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Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
The Perils of Pennard!
« on: August 03, 2005, 10:55:16 PM »
My wife, Kathleen, and I took a wonderful trip to the UK in July, finishing up at the Open in St Andrews.  We played some unique and outstanding courses on this trip, and I'm going to post some notes and a few of my amateurish photos over the next couple of days.  I find I forget to take pictures when I get chatting during a round, or overwhelmed by the golf, but I did manage to get a few good shots in.

The first course we played was way out in Wales.  My wife is still unhappy that I subjected her to a four-hour drive from Gatwick out to Swansea so we could play Pennard the next morning, but it was worth the trouble - to me at least!  Sean Arble is a member and is very enthusiastic about the rigors and pleasures of Pennard.  After just one round I can say uncategorically that I would hate to have to post a medal score there, but there are many great things about Pennsard.

The first sets the tone - blind second shot into a punch bowl green at the top of that hill.  The hole plays about 400 yards and the tee shot is to a very narrow fairway, typical of Pennard's challenge.



The second, by contrast, is a very short hole to a tiny green protected by a mounded entrance.



One of the outstanding features at Pennard is a great set of punchbowl greens, but here they tend to repel as much as attract approach shots.  Here is the difficult uphill 6th.



Pennard continues along in this interesting vein, and then come the holes with the incredible views down to the cliffs above the sea.  Not for nothing is Pennard known as “the links in the sky.”  As high as it above the sea, the turf is definitely of fine links character, and the course plays fast as hell.

This is the downhill 7th, with a ruined castle to the right, a ruined church wall to left (both ”in play” according to the score card!) and that fantastic view in the background for maximum distraction.



Here's the 7th green, a short iron approach, but check out the front to back slope.  Kathleen hit what looked like a great mid iron over the guarding rampart in front, I hit an indifferent wedge, we both came onto the green and found our balls had run all the way to the back of the green.  At least neither of us wound up in that deep hollow in the back right!



This is the uphill 8th with a devilishly contoured green.  The back to front slope must be over 4%.  My approach was my fourth or fifth shot.  Both of us hit tee shots on line to the pole in this semi-blind fairway.  While walking along that line, we found both tee balls in a hidden fairway bunker about the size of a bathtub, with softish sand that caused a series of attempts to extricate said balls from this nasty pot.  I was reminded of a great quote I believe is from Bernard Darwin, to the effect that a certain bunker, perhaps this one, was “just large enough for an angry man and his niblick!”



This is the brutal 11th, 220 yards into a brisk wind onto a crowned green which showed no mercy.



Here's a side view of #11 green showing the challenge... note the false front and the shallow green, which I played to with a 4-wood.  Tough hole!



The 13th hole is another very difficult par 3, this one tough because it's one of those rare dogleg par 3's!  The tee shot is blind to the pin which is almost on the left margin of this photo.  The right side of the green is protected by a steep bank which repels any shot not played farther left than you might think it has to be.   This hole at around 200 yds downwind might be as tough as any hole at Pennard.



This is the tee shot on the wonderful 16th, a 510 yard par 5 which plays along the cliffs for the second shot, and to a steeply sloping green for the approach.  This is the most reachable of the par 5's.



The home hole at Pennard clearly illustrates the challenges which face the player all day.  The fairway might be only 20 yards wide in the landing area, and slopes rather steeply from right to left.  A rope hook is definitely NOT the tee ball here.  A careful fade has a chance to hold the fairway, leaving a short iron to a fairly open green.



Awesome views, solid challenges, great links conditions, an energetic walk --- Pennard has all the ingredients for a good round of golf.

« Last Edit: August 04, 2005, 02:59:23 PM by Bill_McBride »

johnk

Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2005, 01:53:50 AM »
Bill,

The bad news is that your images aren't showing up in the threads.

The good news is I've got my memories of Pennard and Painswick to make up for it!

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2005, 08:41:29 AM »
Not sure what the problem is, John, they are showing up fine on my computer.  Anybody else having that problem?

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2005, 08:52:56 AM »
I can't see the photos either.

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2005, 09:18:25 AM »
Okay, I'm going to upload all my photos from the trip to another host site and edit this post and the Painswick post tonight.  Sorry about that.  Looks like the problem is Yahoo. I'm going to complain to Huckaby.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2005, 09:18:53 AM by Bill_McBride »

THuckaby2

Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2005, 10:20:36 AM »
I am sitting here in a Yahoo office.

I am on our intranet, and signed on externally as a yahoo member.

I too can't see the pics.

There must be some techinical error, because Yahoo, the greatest and most user-centric of all tech companies, certainly wouldn't have this as a policy.

