Getting on in Wales

[Larry_Keltto]

I'm going to be in Wales for a golf trip during the week of June 15. For various reasons out of my control, I won't be able to make specific tee times until about June 1.

My question: will this present problems in getting on to the courses? I'll be going as a single and this is my first trip to Wales.

Secondary question: how busy are Welsh courses during high season, compared to Scotland?

My itinerary likely will include Aberdovey, Harlech, Tenby, Pennard, P&K and Porthcawl.

Thanks in advance.

[David_Tepper]

Since I have never played golf in Wales (but have played in England, Ireland & Scotland), I cannot give you a very informed answer, but my strong guess is that you will have very little problem getting on the Welsh courses as a single player, especially during the week. Your biggest concern will be if a course has scheduled a golf society outing, inter-club league match or member's tournament on the day you hope to play.
One reason that the Welsh courses should be relatively accessible is that they probably get 1/10th of the amount of play the Irish, Scottish and English courses get during the summer from visiting Americans, Asians, Germans, Swedes, etc.
My guess is that even very few of the many well-traveled golfers who post on this board have played golf in Wales. It has yet to become an "in" golf spot to visit. That may change a bit after Wales hosts the Ryder Cup a few years down the road.
Please be sure to let us know how things turn out when you get back home and what you thought of the courses. If I have given you bad advice, be sure to let me know!
Hope you have a great trip.    

[Darren_Kilfara]

Larry - only Porthcawl is likely to give you any significant difficulty, I would guess. You can probably call in advance right now and find out which days (if any) are booked for societies and the like at the various courses, and when (if at all) members have the exclusive run of the course as far as tee times go. Mind you, it may well be that as a single, you won't be able to make tee times as such - just turn up and join a group. 'Tis always better to enjoy your game with the locals, methinks, if you don't stick out like a sore thumb and can get 'em to play with you.

David - do you really think a Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, which is just over the border from England and has about as many redeeming features as the Belfry does, is going to spark an increase in golfing tourism to the Welsh linksland?

As a side note, the Welsh tourist board has recently done one of my favorite TV commercials of all time. Two Welsh blokes sitting at a picnic table:

#1: "Bryn has just booked a ticket to go abroad."
#2 (matter-of-factly): "Really?"
#1 (in conspiratorial tone): "On holiday."
#2 (dumbfounded, in an almost farcically Welsh accent): "Why-ee?"

The camera pans away from the picnic table, and you then realize the two blokes are on a cliff-top above beautiful scenery; music starts, and the logo of the Welsh Tourist Board appears. Bloke #2 makes the commercial, though - only the Welsh can turn "Why" into a two-syllable word. (Having written all of this out, maybe it has to be seen and heard to be appreciated...)

Cheers,
Darren

[David_Tepper]

Darren-
I am well aware that Celtic Manor is probably one of the least attractive stops on the EuroPGA Tour and could be the least desirable Ryder Cup venue since the early years of the Belfry.
On the other hand, I believe there has to be amd will be some spillover effect for Welsh golf in general from holding the Ryder Cup anywhere in that country.
Before the Ryder Cup, there will be articles in US golf magazines about "golf in Wales" and they inevitably will profile some of the better links courses in Wales. A significant number of Americans and American golf journalists will venture in to Wales for the very first time and I am sure they will ask the locals about the best courses in the region and where they are. Those courses (Portcawl, Pennard, Tenby, P&K, etc.) will probably get played by some of these Americans and then get talked up afterwards back in the US.  
Remember, Royal Dornoch was ignored for DECADES, even by the Scots, until HW Wind wrote about it in the New Yorker and Rick Reilly wrote about it in SI. You could almost say the same for thing for all of Irish golf as well. Once the word gets out, it tends to spread pretty quickly!  

[alw1924]

Just finished playing Tenby and Pennard.  A great experience and no problem getting on at either club.  I found Tenby to be the better  golf course condition, routing), and Pennard the greater experience (wild horses, a castle, a herd of cattle, a dog that sole my ball) .  

[Larry_Keltto]

Hi everyone.

I leave Friday for my golf tour of southern Wales. It's my first golf trip to the UK, but I'll be in Scotland and Ireland in the fall.

The finalized itinerary includes St. Pierre (Old), Celtic Manor (Wentwood Hills), Pyle & Kenfig, Porthcawl, Pennard, Ashburnham, and Tenby.

I've read all the commentary I could find, including Finegan, Doak, and what's been posted here and at other Web sites.

But, if anyone has particular observations about these courses, I would appreciate it.

(One side question: does everyone in the UK play with the smaller ball? I was planning on packing and playing my own; is that bad form?)

[THuckaby2]

Larry:

I am just an American visitor, having played in the UK several times, and I never once saw anyone play the old smaller ball, nor did I ever see any for sale in the shops.  The larger "American" ball has been in vogue for a LONG time now.  My first trip over there was 1985.

TH

[Forrest Richardson]

Suggest you look up an obscure little place called Church Stretton — not quite Wales, but close to the border. I have written about it, and have always wanted to visit.

