The Kingdom of KINGTON

[Jon Wiggett]

Sean,


most of the members clubs in the UK have operated quite successfully on a hand to mouth existence for the best part of 100 years or longer. Indeed, many of those who go to the wall do so because they spend money they do not have and the debt catches up with them. I certainly do not begrudge any club investing in their course but would hope the motivation is to improve with money they have rather than in order to increase prices and I suspect you also are of this mind.

[/size]Your GF ratio of 20 x is something I would wholly agree with.[size=78%]

[/size]Jon[size=78%]

[Sean_A]

Richard

I am told you dropped by Kington for a game...impressions?

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Well...Ulrich?

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Found this recent article about Kington. Some fine photos from above.

Bottom right photo - indications of once-upon-a-time sand bunkers?


Nice aerial video here as well - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmCm-ZoK5c
atb

[Sean_A]

atb

The hole you reference is the 12th...a superb par 3.  It would be interesting to know if the club ever experimented with sand. 

Thanks for the aerial tour...its actually one of the best I have seen except for the dreadful music.

Wasn't it about this time in 2012 that a Cream coloured Courser was spotted on the course?  I seem to recall it was big bird news!  How the hell it hit England's shores must be a wild story.  A few hundred people each day tramped up Bradnor Hill to have a look...only in England!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsJbCQpfXXw

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Sean,
I happened to be playing Kington on the day the bird was there. 200 or so folks, many with big cameras, some on tripods, where lining the left side of the 8th hole whilst this smallish creamy coloured bird was bobbing around in the right rough. I have a photo of said bird somewhere. Folks were driving from far and wide to see it. I spoke to a couple who had driven down from Scotland. A stunning day weather wise as I recall.
atb


Edit - old photo now added

[Sean_A]

With the recent dry spell I finally completed a year round set of pix for Kington.  Kington was crazy keen yesterday, far more burned out than any other course I have seen this year. Luckily the wind was down or there would have been serious damage done to the ball supply as Kington is a totally different course right now.  Patience is seriously rewarded.

BTW...the time has come...we need some rain!

See the updated tour
www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30926.0.html

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

With the recent dry spell

Ciao

What did you hit on 18?

[Sean_A]

With the recent dry spell

Ciao

What did you hit on 18?

I bunted a driver to the front right of the green and was left in an awful spot with the flag back right.  The green is tougher now that it has been raised a bit.  Back in the day, the green used to be higher still so going for it from the tee would have been very difficult as the surrounds weren't high enough to trap the ball so easily.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

I dragged a very travelled golfer to Kington this past weekend for his Kington badge.  I was very surprised he thought Kington is a 7.  Put simply, it is the originality of Kington which impressed him most.  In the end, I have to concede he is right on both points. 

The course was once again in great nick.  I did add a few photos.
www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30926.0.html

I am not sure Llandrindod Wells is the sort of course to make a good enough partner with Kington to entertain the idea of a future Kington Buda Cup.  I would be more convinced if LW had a killer must see hole...which it doesn't. 
www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,67344.0.html

Ciao

[Mike Hendren]

Sean, after once again reviewing your tour I have only one thought:  How could Kington NOT be a 7?  It is precisely this type of course that is keeping me from giving up the game and sojourns altogether.  Thank you.  I will get there on day.


Your tours and photographs are a blessing to me. 


Bogey

[John Mayhugh]

Sean,Kington would be a natural choice for Buda. I've yet to see Llandrindod Wells, but seems a reasonable complement. And the likes of Church Stretton or southeast for Minch and Cleeve Hill would be perfect add-ons.

[Mark Pearce]

There is a precedent for a one course BUDA.  If a course is good enough (and Silloth was and Kington would be) but lacks a natural partner, then three days at one course works fine.

[Peter Pallotta]

Lovely to see this again.
I couldn't say if Kington is a 7, but where else in the entire world could one ever play over a recess that was once the 8th century boundary line between Mercia and Powys (or was once an 8th century *anything*)? If I know my Tom Doak, sentimentalist that he is under the cool, straight talking exterior, that fact alone should be worth 1 point on the scale. Absolutely lovely -- even though I'm almost sure that, in good nick, it would prove too much course for me. Some of the  more gently sloping inland England courses with at grade greens that I can actually *see* might likely suit better.
Thanks Sean

[Thomas Dai]

It's worth pointing out how appreciative the folks at Kington etc are to the publicity and support given by the likes of Sean Arble's and others course tours and visits and positive comments by the likes the Tom Doak etc. Same at Minchinhampton Old with Ran's visit and profile.
Often folks at under the radar Clubs do not realise what a gem their course is and it takes a visit or visits by outsiders to highlight this to them.
There's a great deal of interesting, challenging and fun golf to be had away from the big name usual suspect popular venues and for visitors its a great way to see other parts of the UK, particularly the rural areas. I reckon this is probably the case in many other countries as well.
If you visit an unsung Club and like it write some comments herein or on social media. A few kind words from a few folks can make a big cumulative difference to a small Club.
atb

[Sean_A]

There is a precedent for a one course BUDA.  If a course is good enough (and Silloth was and Kington would be) but lacks a natural partner, then three days at one course works fine.

Mark

Toss the idea around with the Committee.  There are enough beds in town and a few pubs...including one outstanding pub.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_Olde_Tavern,_Kington

Bogey...cheers.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

People must be routinely cancelling games at Kington due to poor weather forecasts. The club is now offering a free booking on another day if play is interrupted by severe weather. I don't know what is defined as severe weather, but I don't know of another club that does this.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

I am not trying to be harsh or pushy, but the deadline for bailing with the prospect of a deposit return is the last day of August. On September 1 I will be confirming numbers and paying fees.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Some details about Kington and an earlier course routing which changed to the current routing apparently in the 1930's have arisen.

Firstly, a pre-WW2 photo that shows what was then the 4th hole. The tee being positioned above and to the right of the (then and now) 3rd green and playing to the currently numbered 17th green.



And below the old course routing.

Notable differences to the current routing appear to include -

A par-3 (then numbered 9) that no longer exists.
A current par-3 (the now numbered 9) that wasn't in the older routing
A current par-3 (the now numbered 12th) that was previously a par-4
A current par-4 (the now numbered 13th) that was previously a par-3
The former 18th played from adjacent the present 15th tee to a green 150 yds lower down the hill than at present, ie way below the clubhouse. Note that Google Earth shows the outline of a distinct horseshoe shaped former green in this area.
Some of the current splendid holes and greensites, eg the currently numbered 9, 12 and 18 are not original, which begs a few more questions.

Below the earlier course routing plan.


Some strolling amongst the ferns and the gorse might be needed to see the old green sites.

atb

[Sean_A]

Thanks Welsh Wizard. I long suspected the existing course wasn't original. 9 & 12 being two holes which made me wonder. However, I had no idea about the 18! I wonder if there were shared fairways? Getting from 14 green to 150 yards past the house gets my brain spinning.

Ciao