[Matt_Ward]

Just had to say a few words about Pennard -- one of the courses on my Wales golf adventure.

The course is only 6,231 yards and is a par-71 but it is truly one of the fun courses you can play -- the layout was designed by James Braid and you get the kind of fun golf that can provide entertainment to a wide assosrtment of players.

I have to say the short par-4 7th is one of the best short holes I have ever played. I don't have time for total details -- I will post later -- but the hole has enough juice to keep just about any player in check. You tee off from an elevated tee and there is large mound down the left side -- likely around 275 yards. You can play to the fairway that sits in a bowl and from there you would have no more than a short iron.

I hit full driver down the left side and things really got interesting. There are two hidden pot bunkers. I missed the first -- and cam up inches short of the second. Even after that the short pitch I had had to come over ANOTHER bunker that was close to the green. The putting surface is also grand as it look a slightly angled "C." If you land on the wrong area ther likelihood of a two-putt is quite uncertain.

The finish at Pennard is also grand. The 16th plays 493 yards and if condtions permits can be played as a long par-4. The 17th at 488 yards is the #2 handicap hole and I would rate it among the finest short par-5's I have played and there is not one drop of water on it. You must position your tee shot correctly as the hole plays uphill and has a blind tee shot. If you happen to hit the tee shot too far left -- as my first one was -- you will lose the ball. After I hit it I asked one of my Welsh playing partners if there was a chance I would find the ball -- he looked at me and said -- "Lad if you wrapped it in bacon Lassie could not find that one!"

The 18th is also a fine finisher as you must hit the fairway on this 399-yard hole.

Pennard has plenty of other holes that also merit attention and I'm sure others who have played the course have their favorites. If you happen to be near the capital of Wales in Cardiff it pays to make the short ride -- about 75 minutes -- to play the course. Just realize it is private and may require an introduction. The folks there are indeed a big reason why golf is such a grand game.

[THuckaby2]

Matt:

Great stuff re Pennard (and all your other reports re your overseas adventures, btw).  I've never been to Pennard, but from all the pics and everything I've heard, your positive report here ought to put to bed forever the way you've been stereotyped, ie loves long and tough, hates quirky/sporty.  Pennard has to be those latter two things to the max, no?

We'll still likely stereotype you though, just to give you a hard time.  

Speaking of that, you may want to check post #37 in the holes in one thread...  

Great reports - keep them coming.

TH

[NAF]

I played Pennard 2 weeks ago and can attest to Matt's experience although knowing Matt I am surprised he liked the quirk inherent in the course so much.  I can't believe how much he liked #17 despite the fact how easy during the summer it is to lose a ball. I also hit a ball too far to the left and never found it.  Before I played the hole I knew one had to hit a hook or draw to hold the fairway which my playing partner RT did but we didnt find his ball either!  Still #17 is an amazing hole to me and I relish the shot at playing it again.

The green on #7 Matt speaks of is the Castle hole and I have a picture of the green and others of Pennard that Tommy shows below. The green on #7 falls away from the line of play and when the pin is cut front left like it was when I was there is almost impossible to get close to.. One must putt the C ridge Matt talks of and  it moves with Augusta esque fervor and has tremendous break.  It is very funky and RT and I spent a lot of time putting on this green.  I've not seen anything like it even at NGLA!

I would also highlight a few other holes at Pennard- The 6th also has a great green in a dell like setting that is a fun hole to play and putt.  The 2nd hole is a lovely little par 3, no more than an 8 iron to a sunken green with sand pinching in on the left side and the green ringed by small sand hills.

One also note on the 16th, the green has one of the biggest pitches right to left on its slope, sort of like a tanker sinking on its side.. I pitched very close to the flag and watched my ball go left and off the front of the green, it was amazing.

If it is James Braid who built these greens (the club credits him for some work I believe) than he was in a quirky mood when he built this course.  It actually makes St. Enodoc look orthodox in spots!

[Larry_Keltto]

Matt:

So glad you made it to Pennard. I played Pennard in May during a Wales trip, and found it to be an exhilirating experience. I birdied 17, so I recall the hole with fondness ;-) But I have to admit, on the tee, I had no idea where I was supposed to go with the shot.

