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David_Tepper

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Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« on: August 17, 2010, 05:43:16 PM »
The July 14 issue of Country Life magazine contained an article by Roderick Easdale highlighting "the 18 UK courses every golfer should play before they die." This is not intended to be a list of the 18 "best" UK courses.  

1. TOC, St. Andrews - Best for: the real thing
2. Wellington College, Berkshire - Best for: starting young
3. Sunningdale Old, Berkshire - Best for: golfing perfection
4. Wentworth West, Surrey - Best for: prime property
5. Royal Portrush, Co. Antrim - Best for: an Irish welcome
6. West Sussex, Pulborough - Best for: lunch
7. Swinley Forest, Berkshire - Best for: royal conncections
8. Walton Heath Old, Surrey - Best for: Cabinet meetings
9. Beau Desert, Staffordshire - Best for: nature
10. Royal Birkdale, Mersyside - Best for: biodiversity
11. Royal Wolrington & Newmarket, Suffolk - Best for: a nine-hole track
12. The Addington, Surrey - Best for: taking up membership
13: St. Endoc, Cornwall - Best for: splendid views
14. Royal St. George's, Kent - Best for: 007 connections
15. Royal Porthcawal, Glamorgan - Best for: unchanging standards
16. Nefyn & District Old, Gwynedd - Best for: quirkiness (!!!)
17. Royal County Down, Co. Down - Best for: practising for the Open
18. Carnoustie, Angus - Best for: a tough game  
  
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 06:05:12 PM by David_Tepper »
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Bill_McBride

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2010, 05:59:48 PM »
That's a great pick of the relatively obscure Beau Desert for "best for nature."  It is indeed, extremely natural, and with a wonderful set of greens to boot.  And a nice dormie house and friendly bar!
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Jud_T

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2010, 08:04:00 PM »
David,

Looks like a pretty solid list.  I better get crackin'!
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Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Michael Whitaker

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2010, 09:26:48 PM »
Come Sept 19 I will have played 10 of the 18. My personal favorite is Royal St Georges... shaken, not stirred!
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"Solving the paradox of proportionality is the heart of golf architecture."  - Tom Doak (11/20/05)

Kevin Pallier

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2010, 11:43:17 PM »
David

I wont go into the details of his "best" decriptions as I would go to West Sussex for more than lunch  :P

But - "the 18 UK courses every golfer should play before they die" for mine would have to include North Berwick (West) and Royal Dornoch for starters
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David_Tepper

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2010, 12:02:02 AM »
Kevin -

I think the article attempts to identify what makes these particular courses special or unique. As I mentioned above, it is not a list attempting to rank the 18 best courses in the UK.

Regarding West Sussex, the article says "the course is incredibly beautiful, challenging without being brutally long, traditional, quirky and enormous fun."

That should cover it. ;)

DT
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Tom Dunne

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2010, 12:15:58 AM »
I'm just impressed that Country Life took a smoke break in the midst of all that hot real estate porn to run a golf story. Sometimes I think they've been waiting for Darwin to file...
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Chip Gaskins

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2010, 12:28:31 AM »
#17 at County Down is a bit of a head scratcher....
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David_Tepper

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2010, 01:05:21 AM »
"I'm just impressed that Country Life took a smoke break in the midst of all that hot real estate porn to run a golf story."

Tom Dunne -

Speaking of real estate porn, pick up a copy of the current (August 11) issue of Country Life, which is the one issue a year they devote to Scotland. The adverts for a good number of castles, "sporting estate," and various other properties for sale in Scotland are INCREDIBLE.

For example, for the price of a nice 4-bedroom home on a 1/4 acre lot in Menlo Park or Mill Valley, CA  (say $2.5 million), your can buy a 255 acre "island retreat with over 1 mile of shoreline" on the Isle of Skye that includes a 5-bedroom house, a gate lodge, a modern farm building & workshop, etc.

Or how about an "Elegant B listed country house (6  bedrooms, all en suite) set in 25 acres" (that includes a 6-hole golf course!) just 11 miles from Glasgow Airport, also for around $2.5 million?

By the way, Tim Yeo does write the (very) occasional golf piece for Country Life, usually either on the Open or the Ryder Cup. No one will mistake his pieces for the missives of Darwin or HW Wind.

DT   

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Martin Toal

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Re: Country Life's "18 fairways to heaven"
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2010, 02:32:21 AM »
Quote from: Chip Gaskins on August 18, 2010, 12:28:31 AM
#17 at County Down is a bit of a head scratcher....

They were probably just listing courses expected rather then holes.

Wellington College at number 2 is an interesting one. That is a private school about 2 miles down the road from me. I didn't know it had a golf course. It appears it is only open to former pupils and staff.

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