Porthcawl Open in 2018?

[Sean_A]

I found #6 to be quite plain, but the 7th?  Why would anyone want to tamper with or do away with the 7th?

Meh, the 7th is a bit of a dog's dinner - doesn't do much for me.

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

When Kent County Council say the economic benefit to the county of The Open is £90m people sit up and listen.

Frank - Deal have employed the R&A architects for several years, it doesn't mean we want the championship.

[Bill_McBride]

I found #6 to be quite plain, but the 7th?  Why would anyone want to tamper with or do away with the 7th?

Meh, the 7th is a bit of a dog's dinner - doesn't do much for me.

Ciao

Oh c'mon, back corner pins are great fun, kind of blind. 

[Kevin Pallier]

This is interesting. Has been clear for some time there is momentum behind the idea of a Porthcawl Open. I still think the logistics would demand quite a lot of work to solve, both on the golf course and in terms of access.

The fact that there is even talk about it must be a good sign for Welsh golf

Re: access - the M4 isn't too far away and Brigend township is probably the closest railway ? Hospitality would be a huge issue wouldn't it ?

[Mark Hissey]

They would have huge problems as far as transportation in and out of there, as well as with corporate hospitality.

Possibly a bigger problem would be where to put the spectators. The bottom line is that The Royal just isn't gig enough for an Open Championship. It is a wonderful and underrated golf course, no question, but it just can't do it for a big tournament.

I met with Carwyn Jones a few years back about building a premier golf facility on the property around Kenfig Pool, Sker House and reaching up the the brownfield area south of the steelworks. A major facility with a few courses, one of which would be an Open caliber course. I had Eric Iverson stop by and take a look at it and he was knocked out by the area. The dunes land there is truly awesome.

There wasn't the political will for building it unfortunately and I doubt they would ever would be. No great project is done without some kind of anguish and battle and there is no appetite there for it. The will of a few will always override the best interests of Wales.

[Thomas Dai]

Pub Quiz question - which European Tour player was a member at RPGC?
All the best

[Ally Mcintosh]

Porthcawl seemed to divide opinion at BUDA in 2010...

I was one for which it exceeded expectations - I thought it magnificent...

However, despite my love of Simpson, like Sean I wasn't that taken with the short 7th (doesn't mean I'd advocate changing it to Ben's plan though)... And unlike Bill, I thought the 6th was a great, strategic hole where angle of approach was all important. Admittedly on a runway flat bit of land UNTIL you get to the green complex.

Spectators would certainly be tight in that central bit that James mentioned, as they would round the clubhouse area.

I’d love to see The Open there as long as they don’t compromise the links to stage it.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Although I've only played two Open venues, I have to wonder how important course quality is when it comes to the decision making. The course needs to be very good, but probably not great. I'm sure there must be 20-30 (maybe even 50?) courses in the UK that are good enough quality to stage an Open. I'd say that course quality comes in about 4th or 5th consideration after issues such as access, acreage, accommodation, etc.

[Greg Taylor]

I have always liked Porthcawl, and the 7th I like as well due to "throttle back" nature of the drive and bunkering.

From memory the green complex lacks some character, (flat green, bunkers with no moulding) but as a hole it made me think on the tee.

Whilst I would love to see The Open move from the current rota to a more fun, less "length driven" lay out I just can't see it somehow.

And a beer to the poster that suggested Pyle & Kenfig as a possible venue!

[Paul_Turner]

Greg

The 7th green is pretty good with most of the borrows coming from the edges of the mounds blending into the green.  it's an unusual green, being so skinny and long

I like the hole because, it's genuinely short, which is rare now.  So it needs a lofted shot on the highest point of the course (windy) and there are plenty of interesting recovery shots with the bunkers and mounds.  Simpson got a lot of character into a hole where he had very little to work with.

It also compliments the other par 3s nicely.

[Ben Stephens]

I have always liked Porthcawl, and the 7th I like as well due to "throttle back" nature of the drive and bunkering.

From memory the green complex lacks some character, (flat green, bunkers with no moulding) but as a hole it made me think on the tee.

Whilst I would love to see The Open move from the current rota to a more fun, less "length driven" lay out I just can't see it somehow.

And a beer to the poster that suggested Pyle & Kenfig as a possible venue!

Greg,

That's a beer that you owe me only joking. Pyle and Kenfig in terms of infrastructure is a better bet than Porthcawl.

If P+K built a proper 18 hole course in the Dunes across the road in which they have 14 or 15 holes available and used the existing Colt 9 as tented village, commercial and hospitality areas it is feasible in my view which will need £££££!!

