An introduction to Links, but where?

[Scott Warren]

If you were a recent arrival in the UK from Australia, where you'd played very few courses that could be truly considered links, and you wanted to get a real feel for links golf in a weekend away from London, where would you head?

With only a weekend to play with (a birthday present from my partner) I'm tossing up between Burnham & Berrow and Saunton East and West (with Weston-Super-Mare perhaps thrown in on the same day as B&B), or heading down to the Kent coast to play Royal St George's, Royal Cinque Ports and Princes.

Is there another region that I have overlooked that would be preferable?

Thanks in advance.

[Tom_Doak]

Scott:

Kent is a great choice ... three very different links all right next door to each other.

But if I were there I would take you north to East Anglia, to Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster) and Hunstanton.  There is no place more linksy than Brancaster!  And if you wanted to see a "downland" course while you're at it, you could drive over to Sheringham or Cromer.

[Paul Nash]

All sound like good options. Another option would be South Wales - Royal Porthcawl, P&K, Pennard and Southerndown as the downland option.

[Mark Chaplin]

Three courses that hold or have held the Open within 3 miles of each other and 70 miles from London there is only one real option.......

[Neil_Crafter]

Mark
Plus Rye is down that way too.

[Mark Chaplin]

Neil,

I couldn't agree more Rye is great, however for a weekend away basing yourself in Deal or Sandwich the golf takes a lot of beating playing the 3 courses. Plus you can leave the car get the train down or drive to the town and cab to the courses. That way the claret and kummel will sit rather more comfortably!!

South East England is sadly undersold as a golfing destination.......if only we could claim "the potato famine of 1431 which caused the people to take up residence in Ireland or Scotland" we would have the romance that England lacks with foreign visitors!

The Tourist Board would be wise to look at other areas and sell the south east on golf linked to Canterbury and London.

Mark

[Rich Goodale]

Or, you could take a plane to Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness and see the home of links golf.  Why visit arriviste imitations when you can see the real thing?

[Andrew Summerell]

Hey Scott, good to see you on board.

If I remember rightly, you are near Maldon.

Deal is just under 2 hours.

Your drive to Royal West Norfolk & Hunstanton will be 3 hours & maybe longer if you have trouble getting through London. Getting to Swansea to play Pennard will be a3½ hour drive.

Are you planning on driving once you get there, as Neil mentioned Rye is worth playing. It’s about 1½ hours from where you are & about an hour from Deal on a drive that takes you through Dover, so it’s quite scenic.

You mentioned driving to Saunton. There are quite a few worthwhile courses to play out that way, but it is probably more of a 4/5 day trip. From where you are it’s at least a 4 hour drive & once you are there you are going to want to play St Enodoc & Trevose which are about 2 hours down the coast & Burnham & Berrow which is 1½ hours up the coast.

All the options mentioned by the others are valid, but Deal is probably the best place to start. In Deal I stayed at the Channel View guesthouse, which was reasonable accommodation for about 50 pound a night.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Scott

Can’t you hear it calling, its there in the wind, its whispering a name, in the not to far away land of Scots. It calls out, it beckons from down under, the home fires are burning and single malt is warming.

The Kingdom is the Fife arena with at least 45 courses to test your skill, all for the sake of an hours plane ride. No imitation, no copies just the real thing, so you have no choice if the name of the game is golf, the links await for you to face.

Be ye man or mouse there is but one choice, its Fife of course for the Scott’s man.

Never take second best went the real thing is so close, fly to Fife and enjoy yourself.

Melvyn   

[Scott Warren]

Thanks one and all for the suggestions and messages. Certainly a lot of reading and Googling for me to do in the next few days to make a decision.

I think Scotland is going to have to wait for the time being. We are already heading to Edinburgh later in the year for the fringe festival, so I'm hoping to tie that in with some golf.

While the lure of St Andrew's is strong, I've kinda had it in my head for a little while that I want The Old Course to be the 100th course I play. I'm up to 84 so far (in 13 years of golf), so getting through another 15 by August should be doable if I apply myself!

[Sean_A]

Well, if its a gift and she really loves you there is only place you should really consider, and that would be Sandwich.  Nothing within shot of London can touch Royal St Georges for the combination of quality, class and history.  

If you are not sure how much your wife loves you it may be settle for Rye or Deal.  

If you want to freak your wife out, tell her you are dragging her up to Norfolk for a game of golf.  

Chappers - The big problems with Kent and golf tourism are 1) difficulty getting 4 balls out AND 2) the average price for the 3 main courses is 100 quid.  Like Ireland and Scotland, Kent is pricing itself out of much of the market.  

Ciao

[Melvyn Morrow]

Scott's a TOC Virgin – never on the first date, have to wait to the 100th  - question, will it be worth the wait – not for you but TOC – will the inexperience result in the patter of tiny golf balls rolling down the fairway next year?

