Hey Anthony Pioppi, what about great GB&I 9 holers?

[Tony_Muldoon]

Anthony, if you were to come over to research a follow up book the great courses you could play include:

Royal Worlington and Newmarket as profiled by Ran, and often called the best 9 Holer in the world.

Then there's one at Reigate that Doak rates very highly indeed until the last couple of holes (bit of a bummer on a 9 hole layout!).

Then there's  Old Musselburgh (well great history)


and...



er need some help here...

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Tony,

If I can find a way to get my way paid, I'll track down some more that at least have good stories attached to them.

Anthony

[Chris Kane]

The Balgove?  

[Paul_Turner]

Tony and Anthony

My guess is that Scotland has plenty of charming 9 holers.  I have fond, but hazy, memories of an ultra quirky one called Gatehouse of Fleet:

http://www.gatehousegolfclub.co.uk/

Here's a nice one from England, Leckford, which was one of the very few (5?) truly private courses in Great Britain (I think it's open to unaccompanied visitors now):

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=16516;start=msg286963#msg286963

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Men,

It looks like we have a pretty good list to start. Now we have to find a publisher that thinks it would be a good idea for me to come over for a few months and research the book.

Any ideas?

Anthony

[Mark Pearce]

I played for several years as a member of Chorleywood, in Hertfordshire, a 9 hole course originally built as 18 and used by the members of the House of Lords (who had Chorleywood station on the Metropolitan Line built to allow them to travel up from London).  Built on common land it shares with Berkhampstead the feature of being bunker-free.  It's short and tight and quirky.  Great fun.

[Tony_Muldoon]

This thread is just hanging on in there waiting for Mark Rowlinson

Sean didn't you post some amazing pictures of  Cruit Island in Donegal?  


In the next two months I hope to play Spanish Point in Ireland and Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire. The latter sounds intriguing, sandy soil around an old dry dock with several holes featuring walls.  http://www.club-noticeboard.co.uk/suttonbridge/



In contacting both of the above clubs they have said the green fee for visitors is for 18 holes, no discounts for less.  Is that the norm these days, seems strange way to conduct business?

Two I like to play after work, that are hardly world class, are Thames Ditton and Esher on a flat bit of Common heath land and Crowlands Heath.  The later is in fact in Dagenham and is constructed on a land fill site – it’s still one of the better faux links I’ve played.

[jeffwarne]

Great 9 holers in Ireland

Connemara Isles-nowhere near Connemara-west of Galway- most unique landscape I've seen on the drive in.Total isolation.
Seaside course out and back on a peninsula- great pub.

Mulraney-sheep are the grasscutters.
Barbed wire around greens. Dead on the ocean.several places you can wander up in the sheep cropped dunes and create your own tees to add length,challenge.
Honor box-didn't see another person the day we were there.

Spanish Point-Ok-a few interesting holes-fun for a few post/in round pints and a good old fashioned experience.

Scotland
Shiskine-as Sean points out the best 12 hole- 9 holer in Scotland-One of my favorite courses of any kind.
"To the 12's" ?

Carradale
The best view in Scotland from the 2nd tee- short, but several interesting fun holes.Several of the best greensites I've ever seen. Great scenery.
Played it twice and the group unanimously agreed we should've played it three times and skipped Loch Lomond.

[Lloyd_Cole]

Men,

It looks like we have a pretty good list to start. Now we have to find a publisher that thinks it would be a good idea for me to come over for a few months and research the book.

Any ideas?

Anthony

Anthony
What you need to offer the publisher is an 'angle' - Like having a washed up UK  '80's celebrity tagging along with you.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Lloyd,

What an angle! I'll bet we could make this work. Could drunken debauchery be involved?

Anthony

[Lloyd_Cole]

Lloyd,

What an angle! I'll bet we could make this work. Could drunken debauchery be involved?

Anthony

So long as it's not on the course, my arm can be twisted.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Never on the course!

I'll bet we could make this work... with a film crew along for the subsequent documentary.

