[Sean_A]

Jon

I agree.  Great architecture tends to be associated with professional/top flight golf.  I also agree that playability (for a player of a reasonable standard - say up to 24ish handicap) is an important aspect of architecture that can be overlooked.  That said, its getting more and more difficult for archies to build in interest and challenge for the pro and 24 marker.  Bringing this subject back to Perranporth, there is no question the course has playability issues if the weather is rough.  I don't know it well enough to determine if there reasonable "routes" to greens in 30mph wind, but the terrain makes this very difficult on at least a few holes.  Mind you, if men could drop their pride, there are some ladies tees which would be very helpful in such weather.  The day we completely drop the association between tees and gender will be one of the great days in the history of golf.

Ciao 

[Jon Wiggett]

  The day we completely drop the association between tees and gender will be one of the great days in the history of golf.

Ciao 

I agree whole heartedly with that Sean.

[Bill_McBride]

  The day we completely drop the association between tees and gender will be one of the great days in the history of golf.

Ciao 

I agree whole heartedly with that Sean.

A good step forward would be eliminating red from the tee colors.  We have gold senior tees and red ladies' tees.  I'd love to see them reduced to one set, maybe green for go.

[Ally Mcintosh]

  The day we completely drop the association between tees and gender will be one of the great days in the history of golf.

Ciao 

I agree whole heartedly with that Sean.

A good step forward would be eliminating red from the tee colors.  We have gold senior tees and red ladies' tees.  I'd love to see them reduced to one set, maybe green for go.

Last year, I tried suggesting removing the colour red and dropping any reference to gender on tees around the country to a senior GUI Ladies representative... And was looked at like I had two heads... She wouldn't hear of it.

Needs to be done though... Not only will it help the men but it will allow us to build further forward tees (needed) if the better Ladies can step back a set without thinking of them as Men's tees...

[BCrosby]

Ally -

I agree with your sentiments. I am flumoxed by the GUI Ladies rep's objection. Why did she oppose the idea?

Confused, Bob

[Ally Mcintosh]

Ally -

I agree with your sentiments. I am flumoxed by the GUI Ladies rep's objection. Why did she oppose the idea?

Confused, Bob

Bob,

Can't recall 100% but it came down to competition monitoring and a bureaucratic type of problem that stood in the way of common sense...

That said, Par / The scorecard also stands in the way - given that a 400 yard hole is deemed a Par-4 for men and Par-5 for women.

[Thomas Dai]

......a bureaucratic type of problem that stood in the way of common sense...

Golf politics. Just about the most unedifying aspect of the game. As was once said, "Why do private members golf clubs always have showers in the locker rooms? Because a committee cannot run a bath".

atb

[Bill_McBride]

Ally -

I agree with your sentiments. I am flumoxed by the GUI Ladies rep's objection. Why did she oppose the idea?

Confused, Bob

Bob,

Can't recall 100% but it came down to competition monitoring and a bureaucratic type of problem that stood in the way of common sense...

That said, Par / The scorecard also stands in the way - given that a 400 yard hole is deemed a Par-4 for men and Par-5 for women.

Our favorite golfing couple was playing a match with us in Tucson, men vs women four ball.  Late in a close match, we both had 5 on a hole that was par 5 for the ladies and par 4 for us.  When I told the ladies the hole was halved, mayhem ensued, and didn't stop until the golf pro confirmed this after we finished 1 up.

Given the frosty trip back to the hotel, I probably should have taken the high road and given them the hole!

[Garland Bayley]

I'm wondering whether a player like Tiger Woods, with his assortment of shots like the low flying stinger could play the course well in a good bit of wind. If so, then those complaining are simply complaining about the inadequacies of their games. In that case, we high handicappers simply smile and say welcome to our world.

[Jon Wiggett]

  The day we completely drop the association between tees and gender will be one of the great days in the history of golf.

Ciao 

I agree whole heartedly with that Sean.

A good step forward would be eliminating red from the tee colors.  We have gold senior tees and red ladies' tees.  I'd love to see them reduced to one set, maybe green for go.

