sean wherever it may be!

Cheers,

James

[Niall C]

I agree wholeheartedly with all that's been said about Seans contribution to this site. I only wish he would relocate to Scotland in order to showcase some of the lesser lights up here the same way he has down south. More power to his elbow.

Niall