[Phil McDade]

A bunch of others in Scotland, a few of which I've played but are notable for one reason or another:

Corrie, on Arran, ultra-quirky with some great views of Goat Fell.
Tarbert, in a remote corner of the Western Highlands, sort of on the way to Machrihanish for those driving.
Rosehearty, near Fraserburgh, over fairly linksy turf.
Cupar, just west of St. Andrews, said to be the oldest intact 9-holer in Scotland, dating to the 1850s.
Gifford, parkland course in East Lothian.
Eyemouth, just over the border from Berwick-on-Tweed, linksy.
Bridge of Allen, an old Old Tom Morris course, near Stirling.
Askernish, on South Uist, subject of a recent GCA thread, with some traces back to Old Tom.
Tarbat, not to be confused with Tarbert, also known as Portmahomack, just east of Tain, probably can see Royal Dornoch on a good day.
Anstruther, near Crail along the coast, with a 1st hole drive similar to Elie and a famous dog-legging par 3 on the shore.
Carrbridge, near Boat of Garten, with some mountain views.
Durness, about as far north on the mainland as you can get, with the Peter Allis-played par 3 that runs clifftop to clifftop.
Lastly, Dalmunzie, in the wonderfully named Spitall of Glenshee, deep in the Highlands south of Braemer and north of Blairgowrie, and part of a hunting lodge.

[Alfie]

Excellent post Phil and there are numerous others worth a visit.

Lloyd said - "What you need to offer the publisher is an 'angle' - Like having a washed up UK  '80's celebrity tagging along with you."

Anthony,
Forget about Lloyd's offer ! Let me tag along and we'll do the Highlands and Islands tour. Just tell the publisher that all the courses we intend to play are in close proximity to St Andrews, but the bus fares are astronomical and the food (haggis) is more expensive than caviare  
Oh hell - Lloyd can come too and provide musical entertainment between the 9 holers ! Better invite Tom (Huck) as well to make up the fourball  
ps ; Lloyd and Tom should pay their own way. More drink money for you and I  

Alfie.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Phil,

Great post. I had no idea there were that many 9-holers around St. Andrews. I do know that there once was a 5-hole Old Tom Morris design in St. Andrews that was part of St. Georges (?) College.

Alfie,

Sounds like you have it all planned out. Have your people contact my people. (I don't have people.)

Anthony

[Alfie]

"Sounds like you have it all planned out. Have your people contact my people. (I don't have people.)"

Anthony


Bollocks ! I don't have any people either    Oh well. It was a good plan ?

Alfie.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Alfie,

Don't give up.

I had a dream last night of a big bus painted all sorts of colors, and down the sides was written "Lloyd Cole and His Band of Merry Shankers," and we drove all through GB&I playing golf as we went, bringing joy to people's lives who paid us back by feeding us and letting us use their showers."

Lloyd went on to make a brilliant golf-inspired record that sold millions of copies and he toured the world with sold-out venues. He returned to Massachusetts and built a phenominal golf course, designing much of it himself.

It ended badly for the rest of us, however. All I remember is that Lloyd wouldn't let me on the course because my shoes did not match my shirt and the U.S. government wouldn't grant you or Tony permission to enter the country with the reason being "the Royal Tarlair Incident," which was never fully explained.

I'd still do it all over again.

Anthony

[Tony_Muldoon]

I had a dream last night of a big bus painted all sorts of colors, and down the sides was written "Lloyd Cole and His Band of Merry Shankers," and we drove all through GB&I playing golf as we went, bringing joy to people's lives who paid us back by feeding us and letting us use their showers."

Too-o-o-o-o-o-o freaking MUCH! I'm on the bus mann!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alfie]

Anthony, Tony,

Not sure about this dream of yours ? Are you sure it was "shankers" on the side of the bus ? Maybe tonight you'll have the same dream but this time with a happy ending for Tony, myself, and the other w....shankers  

I think Lloyd was totally out of order regarding the colour of your shoes ! Just who the hell does he think he is......what colour were your shoes ?

Dream on...it's never over till the fat lady sings, as we say over here.

Alfie.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Tony, Alfie, Lloyd:

I had another dream.

This time we were on the bus in the very, very, very north of Scotland having, by this time, established quite a reputation for ourselves throughout the land. One night we were eating and drinking (for free) at a local pub regaling the patrons with our stories. Later as the owner prepared to lock up, he pulled us aside and spoke in hushed tones of a secret course that few outside those parts new about, designed by Mungo the Elder, father to Mungo Park, grandfather to Mungo Park II. The next day, as first light made its way over distant hills, we met back at the pub. The owner climbed aboard the bus, directed us down a series of narrow road winding roads and across fields via ancient animal paths. We had to walk the last mile to get there and when we made our way through the final hedge row, before us was the most beautiful links land course we had ever seen – all nine holes of it. You guys hit first. As I stepped to the tee, the pub owner, captain of the club, informed me my socks did not match my shirt and I would not be allowed to play. The three of you just shrugged and carried on.

