London Logistics

[Adam Lawrence]

Swinley has a new head greenkeeper as of about four or five months ago, as well as a new secretary (George Ritchie, late of Woking) from the start of last year. I suspect you will see the condition improve quite substantially, but it will take time.. Frank P's rhodie-chopping exploits should do the turf condition no harm, either.

[Tony_Muldoon]

The Tie is falling!

The Tie is falling!

[Craig Disher]

Bogey,
The high speed train from St. Pancras can put you at Rye in less than 1.5 hrs. Follow that with a 5-minute taxi ride and you're at the golf club. But if you're interested in seeing the SE links, a 3-4 day car rental would be most convenient. The drive from Rye to/from Deal is a little over an hour and both towns are worth a visit on their own.

Look for my IM.

[Mark Chaplin]

Traditionally the steward would find a jacket and/or tie of a rather sticky texture and aromor of stale cigar, for anyone inappropriate my dressed. You only made that mistake once.

[Ben Jarvis]

Lets pick on the overseas guy whilst he's sleeping on the other side of the world!  

Brian, if memory serves me correctly, I had my tie but my local playing partner said that it was no longer necessary at Swinley. Would you like me to provide photographic evidence...?    

[Mark Chaplin]

Deal just won High Street of the Year added to three local castles, Canterbury and decent pubs and restaurants Deal is the perfect place for Mrs H to spend a couple of days.

[Brent Hutto]

I always assumed when my wife finally makes the trip with me (hopefully in 2015) we'd base in London. But after my last visit to Deal it's clear we need to just pitch up at the Number One for at least a few days.

Highly recommended. It's a lovely town and just the right size to have everything you could need without sprawling out too much.

[Bill_McBride]

Deal just won High Street of the Year added to three local castles, Canterbury and decent pubs and restaurants Deal is the perfect place for Mrs H to spend a couple of days.

One of my Pensacola pals played in the British Senior Amateur at Royal Cinque Ports.  His nice wife came along and spent the week with him in a hotel in Deal.  She loved it so much (as a non golfer) that she urged him to join the club so they could go back every year.  

I have no idea what she did every day.  Maybe took the train into London.  

Bogey, great plan to play Huntercombe.  It is a living textbook of early GCA and the greens alone are worth the visit.  A huge plus is the fact that it can easily be arranged for you to play with a couple of nice members who are also GCA members.  

[Paul Nash]

If it was me, I would base myself in Ascot in Ascot for 3 days and do 36 at Sunningdale, Swinley and The Berkshire (all are within 3 miles from the centre of Ascot - Windsor is 15 minute taxi if your wife was with you), skipping Huntercombe, Woking and Walton and then have a similar set up from Sandwich or deal - maybe 3 days golf, then move to London, do the sightseeing thing and then head to the coast for a further 3 days golf.

I know it is a minority view on here, but IMHO, Sunny New is a chunk better than the Old (4-12 being the best stretch of golf I have ever seen, with 2/3 and 13-16 also no slouch), although the last 3 on the Old is clearly the best finish. The par 3s and 5s on the New are way better than on the Old - difficult to argue against that, which leaves the debate centred on the 4s. Also, the Berkshire is one of the best clubs to spend a day and IMHO they are better courses than Walton and Woking, while having probably the best lunch of the lot - although Swinley wins hands down on the charm factor

Sunny New - see below and see if you can live with yourself if you miss this!
5

6

7

9





10 - the second all-world par 3 in 5 holes!!







11






12





13


14 - another very strong par 3






15




16


17


18 - a chainsaw needed both sides




















































http://rs490.pbsrc.com/albums/rr263/pnsarum/Sunningdale%20-%20Aug%2013/20130827_1010New52.jpg~c100

[David_Elvins]

Is there anything that offers more architectural food for thought than a day at Sunningdale?  

There is pre golden age, golden age and modern architecture.  
Parkland golf on the old and heathland on the new,
 an amazing collection of par 3s,
a great variety of par 4s,
 great holes,
holes that should be great but are not,
history,
unique features,
width, narrowness,
a grand scale, intimacy,
blind shots, eye candy,
stupid bunkers,
the place has it all.

You can argue all you want about the experience at Swinley vs Sunningdale, and there is no doubt that Royal Melbourne offers more great architecture than Sunningdale, but in terms of covering all the great architectural issues,  Sunningdale is the place to go, IMO.  

[Tom Birkert]

There have been a couple of significant changes to the New course recently. There has been a huge amount of tree clearing to the right of the 15th hole, which makes a big difference with regards to the look of the hole. It also makes the drive a lot more tempting, the bigger hitter can try to cut off a lot more of the corner, and the view when you get up to the green is absolutely spectacular.

The 17th is currently out of play, as the land between the tee and green has been filled in / contoured to make it a more visually appealing and confusing tee shot. It's a better hole for it.

[Mark Chaplin]

Tom I played a couple of weeks ago and 17 was closed, also work on a new tee on 11 Old? Cutting the corner on 15 is a mugs game! When are you coming down to Deal for a game?

[Greg Taylor]

Greg and Ben can you please confirm you've also experienced 36 at Sunningdale?  

Yes the house at Swinley is preferable, but hard to argue for it based on the golf?

Just picking up on this esp in light of the great pics...

In the interests of full disclosure I have not played 36 at Sunningdale. I can only speak of Swinley's course but more to the point the general feel of the club... It has the sense of being a private club, in the UK sense, but you are made to feel welcome. I cannot imagine Sunningdale having that intimacy. Course for course however, I'm under no illusions - Sunningdale is hard to beat.