Cheers
Ben

[Ben Stephens]

Adam,

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

I would love to see an Open at Porthcawl. Funny thing is that at Buda some years back I was a little underwhelmed by the place, but since then I keep thinking about it. Might be because a certain Welshman who has already contributed to this thread had built the course up to be something spectacular? With hindsight, I'd love to go back and give it another few rounds.

I've always thought that if the R&A want an Open at a certain venue, they will make it happen, no matter the logistical obsticles, as most of the current venues prove. The possibility of switching the 17th to the last hole would certainly help for grandstands etc. But my biggest concern would be the area around the 13th green, 14th tee, 16th green and 17th tee? I recall it as very crowded around there to be getting players and especially spectators to move around, or to put up smaller grandstands etc?

Very nice, Ben.... How many of these "just for fun" master plans have you got lying around the place - you seem to come up with a new one almost every month?

Ally, don't encourage him...   Afterall, he does want to get rid of the short 7th?  

Cheers,

James

James,

Look at Lytham - 15 green,16 tee,17 green and 18 tee is really cramped!! Somehow the R&A have made it manageable like they will do so at Porthcawl

Cheers
Ben

[Ben Stephens]

Greg

The 7th green is pretty good with most of the borrows coming from the edges of the mounds blending into the green.  it's an unusual green, being so skinny and long

I like the hole because, it's genuinely short, which is rare now.  So it needs a lofted shot on the highest point of the course (windy) and there are plenty of interesting recovery shots with the bunkers and mounds.  Simpson got a lot of character into a hole where he had very little to work with.

It also compliments the other par 3s nicely.

Even the green has nice shapes around - I am personally not a fan of this hole - its one of Simpson's weaker holes IMO and it is mundane from tee to green - there is a better site with more contours inbetween the 6th and 8th holes its just that it is hidden in the gorse

6 is underrated - it plays harder than it looks and 8th what a hole!

[Thomas Dai]

Pub Quiz question - which European Tour player was a member at RPGC?
All the best

Rhys Davies?

Correct Brian. When I was there earlier this year his name was still on the handicap listing displayed on the noticeboard. I think it was +5 but it might have been +4. Either way that's pretty impressive play for an amateur around Royal Porthcawl.

As to the RPGC course itself, I'm with those who reckon the 6th is underrated and am also fine with the 7th. If The Open goes there do you reckon the 8th would still play as a par-5 or would it be tweaked to a par-4? Not totally convinced about the 5th though, even though it's been upgraded, nor the 16th either, but it's pretty unlikely that any course will have 18 top holes. Great place RPGC.

All the best.

[Paul_Turner]

The 7th green complex:

[Bill_McBride]

The 7th green complex:

And it really gets exciting when the pins are behind that ridge, far left or far right.  Great short par 3.  

[Ally Mcintosh]

I think the 7th played really well - which I guess is the main point.

I just wasn't so sure the 7th looked very well. It jarred with the shapes on the rest of the course. I'm sure I will be proven wrong on my next visit though.

[Mark Chaplin]

Thomas at that level hardly any of his competitive golf would have been cards at Royal Porthcawl.

If the rota loses up to 3 venues on equality issues Royal Porthcawl has a very strong shout on the Open, especially with strong political will.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thomas at that level hardly any of his competitive golf would have been cards at Royal Porthcawl.

If the rota loses up to 3 venues on equality issues Royal Porthcawl has a very strong shout on the Open, especially with strong political will.

If it lost all three, then welcome to Porthcawl, Portrush & Deal (says me)...

[Sean_A]

I think the 7th played really well - which I guess is the main point.

I just wasn't so sure the 7th looked very well. It jarred with the shapes on the rest of the course. I'm sure I will be proven wrong on my next visit though.

I find the 7th very ugly and contrived - its not like Simpson.  It pales in comparison to the other 3s which are very good.  In fact, along with the 3rd & 9th, they are the highlights of the course.  

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

I think the 7th played really well - which I guess is the main point.

I just wasn't so sure the 7th looked very well. It jarred with the shapes on the rest of the course. I'm sure I will be proven wrong on my next visit though.

I find the 7th very ugly and contrived - its not like Simpson.  It pales in comparison to the other 3s which are very good.  In fact, along with the 3rd & 9th, they are the highlights of the course.  

Ciao

Sean - agree that the three are the highlight... Although I'd say along with the 2nd and the 9th... 3rd is good too, mind...

[Paul_Turner]

I don't find the 7th green ugly in the slightest.  The mounds are shaped nicely out of the flat terrain and the pot bunkers look much the same as the remaining par 3s.  

No doubt Simpson originally had sand faces going high up the mounds though.   The mounding reminds me of his drawings of Blackwell.