The holes there are so memorable. One that you didn't mention that I really enjoyed was #11, a par 3 of about 175 yards. Essentially, you play from the side of one hill to the side of another, with a small valley in between.

How was the condition of the greens? When I was there, there wasn't much grass on them.

The people at Pennard were so friendly. A great club. If I ever get back to Wales, I'd spend most of my time at Porthcawl and Pennard, with perhaps a trip to Tenby to see if they've replaced the three parkland holes yet! Looking forward to your reaction to Porthcawl.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I want to know who has stolen Matt Ward's computer abroad and is posting under his name?

From NAF

7 Tee Pennard

7 Green

7 Green different angle

[Paul_Turner]

What a poser!

[NAF]

PT,

You must like my draw stance..although I did put the driver back in the bag and hit a 3 wood.. But blame RT, he took the picture.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I don't know what is worse. Noel here, or Jack Nicklaus in 2000, on the fence rail at Pebble.

[Paul_Turner]

Anyone think that the 7th is driveable in those conditions (no wind)?  I've played the course several times, but never when it's really brown.  

Tom Doak should get a royalty cheque from Pennard.

[Paul_Turner]

Question for the NAFFER and RT.  Which is in the more beautiful setting, Pennard or St Enodoc?  I think St Enodoc, just.

[NAF]

I definitely think St. Enodoc.

1) There is nothing like the view from the top of the ridge on the 1st hole. That may be my favorite place in golf. (well maybe after #16 tee at CP!)

2) The views of the ancient church and the rivulet sands of Trebetherick are inspiring.  Ditto Brae Hill and Daymer Bay..They didnt inspire Sir John Betjeman to prose for nothing!

3) The tidal changes of the Camel River which reveal an enormous beach in the morning and a fully blooded river later on is a really lovely transformation to view

4) The terrain of St. Enodoc is more lunar and more fascinating to me.

[RT]

I'll second NAF's appraisal about St. Enodoc and its surroundings.  Bucolic is an indequate word.  It's an interesting piece of golfing ground. Unique

Also Larry should add Southerndown to the central south Wales list.  A great week down there for sure.

Just watch out for Swansea at night...

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

TY matt, I also have Wales in my cross hairs for a visit soon.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

If I can find someone who can explain to me how to get j-pegs onto this site, I've got umpten lovely pictures to share with you which will show you just how uplifting golf in Wales can be.  Ireland is now ridiculously expensive.  You pay a huge green fee to play more or less anywhere on the Lancashire coart, Ayrshire coast, the Fife coast, the coast of the Firth of Forth, or even as far north as Dornoch or Nairn.  Wales should be grabbed while it is going - once the publicity machine for the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor has kicked in everything will be unreasonably inflated.  For those who wish to play with the natives rather than fellow visitors enjoy Wales now!

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Mark,
Send them to me with descriptions of which is which at tommy_n@earthlink.net, and I'll post them for you. Later one, I'll tell you what you have to do to do it yourself.

[Larry_Keltto]

RT, you're right about Southerndown. I definitely will get there, too, if I go back.

I wasn't able to make it work into my trip in the spring, and I'm still kicking myself about it. Sounds/looks like a great course.

[Matt_Ward]

Just as a follow-up the turf conditions at Pennard were barely acceptable -- the course was extremely burned out and the greens were uneven in their playing characteristics -- some were very quick while others had balls stopping fairly abruptly.

It's just too bad because the course could really use a fine grooming program but the vestiges of the dry summer have certainly taken their toll. The worse part was the grand 9th hole which had literally no grass on the fairways and strands of grass sticking up a few inches that looked like the last hairs on grandpa's head.

Given what I have just said -- the course is still playable and the joy in playing the course is quite fun.

I do have to take issue with people who characterize Pennard as being quirky. I didn't see quirk -- I saw a course that does reward fine play -- you can use the power game there and be rewarded accordingly. Quirk, in my mind, is when shots unduly favor the element of luck and the skill factor becomes less so. That didn't happen at my time at Pennard.

