North Berwick - holiday course ?

[Niall C]

The following was lifted from the review of North Berwick in the Courses by Country section;

"Ironically, one of the harshest critics of courses of this nature (St. Enodoc, Brora, etc.) tend to be the Brits themselves. They dismiss such courses as ‘holiday’ courses. Such golfers are only satisfied if a course punishes them. They prefer fairways to be hay-lined like Muirfield down the road where only rifle straight shots will do. All this misses the point as hay lined fairways and thick rough tend to sap all the variety out of courses.

Ballesteros never won an Open at Muirfield. Be assured he would have won it if it were contested at North Berwick, where imagination rules supreme."

Thoughts

Niall

[Niall C]

OK, I'll kick off. "Holiday" golf isn't necessarily a deregotory term and in most instances is actually used to describe a good fun golf course that generally is less than "championship" standard. Contrary to what some might think, us Scots are not averse to having fun  .

Secondly, is Ran perhaps showing a prejudice against Muirfield that really doesn't bear scrutiny to the facts ?

Niall

[Tom_Doak]

Agree with both points.  Ran likes to bash Muirfield.  He must have played badly there!

But, he is right to the extent that at least some golfers use the term "holiday course" dismissively.  I know some very good players who don't like North Berwick because they think it's too easy.

[Simon Holt]

I didn't want to get dragged into the Muirfield thread but people who dont think it has at least SOME nice vistas, both internally and of the water, are clearly not standing back to appreciate what is around them.  Standing with the clubhouse behind you looking out over the links is to behold one of the great views in the game.  You can see plenty of the Firth of Forth, Fife to the North and Edinburgh to the East.  You can even catch a sneeky peek of a wonderful modern design to the West

North Berwick is a fun course but it is short, especially given the advances of the last 10 years.  If you have visited this year you will be able to confirm that it was punishing due to the rough, as was most of East Lothian.  In some of our medals, in reasonable winds, only handfuls of the membership shot in the 70s. 

As ever, the wind plays a huge part.  It will always have something for everyone in a good wind.  I would bet money that no one breaks 63 next year in Final Qualifying with any sort of wind...which for an 'easy' golf course remains the course record to this day.

[Sean_A]

Yes, I think the term "holiday" course is often used to distinguish between serious, big golf and the sort that most can get around and even flatter their handicap on a good day.  North Berwick may just be on the upper limit of holiday golf because its so unusual, but with it often getting final qualifying its probably not the best way to describe it.  Throw some rough on that course like you see at Muirfield and nobody would call it holiday golf. 

Ciao

[Dan Kelly]

I know some very good players who don't like North Berwick because they think it's too easy.

These people should be rounded up and shipped to a penal colony.

[Rich Goodale]

I know some very good players who don't like North Berwick because they think it's too easy.

These people should be rounded up and shipped to a penal colony.

Right on, Brother Dan!  I'd suggest a winter in Askernish to see how well they can score in 60mph gales, horizontal rain and barely above freezing temperatures!  Or then again, maybe just a winter in North Berwick.....(insert ironic face here)

[Tony_Muldoon]

I have now played in 3 comps off the whites. All of them featured a 2 club wind from the South West.  I have yet to play the same ball to the finish on the 4th hole, where the wind is funnelled against you.  It's only one club further back than the normal box tee, but until you've played the course in the prevailing wind please don't try and convince me it's a pushover. In that wind just how do yuo get your approach close on e.g.  13,14,15,16?


But if North Berwick is the poster child for holiday golf, then show me the rest of the top 10. Love it.

[Niall C]

I didn't want to get dragged into the Muirfield thread but people who dont think it has at least SOME nice vistas, both internally and of the water, are clearly not standing back to appreciate what is around them.  Standing with the clubhouse behind you looking out over the links is to behold one of the great views in the game.  You can see plenty of the Firth of Forth, Fife to the North and Edinburgh to the East.  You can even catch a sneeky peek of a wonderful modern design to the West

Simon

Time to get the compass out my friend, unless of course Gullane No 1 is a bit newer than I was lead to believe 

Niall

[Eric Smith]

Simon

Time to get the compass out my friend, unless of course Gullane No 1 is a bit newer than I was lead to believe 

Niall

No question, Gullane No 1 provides one of the more stunning views in golf. If you look closely, you can just make out the Renaissance Club in the distance - its the tiny sliver in the trees on the horizon, beyond the other course in view.

[Mac Plumart]

People can call North Berwick whatever they want.  I call it FUN!!!   And that is good enough for me.

[Carlyle Rood]

I guess it was 2004 when I played North Berwick.  My wife and I spent 18 days in the U.K.  I played Sunningdale, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham & St. Annes, North Berwick, Carnoustie, St. Andrews (Old and New), and Royal Troon.

I had the entire course to myself (which was also the case at Birkdale and Lytham).  The only other person on the course was someone on the turf maintenance staff.  At the time, I was a recent graduate in landscape architecture and I began quizzing the maintenance worker about the fertilizer he was currently applying.  I was interested in the proportions of nutrients he was adding to the soil and learning what their best practices were for turf maintenance.

Somewhat puzzled and amused by my interest, and after some confusion as we tried to decipher eachother's accent, he ultimately told me that he was spreading something from the south end of north bound sheep.

At that point, I decided to play golf.  It was great.  I hope I have another opportunity to play North Berwick in my lifetime.

Carlyle

[Mark Pearce]

I didn't want to get dragged into the Muirfield thread but people who dont think it has at least SOME nice vistas, both internally and of the water, are clearly not standing back to appreciate what is around them.  Standing with the clubhouse behind you looking out over the links is to behold one of the great views in the game.  You can see plenty of the Firth of Forth, Fife to the North and Edinburgh to the East.  You can even catch a sneeky peek of a wonderful modern design to the West

Simon

Time to get the compass out my friend, unless of course Gullane No 1 is a bit newer than I was lead to believe 

Niall

Damn, you got there before me....

[Mark Chaplin]

"Holiday golf" used to include a weekly ticket for £95!

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I know some very good players who don't like North Berwick because they think it's too easy.

These people should be rounded up and shipped to a penal colony.

Agreed; as long as you mean Norfolk Island, and not Van Dieman's Land and NSW.

If these types of courses are holiday golf to low handicappers, I assume they routinely play them several shots under par.

Reminds me of a book titled "Golfing in Ireland" by Rob Armstrong. He didn't bother to visit Rosapenna (Old) as "friends who have played it say the course is worth the trip, but not for low handicappers or big hitters".

Hmm .. the last time Rory McIlroy played Rosapenna in 2007 he was +6 after 5 holes, but managed to finish level par.