Saunton - East or West?

[Ed Tilley]

I am down in Devon at the end of October very near Saunton. I'm with family so won't be able to play much maybe only 1 or 2 rounds. Is there much difference in quality between the 2 courses - i.e. if I got a day ticket should I play 1 round on each or 2 rounds on the East?

FYI, when I talk of quality, I don't subscribe to the view that a course needs to be "fair" or "championship" to be a great course. I like quirk and fun over fair and tough anyday. In that area, Perranporth and St. Enodoc are 2 of my favourites so maybe the West course would be more to my liking - having not played it I have no idea?

[Sean_A]

Ed

To be honest, I don't think there is that much difference in quality between the two.  I think the East just pips it being a bit more consistent with its quality level, but the West has just as many really good holes.  The West is a bit shorter and more through the dunes than the East, but that isn't necessarily a positive.  You can't go wrong with either if you are nearby anyway.

East 1*: Worth An Overnight Detour
West r:  A Good Fall Back On Course If Nearby 

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

Ed,

I'm playing both on Tuesday for the first time in 20 years, on my way down to BUDA.  I'll give my opinion after that.  I do remember loving my previous visits, though.

[Thomas Dai]

Play both. Any difference between the two is very marginal and both are very fine examples of links golf. Crackingly good place Saunton. Enjoy!
atb

[Ally Mcintosh]

Or you could play Westward Ho!.

Ask Mark B

[Frank Pont]

East for sure.

[Ulrich Mayring]

I vote for both. The East is a bit more straightforward for the championship minded golfer, that's why it's always in the conversation for possible changes to the Open Rota.

But I wager that once you step onto the property, you'll immediately see that it is not two 18 hole courses, but one 36 hole course. So playing the East twice would be like playing the front 9 of an 18 hole course twice, just because you think it is better than the back 9.

Ulrich

[Mark Chaplin]

Isn't Westwood Ho! one of the most overrated courses in golf......apart from Hillside of course!

[Mark Bourgeois]

Or you could play Westward Ho!.

Ask Mark B

Mark B says no. It's a boring, boggy flat course with absolutely nothing to recommend it. Always best to go with Sean's recommendations.

[goldj]

Was just there two weeks ago and played them both.  If you only have time for one, play East for sure. If you have time for both, play them both.   They're both good and each has many fine holes but the East has more of them.

Trust you'll finds the members and staff to be very friendly. Be sure to remove your hat when you enter the clubhouse.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The East gets more publicity but I like the West just as much.  Members are split on them as well.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Mark's tongue was firmly planted in his cheek about RND.  it has a few holes around the clubhouse with heavy soil but the rest of the course is just wonderful.

[jeffwarne]

Day ticket?
Play both
I prefer the West, but you'd have to play the East to know why
Both are solid links courses and have their own character

[Ally Mcintosh]

I haven't played Saunton East, West or Westward Ho! but I just know that I'd get more out of 3 days at Westward Ho! than at t'others... And if I only had one round, that would be the one I'd choose as well...

Because as "excellent / great" as Saunton is supposed to be, I generally prefer to experience something away from the norm... And though Tom Simpson said that Saunton was the nearest course to "ideal" that he could think of, he also stated that it was just as well it didn't reach that mark because playing an "ideal" course would be nothing short of boring.

I suspect Westward Ho! will feel like playing with freedom in a bygone era. Saunton will feel like playing in the modern era...

Knowing nothing, I await those who will tell me I'm wrong.

[Ryan Coles]

I haven't played Saunton East, West or Westward Ho! but I just know that I'd get more out of 3 days at Westward Ho! than at t'others... And if I only had one round, that would be the one I'd choose as well...

Because as "excellent / great" as Saunton is supposed to be, I generally prefer to experience something away from the norm... And though Tom Simpson said that Saunton was the nearest course to "ideal" that he could think of, he also stated that it was just as well it didn't reach that mark because playing an "ideal" course would be nothing short of boring.

I suspect Westward Ho! will feel like playing with freedom in a bygone era. Saunton will feel like playing in the modern era...

Knowing nothing, I await those who will tell me I'm wrong.

Therein lies the problem.

Closed minds. Pre-conceived opinions.

Ally, what is it that you think is modern about Saunton? So much so that you'd rather not play it to be proved otherwise?

[Ally Mcintosh]

I haven't played Saunton East, West or Westward Ho! but I just know that I'd get more out of 3 days at Westward Ho! than at t'others... And if I only had one round, that would be the one I'd choose as well...

Because as "excellent / great" as Saunton is supposed to be, I generally prefer to experience something away from the norm... And though Tom Simpson said that Saunton was the nearest course to "ideal" that he could think of, he also stated that it was just as well it didn't reach that mark because playing an "ideal" course would be nothing short of boring.

I suspect Westward Ho! will feel like playing with freedom in a bygone era. Saunton will feel like playing in the modern era...

Knowing nothing, I await those who will tell me I'm wrong.

Therein lies the problem.

Closed minds. Pre-conceived opinions.

