Minehead is one of the oldest golfing gorunds in England. The club was founded in 1882 with the course built on a sandy rabbit warren between Minehead & Dunster along the Bristol Channel. At the time there were only twenty existing English golf clubs. The original plan called for 12 holes, but Johhny Allen, the Westward Ho! pro, followed a common practice of the day and built 9 holes. The course would be increased to 18 holes just after the turn of the century. Ironically, the original 12 hole idea was probably a good shout. Many of the holes making up the 18 are not on ideal land and stand in stark contrast to the beachside links. The old rabbit warren is fairly flat, but as is usually the case, natural features were put to good use. I expect when the course was built there may have been views toward the highly scenic Exmoor National Park. Since 1962 Butlins largest and popular holiday resort has been a near neigbour of the club with the skyline pavillion looming large.
The day we visited Minehead there was a steady 20mph easterly wind pounding our swings and grim clouds impeding our eyesight. Needless to say the course played tough, although I don't expect Minehead ever plays easy. Which makes John Fisher's course record 66 in 2018 a feat to make one proud. It is more remarkable that Mr Fisher recorded this score as a 76 year old while playing in the Grant Cup, a major club competition. This round makes F Molinari's Open victory at Carnoustie duirng the same week seem ordinary.
The opening three holes are good, without being exceptional. At 248 yards the 1st is perhaps Minehead's easiest par 4. Continuing the trek away from the house, the second is punctuated with two large hollows; one centreline and the other shy of the green on the right.
Cutting back toward the house, the straight 3rd plays along a narrow fairway with rough high side left and low side right. Narrow fairways are common around Minehead. In truth, the 5th fairway is about as single file as I have ever experienced. The shared fairway 6th & 7th (holes in opposite directions) is madness. Anyway, back to the third, the fallaway putting surface is one of few surprising greens.
It seems to me that a radical redesign took place in the not too distant past. Holes 4 through 9 cover much heavier ground and look newish. They aren't poor holes per se, but I am not convinced using this land is worth having 18 holes. That said, despite the crazy width of the fairway, the three-shot 5th is a good hole.
Lets skip to the short 10th which plays to the corner of the property. The green is slightly domed...good hole.
More to follow.
Ciao