Prioritizing golf options in NW England and the surrounding area

[Carl Nichols]

What's the ideal time of year for this trip?  I played several Heathlands courses in early May (first time playing in England) and the weather was amazing, but we were told we got very lucky.

[Mike Worth]

What's the ideal time of year for this trip?  I played several Heathlands courses in early May (first time playing in England) and the weather was amazing, but we were told we got very lucky.

I played in the Southport area in June this year (2024). Before that I was in Northwest Wales.


The weather during that time was windy for something like 13 straight days – – I’m talking like 35 mile an hour straight gusts the entire day — starting at 8 AM often times.


I don’t know if you got lucky or not. But my parting comment to some members at Birkdale was that if this weather had occurred in 1944, D-Day never would’ve happened.  I really wasn’t joking

[John Mayhugh]

It had never occurred to me that anyone could think that the Sacred 9 was a sensible detour on a trip from Heathrow to the North West.  That makes the drive to Silloth look like popping round the corner.  But if you are arriving at Heathrow and want to do Notts, then that would put Alwoodley in play.

Sometimes I have to disagree with Mark.

Obviously he will know more about traffic than I will, but using google maps, driving from LHR to Southport via Mildenhall is a two hour detour. I would gladly add two hours of driving to play there. For an American making an unknown (but limited) number of trips to the UK, it makes sense to see courses that really interest you. Americans, in general, are much more accustomed to longer drives than my English friends. Arrive in the AM, drive over to Mildenhall (2 hours), play 18 (or more). then drive part of the way to Southport. Get up the next morning and drive the rest of the way (more refreshed than you would have been the morning of arrival) to the Southport area. Of course, that plan means skipping out on the pink jugs, so there is a sacrifice of sorts. But you've seen one of the two best nine hole courses in existence for the cost of two extra hours in the car. Why not?

If someone was in LA to play Riv, LACC & Bel-Air, would it be nuts to drive two-ish hours (total) to go see the Valley Club? I get that there's no need to do the extra driving as there is a wealth of golf in any area, but as I have discovered, we can't play them all. So see what you want.

[Mike Worth]

It had never occurred to me that anyone could think that the Sacred 9 was a sensible detour on a trip from Heathrow to the North West.  That makes the drive to Silloth look like popping round the corner.  But if you are arriving at Heathrow and want to do Notts, then that would put Alwoodley in play.

Sometimes I have to disagree with Mark.

Obviously he will know more about traffic than I will, but using google maps, driving from LHR to Southport via Mildenhall is a two hour detour. I would gladly add two hours of driving to play there. For an American making an unknown (but limited) number of trips to the UK, it makes sense to see courses that really interest you. Americans, in general, are much more accustomed to longer drives than my English friends. Arrive in the AM, drive over to Mildenhall (2 hours), play 18 (or more). then drive part of the way to Southport. Get up the next morning and drive the rest of the way (more refreshed than you would have been the morning of arrival) to the Southport area. Of course, that plan means skipping out on the pink jugs, so there is a sacrifice of sorts. But you've seen one of the two best nine hole courses in existence for the cost of two extra hours in the car. Why not?

If someone was in LA to play Riv, LACC & Bel-Air, would it be nuts to drive two-ish hours (total) to go see the Valley Club? I get that there's no need to do the extra driving as there is a wealth of golf in any area, but as I have discovered, we can't play them all. So see what you want.

John, as an American who has been to ALL of these areas (and then some) and further as an American who has twice flown into RAF Mildenhall as a passenger on a US Air Force cargo plane and started my trip there, I would not personally make the Mildenhall detour.


Its too much driving, especially considering more traffic jams due to population density and the mental wear and tear of driving on the left side of the road.  and while GPS says it’s only a 2 Hour drive from, I think it would take at least 2 1/2 hours as I’ve made the drive before


Based on my three extensive 30 day trips to the UK each of the last three years, I would fly to London and then either take the train or EasyJet to Manchester and go from there with a rental car.

[John Mayhugh]

Mike,


30 day trips are the stuff of dreams. If a person with less time wants to squeeze in a lot in a far shorter trip, then there will be some inconveniences.