Melvyn

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'd go to Kent and try for Sandwich, Deal, and Rye. They will give you three varied experiences.  Burnham and Berrow and Saunton are also good choices as are the many choices north of Liverpool.  Yet the first three are the pick of the litter.  Royal Portcawl and Pennard are wonderful but I am not sure they are or give a true links experience.

[Sean_A]

I'd go to Kent and try for Sandwich, Deal, and Rye. They will give you three varied experiences.  Burnham and Berrow and Saunton are also good choices as are the many choices north of Liverpool.  Yet the first three are the pick of the litter.  Royal Portcawl and Pennard are wonderful but I am not sure they are or give a true links experience.

Tommy

Its interesting that you use the words "true links experience".  If that is the criteria than I would recommend Pennard as one of the few high quality designs in the UK which does offer the real deal.  To be sure, the real deal is limited to courses without irrigation.  No matter what anybody tells you (or me!), courses which have irrigation turn the damn thing on and it inevitably detracts from the "true links experience". 

Ciao

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'd go to Kent and try for Sandwich, Deal, and Rye. They will give you three varied experiences.  Burnham and Berrow and Saunton are also good choices as are the many choices north of Liverpool.  Yet the first three are the pick of the litter.  Royal Portcawl and Pennard are wonderful but I am not sure they are or give a true links experience.

Tommy

Its interesting that you use the words "true links experience".  If that is the criteria than I would recommend Pennard as one of the few high quality designs in the UK which does offer the real deal.  To be sure, the real deal is limited to courses without irrigation.  No matter what anybody tells you (or me!), courses which have irrigation turn the damn thing on and it inevitably detracts from the "true links experience". 

Ciao

Sean, I always wondered how to classify Pennard.  I think it is one of my favorite places to play.  But do you think it is a links as opposed to cliff top?

[Sean_A]

I'd go to Kent and try for Sandwich, Deal, and Rye. They will give you three varied experiences.  Burnham and Berrow and Saunton are also good choices as are the many choices north of Liverpool.  Yet the first three are the pick of the litter.  Royal Portcawl and Pennard are wonderful but I am not sure they are or give a true links experience.

Tommy

Its interesting that you use the words "true links experience".  If that is the criteria than I would recommend Pennard as one of the few high quality designs in the UK which does offer the real deal.  To be sure, the real deal is limited to courses without irrigation.  No matter what anybody tells you (or me!), courses which have irrigation turn the damn thing on and it inevitably detracts from the "true links experience". 

Ciao

Sean, I always wondered how to classify Pennard.  I think it is one of my favorite places to play.  But do you think it is a links as opposed to cliff top?

Tommy

I read somewhere where links can be defined as a sandy area (not much good for anything but golf and grazing) abutting the sea with a river nearby (presumably the river helps with sand build up, but I am not sure why this should matter).  Pennard meets all these requirements, its just that somehow the sand didn't stop building up until the burrows towered over the sea.  If you are in any doubt, does anybody not call St Enodoc a links?  Portrush?  And on and on.  I reckon its the same sort of deal at a different stage of development.  So yes, I do believe that Pennard is 100% links - in the sky.

Ciao

[Bill_McBride]

I'd go to Kent and try for Sandwich, Deal, and Rye. They will give you three varied experiences.  Burnham and Berrow and Saunton are also good choices as are the many choices north of Liverpool.  Yet the first three are the pick of the litter.  Royal Portcawl and Pennard are wonderful but I am not sure they are or give a true links experience.

The holes at Porthcawl down by the beach are certainly on linksland, and even the holes up higher had the same feeling in the turf and construction of the bunkers.

Pennard to me was very firm and linksy in feeling.  It's a pretty unique experience.  It sure is a long way from Gatwick. 

[Scott Warren]

Just to update, I have settled on Kent.

I'll be heading down and staying at Deal with the good lady on the waterfront next weekend. I'm obsessed with making it a fun weekend for her so I get a sympathetic ear for future golf trips to Cornwall, Northen Ireland, Scotland and everywhere else!

Unfortunately we're there for Saturday and Sunday, so St George's is out, but I can't wait to see Deal (with the very generous Mark Chaplin) and Prince's.

I think I may have worn out the Royal Cinque Ports page on this site, sorry Ran

[Kevin Pallier]

Scott

Good choice re: Kent since you're living in London

Make sure you get down to Royal St Georges at some stage - it's probably the "best" Links in England.

Rye is also a must play - if you go the "right way about it" you should get on there.

Tom D - mentioned Brancaster and Hunstanton  - also a great combo deal and a good place to spend a w'end with your partner.

Andrew's spot on re: the West to South West. You will probably want to spend a full week doing the likes of those in and around Porthcawl down to Saunton, Devon and B&B

That all before you head upto Scotland or across to Ireland and don't forget the "heathbelt" is on your doorstep.......yes I'm jealous....     

[Mark_Rowlinson]

There are plenty of public footpaths crossing Royal St George's, so at least you can get to see it even if you can't play it.