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Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Name that Course - Course No. 1
« on: July 16, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Bernard Darwin said of this course, "It is a truly great course. I incline myself to think the most testing and severe of all the Championship Courses... and yet it is not in these stern and almost sombre conditions that I best like to think of it. The larks seem to me to sing a little louder and more cheerfully there and the grass to have a more poignantly delicious taste of garlic."Sir Pet Allen said of it, " If I had one moreround to play on earth, I would choose it as the links on which to play it."Name that course.

James Clifford

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Royal St. Georges would the correct answer. Darwin loved that part of the world. What do I win?

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
You win untold famed and fortune and great recognition among your peers but first you have to give the right answer... and Sandwich isn't it.

Sean H.

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
I too would have guessed Royal St. George's (does Darwin write about larks more than once?).Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster)?  I know Sir Peter is fond of it but don't remember if Darwin even played it.

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Hint: By Championship Course, I believe Darwin means host to an Open.

Sean H.

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Am I allowed a second chance?  I feel stupid for not picking up on "championship course."St. Andrews is too obvious, so I'll go with Bernie's beloved Prestwick.

Bob Ellington

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
I agree with Sean - it has to be Prestwick by process of elimination. Pretwick must have been prettier back in Darwin's day. Turnberry wasn't a British Open course, and Lytham and Liverpool are too ugly, none of the old guard like Birkdale, nobody likes Troon as their favourite. Actually, what about Muirfield though?By the way, who is Sir Allen?

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Sir Peter Allen is our hero. He was (he died a decade or so ago) an Englishman who loved the game. He wrote 5 books that I know of, mostly that dealt with UK courses. He had a great feel for the game and his writing style makes for easy reading.His stature within the golf community grew through the years until he became the first overseas member of Augusta National.As for Prestick and Muirfield as guesses, both are wrong.HINT: The course is in England.

James Clifford

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Hoylake must be the answer but I find it hard to believe. The place is certainly "testing and severe" but birds signing cheerfully is hard to believe - things must have changed a lot since Darwin's day.

JohnV

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
What's the big Deal about Royal Cinque Ports anyway?

John Morrissett

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
John--First, I assume you are correct.Second, assuming you have played there, please give us your thoughts on Deal as Ran and I have not played it. The few pictures you see (3rd and 6th holes) make it look wonderful.  The only knock seems to be its out and back routing as the inward nine can a tedious slog against the wind?Thanks.

JohnV

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
No, I haven't been there, I confess to looking in one of my books by Sir Peter Allen.  I'm sure that a friend of mine, Peter Pittock, has played there and I've e-mailed him to give you a report.  He will either add to this discussion or e-mail me and I'll put it in.

JohnV

Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Peter's quick comments on Deal:Slightly better than average course too short by modern standards.Good, penal bunkering, good contouring around greens. Small burns can layhavoc on a couple of holes. Smallish clubhouse, coat and tie mandatory. Gainsits reputation by holding earlier Open and proximity to Royal St George.Still would not skip it. Deal, or Dover, would be the place to stay whentackling those courses as well as Rye and Chart Hills (Faldo).Wind is its best defense. Fourteen holes are laid out on one axis, withthe south end holes basically at right angles to that axis. I played in 50knot winds with # 1 playing nearly dead into the wind, which diabolicallyhad just enough direction to blow towards OB right. The burn crossing in frontof green didn't help matters.  Tallish rough wasn't too bad to recover from,but this was in October.

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Name that Course - Course No. 1
« Reply #13 on: July 19, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
John V is the winner!! John's surges into the lead with a record of 1-0.Name that Course - Course No. 2 will come out on Sunday.  We will do 2/3 a month and keep a running tally. PS John V., Any info you get on Deal would be greatly appreciated.