[Tony_Muldoon]

Thurlestone Golf Club  is most famous for a comment Peter Allis made, when commenting on a US Open from Pebble Beach,  about how it ias the most similar couse we have.  He was probly referring to the scenic splendor!  Set in the beautiful area known as South Hams in South Devon it's well off the beaten golf track


Thurlestone is also unusual as in the 1890s  a local wealthy 'squire' and friends planned a whole retirement and holiday area with boating lake, cricket square, tennis courts and naturally a golf course. For various reasons this whole plan didn't come to pass but it must be among the very earliest examples of such thinking.

There has been a Golf course since 1897 originally laid out by Charles Gibson of Westward Ho. Aerials from the 20's show it featured many large but shallow bunkers. Colt remodelled the course in 1928 but It's not entirely clear how much of the routing ins new but the basic rounting must be similar, particularly near the club house and coast.   A comparison or aerials from the 20's and 30's show many new smaller bunkers. Even in the 20's the holes nearest the clubhouse had the most bunkers and the longer hitting further out provided it's own protection.


Hole 1 is Linksland but the back nine in particular less so. The feel is cliftop.

261 yards for an interesting start with an accurate second shoot needed.  



from right of the road.








The second is 351 over the hill.  In the 30's the hole had 9 bunkers, there are 4 now. Although there are lovely views from the clubhouse and 2nd tee, ariving at this green site is simply stunning.




3rd 168 yards slightly down hill



4th, heads 350 yards inland. fairway falls R-Land play is to a narrow green well raised above deep bunkers down each side. A tough target  in the wind and a hole I really liked..  Not sure this is how it was in the 30's as there used be a goodly no of tennis courts and that area has now all changed.





5 218 yards into the prevailing wind.






Seven very deep bunkers suggests how things used to be.  Looks like Colt to me.




7   338 yards again into the wind (I have to say it didn’t feel like a short course at the time).





8 some meat here 431 uphill ..  Bunker less but some land movement and falls away either side of the green.








9 401 yards ground slopes L-R

[David_Tepper]

The club still has 10 grass tennis courts. Nice!

http://www.thurlestonegolfclub.co.uk/

[Philip Gawith]

When I  played Thurlestone Tony my dominant impression was of a great location, but not a great course. Perhaps a bit like Nefyn? (albeit lacking the character that course has with the holes on the peninsula). You are enjoying the views more than the course. Did you stay in the hotel which is a bit like the one at Saunton - feels like you are still in the Fifties, lots of ties and jackets for dinner?

Philip

[Marc Haring]

I was lucky enough to play Thurlestone many many times back in the late 1970's and as a member for a couple of years. Phillip is probably right in saying it is a great location but not totally matched by the course although I am sure it was much better back in the Colt days. Golf in a field but what a field!

The second hole tee shot used to be played from a tee close to the beach and on the far right side of this picture making it a spectacular hole. The tee complete with old yardage markers still exist to this day but don't think it could ever be reinstated due to the health and safety considerations of those walking the coastal path. (It's just not acceptable to put the public's life in danger these days)


The 7th original tee and indeed when I used to play it, the winter tee were played from the cliff edge on the right of this picture making it a great cape hole. Again I think the walkers lobby have closed this particular piece of fun off to the golfing world.  

[Tony_Muldoon]

10  SI 1   432 yards to a long thin green








11 365 yards and a blind tee shot reveals this green site, Burgh Island and Bigbury Bay.











12 A Par 5 at last  494 heading inland.




13  209 yards.  Ideally you drift in from the left to avoid most of the bunkers, but that's the side OOB lurks.



14 515 yards land falling R-L, 7 fairway bunkers and another perched in green



15 sees the third par 5 in 4 holes, 494 and probably the most memorable?






16 We are back near the area where property changes have been made. Did Colt ever design a 425 yards 90 degree dogleg?  Doesn't matter, I liked the hole.










NO effort to disguise this





17  153 yards with 6 bunkers around the front half and a 51 yard green





18  another par 5, 503 yards with OOB all down the left and the wind behind.





There are good photo's  of what is clearly a photogenic course here.

http://www.thurlestonegolfclub.co.uk/hole.php?hole=11

This isn't in the Confidential Guide but if it was.

”Doak 4

A modestly interesting course, with a couple of distinctive holes amongst the 18, or at least some scenic interest on top of decent golf. We would enjoy playing here.”

[Tony_Muldoon]

Philip and Mark I think we're all pretty much on the same page re the quality. 

I've been sitting on these for about 5 years and I stil lhave good memories of a wonderful afternoons golf and several of the holes did stick in the memory.

Marc, which are the standout holes for you?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Thank you, Tony. I've only played it once, when I was writing for some golf guide or other. I could see little of the course and nothing of the longer views in a winter fog. But I could sense how it might be in better weather. Your photo tour tells me what I missed!

[Marc Haring]

Marc, which are the standout holes for you?

Hi Tony.

The early holes are the linksy ones, 1, 2, 6 all look the part and have more of the "Colt" about them. I like the ground game options you get throughout the course with 15 below reminding me very much of the 17th at Porthcawl where a long sweeping, running draw, against the slope and around the beautifully placed bunker is the only way to get home in 2.

I think Colt and anyone else instrumental in it's development had the good sense to recognise that Thurlestone is and will always be a holiday course and so no Rye GC here. Lot's of ways for the 1930's gentry to manufacture a score here without any real potential card wreckers.

I remember playing many a late summers evening round on my own in about 2 1/4 hours (it is out and in so often empty at that time) and as you can imagine it was utterly sublime when the sun was setting and the wind dropping and you could fool yourself that you were bringing this monster to it's knees. When I got those conditions, there was no better place to play golf.

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