Last year, I tried suggesting removing the colour red and dropping any reference to gender on tees around the country to a senior GUI Ladies representative... And was looked at like I had two heads... She wouldn't hear of it.

Needs to be done though... Not only will it help the men but it will allow us to build further forward tees (needed) if the better Ladies can step back a set without thinking of them as Men's tees...

Ally,

the usual objection I have heard from the ladies is that they do not want men hacking lumps out of their pristine tees. I can still remember as an 8 year old being told by a lady member that I should refrain from taking a divot after I had taken a thin slice out of the ladies tee on the first. One of the better gentlemen players retorted with 'shows he his hitting down on the ball like all good players. You just keep taking those divots son.' I can tell you I took out some real slabs during that round(well for an 8 year old) . I was playing from the yellow tees only a few weeks later.

Jon

[Garland Bayley]

Well, Braid was involved in a lot mundane design.  That was the nature of the beast when working on a budget and often having to use existing holes or add to them.  Braid didn't get much high profile work (the Oxbridge set unsurprisingly got most of this work), Carnoustie and Gleneagles probably being the most famous, maybe Wallasey as well.  My point was more that given good land and/or time and money, Braid's work stacks up with the best of the era.  I can understand if folks don't like the more extreme examples of his work, but there is no doubting they are packed with character and inventiveness - elements sorely lacking in a lot of big name courses.

Ciao

I have to say that AM disagrees with you considerably. In particular, his criticism of Gleneagles in The Spirit of St. Andrews is brutal. AM says Gleneagles land was the best inland land in Scotland, but was ruined by excessive modification and spending far too much time and money.

[Sean_A]

Well, Braid was involved in a lot mundane design.  That was the nature of the beast when working on a budget and often having to use existing holes or add to them.  Braid didn't get much high profile work (the Oxbridge set unsurprisingly got most of this work), Carnoustie and Gleneagles probably being the most famous, maybe Wallasey as well.  My point was more that given good land and/or time and money, Braid's work stacks up with the best of the era.  I can understand if folks don't like the more extreme examples of his work, but there is no doubting they are packed with character and inventiveness - elements sorely lacking in a lot of big name courses.

Ciao

I have to say that AM disagrees with you considerably. In particular, his criticism of Gleneagles in The Spirit of St. Andrews is brutal. AM says Gleneagles land was the best inland land in Scotland, but was ruined by excessive modification and spending far too much time and money.

I can't say as I have never played Gleneagles, but a lot of people I trust more than Dr Mac do like Gleneagles quite a bit 

Ciao

[Garland Bayley]

Well, Braid was involved in a lot mundane design.  That was the nature of the beast when working on a budget and often having to use existing holes or add to them.  Braid didn't get much high profile work (the Oxbridge set unsurprisingly got most of this work), Carnoustie and Gleneagles probably being the most famous, maybe Wallasey as well.  My point was more that given good land and/or time and money, Braid's work stacks up with the best of the era.  I can understand if folks don't like the more extreme examples of his work, but there is no doubting they are packed with character and inventiveness - elements sorely lacking in a lot of big name courses.

Ciao

I have to say that AM disagrees with you considerably. In particular, his criticism of Gleneagles in The Spirit of St. Andrews is brutal. AM says Gleneagles land was the best inland land in Scotland, but was ruined by excessive modification and spending far too much time and money.

I can't say as I have never played Gleneagles, but a lot of people I trust more than Dr Mac do like Gleneagles quite a bit 

Ciao

Dr. Mac says the "scratch man" loves it.

[Tony_Muldoon]

...it's a winner for me.


The Buda Cup started with Greensomes here.  Good Choice.   As I stood over a fabulous drive from Bryan Izatt on NO 2,  I was able to have a discussion with my partner and, both equally clueless, we agreed the best guess was to smack a 6i 'forward'.  The ball was found 1 yard off the green having run 90 degrees down the hill.  Thrilling stuff.

At lunch the Pro and I inspected the Anemometer and there had been gusts upto 43mph.  It was no less windy in the PM.   There were lost balls but there was also generous width.  The greens were slow but true. Only once did my ball 'wobble' and the results could have been scary if the greens had been appreciably faster.  All week we got an easterly wind that allowed many of the Perranporth greens to be driven...'at',  not since Elie have I had so many opportunities. This time I was not so successful but the prospects were truly exciting.


