PICS ADDED of GCA day-trip to Painswick

[James Boon]

Scott, Got your message. Still happy to pick you up, but it will be a slight detour for me.

Robin, is it easy for you to go through Stroud or is it a slight detour also?

Looking forward to another round up on the beacon and meeting you guys for the first time, and Sean again. Lets hope for some decent weather!

Cheers,

James

[Robin_Hiseman]

James

I'm coming from the Swindon M4 direction, so it's only a minor detour for me to come via Stroud for 9.30am.  Just let me know.

Looks like the weather is perking up for the weekend too.

[Scott Warren]

Great. Thanks Robin.

The train gets to Stroud at 9.44am. I don't imagine there will be too many 26yo blokes standing in the carpark (which is on the north side of the station next to a pub) with their golf bag, so I should be easy to spot!

I'll keep an eye out for the Alfa.

[James Boon]

Robin, Thanks for picking Scott up.

I'll see you guys there on Saturday morning!

Cheers,

James

[Bill_McBride]

Great. Thanks Robin.

The train gets to Stroud at 9.44am. I don't imagine there will be too many 26yo blokes standing in the carpark (which is on the north side of the station next to a pub) with their golf bag, so I should be easy to spot!

I'll keep an eye out for the Alfa.

Is there room for two guys and two sets of clubs in an older Alpha Romeo?

I just wonder because I had a '61 Austin Healey and that would have been a snug fit.

Which actually reminds me of an old limerick:

There once was a man from Boston
Who drove a very small Austin      (read "Alpha" here)
He had room for his ass
And a gallon of gas
But his balls hung out and he lost 'em!   (Golf balls that is)

You guys have a great time at Painswick, the king of quirk!

[Robin_Hiseman]

Bill

I like the idea that you visualise me driving around in an old open top Spyder or similar, perhaps along twisting Alpine passes, but I'm afraid the reality is rather more mundane.  It's a 9-year old Alfa 156 4-door saloon, but it is still very beautiful and for sale if you're interested.....

I'll easily get two sets in, provided I remember to take out the kids car seats!

I'll be sure to spare all my GCA Painswick Ryder Cup colleagues a thought as we pause for breath at the beacon.  Hopefully, we'll get a picture or two.

[Scott Warren]

I had a great day at Painswick yesterday. Thanks to Sean, Robin and James for a fantastic game of golf and an enjoyable session on the balcony afterwards.

The weather was spectacular, providing great views from the Beacon.

As we were leaving, there was a club lunch on, and and old bloke asked me if I had enjoyed my day, and had I played the course before. I told him it was my first visit, and that I'd really enjoyed the course and he said "yes we are very proud of it. You know about three years ago a group of American and English golf course architects came here to see what they could learn from the course".

He seemed genuinely overjoyed when I told him Robin was among that group and was with me, and asked if we had "seen the wonderful clock".

I won't bore you with too many pics of the course, because James' course tour is encyclopedic already, but here are some others you might enjoy:

Robin on the 5th tee, en route to his second of four consecutive threes, after a Seve-esque birdie from the cabbage at the 4th.


James steals a glimpse of the view as the gang climbs to the 5th green, eager to see who was where (I was NTP, but three-jabbed, much to Sean's disgust - costing us "the bit" )


The view from the top!


From left: Robin, Sean, James, Scott


One of the coolest golf holes I have ever played. The 6th. Note Robin's ball four feet directly behind the hole!


James loads up at the 8th.


Robin pitches close at the 13th to bring the bad guys back to all square.


James on the 17th tee.


Pay the man! Sean settles his debts with a chuffed Robin after the Hiseman/Boon combination proved too strong, sneaking a 1-up win after my chip for birdie at 18 hit the back of the hole, but stayed out.

[Bill_McBride]

Did anyone get in the Coffin on #8 or #9?

I managed that feat in 2004 (pull hooked second on #9), and it was amazing how many walkers, passers by, etc, appeared to call out, "He's in the Coffin!" 