Just wish they had a twilight rate...

[Bill_McBride]

Have to say I was shocked, shocked I say, to see shorts with ankle socks in a couple of the lovely photos above. 

Have standards slipped to that extent in England?   Is this "creeping Americanization?"   The mind reels...

[Thomas Dai]

Have to say I was shocked, shocked I say, to see shorts with ankle socks in a couple of the lovely photos above. 
Have standards slipped to that extent in England?   Is this "creeping Americanization?"   The mind reels...

I suppose we should be somewhat grateful that the socks are plain white and not dark or multi-coloured or logo'd! Tut, tut, what is this country coming too...
ATB

[Michael Whitaker]

Deal just won High Street of the Year

You know I love visiting Deal and my wife truly enjoys her weekends there, but this competition must have been between Deal and Sandwich.

[Sean_A]

Deal just won High Street of the Year

You know I love visiting Deal and my wife truly enjoys her weekends there, but this competition must have been between Deal and Sandwich.

And the Deal Council must have given out backhanders!

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

Deal High Street is the winner, from 500 entries, of the Telegraph title of High Street of the Year. As our Weekend section says, it clinched the award because of a tide of new businesses, which mean that someone living locally can shop without getting the car out. There are some chain shops – Pevsner rather likes the appearance of the newish Sainsbury’s opposite the station. But independent little stores are the mark of Deal’s resurgence.

There were plenty of rivals for the title, which was awarded as part of this newspaper’s Reinventing the High Street campaign: Leek and Ramsbottom, Bridport and Malmesbury. But Deal clinched it. It might not seem a big Deal, but it is an encouraging example as a new Deal.

[Bill_McBride]

Has anyone else seen the lovely High Street in Barnes, across the Hammersmith Bridge?   Beautiful little place on the Thames. 

[David_Elvins]

Deal High Street is the winner, from 500 entries, of the Telegraph title of High Street of the Year. As our Weekend section says, it clinched the award because of a tide of new businesses, which mean that someone living locally can shop without getting the car out. There are some chain shops – Pevsner rather likes the appearance of the newish Sainsbury’s opposite the station. But independent little stores are the mark of Deal’s resurgence.

There were plenty of rivals for the title, which was awarded as part of this newspaper’s Reinventing the High Street campaign: Leek and Ramsbottom, Bridport and Malmesbury. But Deal clinched it. It might not seem a big Deal, but it is an encouraging example as a new Deal.

But did the High Street raters visit anonomously and unannounced.

[Tom Birkert]

Tom I played a couple of weeks ago and 17 was closed, also work on a new tee on 11 Old? Cutting the corner on 15 is a mugs game! When are you coming down to Deal for a game?

17 is still closed and will be for a further few weeks. Although superficial, I think it will be a more visually appealing hole.

There is a new tee on 11 Old and on 12 Old (further back into the chute).

Cutting the corner on 15 New will now be an option, especially in the summer.

Would love to come down to Deal, but it will have to be the summer when the weather has improved and my son is a bit older and hopefully I have some more free time!

[Mike Hendren]

Thank you for the outstanding advice and hospitality offered through this thread as well as by message and e-mail.    As usual, the folks here are most gracious.  Trip is shaping up nicely.

Kindest regards,

Mike Hendren

[Mike Hendren]

Well, where to start?

The Mrs. and I had the time of our lives for 10 days in London.   Your recommendations were invaluable.  Again, thanks.  As for the golf, if you're interested I'll start another thread when time permits.  Suffice it to say that Sandwich, Deal, Sunningdale Old and New, Walton Heath Old and Huntercombe were treats of the highest order.  Surprisingly, it is Walton Heath that sticks out in my mind.  It would have sufficed had I only gone around Deal with Tony Muldoon or Huntercombe with Sean Arble - what fine gentlemen and companions. 

Literally unbelievable.  More later.

Bogey

[Bill_McBride]

Well, where to start?

The Mrs. and I had the time of our lives for 10 days in London.   Your recommendations were invaluable.  Again, thanks.  As for the golf, if you're interested I'll start another thread when time permits.  Suffice it to say that Sandwich, Deal, Sunningdale Old and New, Walton Heath Old and Huntercombe were treats of the highest order.  Surprisingly, it is Walton Heath that sticks out in my mind.  It would have sufficed had I only gone around Deal with Tony Muldoon or Huntercombe with Sean Arble - what fine gentlemen and companions. 

Literally unbelievable.  More later.

Bogey

That's a great itinerary.  I've played all but the Sunningdales and loved them all.   I assume Mrs. Bogey shopped till she dropped in your absence for all those rounds?

I was also smitten with Walton Heath, but it's the links that stick in my head.   

[Brent Hutto]

Bogey,

My first-ever round of golf outside USA was at Walton Heath. I played the Old and New in a 36-hole day with Craig Disher and, yes, Tony Muldoon. Also played Huntercombe a few days later with playing at Deal and walking (spectating a tournament) at Sandwich. Couple other courses during that trip as well. I've also played with Sean before but not on that trip.

That was in 2006 and I remember it very, very fondly. London is magical, both the links and heathland courses of England are golf heaven and several of the guys I've met through this forum are just ideal golf companions. I enjoyed reading of your trip and hope you share a few more memories with us once you're settled back in to your home routine.

P.S. My own "Mrs." has not yet accompanied me on a UK trip but I've been promised/warned/put on notice that the next trip after this year will finally be the time. Here's to 2015 (or 2016, if budgets must).