[ForkaB]

Larry

Forrest's post reminds me that when in Chepstow (St. Pierre) you will be no more than an hour away from the legendary Painswick!  You will not regret taking a detour to play there.

PS--The Huckster is right, there are no little balls being made, sold or played in the UK, and it has been this way for at least 15 years.

Enjoy, and report back!

[Jack_Marr]

The smaller ball is actually illegal, according to the rules of golf. That said, I know someone that can get you some. Cash in hand, I'll tell you where to make the drop...

[Larry_Keltto]

Hah! -- not sure why I thought the small ball still was in play! I have a tape in my head of Jim McKay at the Open saying: "The Yanks have spent the week adjusting to the smaller ball."

Forrest, can you tell me more about Church Stretton?

Rich, likewise for Painswick?

I might be able to squeeze those in -- the sun will be setting at about 9:37 p.m. next week!

[Paul_Turner]

Larry

I'd definitely drop Cetic Manor and St Pierre.  I've played both and they're not particularly good and certainly aren't very Welsh.

Southerndown is better than P&K, in my opinion.

You could add Burnham and Berrow, it's a v.good links about 45 mins south from the Welsh border (M4).

I want to see a small course called Radyr, which is up in the foothills and looks over Cardiff and the Bristol Channel.

For all the Painswick info, click here:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/board/ubbhtml/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20020903-1-003550.html

[Pete_Pittock]

Nefyn and District is another good course and semi-close to Harlech. Topo similar to Pebble Beach. Be sure to play the sinkhole loop.

[Fred_C.]

Larry,

In Wales, I've only been to Royal St. David's.  A lovely course, especially the back nine.

Regardless of the golf, anyone venturing in North Wales MUST check out the 13th century castles in Harlech, Conwy, Carnaervon, and Beaumaris.  Beyond that, the people and countryside are splendid.

Enjoy!

FJC

[Pete_Pittock]

sightseeing and photography, the town of Portmerion? Eccentric built, was the backdrop for "The Prisoner" from 1970s TV.

[Darren_Kilfara]

Larry,

Porthcawl is absolutely fantastic, a top-notch championship test and a refreshingly different sort of links that has lots of good elevation changes. The 18th hole, which plunges straight downward, is one of the most unique (and exciting) finishing holes I've ever played. I rate it very highly among all the British linksland I've seen.

Pennard is one of the most quirky courses I've ever seen, and is absolutely wonderful for that. You really won't believe some of the shots you have to hit until you see them. I can't really describe it, except to say that you'll love it and want to play it again immediately! It's not a "championship" course like Porthcawl, but it's incredibly fun - not that Porthcawl isn't fun, either, but Pennard is something altogether different.

Those are the only two courses on your list that I've played. I hope the trip goes well...

Cheers,
Darren

[Paul_Turner]

Larry

A few photos of some of the best holes at Southerndown-by an occasional poster here, Jeroen Pit.  Lovely morning light.


2nd


4th


5th


10th

[Larry_Keltto]

I just got home from my trip to South Wales. I played nine courses in five days, and I’ll give impressions of the first four now. For work-related reasons, there were a few that I was obligated to play. You’ll probably figure out which they were.

Sunday

St. Pierre (Old)
A shotmaker’s course…the holes at the higher elevations are very dramatic…the last hole is a superb, long par 3…I enjoyed the course, a very solid parkland layout, but was anxious to get to the sea…I also played the Mathern; not much to say about that one.


Monday

Pyle and Kenfig
My first links course, and a great introduction…the commanding view of the sea from holes 1-9 is exhilirating…the condition of the greens was consistently superb; easily the best conditioning of all the greens I played on in South Wales, even Wentwood Hills’ bent…what everybody says about 11-15 is correct: an absolutely superb stretch of holes played through the dunes…13 (a dogleg right, blind tee shot, with a green set in a dell) is a terrific, short, fun hole…the club would love to add more holes in the dunes, but it’s a very popular public park and beach area…the guy I played it with grew up at P&K, and he took me to a spot where you could see where nine holes could be added; my goodness, those dunes would be amazing to play through.

Porthcawl
I didn’t hear any debate: everybody’s choice as the best in South Wales…I’ve read that it’s better than several on the rota; it wouldn’t surprise me; a sublime setting, and a very stiff and creative test…I absolutely loved the old, breezy clubhouse. Some Welsh I talked to would like to see it razed, but I wouldn’t change a thing. An American club would pay millions to have a tradition-laden building like that…the beach is huge, and incredibly beautiful…holes 1-3 are just fabulous; that has to be one of the best starts in seaside golf…the bunkers are very scary, and so is the rough…the course played very firm and quick…is there a more nerve-wracking approach than the one at 2, with OB immediately behind the elevated green?…the greens at 4 and 5 have the potential to be downright evil, severely sloped…the routing of the course is absolute genius, moving in all directions through the wind…the halfway house is a delight…those bunkers at 16 are preposterously huge…the locals say Tiger flew those bunkers at 16 during the Walker Cup; I was playing with a Welsh pro who’s played 16 hundreds of times and never has done that...18 is a brilliant finish with phenomenal undulation in the green…have a Pimm’s on the veranda after the round; that’s as close to heaven as I've ever been.

