The next island?

[Thomas Dai]

NZ and Tasmania are pretty big islands, the Lofotens less so, but then there’s the more petite Jura (Ardfin) and King Island (Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes) and there’s a Kangaroo Island development apparently coming along as well. And the bit different Askernish on South Uist.
So where’s the next ‘island’ with a high end or ‘special’ golf development going to be or is already underway but isn’t that well known about yet?
Atb

[Chuck Glowacki]

Long Island?

[Anthony Gray]

 Bali

[Adam Lawrence]

Cabot St Lucia would seem a reasonable bet.

[Richard Fisher]

My island dream is there was some way of resurrecting the Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club, Bembridge, but sixty years on from closure that is now a practical impossibility. One of the most important clubs in the history of British golf and the venue of the first ever county golf match in England. Still, you can at least stay in the clubhouse c/o the National Trust


https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/the-old-club-house-isle-of-wight

[Tim Gavrich]

I've heard Newfoundland has some pretty spectacular dunes. Short season and likely environmental restrictions there though, right?

[David_Tepper]

Richard F. -

Thanks for the link to the National Trust website. Looks like a very cool spot for a (non-golf ) holiday.

DT

[Tom_Doak]

My island dream is there was some way of resurrecting the Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club, Bembridge, but sixty years on from closure that is now a practical impossibility. One of the most important clubs in the history of British golf and the venue of the first ever county golf match in England. Still, you can at least stay in the clubhouse c/o the National Trust


https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/the-old-club-house-isle-of-wight

Why did the golf course close?

[Thomas Dai]

My island dream is there was some way of resurrecting the Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club, Bembridge, but sixty years on from closure that is now a practical impossibility. One of the most important clubs in the history of British golf and the venue of the first ever county golf match in England. Still, you can at least stay in the clubhouse c/o the National Trust
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/the-old-club-house-isle-of-wight

Why did the golf course close?

More details here - https://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/england/south-west/hants-isle-of-wight-channel-islands/914-han-royal-isle-of-wight-golf-club-bembridge

I’m imagine Tony can throw more light on things.
Atb

[Richard Fisher]

A major new history of the RIoWGC is in active preparation, with strong inputs from Philip Truett (a member of this group). Tom D would I think find the ground on the site of the St Helens Duver mouth-watering, albeit with room for about five holes by modern standards (as opposed to the nine of the RIoWGC, ' that engaging cats-cradle of a golf course'): Horace Hutchinson wrote in The Badminton Library essay on Famous Courses that the golf at Bembridge 'was hard to beat'.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Bali

Bali lost its best course a few years ago in Nirwana Bali.  I believe it was purchased by Trump and was being ripped up and redone.  The old course, by Norman, was fantastic and was on some global top 100 lists/

[Wayne_Kozun]

Cape Breton Island is also a great golf destination.  It has three of Canada's top 10 courses.  And it has a wonderful culture with very friendly people.

[Tony_Muldoon]

My island dream is there was some way of resurrecting the Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club, Bembridge, but sixty years on from closure that is now a practical impossibility. One of the most important clubs in the history of British golf and the venue of the first ever county golf match in England. Still, you can at least stay in the clubhouse c/o the National Trust
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/the-old-club-house-isle-of-wight

Why did the golf course close?

More details here - https://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/england/south-west/hants-isle-of-wight-channel-islands/914-han-royal-isle-of-wight-golf-club-bembridge

I’m imagine Tony can throw more light on things.
Atb

Thanks Thomas I'd no idea he'd used those photo's.


I took a wedge and a couple of balls early one Easter Sunday and apart from a few dog walkers, had the place to myself. I hit to what I imagined were green sites. Later I got hold of sketches of the 3 versions of the routing and I was not picking out the right features - just having fun.   I think Philip Truett has written that he was thrown off trying to do the same with hickories.


Worth a walk to see what links land maintained by rabbits and walkers really looks like. At Easter there was a lot of moss. Peter Allen in his books championed the course, but go for yourselves and decide if there's enough movement in the land to produce truly world class golf? Easy to eulogise when the evidence has passed away.  Reading about the Arts and dead performers is full of this....


Tom.  After WW11 there just weren't enough members and it was a struggle to keep the course viable and so in the 1960's they gave it to the National Trust.

[Anthony Gray]

 Koh Samui

[Garland Bayley]

Cabot St Lucia would seem a reasonable bet.

+1

[mike_malone]

Burlington Island

[Anthony Gray]

 Phuket