[Mark Bourgeois]

Last year I spent a week in Tenby with my extended family and played the course every day before breakfast. I could happily have stayed another week.

Not sure it counts as an English links, though!

As Sean says, courses in towns never get old, do they? http://vimeo.com/49758615

[Mark Bourgeois]

Sean

Interesting you'd pick the course you don't know well over the one you do (St Enodoc). How has St Enodoc held up as you gained experience playing it? Is it 'simply' a matter of execution or does mystery remain?

[Frank Pont]

I really like the understated sophistication of. Tom Simpson's links at Hayling Island.

[Sean_A]

Sean

Interesting you'd pick the course you don't know well over the one you do (St Enodoc). How has St Enodoc held up as you gained experience playing it? Is it 'simply' a matter of execution or does mystery remain?

Mark

St Enodoc remains my favourite English links and perhaps my second favourite English course behind Kington.  It holds up very well due to a wonderful balance of hard nose and whimsical golf.  I also have become more impressed with #s 4 and 14 over time; two awkwad bits of terrain used exceptionally well (isn't that partially what great architecture really comes down to?) There is definitely still an aire of mystery to holes such as 3, 4, 9, 10 & 14.  

To be honest, I would happy spending a month at any of St Enodoc, Rye or Brancaster.

What would be your choice?

Ciao  

[Mark Bourgeois]

I was reading Donald Steel's account of Hayling at the same time you were posting, Frank! Simpson called it the best links in Britain save for some land near Bournemouth where a course never existed.

EDIT: Sean, I will let you know when I make up my mind and book this trip! (Actually I think it already is made up but I continue to consider alternatives.)

[Scott Warren]

Deal. No doubt. It's home.

St Enodoc, even with its ridiculous 10th hole, is another candidate. Great fun, gorgeous and right by a town I could happily spend a long stretch in.

[Mark Chaplin]

Amazed some would get bored on the only courses that change EVERY round. Wind speed and direction, coupled with different levels of bounce make the links a daily learning experience.

[Ulrich Mayring]

Deal and Sandwich are great, but too busy for 15 rounds in a short period of time as is St Enodoc. Saunton with its 36 holes is a candidate, but i would probably go with Lelant. I would want an intimate course for that experience and Lelant has great variety and superb views.

Ulrich

[Adam Lawrence]

Deal. No doubt. It's home.

St Enodoc, even with its ridiculous 10th hole, is another candidate. Great fun, gorgeous and right by a town I could happily spend a long stretch in.

Remind me why you think St E's tenth is ridiculous will you? It has some issues, but I don't think that's a word I'd choose.

[Scott Warren]

Stupidly narrow, bizarre shot requirements, too much long grass. Just completely at odds with what makes for fun, interesting links golf.

[Sean_A]

We've had this discussion before concerning St E's 10th.  I seem to recall folks being okay with the hole if it were a par 5.  That doesn't strike me as a good argument.  I have found there is actually more room than is strictly meaasurable because one can hit a bit lright and follow the lay of the land to the Enodoc Isthmus.  In any case, the 10th is odd, but it has certainly grown on me if only because it is unique. To me, its one of the pack of holes (3, 4, 6, 10 & 14) which make St Enodoc special.  

Ciao

[Adam Lawrence]

Seemed to me that the only bit that was impossibly narrow was the part where the hillside juts out. I know one shouldn't judge by one's own game, but I was playing dreadfully when I was there in the summer, and made 4 by way of a three iron just short of the narrows, a nice five iron to the front right of the green, a good chip and a tap in.

The thing that did freak me out was having to wait a good five minutes on the tee to find a gap in the constant flow of pedestrians up the footpath (this was in August). It's among the most dangerous holes I've come across in that respect.

[BCrosby]

I was reading Donald Steel's account of Hayling at the same time you were posting, Frank! Simpson called it the best links in Britain save for some land near Bournemouth where a course never existed.

Mark -

I too know little about Hayling, but I am intrigued. I just took a quick spin through it's website. I'd love to hear more from those who have played it. A must play if in southern England?

