"Pennard is a cow paddock"

[MCirba]

Some will complain of livestock on the course, others will complain of green-to-tee transitions or trees or mowing lines or Art Hills.  It’s a big game and there are lots of ways to go about it.  Doesn’t George have the right answer to the original question?  Find out what they like and use your superior knowledge to make them happy, not to blow them off as beneath you.

Yes, and there is Porky's 2 and Godfather 2 and they both fill the seats so let's not compare and contrast.

[Peter Pallotta]

A total aside, but that's a keeper, Mike!
I can't wait to find a chance to use/steal that analogy. I saw both films, both sequels: Godfather II - brilliant, even by the very high standard set by the original; Porkys II - a dud, even in terms of the very low bar that had been set. 
Re Sean's point: yes, I was suggesting that the type of golfer I described would be unlikely to enjoy/appreciate a Pennard. And I should know - since I have more than a little in common with him, taking the game (and likely myself) much too seriously. My only defence(s): I play fast, I don’t complain, and my irons are too old to merit their own ‘covers’.
P
 

[MCirba]

Ditto, Peter.


Our most defensive, passionate reactions are usually reserved for those broad, generalized criticisms that still somehow hit inadvertedly close to the bone.


No iron covers or glove wieldling activities yet here though, thankfully.  Phew.

[Garland Bayley]

...
He also likely has iron covers ...

Hey, the covers came with the set. What an I supposed to do? Overfill yet another landfill?

[Bernie Bell]

Is Porky's/Godfather fair?  If you're introducing someone to whisky, you don't start with Laphroaig, even if for you it's the true essence.  At least not without some warning or knowledge of what the person might like in strong drink.  There's nothing inferior about a nice Macallan. 

[Sean_A]

Sean,

With all due respect, the point I was trying to make and probably Peter too is simply THAT guy is likely so wrapped up in his score, his ego, and the slow, methodical, sleep-inducing way he plays the game from watching golf on TV that he'd never get, much less admit to your Greatness is Overrated philosophy.

He also likely has iron covers and doesn't even start the process of putting on the glove he removes on each and every shot until everyone else has started walking.

Yes, I thought I was in agreement with you minus the greatness is over - rated theory. That theory is my reminder that all we talk about in golf is subjective. While the some opinions are better than others generally holds true, even that theory had many exceptions.

BTW....a little less grief about gloves eh. The eh is for Pietro's benefit. 😎

Ciao

[Mark Hissey]

My first post in ages. I couldn’t let this slip by.


I sense contempt from the comment. Idiotic contempt. Pennard is a gem. I’m proud to be Welsh and that The Links in the Sky is one of our gems (though ironically, Mr Doak was the man who first introduced me to one of my favorite places on earth). 

[George Pazin]

Is Porky's/Godfather fair?  If you're introducing someone to whisky, you don't start with Laphroaig, even if for you it's the true essence.  At least not without some warning or knowledge of what the person might like in strong drink.  There's nothing inferior about a nice Macallan.

Looks like Mike was in a grumpy mood yesterday. I think I've tried Macallan, don't recall trying Laphroaig. I'll check with my brother, he is a whisky fan in our family.


For me, it comes down to the notion of "wrong" when it comes to individual tastes. One can learn to appreciate or at least recognize what separates things, and hopefully even discuss it reasonably, but I don't particularly care for someone telling someone else they are wrong in their tastes. Golf is not quite as personal as taste buds or music, but it is still an art and thus is at least somewhat subjective.


I have a friend who thinks Spyglass may be the best course on the Monterey (notice the spelling, which Google is telling me is wrong ). His reasoning: they have this stuff called ice plant... That's just weird logic to me, but to each his own. I know I don't generally follow his golf course recommendations, even though he can beat me by 20 strokes a round.

[MCirba]

Is Porky's/Godfather fair?  If you're introducing someone to whisky, you don't start with Laphroaig, even if for you it's the true essence.  At least not without some warning or knowledge of what the person might like in strong drink.  There's nothing inferior about a nice Macallan.

Now we're seeing eye to eye!   

[MCirba]

[quote author=Garland Bayley link=topic=67522.msg1614263#msg1614263

Hey, the covers came with the set. What an I supposed to do? Overfill yet another landfill?



Consider it your small but valuable contribution to some future golf course built atop that landfill, Garland. 

[Lou_Duran]

I would love to say that playing in sh-- is an acquired taste, but during the Pennard Buda, those climate changers must have gotten into something that gave them the runs.  It was a mess out there.


Nevertheless, Pennard is a course to be experienced.  I know that the elegant Lorne Smith (sartorially and his beautiful tempo) gave me a harsh lesson in links golf.  But what I remember most is Arble's endorsement of the noon "carvery" at the club- "a proper Sunday English dinner".  It was a really good experience, sh-- and all.


