Match V: CAVENDISH V PRESTBURY V LIPHOOK

[Sean_A]

In these three courses we have a battle of achie titans, but using somewhat under the radar examples to show off their skills.  Of course Cavendish is a watered down Dr Mac, Prestbury is a very classy Colt and Liphook the sole course by Croome.  My instinct says that Liphook and Prestbury will struggle to keep up, but as we have seen with the previous match...anything can happen in a three-way  . 

#1. Not a great opening opening for P with rather staid bunker placement mitigating the excellent down n' up terrain.  C's opener is good, but it too is compromised, but by trees up the right.  Unfortunately, L doesn't begin in great form with an average longish par 3.  NO BLOOD

Cavendish


#2. P's second continues the bland bunkering trend.  C gives us a wee two-shotter with a large dip shy of the hard sloping right green.  L, however, delivers a longish par 4. The fairway slopes aggressively left with a green tucked beyond a maintenance track.  I think as on the first, P lucks out....NO BLOOD

Liphook


#3. P finally wakes up.  The drive plays over a hill to a green benched into a hill...tough target, but spoiled somewhat by overhanging trees.  C's par 4 is wonderful use of the land.  It is drivable, but one needs to work around bunkers and hold a green running away from play.  L's uphill par 3 to a large plateau is lovely, but not nearly as clever as C's par 4. 1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#4 Not being a big fan of drop shotters, C's par 3 doesn't impress, but it does demand a precise shot.  L's longish par 4 is quite decent, but nothing special.  The door is wide open for Prestbury to make its mark, but its par 3 isn't the hole for the job.  NO BLOOD

Liphhook 


#5. C's uphill par 4 is very good indeed and has one at least one skin in previous matches.  L's par 5 too is very good and features a very good greensite with attractive bunkering.  However, I think P's benched par 4 wins the day.  The hole can be driven, but being blind and to a narrow green this seems a remote possibility.  One needs to figure what works best in terms of the approach...I suspect it isn't a straight forward choice until a few rounds are under the belt. 1 SKIN TO PRESTBURY



#6. Another strong hole for P with its uphill par 5.  C's modest length par 4 has a very good green, but not much interest in the drive.  L's par 4 is defined by heather creating the dog leg right.  One can take as much out of the corner as he dares, but too safe a line will find trouble on the far side.  In a close call, I am going with L here.  1 SKIN TO LIPHOOK



The match stands at

Liphook: 1 Skin (6)
Cavendish: 1 Skin (3)
Prestbury: 1 skin (5)

No Blood: 1, 2 & 4

Ciao

[Sean_A]

The match stands at

Liphook: 1 Skin (6)
Cavendish: 1 Skin (3)
Prestbury: 1 skin (5)

No Blood: 1, 2 & 4

#7. L's short hole is visual feast and excellent to boot.  While not as severe, its always reminded me of the Postage Stamp.  C's 7th is a short 4 over water to a nicely raised green.  P's par 3 is also very good, but the beauty and gile of L's effort is not to be outdone here.  1 SKIN TO LIPHOOK

Below is how the hole appeared in what I think was some time not far shy of WWII. 


#8. L comes back with one of its many short 4s.  The raised green with its pimple is quite good.  C's 8th is excellent and has the measure of P's odd little duck par 4 as well.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#9.  C comes back with an unsatisfying drop shot par 3.  L's 9th is quite simply awesome.  Driving down the up n' over some rig and furrow land to a blind green...absolutely sublime.  P, however, gives us an epic par 4 of 455 yards with its second half steeply uphill.  However, L's ground features seize the moment and grab a win.  1 SKIN TO LIPHOOK



#10. The quality was bound to drop for L, though the short par 4 tenth isn't a bad hole at all.  C's 10th, however, is renown.  P's wee par 3 is good, but hopelessly outclassed.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#11. C's moderate par 4 crosses the same water which harrassed golfers on the 10th...very good hole.  L's par 3 is good, but not terribly memorable.  Ps par 5 must crest a hill before diving downhill.  I gotta go with C here simply because its great use of the same water feature for more than one hole.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#12. C's par 4 works slightly uphill to a large green running away from play...quite nasty indeed.  L's par is quite standard, nothing special.  P's par 4 works uphill from adjacent private gardens then heads downhill...a bit of an awkward hole.  I think this is unprecedented...three wins on the trot and C has some serious bang on its dry powder to come...this match could be a route!  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH

