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Matthew Schulte

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Wales / SW England Suggestions
« on: November 30, 2008, 10:19:30 AM »
Sorry if this topic has been discussed previously ad nauseam.  I am planning a group trip to Wales and would appreciate input from the treehouse. 

We would fly into Manchester and depart from Heathrow.  The below itinerary is our thought if we have 10 days, however, it is more likely that we will only have 8 days.  What would you add, what would you eliminate if we lost two days? 

Day 1
Fly into Manchester
Play Nefyn & District

Day 2
Royal St. David's

Day 3
Aberdovey

Day 4
Pennard
Pyle & Kenfig

Day 5
Royal Porthcawl

Day 6
Royal Porthcawl

Day 7
Ashburnham
Burnham & Berrow

Day 8
Saunton East & West

Day 9
Royal North Devon

Day 10
St. Enodoc
Drive to London

Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2008, 10:25:53 AM »
Nice collection of courses, but the drive from Aberdovey to Pennard is slow. Make the drive after you have finished at Aberdovey and stay overnight near Pennard. Don't try the drive on the morning of a 36-hole day on two different courses. Nefyn you play for the scenery - it's not a great course. Make sure that you are able to play the old holes. Sometimes they are taken out of play - they have 28 holes in total.

Matthew Schulte

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2008, 10:33:41 AM »
Mark:

Thank you for the suggestion of playing the old holes.  Nefyn seemed like a nice way to start the trip and work off the jet lag.

By the way, I am loving my new version of the World Atlas of Golf.

What do you think about Southerndown? 

« Last Edit: November 30, 2008, 10:48:01 AM by Matthew Schulte »

jeffwarne

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2008, 01:10:26 PM »
Matthew,
First off try to fly out of Bristol on the way back.

Second, you've got some serious driving time between some of your 36 hole days.
Sean Arble will chime in to tell you you're nuts  ;D but it's very doable in 10 days
I will say I did  the same area in two separate trips, but I played several more courses in each region

How's this?

Day 1
drive to Nefyn
play nefyn
stay harlech

Day 2
play RSD
play Aberdovey
Stay Aberdovey

Day 3
Drive to Tenby
Play Tenby
stay Tenby(nice town) or near Ashburnham if going 36 next day

day 4
Ashburnham
Pennard
stay Porthcawl Dormy house (highly recommended)

day 5
Royal PC
stay Porthcawl Dormy house

day 6
play Pyle and Kenfig
play Southerndown
stay Porthcawl dormy house

Day 7
Drive to Burnham and berrow
play Burnham and Berrow
Stay Westward Ho

Day 8
play Saunton east and west (30 min)
stay Westward Ho

day 9
play Royal North Devon
stay Westward Ho

Day 10
play St. Enodoc
Drive to Bristol (London)

This itinerary avoids driving on days you play 36 and gives you three night stays in two places.

If you were going to delete something I would eliminate Ashburnham and play 36 (or so) at Pennard (that way you could stay in Tenby)
If you wanted only 3 days of 36 (like your original itinerary) I would simply delete Ashburnham and play Pennard after driving over from Tenby.

Tenby is well worth your time as a course and a town and definitely is better than Ashburnham (although I did shoot 4 under at Ashburnham)

My group loved Nefyn-particularly the beachfront bar on 12? (and 16)
Southerndown was quite good

If you lost 2 days, I would eliminate the trip to Cornwall (keep Burnham and Berrow as it's not far from Bristol)
Substitute one or two of North Wales , Bull Bay. or Cardigan

Good luck



« Last Edit: November 30, 2008, 01:18:42 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

David_Tepper

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2008, 01:26:00 PM »
Matthew -

Looks like a great trip.

I trust you are not planning to play St. Endoc, drive to Heathrow and then fly home all on the same day. It is 250 miles from one to the other and that drive takes well over 4 hours. The one time I made that drive to get to Heathrow for a flight home, the traffic was horrendous and we almost missed out flight.

DT

Matthew Schulte

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2008, 01:47:20 PM »
Jeff:

Thank you for the information.

The two courses on our "bubble" were Tenby and Southerndown.

St. Enodoc is one of the courses on this trip I am most excited to see so I wouldn't want to drop that part of the itinerary.


David:

No, we would play St. Enodoc, drive to Heathrow and find a nearby hotel for a flight departing the following morning.

Paul Nash

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2008, 02:44:41 PM »
Hi Matthew
I rate Southerndown and would definitely recommend it. I stayed at the Dormy at Porthcawl and again can recommend it as good value. The dormy house at Bernham & Berrow is also supposed to be good, and a good place to break up a long trek from near Cardiff to Devon. Another place along that way that might be worth a look from what I have heard is Bovey Castle (hotel will be pricey). Another course I thought was good but I am sure many don't is Machynys Peninsula in Llanelli - although less unique in a GB&I way than most you are playing. I would be tempted to spend a bit more time in Cornwall & Devon and less in Wales. You could add on Trevose which is near enodoc and stay in Padstow. I would recommend staying in Tenby.

This is a very full agenda with lots of travelling and change - good luck. Saunton Sands hotel is very nice - great location next to the golf course. I have heard many mixed reports about westwood Ho and would probably go with Trevose instead. saunton is magic!

ed_getka

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2008, 02:53:49 PM »
Matthew,
    I would listen closely to anything Mark Rowlinson recommends. He lives in that area and has seen every course worth seeing. Not to mention he was involved in the latest edition of World Atlas of Golf if my memory is correct.
   It is usually helpful when asking for advice to let us know what type of courses you and your friends enjoy and what budgetary restraints, if any, there are.
   If you want to see something totally off the charts in quirk, I would try to get over to see Painswick. It is sited on an old hilltop fortress and has some holes that have to be seen to be believed. Conditioning is so-so, but it is quite an interesting course. I would not devote a whole day to it, but if it fits in some afternoon along the way. It is in between Manchester and Burnham and Berrow.
   Have a great trip.
"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Sean_A

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2008, 06:20:40 PM »
Matthew

If you only have 8 days you may want to seriously consider dropping the north Wales bit of the trip.  Stick to south Wales/Somerset/Devon and Cornwall. 