Most of us understand that traffic is variable. Immigration and baggage queues are probably at least as much of a variable. A train to Manchester sounds great but lugging multiple bags along for train connections offers some inconvenience as well. And he wouldn’t have seen Mildenhall! 

[Mike Worth]

Mike,


30 day trips are the stuff of dreams. If a person with less time wants to squeeze in a lot in a far shorter trip, then there will be some inconveniences.


Most of us understand that traffic is variable. Immigration and baggage queues are probably at least as much of a variable. A train to Manchester sounds great but lugging multiple bags along for train connections offers some inconvenience as well. And he wouldn’t have seen Mildenhall!

One of the things I’ve learned on these trips the last three years is to stay as central as possible.


when I researched the London to Manchester train this year, I was able to find some fares that only had one train change.  again, based on tons of experience, the train is quite easy to use and there’s no issue bringing a golf bag


detouring to Mildenhall is not in keeping with staying central. to emphasize, I am making a statement about myself – – I would not detour to Mildenhall


all the golf courses in the Southport/Liverpool area are top-notch. I would recommend staying at Central as possible


I would suggest another trip incorporating Mildenhall, Hunstanton, Royal West Norfolk, Woodall Spa, and Seacroft.

[David_Tepper]

"What's the ideal time of year for this trip?"

If you want to see the gorse in bloom, go mid-May to mid- June. If you want to see the heather in bloom, go in August.

[John Mayhugh]

I would suggest another trip incorporating Mildenhall, Hunstanton, Royal West Norfolk, Woodall Spa, and Seacroft.

That's a fine trip. I would recommend it as well. But the reality is that not all of us can dedicate trips to a single area and still see the courses that we are most interested in. I've played 40+ courses in England, but not seen Birkdale, Hoylake, or Lytham. Or for that matter, Sunningdale. It's not from lack of interest - sometimes timing just doesn't work out.

One place I've really wanted to visit in Scotland is Cruden Bay. I've never managed to work it into a trip, so this week I'm playing Royal Aberdeen and Cruden Bay on Tues & Weds (with a couple of friends who are in the same boat), then meeting up for GCA Buda in Crail on Wednesday. That's a terrible amount of driving, but for me, it beats not seeing the courses. Obviously we aren't going to plan any trips together!

[Sean_A]

"What's the ideal time of year for this trip?"

If you want to see the gorse in bloom, go mid-May to mid- June. If you want to see the heather in bloom, go in August.

If you want the rough down and still get decent weather go in September.


Tucky, I am not a big fan of windshield time, but I understand folks have bucket list courses. Still, I would caution against the temptation to create crazy itineraries. It’s easier to have more bucket list courses 😎.


Ciao

[David Kelly]

I think that for those of us who don't drink - or at least, don't drink much - longer drives or going out of our way to see courses is not as daunting or inconvenient.

[Richard Fisher]

It's just the time taken that some of us are worried about. Whatever Google Maps may say, on a bad day on the M25 it can easily take three hours plus to get from London Heathrow to Worly (I live in Cambridge and do a similar journey regularly) and I would just worry about starting any kind of golf trip with that sort of pressure. Bit like when people plan to play Sunny Old in the morning and Walton Heath Old in the afternoon, thinking they might be 45 minutes apart. Sadly, dream on...


But clearly some colleagues don't mind the pressure! Anyway, good luck with whatever lovely itinerary you end up with.

[Mark Pearce]

John,


I wasn't thinking so much about time, purely, as the extra distance.  Look at Heathrow to Mildenhall to Southport on a map.  That's two sides of a triangle to Birmingham.  It's not a "detour" as much as a re-routing.  How many other great courses come into play with a 2 hour re-direction between LHR and Southport?  Loads: obviously all the London Heathland courses will ass less than 2 hours to the driving, even if heading in the wrong direction, Ganton, Alwoodley, Notts - Beau Desert is practically on the route.  I love Royal Worlington but it seems a really off the wall suggestion as an add on to a North West England trip.


I'm all for travelling for golf - I'm the guy who took the redeye from San Francisco to Milwaukee to join the Lawsonia Links Mid-West Mashie, remember, as an add on to a trip to California.  So I get where you're coming from.....