Lost Courses of the British Isles

[Ally Mcintosh]

I've been dipping in to Daniel Wexler's 'Missing Links' book recently which makes for fascinating reading...

...but it got me thinking about what truly worthy courses from noted architects have been lost or completely redesigned (as to not be recognisable) in the british isles?...

...if this topic has been covered before, apologies... but it would be good to hear what knowledge is out there...

e.g. how good was the 2nd course at the addington supposed to be? are there any lost links courses that would have stood their ground with those considered the best today?

thanks

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I believe there used to a course adjacent to Western Gailes and or Barrasie that udes to be fantastic, but was used for army manouvers during one of the wars and was not restored...anybody know about this?

[David_Tepper]

The most notable "lost course" in the British Isles that I am aware of is the original Tom Morris 18-hole course recently discovered under the existing 9-hole course on the isle of South Uist in the Hebrides.

www.askernishgolfclub.com

[Brian_Ewen]

Can the original Eden not be considered lost ?

I wonder how many community golf courses were lost during the Second World War ?

In oor area Ally , courses at Muchalls and Laurencekirk were lost during that time . Maybe not "notable" but lost they were .

[Bill Gayne]

Ally,

To get present day insight to courses that may have been lost, I would suggest Darwin's "The Golf Courses of the British Isles." It features several courses that are either NLE or have lost stature. Later editions of the book is often available used on Ebay at a reasonable price.

The only drawback being is that Darwin won't explain why the course is NLE.

[Tom_Doak]

The one I've been interested in is the "Waddesdon Manor" course from which Tom Simpson illustrated a couple of holes in the second edition of his design book.  The holes looked terrific in sketch form.  I was not sure it was ever built but have recently heard that there was a course at Waddesdon, since overgrown.

[Neil_Crafter]

What about the original Prince's course? That would be a candidate for inclusion.

Tom, I've looked in my Simpson and Wethered and can't find any reference to Waddesdon Manor. Their book was later republished by the Sportsman's Book Club as 'Design for Golf' but this is a reprint rather than a second edition and it doesn't contain it either. I'm intrigued!
cheers Neil

[Adrian_Stiff]

Rodway Hill (not to be confused with the one open today which is 40 miles away) used to have some great holes and some you can still see. The course was originally 18 holes up to 1920, then 9 holes until 1948 when it ceased. My mother can remember it. Some of the fescue turf is still there and you can make out a few greens and tees. It staged the County championship at the turn of the century. i have some information on lengths of holes although I am not sure if its correct, todays par would suggest about 62, the holes seem longer. The site is very Painswicky in places although 90% has now been built on.
Most cities have a few lost courses, most have been lost to housing so there is effectively no trace. Tony Muldoon was looking for one but I cant remember where.

[Jonathan Davison]

A golf courses in the north of england South Shields has nine lost Mackenzie holes. They are still visible but haven't been used for over 50 years. There site is very interesting, very exposed to the elements and close to the coast.

This is a photograph of a par 3 showing a green site and bunkers left and right with a disused windmill in the background.

[Ally Mcintosh]

thanks for the input, folks... bill, i actually have darwin's book... i'll need to dip back into it again...

it certainly would be interesting to have some further research done on the best missing courses and for them to be reviewed in a similar fashion to 'missing links'...

i'm sure there's info out there if i just go looking...

[Jack_Marr]

Tramore used to be a links course, but it was constantly battered by the sea. I'm not sure if it was 18 holes or who designed it.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Langton Hall in Leicestershire:  This course was built designed and built during my formative years with Hawtree (early 90's) and I have a rather lovely memory of doing the course measurement with one of the most beautiful girls I have ever met, just days before my wedding in 1994 (one last temptation!).  I played the course (9-holes) a couple of times in the following two or three years, but there was never anybody around to pay a green fee to.  This is possibly why the majority of it it was eventually ploughed under, with the rest, shaping and all left to grow fallow.  

Still, the sheep seem to enjoy munching on the creeping bent grass!

[Marty Bonnar]

I've mentioned before a course which I drive past very often in the course of my employ - Dunfermline Golf Club's former home at Torryburn.
This old Braid still lies pretty softly on the ground there. A wee bit overgrown, but with bunkers and greensites still very visible. The local landowner (Lord Elgin of 'Marbles' infamy - well, actually, son or grandson of that one) actually sought Planning Permission to re-develop it a few years ago. Nothing has happened, unfortunately.
I derive great pleasure in pointing it out to fellow golfers anytime we pass it in the car. Their reactions are always so cool. "Wow!", "Really!?!?", "Oh yes, I see it now!"
More often than not these guys have driven past it for years and never noticed it.

F.

[Bill Gayne]

Jack Marr or anybody else;

Darwin in his book describes a links course named Dollymount by Dublin. Does it still exist under a different name?

Thanks

[Rich Goodale]

Bill

Dollymount is Royal Dublin.

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