Odds and Ends 4.
Royal Blackheath. This is the beautiful clubhouse, its lawn being the 18th green, approached over a hedge. The club was probably 'instituted' in 1608 and is, arguably, the oldest golf club in the world. They played a modest course on the heath until the coming of the motor car caused them to abandon their course and amalgamate with neighbouring Eltham in 1923. The clubhouse is well worthy of such an institution, being built in 1664 for Sir John Shaw, banker to King Charles II. It has a priceless collection of historic golfing artefacts and the interior decoration is stunning.
Royal Blackheath 2nd, 391 yards par 4. The course is rather less remarkable than the clubhouse. It's a James Braid parkland course - pleasantly enjoyable but nothing outstanding.
Royal Blackheath 17th, 397 yards par 4. A very old-fashioned hole, straightforward until the approach, which is made over an artificial mound, the width of the whole fairway and into which is set an equally wide bunker, about 50 yards short of the flag.
Royal Blackheath 18th, 276 yards par 4. A really quirky finishing hole. These three bunkers are about 170 yards from the tee on the left of the fairway. Beyond them is a ditch crossing the fairway on the diagonal which is backed by a neatly clipped hedge. The green lies just over the other side right up against the (OOB) steps of the mansion. A real period piece!
Royal North Devon 4th, 349 yards par 4. This is one of the most famous bunkers in golf, the Cape. It's actually two bunkers with a sort of nose in the middle. The carry is about 170 yards to clear the sleepers.
Royal North Devon 8th, 192 yards par 4. Westward Ho! can be a desolate place in winter. Just seeing those waves brings back memories of losing about a dozen balls in the ferocious wind, my swing ('What swing?' did you say?) collapsing and the day was capped by a walk round Saunton (both courses) in torrential rain.
Royal North Devon 11th, 371 yards par 4. These are some of the famous sea rushes that lie in wait from about the 9th to the 15th. This particular hole is also devilishly bunkered on the approach shot.
St Pierre 5th, 406 yards par 4. St Pierre was a familiar venue to TV golf watchers in the 80s and early 90s. The Dunlop Masters, Epson Grand Prix and Solheim Cup were played here. There are two courses but I only know the Old, on which those big events took place. C.K. Cotton designed the course in the early 60s so it's quite restrained. There are several really super holes but also rather too many dull ones. There are some fine views over the Severn Estuary from the high ground but there are also many views of the hideous modern hotel and leisure buildings that have been added to what was a very distinguished old country house and a gorgeous old chapel. Despite the ugliness of the modern buildings I was made very comfortable during my visit (at their expense) and the staff could not have been friendlier. We're in South Wales, by the way, just outside Chepstow, between both arms of the M4 as it divides to go over the two impressive Severn Bridges.
St Pierre 5th. For me this is the star hole. There is a long carry (215 yards) over quite rough land to a fairway on high ground with a big drop into scrubland if you miss on the right. There is also a substantial bunker on the left 267 yards out from the back tee. The fairway then bends slightly right to cross a deep and wide gully and there is a steep rise to the green which has two spectacle bunkers in front and another, protective, bunker on the right where the gound tumbles away steeply. You can see what happens if you miss to the right or through the back. There is plenty of space out on the left for those who want to duck the challenge but the pitch from there is no easy matter for the high-handicapper.
St Pierre 7th, 474 yards par 4. Another memorable hole with an escarpment littered with tees giving all sorts of different angles of approach to the fairway. This is from a forward tee well to the right.
St Pierre 7th again, this time from a tee further back and to the left. The bunkers on the right are at 232 and 293 yards from the back tee and a stream crosses the fairway on the diagonal 150 yards short of the green.
St Pierre 15th, 375 yards par 4. Another of the more interesting holes. The drive is to a fairway starting to curve left and swing downhill at the length of a good drive. Trees threaten on the left and a string of bunkers deter on the right. The pitch (quite possibly from a hanging lie) is to a green half set out into the lake.
St Pierre 17th, 449 yards par 4. There are in fact two quite distinct greens for this hole (as there are for the tenth), but this one, set out into the lake at the end of a narrow, raised fairway, is so spectacular that some professional events were contrived to finish here, with this hole playing as the 18th. That then relegated the excellent 18th, a tough 237-yard par 3 over the corner of the lake to be the 1st. It (the par 3) is a great decider in matchplay.
I'll take a rest. More will follow shortly....