The world’s best travel agent is Mark Rowlinson. Too bad he isn’t - in fact - one!
Just do what he says and you’ll be happy. He said go play Reddish Vale and I did. GREAT MOVE. Next time, I’ll head to Beau Desert, Cavendish and Bull Bay.
Some courses – California Golf Club of San Francisco, Sleepy Hollow, NGLA and Oakmont to name but a few – have popped in recent times in part because they have de-forested. Golfers are once again permitted to marvel at their surrounds and the work of master architects. There is reason to hope that the same will soon be said of Reddish Vale. Clearing has slowly but surely begun with their energetic Greenkeeper Nick Wilde leading the return back to the course’s glory days. If you like views for miles upon miles, a twisting flowing river, ravines, gullies, and MacKenzie, then you will find Reddish Vale as appealing as I did.
When reviewing a course, I don’t know what else to do but boil it down to the merit of the holes individually and then how they come together collectively. Along that line of thinking, it would not take long for this course to zoom into the UK Top 50 or 75 if the river and steep embankments that define the vale where brought back into plain view. MacKenzie’s work speaks for itself, don’t worry about that. For proof of that, please see Sean Arble’s observations found here:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,46177.0.htmlThe timing of this review is fortuitous due to a striking number of similarities with Merion from her white tees. Both courses feature brilliant routings that use every inch of space to maximum gain, both have a nine that measures under 2,900 yards, both occupy properties in the ~120 acre range, both feature distinctive landforms as well as the fact that both will wear out your utility woods! Most of all, you leave them thinking that no architect dead or alive could improve upon either design. They represent high caliber golf in a 6,100 yard package.
I was talking with Steve Lapper recently about GolfClubAtlas.com starting a ranking. Groan, groan, groan, you think as your eyes roll back in your head.
Wait! Ours would be of the world’s best 6,500y and under courses. Let’s give clubs a reason NOT to expand their tee boxes backwards. Let’s herald courses that still value walking by keeping the green to tee walks tight. Though we may never compile such a ranking, it is wonderful to tip the hat to exceedingly worthy places such as Reddish Vale and Fraserburgh.
Considerable work remains to be done at Reddish Vale before MacKenzie would fully recognize it. However, this is well underway. We need to stay closely attuned to the progress and perhaps GolfClubAtlas.com’s own Duncan Cheslett who is a member there will assist. The upside of seeing this MacKenzie gem brightly polished is huge.
Best,