Fly into Bristol if at all possible.  It will save you 1.5 hours driving each way and the airport is very convenient to use. 

Use the dormy houses whenever possible unless you have a hankering to be in a town.  They can offer good value (Aberdovey & Burnham).  There isn't much of a town at Porthcawl so you may as well stay in the dormy house. 

Be sure to spend a few nights in Padstow.

If its an 8 day trip don't skip Tenby or Southerdown.

While down at St Enodoc make sure you play Perranporth.

Give me a shout if you need help.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2008, 08:44:26 AM »
Sean is  spot on.

Perranporth is a must (a miniBallybunion without the fuss/tour buses)
-I was trying to avoid adding more courses/geography.

I'll take Westward Ho over Trevose anyday (westward Ho is a step back in time) Trevose has a few nice holes but has bit of a modern feel
If you go for 8 days you could nix Northern Wales if you're insistent on Wales and Cornwall.
Fly in and out of Bristol (or at least fly into Birmingham)

I must say I enjoyed Nefyn although it has its' critics on this site (one of my group had his lowest score ever so it is a nice place to play right off the plane (and spectacular to see in spots)
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Tiger_Bernhardt

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2008, 10:34:39 AM »
Play St Enodoc several more times. It is one of the great courses in the UK. Painswick is a treat and very kinky. However it does not belong in the same conversation with the great courses in the country.

Adrian_Stiff

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2008, 11:13:24 AM »
We are doing golf breaks from next year and have accomadation for up to 28. We are 40 minutes from Bristol Airport, 20 minutes from M4 Jnct 18, 10 minutes M5.
20 minutes from Painswick, 1 hr from Porthcawl, 90 mins Ashburnam, 70 mins Pyle & Kenfig, Southerndown, 1 hr Burnham & Berrow. Westward Ho, Saunton, Enodoc would all need be a diff stay. North Wales is a long way away though.
Cheap deal for GCA errs obviously.
A combination of whats good for golf and good for turf.
The Players Club, Cumberwell Park, The Kendleshire, Oake Manor, Dainton Park, Forest Hills, Erlestoke, St Cleres.
www.theplayersgolfclub.com

Ed Tilley

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Re: Wales / SW England Suggestions
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2008, 05:33:27 PM »
Matthew,

I agree with most of what has been said but for what it's worth, and as I have a spare 20 minutes, here are a few recommendations and photos:

Nefyn - Having spent a week in each of the last two summers, and already booked for next year, in a cottage in Nefyn, I need no persuading about the beauty of the place. It is worth visiting, as the 'old' 8 peninsula holes (you must play the 'old course') are unlike anything you have seen, or will ever seen. It's a bit crazy - the 12th is mind bogglingly mad, but the views are sensational. If you're confused, you can pop down to the Ty Coch Inn ('Red House') after the 12th or 15th for a pint or two. The 13th is in the upper reaches of the finest holes I've played, but the course conditioning is basic.








Royal St. David's - For such a beautiful setting, it doesn't really have a great deal of charm. It's a great test of golf, and the bunkering is first class, but it seems like an opportunity wasted. The dunes are massive, but the course rarely penetrates them. Well worth a visit though, and make sure you visit the castle as the views are fantastic.

Aberdovey - Lovely place. The Dovey Inn is a brilliant place to stay and teh course is very good. A bit flat and uninteresting in places but a lot of good holes and well worth seeing, particularly if you are playing RSD and Nefyn.

Aberdovey and Tenby or Pennard are very close geographically but the drive will take hours due to the windy roads. If you want to see SW England, particularly Cornwall, then limiting yourself to South Wales is probably best on a short trip. I would recommend this as St.Enodoc is simply a must.

Tenby is the furthest outpost of good golf in South Wales, about an hour west of Pennard. It is a lot of fun, and the town is very pretty (as long as you don't go in August when it will be packed). Ashburnham is on the way from Tenby to Pennard. Scandalously, as it is about 2 miles from the village where my mother grew up and that I have visited hundreds of times, I have never played it. Pennard is fantastic and should not be missed. Wild, windy, and in pretty ropey condition, it is a fantastic design. You will not be disappointed.

Porthcawl, Southerndown, and Pyle & Kenfig are all very close together and conveniently located just off the motorway back into civilisation (England). I have only played P&K which has a brilliant back nine, and a very average front nine.

Burnham & Berrow is another superb links and, again, is very conveniently located just off the motorway down to Cornwall. Given it's convenience it is very difficult to come up with a good reason not to play it as it is first class.

Of the courses in the SW of England, St Enodoc is undoubtedly the highlight. It is in my handful of favourite courses and is simply magical. The views are superb, the course is challenging, quirky, beautiful, and fun. What more do you want? Play it more than once - stay in Padstow, eat fish and chips from Rick Stein's chip shop (out of this world!), play St. Enodoc. Fantastic!









Saunton is really high class golf, with two wonderful courses. A must and very close to Royal North Devon, which is a museum piece.

I would skip Trevose and head to Perranporth which is an absolute blast. Completely unfair but great fun it is not 'high class' but you will enjoy it as much as any other round you play on the trip.







Enjoy!

 

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