Next…Tuesday...at Ashburnham and the outrageous Pennard

[Brian Phillips]

Larry,

Porthcawl is one of my top courses in Britain but then I suppose it would seeing as it is Colt..

My design partner played the 18th and landed on the clubhouse roof and then bounced onto the green.

Sounds like you had a great time.  One of the best things about Wales is that the courses are hardly busy.  How busy were they for you?

Brian

[Larry_Keltto]

Tuesday

Ashburnham
I think it’s interesting to note that many top professional events, such as the British PGA, used to be played at Ashburnham, and quite recently. I think it’s informative to contrast Ashburnham to Celtic Manor; it shows how important non-golf infrastructure is to big-time golf events now.

Ashburnham is a superb test. I was especially impressed with its very strategic bunkering and its large, varied and well-conditioned greens. One thing I especially enjoyed at Ashburnham was the variety of length in its par 4s. I also observed that the short par 4s were especially well guarded by bunkers, while the longer 4s were wide open, clearly assuming that players would be approaching from a low trajectory with long irons. It’s a bit of a pity, though, that Ashburnham lacks views of the sea. I didn’t know how close we were to the sea until reaching the dramatic tee box at the marvelous par 3 16th. All in all, Ashburnham was a very, very good track. If you gave it Tenby’s views and wonderful location, Ashburnham would be much more well known than it is.

Pennard
My overriding thought for this forum is this: everyone who has a serious interest in golf architecture absolutely has to visit Pennard. I think it challenges a lot of assumptions about design and maintenance. I mean, who could imagine a world-class golf course which is used for livestock grazing?! (A nearby possesses the grazing rights!)

If a course can be judged on the basis of how memorable and truly fun its holes are, then I’d have to agree with Jim Finegan’s conclusion: Pennard is one of the world’s top courses.

If I had to make a list of my favorite holes from this trip, then Pennard would have many: the charming par 3 second; the wildly undulating par 5 fourth; the scary downhill par 3 fifth; the par 4 seventh, which runs alongside the castle ruins; the outrageous downhill and then uphill par 5 10th, and maybe my favorite, the par 3 11th, played from the side of one hill across a deep gulf to a small green perched on another hill. And then there’s the remarkable 16th—it’s really very difficult to concentrate on golf when in the vicinity of the 16th green and the 17th tee. Its beauty is beyond description.

A couple other notes: Michael Bennett, the professional, is a gem of a person...I was surprised by the very modern and new clubhouse. Based on the descriptions of the course, I was expecting a small, wooden shack. That’s definitely not the case...Pennard has to have the most amusing local rules in golf. For example: “Hoofmarks. Relief may be taken through the green and in bunkers.”

Next: Wednesday and the charming Tenby

[Larry_Keltto]

Brian: regarding how busy the courses were. Considering how gorgeous the weather was when I was there, the courses weren't very busy.

I was there midweek, and I did have a couple situations where I had bookings early in the morning, right before societies hit first tee behind me.

I don't think Porthcawl gets much play at all; the members want it that way, I was told.

P&K gets a LOT of local play, I was told. It was quite busy when I was there, and it was early in the morning.

Ashburnham had a member's event going on the morning I was there; if not for that, it wouldn't have been busy.

Pennard had groups on most of the holes, perhaps because the weather was absolutely perfect. Also, it seemed like there was an after-work rush of players there at about 5. You could tee it up there in June at 7 p.m. and get your round in, I think.

I had rotten weather at Tenby, so the course was nearly empty.

Wentwood Hills was very busy. If you play there, try to get the first tee time, because play is quite slow (lots of high handicappers, plus "cart-paths only" make it a slog). Roman Road wasn't as busy.

One thing to note: I don't think I saw another American on the course the entire trip.

[Larry_Keltto]

Wednesday

Tenby
This course is an example of a golf experience that’s greater than the sum of its parts. As Jim Finegan and others have pointed out, Tenby is not a great course, but the total experience at Tenby is a delight.

The day I played there, the weather was miserable: heavy rain, low visibility, high winds. But it didn’t matter. I came away from my round thrilled. As the oldest course in Wales, Tenby is old-style golf: blind shots aplenty, greens set wonderfully amid the dunes, the sound of crashing surf, a railway line going through the course, and a charming resort town as the backdrop. Tenby’s opening four holes (all par 4s) are marvelous. The third is a near-perfect short par 4.

Tenby’s weaknesses are three parkland holes that don’t fit with the other holes, a couple very pedestrian holes, and a bland green site on 18.

The good news, I think, for Tenby is that the course has received grant money from the R&A to build three new holes in the dunes on the north end of the property. The land is spectacular. The guys in the pro shop said an architect now has to be hired and the holes built. The pro-shop guys think it will be at least four years before the holes can be played; they said it will take time for the turf to mature.

Next…Thursday...it’s back to the States (golf at Celtic Manor)