Ally, what is it that you think is modern about Saunton? So much so that you'd rather not play it to be proved otherwise?

I'd love to play it Ryan... And I don't believe it any more modern (despite the fact the West IS modern) than any of the rest of the classics in the Top-100 GB&I...

I do believe it less individual than Westward Ho! though... And I do believe I would learn less from it in one play than I might from Westward Ho!... The best fun I've had playing golf this year was on my little made up course on a Connemara peninsula... My pre-conceived idea is that Westward Ho! is closer to that experience than Saunton is...

Am I wrong?

[Ryan Coles]

The scale of the dunes at Saunton means it is must see for any enthusiast.

To be 20 miles away at RND and play there for 3 days rather than a day at Saunton would be madness IMO.

RND is a very forward thinking golf club. Always lots of juniors around and it didn't feel particularly olde world to me. Interesting course, but it doesn't have the charm that I think you're referring to, that say a brora has.

[Sean_A]

Ally

You may be right that one may learn more at WH! and I have no doubt WH! is more "individual" than Saunton.  Being "individual", however, isn't necessarily a completely positive notion from the PoV of the punter.  What makes WH! "individual" is the rushes and I don't think they are a good feature, just like I don't think fairways lined with gorse is a good feature (my biggest beef with St Andrews New - green walls - blechh).  Maybe one hole just to smack the golfer around is okay.  Perhaps one of things I dislike most about the course is once we are free from the dreaded rushes, the following few holes don't do much for me.  When I combine these dislikes with the opening two holes I am left with the bad taste of too many holes lacking that glorious terrain we experience along the pebble ridge.  In short, the course is too inconsistent for me, but if one likes the rushes they may have a completely different take. 

At least one person says the conditioning has improved, but I suspect he caught the course at its peak.  As is the case with courses open 12 months a year, before placing too much trust in conditioning, good or bad, see the course in all seasons.  That said, I know Saunton has struggled these past few winters and the course was closed for periods due to water. 

To me, despite WH! having the best terrain (of the three courses) on a few holes, Saunton East has better overall terrain and a better variety holes which the terrain caters for.  Unlike Ryan, I don't think the scale of the dunes is the high point of Saunton or I would prefer the West which is partially located more in the higher dunes.  These sorts of dunes are at plenty of places in Ireland etc, plus, most of the East doesn't really get into serious dunes which I think was a remarkable and probably well thought out decision by Fowler. 

So, I think if one wants to play the better course, Saunton East is clear choice over WH!...even if that choice is on the cards.  If one wants to learn something (as an archie might) and experience the very cool club, then WH! is the clear choice.  I did try to play WH! when I went down to  Cornwall, but it was raining so hard I gave it a miss. I did walk down the first two holes and despite a recent report, the fairways were not dry, but a bit mucky...just as I recalled them to be when I last played the course.  I turned round and headed for Cornwall where the fairways were not keen (especially compared to last year), but nowhere near mucky.  One day I will make it back to WH! and if the course isn't awesome I will send the credit card bill to Mark 

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean - You get where I am coming from in the last paragraph.

I feel that at Westward Ho! I will see something I haven't before. At Saunton, I'm less sure.

My comments have little to do with which course is "best".

[Ryan Coles]

Ally

You may be right that one may learn more at WH! and I have no doubt WH! is more "individual" than Saunton.  Being "individual", however, isn't necessarily a completely positive notion from the PoV of the punter.  What makes WH! "individual" is the rushes and I don't think they are a good feature, just like I don't think fairways lined with gorse is a good feature (my biggest beef with St Andrews New - green walls - blechh).  Maybe one hole just to smack the golfer around is okay.  Perhaps one of things I dislike most about the course is once we are free from the dreaded rushes, the following few holes don't do much for me.  When I combine these dislikes with the opening two holes I am left with the bad taste of too many holes lacking that glorious terrain we experience along the pebble ridge.  In short, the course is too inconsistent for me, but if one likes the rushes they may have a completely different take. 

At least one person says the conditioning has improved, but I suspect he caught the course at its peak.  As is the case with courses open 12 months a year, before placing too much trust in conditioning, good or bad, see the course in all seasons.  That said, I know Saunton has struggled these past few winters and the course was closed for periods due to water. 

To me, despite WH! having the best terrain (of the three courses) on a few holes, Saunton East has better overall terrain and a better variety holes which the terrain caters for.  Unlike Ryan, I don't think the scale of the dunes is the high point of Saunton or I would prefer the West which is partially located more in the higher dunes.  These sorts of dunes are at plenty of places in Ireland etc, plus, most of the East doesn't really get into serious dunes which I think was a remarkable and probably well thought out decision by Fowler. 

So, I think if one wants to play the better course, Saunton East is clear choice over WH!...even if that choice is on the cards.  If one wants to learn something (as an archie might) and experience the very cool club, then WH! is the clear choice.  I did try to play WH! when I went down to  Cornwall, but it was raining so hard I gave it a miss. I did walk down the first two holes and despite a recent report, the fairways were not dry, but a bit mucky...just as I recalled them to be when I last played the course.  I turned round and headed for Cornwall where the fairways were not keen (especially compared to last year), but nowhere near mucky.  One day I will make it back to WH! and if the course isn't awesome I will send the credit card bill to Mark 

Ciao

Sean

I didn't say the dunes were the highlight for me. That goes to the par 3's and a few fantastic twisting par 4's. None the less the Braunton Burrows are for me, a must see.

