The Best UK course not on the Rota right now

[Richard Muldoon]

Sean,
why do you think Princes would be too easy? Length, relative flatness, green complexes?
Given the amount of space there couldn't they come up with a suitable layout.
Also give a course an Open and immediately you have that respect.
I firmly believe that if the political situation continues to improve in N.Ireland combined with the knock on economic benefits that this brings and with some additional Hotel accomodation, the open will go back to Portrush. IMHO only TOC will be a better open venue.

[Jack_Marr]

I'm not sure what the considerations are concerning choice of venue, but I heard someone say that RCD isn't capable of catering for large numbers of spectators.

While there is a lot of progress on the political front, although it's stalled for a number of years now, there is still a lot of resentment between the communities in Northern Ireland. I don't know if it's a consideration, but RCD is seen as an almost exclusively Protestant club. Again, I'm just musing on reasons why they might not consider RCD, but maybe I'm way off the mark. From a golfing perspective, it would be a great venue.

[Richard Muldoon]

Sean,
I agree that the R&A are very unlikely to have another open next door to RSG, but it's nice to think that more courses could be used.
I like the thought of Princes because the weather in that part of the UK would nearly always produce firm and fast conditions at that time of year.
Maybe when Tony has unearthed exactly where the original open layout for Princes was, he can show the R&A the starting point for the open course design.
Cinque Ports would be fantastic but I think it would definately struggle to contain all the crowds and side shows.

[Noel Freeman]

Sean Arble-

It saddens me that you do not think Deal is in Sandwich's league.  I digress and all I can say is I've spent more time in that little neck of the woods than anyone I know other than Craig Disher.  I will submit, unmeritoriously, that Sandwich is more remote and has a great routing.  It is of grand scale.  No one can doubt that.  But Deal is a better challenge, plays several strokes harder and has more interesting holes in my opinion.  For me I'm not that wild about the Suez hole and close at Sandwich.  The opening two holes are not so wonderful either.  All solid holes mind you..

But I am a homer and you saw Deal on an absolutely horrid day with Senor Goodale.

[Noel Freeman]

Sean Sean Sean.. What can I say??.. You must jest..

The 17th at Deal not a great hole?  This to me with all of your links and UK experience is a downright shocker.  The 17th is all about strategy and whether you can land your drive down the right side in Vardon's Parlour in order to view the flag.. The green is a tiny saucer over terrific linksland after the cross bunkers.  There are tons of humps and bumps to nudge an approach offline and it is one of the best greens to putt on the course.  Ran is a huge fan of it too.

As to 18 at Deal, not a showstopper I'll give you that but a tremendous finishing hole.  It is possible to drive into the burn and the drive out of the sand hills into the flatter ground which requires a tight draw is anything but prosaic.  The raised profile of a greensite is tremendous as it sits atop its plateau.  Sir Peter Allen was a big fan.

And let me add 16 is one of the greatest yet greatest holes in golf.  Played as a par 4 as it would for the Open and you have one of the most testing holes in Championship golf.

#15 has a testing drive and an even more testing approach which can be blind and has to utilise the land short and left of the green to have any chance for a birdie.

The holes I will say that are Deal's weaknesses are #9 and #11 and both feature very difficult drives that play into cut winds during the summer and also have very good greens.


As to #1 not being a great opener, the strategy is the same as TOC and Deal's hole has a better green!

I really don't think you've had the chance to study the course the way I've been fortunate enough to. RT can comment as well.  I'll convince you yet.. Next you'll tell me the flat holes at Burnham are great!

[Kevin Pallier]

There's two courses that spring to mind which I would like to see the Open played at: Royal Dornoch and North Berwick - unfortunately I don't believe it will ever happen [unless they reign back the golf ball...]

Here's a few:
1. Royal County Down
2. Kingsbarns
3. Deal
4. Royal Portrush
5. Ganton  

[Marc Haring]

I do agree. 17 at Deal is a great hole and a great green. I mean, imagine if the wind was hard off from the sea and slightly into. How would you tackle this approach then?

[ForkaB]

Deal is good enough to host an Open and it probably will, some day, in a gesture to history not unlike the 2006 Hoylake decision.  Before then, however, it will have to go through the normal dating process of hosting an Amateur, a Senior Open, etc. to see how it really plays (both on and off the course)under tournament conditions.

Getting back to the question, the best UK course not on the Rota is clearly Dornoch, ahead of a number of other fine courses including County Down, Portrush, Kingsbarns, Western Gailes, Rye and Deal.

[Ed Tilley]

No-one has mentioned the 'secondary' Lancashire courses such as Formby or Hillside. I haven't played either (although I'm playing Formby and Silloth in two weeks time). I know Formby and Hillside have hosted tournaments with some success in the past (I believe Greg Norman said the back nine at Hillside was the best back nine in Britain). How would they stand up to the modern game?

[Noel Freeman]

Sean-

The first 7 holes at Deal are not of one dimension.  #1 plays into the opposite direction obviously before you turn northeast til #8.  That said, the routing of Deal is almost the same as at the Old Course and no one calls that mundane.  Furthermore, the out holes play with a wind that really doesnt help you--comes over the right shoulder and unless you are a high fade player, you don't get the benefits you might think.. It constantly causes you to think and wonder about your yardage.

I'll give you that Sandwich's routing is very much like Muirfield in that it tests many different winds but like I said if people sing the praises of TOC, Deal is as similar as it comes in ethos, and spirit.. Plus it has better grounds for golf in the stretch from 2-7 and 15-17...

Also Deal 15/16 (especially with 16 as a par 4) are everybit the match for #4 and 5 at Sandwich.. Also, when you clear the sand hill on #5 at Sandwich the land flattens out and I don't think the putting green there is any great shakes..

[Jay Flemma]

I'd have to agree, I'm looking forward to playing Deal.

Wait till that deal go down...