South Devon this weekend.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I am off for the weekend and have a free pass  'to golf' on Friday AM.  But where to play?  I've picked out the following and would be interested in hearing others experience. None are likely to be world beaters but it's not a bad list for holiday golf.

Anyone played these?


Thurlestone
http://www.thurlestonegolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/index.html

It’s a Colt course (although not mentionied on the website) and Peter Allis has described it as England’s Pebble Beach. Half an hour’s travel.


Another with good views and this time a MacKenzie course.  50 mins.
Teignmouth Golf Club,
http://www.teignmouthgolfclub.co.uk/
I believe James Boon has played this. Care to comment on the website's claim it features some of Mac best holes?


Next two interesting courses on Dartmoor about an hour away. If I can't look at the sea then I love wild rugged terrain, and it doesn't come better than Dartmoor.

Bovey Castle Abercromby
http://www.boveycastle.com/Golf.html  


Yelverton, Fowler
http://www.yelvertongc.co.uk/
I rmember Philip Gawith posting some interesting photo's from here.

Finally East Devon for more of that coastal feel and fine views. Colt/Braid course about an hour and 15 mins.
http://www.edgc.co.uk/index.php?ID=1&stylesheet=style  


Any others to consider?

[Jon Earl]

Tony

Bigbury is another option - http://www.bigburygolfclub.com.

I believe Taylor was the architect.

Not overly challenging if the wind is down but a fun course with great views of Burgh Island.

Cheers

[James Boon]

Tony,

Yes I have played Teignmouth.

The views are wonderful as it sits on high ground looking down on Teignmouth and the the river below. I remember it as very enjoyable but I didnt realise the club were claiming to have some of Dr Mac's best holes? Other than the wonders of this website and some books, my only experience of his work is Cavendish, and I dont think Teignmouth comes close to some of the holes up there. Having said that the par 3s are fun, 11 is a good challenge over a quarry, and 15, 16, 17 was a good run of holes (tough long 4, short 3 then driveable 4). I expect these aren't even close to some of his holes at Cypress Point, Royal Melbourne or Crytal Downs, but what do I know... 

Of those you have mentioned, Yelverton looks interesting. I seem to recall Mark Rowlinson posting it as one of a series of aerials about a year ago?

Cheers,

James

[Jason McNamara]

Here's Philip's pics of Yelverton:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,29948.0/

Hard to beat that, I'd think, unless the weatherman is calling for a nice sunny day and you want to be on the coast.

[Ben Stephens]

Hi Tony,

How about St. Mellion just to see what developments that have been done - the Old Course has been redesigned and renamed the Kernow originally by Hamilton Stutt and modified by Nicklaus Design in 2008 - http://www.st-mellion.co.uk/kernowcourse.asp

China Fleet nr Plymouth by Hawtree used on the Europro Tour - http://www.china-fleet.com/golf.html

Tavistock (est 1890) - a moorland course by ?? - http://www.tavistockgolfclub.org.uk

Okehampton - by JH Taylor 1913

Ben

[Adam Lawrence]

I've always fancied visiting Yelverton (but not yet got round to it) simply because, if my memory serves me right, it's where Henry Longhurst first learned to play golf.

Adam

(my first post on gca.com)

[Adrian_Stiff]

I am off for the weekend and have a free pass  'to golf' on Friday AM.  But where to play?  I've picked out the following and would be interested in hearing others experience. None are likely to be world beaters but it's not a bad list for holiday golf.

Anyone played these?


Thurlestone
http://www.thurlestonegolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/index.html

It’s a Colt course (although not mentionied on the website) and Peter Allis has described it as England’s Pebble Beach. Half an hour’s travel.


Another with good views and this time a MacKenzie course.  50 mins.
Teignmouth Golf Club,
http://www.teignmouthgolfclub.co.uk/
I believe James Boon has played this. Care to comment on the website's claim it features some of Mac best holes?


Next two interesting courses on Dartmoor about an hour away. If I can't look at the sea then I love wild rugged terrain, and it doesn't come better than Dartmoor.

Bovey Castle Abercromby
http://www.boveycastle.com/Golf.html  


Yelverton, Fowler
http://www.yelvertongc.co.uk/
I rmember Philip Gawith posting some interesting photo's from here.

Finally East Devon for more of that coastal feel and fine views. Colt/Braid course about an hour and 15 mins.
http://www.edgc.co.uk/index.php?ID=1&stylesheet=style  


Any others to consider?

Thurlestone is quite nice, starts with a drivable par 4, then edges round the coast, quite nice. East Devon is nice too, yelverton I have not played but want too, Bigbury is less interesting architectually. If you are travelling down on the M4 and not the M3, pop in to the players club, we are just finishing off a new course, ill show you round for an hour. JNct 18 of the M4.2 minutes away.

[paul westland]

Thurlestone and Bigbury are within sight of each other; enjoyable golf.  Nothing architecturally astounding, but sited on agreeable downland.  A cream tea on Burgh Island completes the picture.  Thurlestone has six or so clifftop holes, and is the better of the two.
 The Dolphin Inn is a fine venue for evening meal.   The above were enjoyed in breezy-sunny weather in June of 03.

[Paul_Turner]

Tony

I posted photos of several of these a few year ago, but I think they're gone...

Thurlestone...a mixture of spectacular cliff holes and less exciting inland ones.  The course lost a fair bit of its character when they filled in a lot of the enormous traps.

Bovey Castle.  Abercomby did the front 9.  It used to be known as Manor House or Mortonhampstead and is in another spectacular setting right on the edge of wildest Dartmoor.  The front 9 is famous for its winding brook and it's almost impossible to stay out of (coming in play for almost every shot of that 9).  I saw part of the course after the recent redesign which I think was mostly on the less interesting back 9.  They did a good job from what I could tell.

Churston...a decent Colt.   Rolling terrain above the cliffs.  No every hole is a marvel, but there are several excellent holes  including the 13th which I reckon is one of his best short par 4s.  The club planted a load of saplings not so long ago; which is nuts, all they will do is block the views of the sea!  Some strong long holes too.  The best stretch is 11-17.

East Devon/Budleigh Salterton.   A mixture of heath and cliff top.  Some good holes here, a super short par 4 coming back to the clubhouse (9th?) plus some grand long holes up and down the valleys (8th,10th).  A few tame ones too but overall you should like it.

Teingmouth.  Once again it's heath and downs/cliffs.  I thought the opening hole was a cracker and also agree with the other opinions here that the quarry holes were excellent too.  The 6th? with its diagonal bunkers sticks in the memory too and the par 3 after with a severe green.  There are a couple of holes at the far end that don't have much going on because these were flattened during the war and used as a runway.

[Tony_Muldoon]

A brother in law has bought a place near Dartmouth so over the next few years I hope to see all of these. Thanks for all the help.


http://www.churstongolf.com/home.html
again no mention of their Architect.


Adrian I would love to take you up on that but I 'm travelling with the family Thursday and Sunday evenings.  I must make the effort to meet up.