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Thomas Dai

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St David's City GC - with pictures
« on: May 07, 2014, 01:52:55 PM »
'Where is this St David's City place?' I can hear folk thinking.

Well go west in South Wales, way west of the usual GCA hotspot that is Porthcawl/P&K/Southerndown, way west even of other GCA favourites like Pennard and Ashburnham, even further west even than Tenby and you'll find the city of St David's, Wales' smallest city, and two miles west of the City down some small country lanes past fields of grazing sheep and cattle and near the wonderfully named Whitesands Bay, you'll find a delightful 9-hole course perched on sandy terrain on a cliff-top, and that is St David's City GC.

When you arrive this is what you'll see - the 9th/18th green and the small tin roofed Clubhouse with this notice attached -



You might find someone in the Clubhouse but if not you write out a ticket for yourself, put your money and reference slip in an envelope which you then post through an honesty box and off you go to the 1st tee.

Now this isn't a full photo-tour as I didn't take sufficient photos of each hole, but here are some pix and comments to give you a flavour of StDCGC.

Par-4 1st/10th green with Whitesands Bay in the background and, in the 2nd photo, a side-on view of the same green



Par-4 3rd/12th green. Two flags for the different nines plus the same double-level green with a side-on view.



Par-3 4th/13th hole viewed from the tee looking downhill towards to green. This is a really good hole, simple to look at but playing harder than it appears as the l-r slope is severe. The green also slopes significantly from front down to the rear and over the back is gunch. From the back tees as per this photo it's circa 200 yds into the prevailing wind.





Par-5 5th/14th hole. The tee is right on the cliff edge and it's a blind tee-shot up over the hill dog-legging slightly l-r. The green is long and thin has more than one level and has two flags, one for the 5th, one for the 14th.






Par-3 6th/15th hole, an uphill par-3 with a hidden-ground deceiving bunker at the front

Looking back down the 6th/15th hole with the tees to the left side of the photo


You drive over the 6th/15th green when playing the 7th/16th hole


The approach from the left side near to the green of the par-4 7th/16th green. The 7th/16th and 9th/18th greens are side-by-side pretty much in front of the Clubhouse

and the 7th/16th green as seen from much closer. Note Welsh flag proudly fluttering over the Clubhouse.


The 8th/17th is downhill and can be played either as a par-4 or as a par-3. Either way it has a wonderful small green set at an angle to the fairway with a mound and dip in front and a severe drop-off into gunch on the right side. It also falls away significantly from front to rear and from left to right side. It's a beauty. I don't think the photos do it justice.




The 9th/18th is an uphill par-4 to a green set alongside the 7th/16th green in front of the Clubhouse.




One final photo to finish


This then is St David's City Golf Club.

Is St David's City earth shatteringly challenging championship golf. No, of course not. Will the macho young buck with a bag full of titanium and graphite and super spinning wedges like it? Probably not. Is it fun if you're prepared to open your eyes wide enough to envisage golf as it used to be and can still be? Yes. Is it in excellent condition? Yes. Does it play firm and fast? Yes. Is it a very friendly place to drop in for a game and have a good natter with the members? Yes. Is it worth playing if you're in far West Wales with your clubs and fancy a game? Yes. Is the 8th/17th green worth seeing with your own eyes if you're an architect? Yes.

If you're in the area go and play StDC, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I played it with 6 hickory clubs and had a absolute blast, and a rather good score too!

atb



Paul OConnor

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2014, 02:13:16 PM »
I like "Bona-Fide Golfers Only" 

Tony_Muldoon

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2014, 04:25:17 PM »
The man is on fire today!!


Must have been standing downwind of a dragon.




Thanks again David

You mention sandy terrain.  Is ths Pennards little sister i.e. another links in the sky?


This looks a bunch of fun, shame I missed it when we stayed in the lovely New Quay (welsh one).

Have you played nearby Cardigan?
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30982.0.html

Or how about the fun 9 holer Cwmrhydneuadd Golf Club?
Plays down and back up a valley.
Let's make GCA grate again!

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2014, 05:35:54 PM »
Brian, 'on fire today' because I managed to remember my photo-sharing service password!

Tony, yes StDCGC is a bit of a links in the sky, but nothing near as elevated as say Pennard or Perranporth and not as severely undulating as either of them either. I mentioned above that the Clubhouse roof is tin. I expect is was once upon a time, now I think it's probably aluminium cladding.

StDCGC is a great fun place to play and, as the photos show, the views over the Pembrokeshire coast are wonderful. The city of St David's is a nice place to explore too, lots of craft shops and galleries and that sort of stuff, plus the old Bishops Palace etc. The village of Solva just a few miles away to the east is also a pretty arts and craftsie kinda place.

I haven't played at Cardigan, but it's on my Welsh 'to-play' list.