The match stands at

Cavendish: 5 Skins (3, 8, 10, 11 & 12))
Liphook: 3 Skins (6, 7 & 9)
Prestbury: 1 skin (5)

No Blood: 1, 2 & 4

Ciao

[Sean_A]

The match stands at

Cavendish: 5 Skins (3, 8, 10, 11 & 12))
Liphook: 3 Skins (6, 7 & 9)
Prestbury: 1 skin (5)

No Blood: 1, 2 & 4

#13. C has a very good back nine indeed!  Its short 13th is Redan-like, with more emphasis on uphill rather than right to left green movement.  L's shortish par 5 has a creek interupting play in an awkward spot for shorter hitters.  The raised green is a tough target.  P's 13th is uphill to a very Coltish green with its back end built up and marker knobs rising even higher.  I think most would pick L in this case, but I think the hole should be a par 4 from tees which don't require a walk back to another county. NO BLOOD

Liphook


Cavendish


#14. C's par 5 looks very reachable on the card, but one must contend with a stone wall up the left.  The green is well raised from the fairway floor and runs sneakily away from play.  L's short par 4 gives huge hitters a chance to have a bang at the green through trees, but the tricky green should make earning birdie a tricky proposition.  I like P's legger right par 4, but I think the clear winner in this case has to be C's clever par 5.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#15. C's Eden par 3 is short and diabolical.  We cross a most hazardous road for L's shortish par 4 which legs right.  This is a good hole with too much vegetation.  P's par 4 moves downhill along the boundary on the left.  Its a goodun', but once again, neither hole is a match for C.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#16. C's blind drive par 4 seems to roll on forever to a green which is not terribly receptive.  L's short par 4 is cut-off by vegetation, then plays to an attractive green tucked into a corner of the property...L has a ton of corners!  P's hard right to left sloping fairway is a tough target.  There green is not protected by sand, but there is a coffin gap on the right which blocks off the natural kick in from the right.  This is a very good and clever hole!  1 SKIN TO PRESTBURY



#17. P's par 3 over a valley is very good and an exacting target.  C's par 3 is good as well, but relies more on deception. Interestingly, L also has a par 3 for its 17th.  The green is very long and angled thus making the hole play an incredible array of distances...very cool indeed! 1 SKIN TO LIPHOOK

#18. L's uphill par 5 is fine, gest the job done.  C's epic par 4 is in a different class.  P's longish two-shotter is nothing special for a man of Colt's talents.  Cavendish is the clear winner.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



I hadn't realized just how good Cavendish is until I did these matches.  The destruction of two fine courses in Liphook and Prestbury is all the proof one needs.

Cavendish: 8 Skins (3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 & 18)
Liphook: 4 Skins (6, 7, 9 & 14)
Prestbury: 2 Skins (5 & 16)

No Blood: 1, 2, 4 & 13

I think we need stiffer competition in terms of bounce and roll for Cavendish.  Next up, CAVENDISH V ROSA OTM V LITTLESTONE

Previous matches

Match IV: Kington V Huntercombe V Cavendish
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63725.0.html

Match III: Kington V New Zealand V Huntercombe
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63708.0.html

Match II: Cleeve Cloud V Royal Ashdown Forest V Kington
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63674.0.html

Match I: Minch Old V Painswick V Cleeve Cloud
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63660.0.html

Ciao

[Peter Pallotta]

Sean - you will know how much I enjoy and appreciate these matches/course profiles. Please continue with them. But, as evidence of my almost pathological interest in the courses you tend to play, I have been looking at your tag line and at the "realistic next 10" courses you list. One that I've not yet learned enough about but that looks just absolutely wonderful is Reigate Heath.  (I like it so much I may have to become a member there instead of at Walton Heath....). In short, please also gift us with another of your excellent tours.  Thank you in advance, I signed myself, respectfully yours

Peter

[Sean_A]

Pietro


I talk a big game about trying to see places, but the talk can never jive with my growing dislike of travel.  Jeepers man, how far is Reigate Heath from house...2.5 hours?  How long have I threatened to give it a go? 


The really interesting thing about this course is I recall seeing it on one of my sojourns when I lived upstairs at The Red Lion near Red Hill. I had given the game up by then and was on a 3+ year bum around the world...so that would have been 1987.  I recall being impressed by the aesthetics, but not enough to get a set of spanners and give it a go. 


Ciao