Silloth on Solway course profile is posted

[Ran Morrissett]

Some courses like Westward Ho! and Deal have had glowing words written about them for 75 plus years.

Other links like Ballybunion and Dornoch were slower to receive praise but once word started spreading in the late 1970s, an avalanche of golfers made their way. By the 1990s, another couple of links - Cruden Bay and Macrihanish - became huge favourites of overseas visitors as well.

And thanks to places like this Discussion Group, many other magical spots for a game are receiving long overdue recognition. Take Silloth on Solway for instance. I first read about it in a famous Geoffrey Childs post here three years ago. And as at Fenway, Geoffrey could not have been more spot-on in his praise. As he said, it would easily become the favourite of many, if they but played it once.

Folks in the UK are well aware of Silloth's merits (witness its recent ranking by Golf Monthly of #24 in GB&I) but I don't get the sense that it draws near as many overseas visitors as other similar quality remote links. Tom Doak speaks of its 'sins' but I am not sure what they may be. Highlighted by a diverse collection of green sites with some of the finest collection of bunkerless green sites I've ever seen,  there is no reason to think this course would ever lose any of its charm, round after round. Even Rick Hollland, bitter in the bar afterwards having lost to me and my hickories 1 down in what I term 'a rout'  ,  had nothing but effusive praise.

I wish we had a better day for picture taking but you'll still get the gist when you take a look through its course profile: this links is a stunner, full of good quality golf.

Cheers,

[SPDB]

Ran - Another splendid write-up. Given the far flung locales of the last two installments (Surrey and then the Lake District), I gather it was quite a trip.    Hopefully you will let us peer in on some of the other destinations, but if not, I'm sated.

Silloth-on-Solway looks magical. I had no real knowledge of the course prior to your write-up.

That 4th green complex is terrific! Quick question though. Are the drop offs to either side concealed from the player on approach. I ask because I thought i saw some mounding on to the fairway side. It must be quite a surprise to the first-time player.

thanks again.

[Joe Andriole]

Thank you for the excellent analysis and great pictures of one of England's hidden gems.  It all brings back great memories.  With the exception of a few holes in the "middle" this is a fabulous golfing ground!

[Larry_Keltto]

In putting together a NW England trip for next spring, I made Silloth a key piece of the journey (three rounds scheduled), based on Jim Finegan's enthusiasm for it, and Mark Rowlinson's high praise. It's great now to see Ran's piece and photos.

[SPDB]

It looks like a found a partial answer to my question. Good camouflaging going on here. The approach to the 4th.

[GeoffreyC]

Ran

As usual, you have added to what I think is a unique source of information about golf destinations and the best part of this site.  Thanks for bringing back great memories.

The Cumbria section of England is not at all a difficult trip if your destination is the West of Scotland and its wonderful links. In fact, a trip that ends in the West of Scotland and begins in the Heathland of England can easily include such gems as Alwoodley, Moortown, Seaton Carew, Seascale, Ganton, Woodhall Spa and a couple of others before finishing with Prestwick, Turnberry and the like!  

[Andy Levett]

On the ground, the 4th looks like the green was built up out of the valley. If so, it would be interesting to know whose idea that was rather than the more conventional alternatives of a green on the far side of the valley or another blind one, like the first, down in the dip.

My favourite hole not featured in the course profile is the 319 yard 2nd. Here's a rather blurred shot from the tee, with its angled fairway and green behind the hills on the right:


This is the approach - lots of different way to play it:

and if you drive through the fairway:

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Andy,

I, too, think highly of the 2nd.  I remember playing the 4th for the first time, thinking, 'Is there a fairway?' and repeating more or less the same question on the second shot.

Honestly, there are so many fascinating courses spread throughout the UK (not all at the level of Silloth, it must be admitted).  As I've said before, the top 75 or so pick themselves but there are 150 courses vying for the next 25 spots and 500 pefectly credible candidates for the next 100 spots.  

[Mark_F]

Andy, Mark

I too thought the 2nd was one of the best holes on the course. guess that's what makes this website so illuminating/interesting, because, opposed to Ran, I thought the 5th was fairly ordinary, especially after the glories of the first four.

Ran must have had a VERY straight day with the driver, too, to avoid mentioning the voracious horrors that lie just off the fairway...

Silloth is absolutely top drawer.  I mentioned in a previous post I'd rather have 3 rounds here than 1 at Birkdale. Rans profile cemented those thoughts.

If you are in the Lake District, you should also try to get to Seascale.  It's not quite as pretty a course as Silloth, and definitely a little more time consuming to get to, but on the other hand you get to see a lovely part of the Lake District that most don't, and the course is terrific, with fantastically friendly members.  Also great value, especially to play holes like 3,4,6,7,9 and, especially, 14, 15 and 16.

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