Let me just mention one strange hole at the course -- the par-5 4th plays about 510 yards and you literally hit over the 3rd green from the back tees. The fairway marker is pointed out right but any shot that goes that way is flirting with OB that tugs that side. You almost have to aim your tee shot at the 7th tee and fit it in the tiny area that looks like fairway but is rather uneven in its surface. I busted a driver and had a short iron to the green. Although the tee shot situation is a bit confusing the green site is well done. When the pin is placed in the front quarter it becomes extremely difficult to get your long range approach to stop near the hole. If the tee shot situation can be rectified the hole definitely has some possibilities.

[RT]

Matt,

I'd just take issue with you on the 17th, 1st landing area.  Its more of a launching pad, right, into the gorse.  You must have busted one to where the dog-leg crooks hard right?
Did you notice the long razor-narrow shelf in the fw, no. 17? Looks almost like an old tee???........

I personally liked the par-3 5th and no.8, and of course no. 7.

[Matt_Ward]

RT:

My first tee shot went into the stuff on the left at #17 because I didn't know it came in that close. I did bust a second tee shot and it followed the contours of the fairway far enough for me to have an angle into the green for a second shot. I just think the hole is a grand short par-5 that doesn't concede ONE INCH. You just have to think on what you're going to do and that style effects both the long and short hitter as well. Few short par-5's I have played can demonstrate that unique effect and do it without the intervention of a contrived and silly water hazard option.

I also liked the two holes you mentioned but the 8th is a lesser design version of #7 IMHO.

P.S. Maybe someone else more knowledgeable can speak ot the issue of the 17th tee you mentioned.

[NAF]

Matt,

Quirky means having sudden or abrupt twists and curves (i.e. the fairways on holes like #7, #17) or peculiar traits (how about  #7 green, it isnt exactly a Fazio special and many people would deem it unfair- do you think greens committees in the U.S. would want to flatten it, methinks so!) and unpredictability.  You can't tell me the Pennard doesnt have an element to unpredictability because of its conditioning and fairway rolls.  Therein lies its charms and charms of courses like St. Enodoc and Deal as I've told  you. Perhaps you are just starting to appreciate a little quirk in your courses as long as you don't view them as UNFAIR.  I happen to love the rub of the green and quirk elements of golf.  But I definitely think there are more moments of quirk at Pennard then you alluded to.  Perhaps PT and RT and Mark Rowlinson can give their opinions.

[Paul_Turner]

I can't see how anyone can play Pennard and not think it's quirky.  And the rough conditions are all part of the charm; you've got cows and horses on the course for one thing! Grooming the course?  No thanks.  The greens were in fine fettle when I was last there, tight and true.

RT

I noticed that air craft carrier strip of fairway on the 17th.  Must have been built to try keep balls from plummeting right.

8th has a fine green, eh?  The hole is quite similar to the 14th, in shape...

[RT]

PT,

Aye to no. 8 and 14.  Deja Vu from the 14 tee.

That air craft carrier analogy is right for no. 17.  For a Tyco model size that is!

RT

[Tom_Doak]

Russell,

That flat spot in the fairway on 17 wasn't there in 1982 when I first saw the course.  They added it in '83 or '84, presumably to provide a flat landing area and to stop members' tee shots from rolling off the fairway to the right.

I don't think they had a big budget for the work.

[RT]

Tom,

Not unless they brought over P.B. to do that "remedial" work on no. 17....

[Matt_Ward]

NAF:

I don't throw the word quirk in because too many people -- sorry Noel, but have to include you -- think that situations that are based on a preponderance of luck make for good golf -- I just don't buy that type of approach.

Pennard has plenty of fine holes and yes, I believe, the 7th green is an exceptional one and if other architects would choose to avoid such a design that's their problem. Many should visit Pennard and see a few of the holes and incorporate their designs into their products.

When luck becomes the dominant factor then the game of golf becomes something else. Pennard has plenty of exciting things that I believe would be great additions.

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