I'm going to talk to Jerry Yang right now.

 ;D
« Last Edit: August 04, 2005, 10:21:48 AM by Tom Huckaby »

johnk

Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2005, 12:00:31 PM »
Tom,

If you need to get face time with Jerry, you should try hanging out a bit more at Stanford GC.

He often drives a sweet silver AMG CL65

THuckaby2

Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2005, 12:06:23 PM »
Tom,

If you need to get face time with Jerry, you should try hanging out a bit more at Stanford GC.

He often drives a sweet silver AMG CL65

 ;D ;D ;D

Of course none of that helps us see Bill's pictures.


Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2005, 03:00:25 PM »
Okay, trying again!

johnk

Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2005, 03:08:41 PM »
Got it! Great! Thanks!

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2005, 05:30:30 PM »
Photos fixed.

Tom Jefferson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2005, 11:29:49 PM »
Bill;
Thanks for the terrific set of photos!  They really show the quirks and eccentricities of Pennard.  

Makes me want to put this good life here in Bandon on the shelf for a while and travel to the remote courses of the world.

Tom
the pres

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2005, 11:13:19 PM »
Sean, I was just trying to hit the high spots, plus I was struggling so hard on the 17th after my birdie on 16 that I didn't get any photos.  That is an odd hole, not much of a landing area for the second shot, and then it's a long way up the hill to that deep and steep green.  

#5 is a lovely little downhill mean little hole.  Yes, it's all that.  I found #4, the preceding par 5, to be very awkward with that footpath and mound right about my landing area.

Lots of good holes out at Pennard, but a heck of a long trip from there to Beau Desert!

Thanks again for making the arrangements.

Mark_Rowlinson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2005, 01:40:09 PM »
Bill, I'm not a tour operator or guide, but I know the problems of transport in the UK intimately.  Let me give you (or anyone else who wants) practical advice in future.  M.

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2005, 10:03:24 PM »
Bringing this up for Sean - photos from last July!

Narrowest sloped fairways I've ever seen.  This course is truly a handful, but wonderful views and a great variety of holes.

Marc Haring

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #15 on: October 11, 2005, 03:39:54 AM »
I’ve never had the pleasure of playing Pennard but by the descriptions in this and Sean’s thread would give the impression of it being quite the trickiest of courses, which I’m sure it is.
But check this out http://www.pga.info/regionsarticles.asp?id=3373

Sean states in the other thread that he got to play the Sunday pins the other day because they were running a local PGA event. Well this is the local PGA thing and this guy can play a bit……..22 under for three rounds!!!!! I mean what’s all that about?

Marc Haring

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #16 on: October 11, 2005, 05:39:24 AM »
Thanks Sean

I think a short break in the Swansea area is imminent in the not too distant. What other courses are worth a visit? I see Ashburnham is within striking distance, what about that new Nicklaus one. Is that worth a trek?

Marc Haring

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #17 on: October 11, 2005, 06:12:39 AM »
Thanks Sean

Of course, Pyle and Kenfig (not a clue as to the spelling) and Southerndown and of course there is Porthcawl. I played P&K a few years back with fond memories. Porthcawl, although great, I have to say was brutal in the rough department back in August. Anything a fraction off line was never to be seen again and we noted that their July medal attracted 4 competitors. You’d have thought that the alarm bells would start to ring when that sort of thing happens.

Yes I’m convinced, I need to get over there and sample the delights.

Being in the business, I have the great privilege of playing these courses with a 100% discount so thanks for the offer as to a round Sean but when I do fix it up, it will need to be with the appropriate contacts. If ever you are down in my neck of the woods, pop round for a game at Cumberwell Park (FOC as my guest). It's not classic but can be great fun.

Marc.

Mark_Rowlinson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:The Perils of Pennard!
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2005, 06:27:50 AM »
In addition to those mentioned you might like to have a crack at West Monmouthshire which is the highest course in the UK.  I am somewhat lukewarm about Ashburnham but I think it is the fact that it is hidden away behind the sea wall and you never really to get to feel that it is a true links.  It's demanding, though.  St Mellons in Cardiff looks good news - Paul Turner posted some handsome photos of it maybe a year ago.  You might also like to journey into mid-Wales and have a crack at Llandrindod Wells - lots of really characterful holes in a marvellous location.  And if you are in mid-Wales you should also experience Welshpool -rugged upland golf (with some plain holes, it must be admitted) but a number of corkers, too, with one drive-and-pitch hole on which the pitch is made onto the summit of the Matterhorn (or it seems like that!).
« Last Edit: October 11, 2005, 01:27:49 PM by Mark_Rowlinson »

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