Up the road a bit from StDGC is Newport (Pembs) GC. It used to be a 9-hole links but is now 18-holes and although it's not supposed to be a long course I've heard good reports about it, you can apparently also stay there on-site, although I've not been myself (yet).

As to the 9-holer at Cwmrhydneuadd, which I believe has been mentioned on GCA before, that's somewhere I haven't been yet either. So many courses, so little time.

A Welsh course that needs a GCA visit and a full photo-tour is Welshpool in Mid-Wales, an 18-hole upsie-downsie hill-top course not far from the English Border, up near Shrewsbury way. Think Llandrindod-Kington-Church Stretton-Cleeve-Minch' Old, that kinda course.

Paul, I liked the "Bona-Fide Golfers Only" sign too. I've always thought a "No riff-raff" sign would be amusing, trouble is, how do you define "Riff-raff"? One man's food is another man's poison and all that. Still the "Bona-Fide Golfers Only" sign did make me chuckle.

Mention of standing downwind of a dragon reminds me of Idris the Dragon, you must remember Idris, a star of the Ivor the Engine cartoon series!



Toot, toot!

atb

Mark_Rowlinson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2014, 06:11:56 AM »
Yes, go and play Welshpool - and you can play narrow gauge steam on the same trip.

BCrosby

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2014, 08:41:09 AM »
Mike Young's ideal clubhouse!  ;)

Bob

Sean_A

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2014, 03:21:48 AM »
Cheers TD.  Isn't it quite unusual to have two flags on a green for a 9 holer?

Ciao
« Last Edit: May 10, 2014, 04:09:24 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2014, 04:07:21 AM »
Sean,

I've not seen two flags on one green on a 9-holer before either. The two greens in question are both very long and as they are on the two longest holes on the course this may have something to do with it. There weren't many other folk around to ask the question of when I was there.

Bob,

Not just MY's ideal Clubhouse!

Mark,

Are yes, narrow gauge railways in Wales. Great stuff - see http://www.wllr.org.uk/ - Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway for more details. Toot, toot!



Incidentally, St David's City GC's website - http://www.stdavidscitygolfclub.co.uk/ - includes a very nice potted history of the Club and splendid photographs.

atb
« Last Edit: May 11, 2014, 05:28:49 AM by Thomas Dai »

Neil White

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2014, 04:40:18 PM »
Thomas,

I holiday every year in St Davids and always make time to get a round or two in at StDCGC.  I often try to play late afternoon or early evening to make the most of the dramatic coastline and setting sun.

The course itself has improved over the last couple of years - originally there was a lot of scruffy and scrubby growth at the lower end of the course which has been grubbed out and has given it a much more open feel.  Last year a new GK was appointed who seems to be moving the course in the right direction.

I spoke to a committee member recently who suggested that there are plans to extend the course onto some adjacent land and become a full 18 hole layout - what I didn't realise is that the course had French owners and they lease the current nine-holes to the club.

Regarding the two flags - both the 3rd and 5th have them and as you rightly point out they are pretty sizeable greens - the two yellow flags are for the second nine.

You also mention the wild 8th / 17th green which packs as much movement as possible into a green no more than 20m x 10m in size - of all the years I have played the course, the pin is always on the same spot.....!

Newport Links is a lovely nine holes - I say that as the new nine are not a patch on the original James Braid links holes - you rightly point out it isn't long but it has a couple of cracking par 3's in 15 and 16 and a great short par 4 last hole.

Whenever I visit I now always play the back (original) nine twice.

I have some photos of both courses buried deep in the hard drive of my computer - if I can dig them out I'll post a few for you.

Neil White

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2014, 04:56:25 PM »




Old skool honesty box rules....



Those not paying need be wary of the guard dog......



Bunkers at the rear of the 7th also serve as hazards on the right of the ninth

« Last Edit: May 10, 2014, 05:12:08 PM by Neil White »

Neil White

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2014, 05:07:06 PM »
Punchbowl first green



Two-tier third green



View from the par 3 fourth



Par 3 sixth fronting bunkers



Seventh tees

« Last Edit: May 10, 2014, 05:13:05 PM by Neil White »

Thomas Dai

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2014, 05:37:36 PM »
Neil,

Brilliant posts! Seeing these photos in B&W really enhance the features.

atb

Mark Hissey

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Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2014, 06:38:27 PM »
There is a great little village called Solva near there which is a great place to stop for lunch or a post round pint.

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2014, 01:27:14 PM »
Agreed Mark. Solva is a lovely spot. Some very nice places to eat there as well.
atb

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: St David's City GC - with pictures
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2014, 05:17:02 PM »
Sean,

I've not seen two flags on one green on a 9-holer before either. The two greens in question are both very long and as they are on the two longest holes on the course this may have something to do with it. There weren't many other folk around to ask the question of when I was there.


atb

I had never thought of creating variety on a 9 holer with double greens.  I think its a great idea when there isn't space for different tees.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

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