You were all back in about 90 minutes with wild eyes and amazing smiles but refused to tell me a word about your experience.

I awoke in tears.

Anthony

[Lloyd_Cole]

Tony, Alfie, Lloyd:

I had another dream.

This time we were on the bus in the very, very, very north of Scotland having, by this time, established quite a reputation for ourselves throughout the land. One night we were eating and drinking (for free) at a local pub regaling the patrons with our stories. Later as the owner prepared to lock up, he pulled us aside and spoke in hushed tones of a secret course that few outside those parts new about, designed by Mungo the Elder, father to Mungo Park, grandfather to Mungo Park II. The next day, as first light made its way over distant hills, we met back at the pub. The owner climbed aboard the bus, directed us down a series of narrow road winding roads and across fields via ancient animal paths. We had to walk the last mile to get there and when we made our way through the final hedge row, before us was the most beautiful links land course we had ever seen – all nine holes of it. You guys hit first. As I stepped to the tee, the pub owner, captain of the club, informed me my socks did not match my shirt and I would not be allowed to play. The three of you just shrugged and carried on.

You were all back in about 90 minutes with wild eyes and amazing smiles but refused to tell me a word about your experience.

I awoke in tears.

Anthony

At this rate we won't need to make the trip.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Lloyd,

We have to go. I have a huge craving for roasted chicken and gravy and prawn-flavored crisps.

Anthony

[Alfie]

Anthony, Lloyd & Tony,

OK. I'm beginning to believe in this dream of Anthony's ? This fourball has chemistry ! Although I'm also a wee bit concerned that Anthony appears to be getting the rough end of the (Hickory) stick here ! (although the more I think about....tough shit - me thinks  )

Have you told your publisher of these recent phsychic phenomenons you're having ? Remember - dreams don't come cheap and petrol's a helluva price in Scotland - especially as we appear to be heading for somewhere near Iceland ?

And Lloyd talked earlier about "angles " ? This is fate.....our destiny beckons us to take this righteous path in the name of golfing "humanity" ! You, the noble scribe and promoter of 9 hole establishments and receding hairline. Lloyd the (washed up.....your own words) celebrity and wandering minstrel extraordinaire. Tony, .........?....well Tony could make the tea and tuck us in at night while telling cuddly golf architectural stories that send us off to sleep.... before he washes Anthony's shirt and socks for the following day. And me ? Well - what can I say ? I'll don the meenisters garb and seek devine intervention from The Big Man (not Sir Sean Connery) above and we'll all be protected from the demonic 3 putt on our sacred adventure ! Of course that wont make any difference to you Anthony as you're not going to be playing - unless you get your dreams in order ?

Yes, I believe in this dream ! (but then I believed in another ?)

Can you find out tonight when we'll starting off Anthony, so that I can prewarn the wife ? And BTW......what colour were those bloody socks ?


sweet dreams fellow cherubs'

Alfie.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Datchet, in the shadow of Windsor Castle used to be rather fun, I recall.

Knutsford would certainly have a shout except that it is a 10-hole course, as is the charming Ruthin.

Hale, Cheadle and Alderley Edge all have good moments in my immediate neighbourhood.

There's a MacKenzie 9-holer up in the moors at Marsden which I'd like to revisit some day.

I wouln't mind another bash around Baron Hill on Anglesey and Bala is great fun once the monster 1st hole has been passed - I forgot, that's 10 holes, two, having a different tenth hole to spare the horrendous climb of the 1st for a second time in the round.  There are others in North Wales such as Flint, but for quirk to rival Painswick it's got to be Ffestiniog - MAD!  http://www.ffestinioggolf.org/

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Mark:

You just named three courses that have 10 holes, that's good enough for me... "To the 9s, 10, 11s and 12s."

Lloyd:

Start booking the tour.

Tony, Alfie:

Find us a bus.

I'm going sock shopping.

Anthony