As to R. Porthcawl, I've never been kicked out of a bar with greater finesse and regret.  Unbeknownst to us, women had their own bar and my wife, a well-seasoned traveler, took it like a true Roman.  Justice prevailed: a couple of ladies invited us to sit with them- theirs didn't reciprocate in kind, and we had a lovely chat.  Moments later we were joined by their husbands, both R & A members, and one, according to Philip Gawith, was the Howard Cosell of UK sports broadcasting.  Fantastic experience. 


Southerndown was the biggest surprise of the trip.  Not a links, but playing firm with wonderfully rolling terrain, nice elevation changes, and sitting up high providing beautiful panoramic views of the sea and the area.  I am typically not big on livestock, but those were some of the healthiest, most attractive, well-behaved sheep I've ever been around.  Most of them would have made the casting call for Daisy in Woody Allen's hilarious movie about Sex.  The electric fences ringing the greens didn't even have any juice and only one bad actor trespassed during my time there.

[Adrian_Stiff]

The majority of people would rather play Celtic Manor 2010 then Pennard after all it has played The Ryder Cup!


If I had 10 4ball vouchers to give out, I am pretty sure All would play the 2010 if they had that and Pennard as choice.


If I had 10 4ball vouchers and the choice was Porthcawl and 2010 It would be different.


Most people just want better condition, it is a big thing for MOST - SERIOUS - golfers

[Thomas Dai]

The majority of people would rather play Celtic Manor 2010 then Pennard after all it has played The Ryder Cup!
If I had 10 4ball vouchers to give out, I am pretty sure All would play the 2010 if they had that and Pennard as choice.
If I had 10 4ball vouchers and the choice was Porthcawl and 2010 It would be different.
Most people just want better condition, it is a big thing for MOST - SERIOUS - golfers

Very apt (I’m afraid). And (unfortunately) they probably also want even bigger headed drivers and golf balls that will travel even further. Sigh.
Atb

[Philip Gawith]

I think the gentleman Lou recalls from Porthcawl that day was Tony Lewis who was a great cricketer and, later, broadcaster of cricket. He is much missed. And it is just possible he was with John Hopkins, veteran golf writer from The Times. High quality company all round!


Otherwise looking forward to hearing back from Greg now that he has heard from everyone else! What courses DID they like? Did they play any links that they liked?


Philip

[Greg Gilson]

Hi guys. I really appreciate all the input & have been monitoring constantly the discussion without intervening. I now have lots of "raw materials" from these posts to help moving forward with potential travellers...thank you. I intend responding/answering/thanking everyone for their input via a summary post. I am under the pump just now but will respond again very early next week. Thanks again!

[Ally Mcintosh]

I think the gentleman Lou recalls from Porthcawl that day was Tony Lewis who was a great cricketer and, later, broadcaster of cricket. He is much missed. And it is just possible he was with John Hopkins, veteran golf writer from The Times. High quality company all round!


Otherwise looking forward to hearing back from Greg now that he has heard from everyone else! What courses DID they like? Did they play any links that they liked?


Philip

This being much more of a memorable cricket summer than one noted for golf, I just went searching for Tony Lewis on Wikipedia - having not thought about him once since he left our screens - and was surprised to find him very much alive. He is indeed missed as a broadcaster and this summer reminds me what a travesty it was that they took test cricket off terrestrial TV.

[Jon Wiggett]

Ally,


both cricket and golf authorities made the major mistake of thinking that success is measured in the size of the pay cheque they got from pay per view TV and have presided over a slow decline in their respective sports relevance since.


Jon

[Ally Mcintosh]

Ally,


both cricket and golf authorities made the major mistake of thinking that success is measured in the size of the pay cheque they got from pay per view TV and have presided over a slow decline in their respective sports relevance since.


Jon

Indeed Jon,


I was first concerned when they moved the test cricket from BBC to Channel 4 but it survived that switch. Then the famous Ashes in 2005 (the last on free to air) just showed what a tremendously bad decision was made. The entire country got wrapped up in that series. Probably had the biggest viewing figures since JR was shot.

[jeffwarne]

Ally,


both cricket and golf authorities made the major mistake of thinking that success is measured in the size of the pay cheque they got from pay per view TV and have presided over a slow decline in their respective sports relevance since.


Jon

One of the very few disappointments when being in the UK during the Open Championship
Very few of the air bnb's have elected the pay per view so generally resigned to watching in public spaces-entertaining but for an ADD guy like me, hard to focus on the plot and often sweltering hot indoors in a crowded poorly ventilated pub .