Pics of 6 new UK courses on GAP.com

[Frank Pont]

Just returned from a 4 day trip to England. Played 6 courses: Moortown, Alwoodley, Sand Moor, West Lancastershire, Formby and Southport & Ainsdale. They are all on GAP now:

Moortown: http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/England/Moortown/index.html
Alwoodley:  http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/England/Alwoodley/index.html
Sand Moor:  http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/England/Sand%20Moor/index.html
West Lancastershire:  http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/England/West%20Lancastershire/index.html
Formby:  http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/England/Formby%201/index.html
Southport & Ainsdale:   http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/England/S&A/index.html

Moortown, Alwoodley and Formby are obviously the famous courses, of which I was most impressed by Formby; it runs through a great variety of landscapes although the finish is less interesting. Moortown has fantastic green complexes set in a less impressive landscape and Alwoodley was good but had more unimpressive holes than I had expected. West Lancastershire was the big surprise of the trip, very tough and honest links golf, with small and very firm greens, requiring bump and run shots 20 yards in front of the greens.

[Joe Bausch]

Just outstanding photo albums Frank.  It sure looks like you had an enjoyable 4 days.

Joe

P.S.  What is that with the early photo of Moortown where it appears someone gave up fishing out a golf ball w/ a retriever?!

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[Dean Stokes]

Awesome photos and thank you for the memories. The courses look to be in fine condition.

[Michael Whitaker]

Frank - When I visited Formby in 2007 there was concern about the turf at Formby... it was considered too soft and fertilized to be true links turf. What was your impression of its current state?

Thank you for the great pictures!!!

[Frank Pont]

Joe: no clue why the ball retriever was there, it must be used when the ditch is full of water.

Michael: Formby was softer than WL, but not alarmingly so. My main issue with the couse was that the course has a great scenery, but the styles are a bit of a mixed bag, with Colt, Pennink and Steel/Ebert greens clearly having different styles. My my non architect friends still thought Formby was by far the best course. Interestingly the soil of the three courses at Leeds were very firm with high bounces of the ball, even though the soil is peat.

[James Boon]

Frank,

Some great photos. Especially like the Alwoodley as I'm hopefully playing there in about a months time.

Sorry for the pedantic point, but its West Lancashire Golf Club isn't it? 

Thanks again,

James