 

[Scott Warren]

No one in our group, Bill, but one bloke in a group coming up 9 as we went down 8 ended up caught halfway down the near-vertical side of the coffin and announced to his mates that he "had a gutful" and might just pick up at watch the rest of the hole

[James Boon]

Scott,

Many thanks for posting the photos. Not sure the action shots do me any favours, and I can imagine my brother cringing at my swing that is that slow that there isn't really any blur when hitting a driver, but Sean's face is a picture when handing over the money! 

Thanks to you, Sean and Robin for a great days golf, a tight match and great company! We will have to arrange another game some time?

Cheers,

James

[James Bennett]

Glad you guys got a day when the visibility and sun light were about as good as it gets.

And, what did you think/say on the first Scott, on the tee, playing your second and walking off the green?  Painswick is a bit like a bullet between the eyes - it has immediate effect.

James B

[Scott Warren]

James,

I remembered your request to note my feelings at those three stages.

Robin and I did take a walk up there before the round, but I wasn't paying the same attention as when we were playing.

On the tee it looks like nothing. Standing on the first tee when we arrived (we parked next to it), I wasn't really sure what was going to be waiting for me, and the rough all the way up the hill didn't look too inviting!

Halfway up the fairway when we had begun playing, my calves felt like they were going to explode. I always thought the 9th fairway at Springwood was steep, but this was nuts.

Then I got so wary of the quarry on my second, coupled with still being out of breath, that I left my second short of the quarry!

Walking off the green. Well I knoticed the amazing view, and that despite the hole measuring 220yds, only Sean managed a par (a one-putt par at that!) and the rest of us did well to make 5, and I knew this was going to be one tough 4800yd golf course!

[Adrian_Stiff]

What did Sean think, did his opinion change after his second venture. Robin's played there before too what did he think this time and what did you and Scott find the good, the bag and the ugly holes. How did you all score.

[Sean_A]

What did Sean think, did his opinion change after his second venture. Robin's played there before too what did he think this time and what did you and Scott find the good, the bag and the ugly holes. How did you all score.

Adrian

Painswick is what it is.  All interested in architecture and how little a club can get away with maintenance wise should see the course.  There are a few superb holes such as #s 6 & 11.  There are some rotten holes - the 1st being a prime example.  I still can't get too excited about the course because of the conditions and the severity of the land, but the price is right.  The bottom line for me is, I live 45 minutes away and would never dream of joining, yet I have joined two clubs much further away.  A game every summer suits me.

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

What did Sean think, did his opinion change after his second venture. Robin's played there before too what did he think this time and what did you and Scott find the good, the bag and the ugly holes. How did you all score.

Robin had 36 points, I had 35. I would imagine James and Sean scored similarly. It was a very close match, with each of us having our turn to dominate a few holes, and with all of us off 8-10 hcp, we were well-matched.

Like Sean, I could never be a member at Painswick, but I will return a couple more times before I head back to Australia, I think.

I loved: 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 14
I liked: 2, 5, 9, 15 (but needs some clearing), 16
I didn't mind: 1, 7, 8, 13, 17
I disliked: 12, 18

It was a hell of a lot of fun though. And I did notice that the course SSS of 62 (five under par) is proof that course ratings are far too tightly governed by distance.

[Robin_Hiseman]

What did Sean think, did his opinion change after his second venture. Robin's played there before too what did he think this time and what did you and Scott find the good, the bag and the ugly holes. How did you all score.

I think I've probably committed enough to print for people to know what I think of Painswick, but I concur wth much of what Sean and Scott have just written.  It's all about playing golf with a smile for me.  You can have a run of ridiculously low scores if you're on your game, but you're only a slight mishit away from oblivion at any given time.  It's like 'concentrated' golf.  You get to play all the shots in a condensed environment.  I could have happily gone around again on Saturday, but like Sean says, I wouldn't want to join.  I think over familiarity would taint my appreciation.

