Clambering Around CLYNE GC

[Sean_A]

Even for those on a pilgrimmage to heavenly Pennard it is easy to skip past Clyne without a thought. Up the hill from Clyne Chapel & Clyne Gardens, the course is a bit tucked away on Clyne Common, which is one of several commons along the edge of the Gower Peninsula. A somewhat hilly lowland area, the common is a beautiful web of wet & dry heathland come moorland with grazing sheep. There are splendid views over Mumbles and Swansea Bay, yet the course is a short commute from Swansea.

Harry Colt designed Clyne in 1921 which ties in neatly with his work at Southerndown. In fact, the two courses are in many ways similar. The house is on low ground with the two nines taking different paths. The front nine commences an immediate climb while the back nine continues the downhill trend started on the 9th. The are no arduous climbs, but walking up and down is a theme of the course. The 1st green from near the 2nd tee. The terrain is dotted with endless subtle highs and lows.


The 2nd green is more forceful with its popped up surface.


The course comes alive on the 3rd, a diving par 5 cut through ferns, gorse and heather. 


Once down the hill a bit the full fairway can be seen. For some reason, the land beyond the right path is OoB.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Brian Finn]

Clyne was a really nice surprise on our recent trip to the area.  I am glad we opted to include it, even over additional rounds at other courses (e.g. Tenby) that I really liked.  It is a worthwhile spot for anyone playing golf in Southern Wales.  As always, I am excited to follow along for Sean's impressions of the course.

[Thomas Dai]

Damn good course. Underrated imo. Looking forward to the rest of the tour.
atb

[jeffwarne]

Played the front 9 there in 2014 after 18 at Pennard, en route back to Southerndown.
Really enjoyed what i saw and would definitely like to go back.
Very firm lumpy/bumpy turf with what almost look like furrows in the fairways.

[ward peyronnin]

SeanHope you include pics of the Llamas

[Charlie Goerges]

SeanHope you include pics of the Llamas

Big hitters the llamas.

[Sean_A]

Clyne Tour Cont

Surprisingly, for a Colt course, the short holes are merely routinely good. The uphill 4th is well protected.


Not a long two-shotter, the 5th bends well right around trees into a monster uphill fairway. The green is just the over a road on higher ground.


A handsome hole, the 6th continues the uphill golf.


The 7th is very similar to six so we shall skip forward to eight. Uphill and a bit fearsome into the contrary wind, a par 3 is well earned.


All the climbing only to bring us back down to the house for the 448 yard 9th. The tee shot is blind and seemingly wide. In summer it must feel quite narrow with bunkers left and a sloping right fairway. Behind the green.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

[quote author=Sean_A link=topic=72373.msg1738651#msg1738651 date=1698428015
Not a long two-shotter, the 5th bends well right around trees into a monster uphill fairway. The green is just the over a road on higher ground.


A friends tee shot hit a car that was driving along this road.
The type of car? ………… A VW Golf!
Atb

[Michael Whitaker]

Sean - I had a friend hit a VW Beetle once during a round. His nickname from that point on?


  “BUG”


🤣🤣🤣

[Sean_A]

Clyne Tour Cont

10 & 11 are somewhat similar being difficult down and up holes of some merit. Given all the rain, the valleys of these holes were very wet. But the wonderful natural feel still shines through. Below is the approach to 11.


A short hole, 12 isn't ostensibly that different from the 4th. 


Perhaps my favourite hole, the 13th legs left around deceptively rough ground and bunkers well placed to catch out players of varying length.  There is heaps of space for those more interested in the line of charm to the right.


The line of instinct can lead to rough lies and obscured views of the green.


One of many classy greensites at Clyne.


I was unsure about the line on 14. My instinct told me to hit left, but its better to stay right away from blind rough ground.


The fairway tumbles to the green. The course does suffer a bit for undersized bunkers in large fairways.


Gorse is used well.


The shortest two-shotter comes at 15. Get the right line and the green is reachable. Lose the drive a bit right and gorse lurks.  This hole strikes me as highly dangerous in keen conditions.


This must be a common approach. Colt was a master of the benched green. On hilly sites, most greens will effectively be benched on a slope. Colt managed to disguise this repetitive nature of the terrain.


Yet another stellar greensite.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Cracking green site on the 13th. The gorse immediately to the left of the 14th green has been allowed to grow quite a bit. Fine hole though.
Lovely sword to play from. The benefits of centuries of animal especially sheep grazing.

Atb

[Sean_A]

Clyne Tour Cont

It is surprising how many holes plummet compared to the climbing....quite clever use of the land. Called Mumbles Head due to the view on display, the 16th runs 458 yards. The back tee is a longer three-shotter. As is, the drive and approach were blind for me.  I would think many third shots would be from around this area.


Part of the reason Colt's routing works so well is the short holes are all uphill. Perhaps the most attractive and interesting, the 17th plays over an old quarry. 


The home hole is a chance for a good score. The modest length is made much shorter by the downhill nature of the terrain.


That is Clyne and despite the iffy conditions the course impressed me. There is no question that themes are repeated perhaps a tad too much, but the thrilling use of land and tremendous greensites more than balance the equation. Given the fine dormy house a short cab ride from Mumbles, Clyne makes an ideal stop for a party touring south Wales. Clyne comfortably makes my Happy 100 and I would happily return.  2023

Ciao

[Richard Fisher]

Thanks so much for this Sean. Super to have another v worthwhile addition to the S Wales roster, which for visiting trips could perm any one of
Porthcawl
Pennard
Ashburnham
Tenby
Clyne
P&K
Southerndown
(mentioned in no order after the first) plus Machynys, Radyr, Rogerstone, maybe Swansea Bay, Langland Bay, even Celtic Manor
for a fab (and with the exception of RPGC and Celtic Manor) pretty economical tour.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Richard you missed the best value of them all, and my favourite discovery of the year, St David's City (not to be confuse with Royal St Davids aka Harlech) which togehter with Cardigan links north south and mid Wales.


Clyne has a Dormy house, which offers exceptional value as a stay and play, and its only a few minutes from Pennard.


A few of us sped round in the morning before the Pennard Buda started and I'm longing to get back. I tried to include a visit this year, but one of my group had never heard of it so wouldn't go!

[Richard Fisher]

Rightly or wrongly I didn’t include either Pembrokeshire or Cardiganshire in my S Wales sweep! I think Newport Pembs is like Abersoch in being a lovely seaside nine spoilt by expansion to eighteen without appropriate ground…

[Sean_A]

Thanks so much for this Sean. Super to have another v worthwhile addition to the S Wales roster, which for visiting trips could perm any one of
Porthcawl
Pennard
Ashburnham
Tenby
Clyne
P&K
Southerndown
(mentioned in no order after the first) plus Machynys, Radyr, Rogerstone, maybe Swansea Bay, Langland Bay, even Celtic Manor
for a fab (and with the exception of RPGC and Celtic Manor) pretty economical tour.

The golf in s Wales is one of the last great bargain areas of GB&I. This one night trip to Clyne and Pennard was £165 with digs included. I think our green fees in the summer for Tenby, Southerndown, Cardigan and St David’s City was £165. I would go back to all six courses.

Ciao