Which dune systems in Ireland specifically are you referring to?

[Thomas Dai]

.........RND is a very forward thinking golf club. Always lots of juniors around......

A good point made by here by Ryan.

A few years ago RND built a 6-hole pitch-n-putt course, called the Pimpley Course, very close to the Clubhouse. One of the reasons I believe, maybe the main reason, was to develop junior golf. I have been told that RND now have a very strong junior section in terms of both number of junior members and low hcp junior players. Well done RND!

Something else RND also have is a multi-lens webcam with 9 different views of the area around the Clubhouse and the 1st/17th/18th holes. I've seen webcams in use at other clubs but not to this extent. See - http://www.royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk/webcam - scroll down for the various views.

As to other courses near Saunton, there's always cliff-top Ilfracombe, with holes and views like this -



atb

[Mark Bourgeois]

  What makes WH! "individual" is the rushes and I don't think they are a good feature, just like I don't think fairways lined with gorse is a good feature (my biggest beef with St Andrews New - green walls - blechh).  Maybe one hole just to smack the golfer around is okay.  Perhaps one of things I dislike most about the course is once we are free from the dreaded rushes, the following few holes don't do much for me.  When I combine these dislikes with the opening two holes I am left with the bad taste of too many holes lacking that glorious terrain we experience along the pebble ridge.  In short, the course is too inconsistent for me, but if one likes the rushes they may have a completely different take. 

At least one person says the conditioning has improved, but I suspect he caught the course at its peak.  As is the case with courses open 12 months a year, before placing too much trust in conditioning, good or bad, see the course in all seasons.  That said, I know Saunton has struggled these past few winters and the course was closed for periods due to water. 

To me, despite WH! having the best terrain (of the three courses) on a few holes, Saunton East has better overall terrain and a better variety holes which the terrain caters for.  Unlike Ryan, I don't think the scale of the dunes is the high point of Saunton or I would prefer the West which is partially located more in the higher dunes.  These sorts of dunes are at plenty of places in Ireland etc, plus, most of the East doesn't really get into serious dunes which I think was a remarkable and probably well thought out decision by Fowler. 

So, I think if one wants to play the better course, Saunton East is clear choice over WH!...even if that choice is on the cards.  If one wants to learn something (as an archie might) and experience the very cool club, then WH! is the clear choice.  I did try to play WH! when I went down to  Cornwall, but it was raining so hard I gave it a miss. I did walk down the first two holes and despite a recent report, the fairways were not dry, but a bit mucky...just as I recalled them to be when I last played the course.  I turned round and headed for Cornwall where the fairways were not keen (especially compared to last year), but nowhere near mucky.  One day I will make it back to WH! and if the course isn't awesome I will send the credit card bill to Mark 

Ciao

+1

There are maybe three holes worth seeing and even then you have to pick your spots very selectively given how soggy boggy the course is almost all the time. And the rushes are a total gimmick whose purpose is to a) make the course harder in an inauthentic way and b) hide boring ground.

As Paul says, playing RND 3x and not Staunton is pure lunacy.

Give this course a miss, GCAers. It's not for us.

[Ed Tilley]

.........RND is a very forward thinking golf club. Always lots of juniors around......

A good point made by here by Ryan.

A few years ago RND built a 6-hole pitch-n-putt course, called the Pimpley Course, very close to the Clubhouse. One of the reasons I believe, maybe the main reason, was to develop junior golf. I have been told that RND now have a very strong junior section in terms of both number of junior members and low hcp junior players. Well done RND!

Something else RND also have is a multi-lens webcam with 9 different views of the area around the Clubhouse and the 1st/17th/18th holes. I've seen webcams in use at other clubs but not to this extent. See - http://www.royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk/webcam - scroll down for the various views.

As to other courses near Saunton, there's always cliff-top Ilfracombe, with holes and views like this -



atb

I have played Ilfracombe before on an absolutely stunning day. The views were amazing and it was enjoyably - even the 80 yard par 3! I can't really remember any specifics about the holes and I can imagine it can be a beast when the wind blows.

I think I will get a day ticket and play both the East and West. If I get the time I may play RND - I'd like to see it but I'm staying in Croyde which is 2 minutes from Saunton and 40 minutes from RND. I've also got family to please and the best surf beach in the UK on the doorstep so time is short!

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have been going to Devon/Cornwall for years and never ventured to Ilfracombe.  This last year I wandered over to the course and played it.  It probably isn't a great course but it was fun and the views were stunning.  While there you might want to hike a portion of the Southwest Coast Path. It runs the length of Devon and Cornwall and is one of the most beautiful hikes you could take. I gave up playing afternoon rounds so I could hike it.