Would I want to play regular Medal golf there? Probably not. Will I rush back.  You bet I will.


Note.  While I loved our day there and think it's just the sort of course 'pests should visit the fact that the great value (£39.50 including Lunch) meant that were sharing the course with other golfers who were not playing with any skill or haste.  We will have to consider this possibility when selecting future venues.   I thoroughly enjoyed my 28 holes, but would have enjoyed 36 in the same timeframe much more.

[Mark Pearce]

I wasn't so keen.  Great fun hitting a 9I second through the back of 2 off a Ben Stephens drive but too many shots where the result is almost purely a question of luck.  We may have got unfortunate with the wind (almost too strong for golf and from the East) but I wasn't won over, despite playing quite well (very well in the afternoon) and winning both matches.  Of course the funereal pace of play might have been a factor....

[Rich Goodale]

Mark et. al.

Any rumblings as to the location of the next BUDA?  How about Northumberland?  See you soon, there.

Rich

[Tony_Muldoon]

Mark et. al.

Any rumblings as to the location of the next BUDA?  How about Northumberland?  See you soon, there.

Rich

Whoa there, I say whoa!


Things are afoot and a new thread will surface in due time.

[Mark Pearce]

A couple of suggestions floating around, Rich.  Enthusiasm for a north Norfolk visit but the 2 ball nature of Brancaster may be a problem.  Notts/Sherwood Forest also talked about.  I don't think Northumberland is interesting enough for this crowd but a Goswick/Bamburgh Castle combo might work......

[Duncan Cheslett]

Reddish Vale/Cavendish/Delamere Forest?

[Bill_McBride]

North to Scotland!  Seven years.

[Garland Bayley]

Perranporth trumps Pennard IMO. The first fairway is hugely wide. Makes Sagebrush look like you are walking single file. Number 2 is a barrel of fun, no less that Sean Arble put into his Dream course for Ran.
Over the 11th in two downwind. Had a great result on the 12th too. Pitched second into front slope on green and had the ball finish within 12 feet of the hole. Unfortunately, missed the birdie.

[Sean_A]

Perranporth is a lot of fun with the right attitude, but the vagaries of the design mean it can't be taken seriously as great golf.  Therefore, it isn't in the league of Pennard.  I can see an argument for both being 6 with Pennard threatening 7 and Perranporth just scrapping the grade.  I can also see Pennard a 7 and P'porth a 5.  No way could I see a reversal of the two.  Pennard is a proper course usually mistaken for being a funky design by those who don't know it well enough.  P'porth is a wild up and down ride that wouldn't hold up for week to week play.  I like them both and when its all said and done, both are 1*.  P'porth holds it end up because its unbelievable value.

Ciao

[Garland Bayley]

Once I get home and have more time well just have to have a match between the two.

The high handicapper is naturally going to hate the finish at Pennard, and not want to be depressed half the times he leaves the course.

[Sean_A]

Garland

The interesting thing about a matchup is because both courses have so much character that there aren't many draws on my card.  I have Pennard an easy winner by completely dominating holes 6-10.  I also give wins for #s 4, 13, 15 & 16.  P'porth takes 2, 5, 11, 12, 17 & 18.  1, 3 & 14 are draws.  Final score 9-6 to Pennard. 

If I think both holes are good I use two tie breakers.  1) If one of the holes is a par 3 it will have to be outstanding to beat a 4 or 5 because I think 3s are the easiest holes to build and there is no excuse for an indifferent 3.  2) Because good 5s are so rare, a 3 or 4 will have to be clearly better holes to win the day.

Ciao

[Ed Tilley]

I always think the best way to play Perranporth is to rip up the scorecard and just play. I've played it several times including in "competition". Far and away the most enjoyment I've had is when I've not been worried about a score. It is unfair in a number of places and you are likely to lose a ball when you've hit a reasonable shot. If you are keeping score that is frustrating and can effect your opinion of the course. If you're not, you can shrug your shoulders, laugh at the ridiculousness, and drop another ball.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()