We had a great time, with a lot of laughs and that is what I shall look forward to with the next visit.  You can't take it too seriously there.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Painswick is the coolest of cool in the world of fun kinky golf. I have never thought of going to a cheese roll. lol I hope you guys had the best of days. I loved golf there.

[Sean_A]

What did Sean think, did his opinion change after his second venture. Robin's played there before too what did he think this time and what did you and Scott find the good, the bag and the ugly holes. How did you all score.

Robin had 36 points, I had 35. I would imagine James and Sean scored similarly. It was a very close match, with each of us having our turn to dominate a few holes, and with all of us off 8-10 hcp, we were well-matched.

You know, this is the first time I ever took a good look at the card - its not that sort of place.  Recalling my scores I was 3 over with 5 pick ups (3 lost balls).  This equates to 35 points, but of course if I were playing Stableford there were some shots I wouldn't have attempted.  For instance, hitting driver on 11 or trying to bounce a line drive off the bank on #7 - both resulting in lost balls.

A good time was had by all and it was clear that Scott enjoys his cider!

Ciao 

[James Boon]

Scott,

Not sure I scored that well personally, and probably the worst I have played there, as even with a couple of blobs I've probably usually been around 40 plus points previously. However, as this was matchplay I probably enjoyed the round more than when I've kept score as its that sort of a course. Thats one of the reasons why though I love the place, I wouldn't want to be a member there, as I probably wouldn't ever play in the monthly medal...

Adrain,

Not sure painswick is the sort of course that warrants this type of analysis, but to follow Scott's example...

I love: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 16
I like: 3, 8, 13, 14, 15 (with clearing as mentioned)
I don't mind: 1, 7, 10, 11, 12, 17
I dislike: 18

And Robin was good enough to point out where the old 4th green used to be, which looks like it could have been a great little hole (short par 3 played to a green down to the left of where the current 4th / 13th tees are). Its a shame that its been replaced by the dull par 3 18th!

Cheers,

James

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think the old 4th was just a bit too quirky, the green was very small with a huge bank in the front, however it wasn't the quirk that got it dropped it was just a bit too dangerous with the roads. The current 18th is fairly new, there was another that played from a similar tee back up infront the church close to the wall, it even had bunkers and a very swirly green. I first played Painswick in 1973, the old 4th was gone then, it was 140 yards.

My order of love/likes are:
I love: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16
I like: 10 (but with no logical reason) 14, 15
I don't mind: 1, 3, 5, 11, 13, 17
I don't like: 12, 18

we all like different ones, only 18 seems the common :O(

[Scott Warren]

A good time was had by all and it was clear that Scott enjoys his cider!

Ciao  

I was pretty merry by the time I boarded the train. It was going down far too smoothly...

As they say, you can take the boy out of Australia, but you can't take the Australia out of the boy!

[Doug Siebert]

As a counterpoint to the spectacle of having celebrities play US Open courses and try to break 100, they ought to televise some Open contenders playing Painswick the week before the Open.  I think it would be at least as interesting seeing how a pro handled a course like that, and see what they think of playing in some less than perfect conditions.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Forgive me for bumping this thread for no other reason than reading it again has raised a smile and brought back good memories of a very happy day in the Cotswolds with guys who have become good friends. I hope they happen across it too.

More than 8 years since I poured a mildly inebriated Scott Warren back on to the train in Stroud! Where the hell has that time gone?

[Scott Warren]

Thanks for bumping this, Robin.


It was a superb day. And as clearly and fondly as I recall it, I'd forgotten it was the day I met you all.


Agree -- ridiculous it was eight years ago. The time passes too quickly and alas I am now an ocean or two away.


I will never forget Sean's hip popping as he crested the hill on the first, my confusion of where the hole went when we got to the shot par three into the quarry and my internal alarm when I realised how fucking pissed I was on the balcony after an hour of merriment! And the three of you were going to drive home so just watching this pissed Aussie with amusement.


Has made my day to remember our day at Painswick.

[Michael Whitaker]

Where are the pics? Fix this Scott... need the photos!