I thought I would post a few more pix taken this past Friday - mostly because I love this place and how the club operates. I sat down with the Captain for a long chat over dinner and finally got up the nerve to ask if they ever cut the fairways. His reply was once a year, when growing season slows some time in high summer. Theybasically cut the broad grasses that the sheep won't eat unless they are very hungry. You gotta love that response!
In any case, we had a very blowy day, consistent 25 mph wind until very late in the afternoon. The greens were in immaculate condition despite persistent heavy rainfall for weeks on end and second best of the greens I have seen this year only to Nairn. The fairways are as good as you will find anywhere - a spongy give, but still firm and full of micro undulations which leaves crazy lies and stances and sends balls every which way if you are trying to play delicate pitches. Sheep shit needs to be swept away on nearly every shot except for on the greens. Fairways are generous, but could even be a bit more so considering the terrain. However, there is plenty of room so long as one doesn't get too greedy in trying to overpower this short, old fashioned course. I say course, but for all intents and purposes Kington is a links on a hill. If I had to name a course to help with a description I would say Southerndown is a cousin, but Kington has much more TOC movement in the fairways. Sometimes the lies can be downright harsh. Twice I was in a little bowl like depression. Is say bowl like because the depressions were the size of a large cereal bowl. Try getting your ball out of one of those and reach a green into a 20 mile an hour header with a 5 iron!
We had four Irishman from Youghal GC over to play in this annual event and to a man they hated the course. It was all very amusing to hear their descriptions - what little of it I could understand! Anyway, the more I play Kington the more I love it. Its a classic design in its use of space. There is usually plenty of it to go around, but often times, getting caught out on the wrong side of the fairway leads to very difficult approaches to greens which don't have bunkers. Instead, the greens are defended by narrow angles when approaching form the wrong side and grassy hollows which take a deft hand to chip through successfully. Plus, there is the ever present aspect of guessing how much a ball will break of a hill when it makes its turn toward the green. Sometimes you get incredible, almost unbelievable bad and good breaks.
The 17th green as seen from the 2nd tee. The green is approached from the right and the large crevice to the left and beyond the green is often ignored when approaching on this usually downwind hole. I don't know how many times I have told guys that thought their approach was good that you will be lucky to find it - never mind about trying to save a point!
The approach to #7, as hort par 5 over the brow of a hill. One can see that predicting the run to the left in order to challenge the pin is a bit dicey.
Here is the third shot to the unreachable par 4 8th - for me anyway. You can see the grass hollows and knobs and why getting the correct angle of approach is so important when trying to hit these often narrow targets.
The very cool short 9th. One must hang a tee shot seemingly over Wales to get a ball on this green. Trying to run it up this side hill hole is sheer folly.
Back up to the top of the hill for the 10th. A blind drive to a sidehill fairway. So many flat bellies have a go at this short par 4 and never find their tee shot in the ferns. If you look closely you will see the micr-undulations I wrote of earlier.
Here is a look at the great par 3 12th from the 4th fairway. In fact, I think Kington has an awesome set of one shotters that very few courses can match. The 12th tee is to the right of the photographer and the hole flows down the hill left. It is evident that one can run it through the humps and hollows, but it is difficult. A This pic also shows that nasty stuff known as ferns. Its an excellent type of rough because it is so hit and miss if you will find the ball or have a decent shot out. Unfortunately, gorse is starting to creep into the course, but I think the club has decided they want to stick with ferns and are looking at ways to control the growth of gorse.
The 18th, a very reachable par 4 that is the best finishing hole I know of because it is so much fun to bomb away at this green. It is a special delight to watch shorter hitters have a go because their ball needs to travel a long way on the ground - man its great listening to the banter as the ball bounces toward what could be a eagle opportunity or a struggle to make par if you leave the drive on the high side of the green. More of the humpty bumpty terrain is evident in the pic as well. I also like the fact that if you get a lift on the tractor to start on the 6th or 12th the barman will often greet you with a drink through the window when you come around this hole. Its most civilized.
The more I learn about Kington the more it goes up in my estimation. I give it a 6.2 and think you will be hard pressed to get a better days golf for £32 on the weekend! For lazy chaps like me a round on the weekend is £26. As Jim Finegan once said about The Island, the world should be beating a path to its door.
Ciao