Bob

[Frank Pont]

I was reading Donald Steel's account of Hayling at the same time you were posting, Frank! Simpson called it the best links in Britain save for some land near Bournemouth where a course never existed.

Mark -

I too know little about Hayling, but I am intrigued. I just took a quick spin through it's website. I'd love to hear more from those who have played it. A must play if in southern England?

Bob

Yes, play it with Broadstone and Parkstone.

Its got some of the most subtle green complexes I have seen in links land in England. Very good.

[Sean_A]

I was reading Donald Steel's account of Hayling at the same time you were posting, Frank! Simpson called it the best links in Britain save for some land near Bournemouth where a course never existed.

Mark -

I too know little about Hayling, but I am intrigued. I just took a quick spin through it's website. I'd love to hear more from those who have played it. A must play if in southern England?

Bob

Well, Simpson was mistaken and/or grossly boastful, probably because he had a hand in the design.  Hayling is decidedly not in the class of several courses on the south coast alone; its a good course which isn't a must see.  If you do make the effort, I would suggest pairing it with Stoneham, on the London side of Southampton near the M3/M27 - a course which I think is better than Hayling - super routing and high quality playing surface.  

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

I agree with Sean, Hayling is a fine course but not worthy of a special trip, it's a little chocked with gorse in places and the last few holes are mundane. It's not as overrated a Hillside or Hoylake.

[Mark Bourgeois]

What would be your choice?

Ciao  

And the answer is: Westward Ho!

Got any plans in June? 

[jeffwarne]

Formby in the dormy
Might actually get the hang of snooker
excellent range there as well


Would look forward to seeing Julie's outfits  every day as well as her excellent  wait staff

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have played Westward Ho! For a solid week, 36 a day and enjoyed every minute.  But if I had to choose it would be St. Enodoc. Rye is just to,tough for 15 rounds.  Royal St. George is also a possibility but St. Enodoc is fun, challenging, and nice to look at.

[Bill_McBride]

Hoylake.

Haven't played it yet but it's exactly the kind of place that I think would benefit from repeat plays. In short, I'm more inclined to believe the ecstatics rather than the indifferents. The history would swing it for me also.

It also might be the easiest walk.  

[Garland Bayley]

Deal. No doubt. It's home.

St Enodoc, even with its ridiculous 10th hole, is another candidate. Great fun, gorgeous and right by a town I could happily spend a long stretch in.

Remind me why you think St E's tenth is ridiculous will you? It has some issues, but I don't think that's a word I'd choose.

He took a BIG number there.

[Sean_A]

What would be your choice?

Ciao  

And the answer is: Westward Ho!

Got any plans in June? 

Mark

As it happens, I do.  Even so, Westward Ho! holds little appeal for me other than its cracking name.

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

Brent I've been playing Sandwich for over 30 years and still haven't a clue where to hit it from the 9th tee!

Mike have you and Nancy discovered the Astor Community Theatre yet?

[Rich Goodale]

What would be your choice?

Ciao  

And the answer is: Westward Ho!

Got any plans in June? 

Good answer, Mark.  I spent a couple of days there last summer, and thoroughly enjoyed it, even though from the back tees in a moderate-strong wind, the course was not for the faint-hearted.  Pleasingly low-key club with a first class golf museum that I am sure you could browse with your background and powers of persuasion.  The town is a modern English seaside resort, which was heaving with families and free range children when I was there, and had a few decent places to eat and mingle.  In June it may be less active, given that this is before the Englsih school holidays.  As for the course, it is a superb links 9-holer, attached to the clubhouse by 3 holes that go out and 6 that come back through the far less interesting marshes.  It is a non-buffed course, which is rare these days in the UK.  I played there first in 1981, and it really hadn't changed much from then.  Enjoy!

Rich

[Mark Bourgeois]

Hi Rich

Funny, the lodging prices show very clearly the school calendar and yes we're hoping it's a little on the calmer side. As it will be #1 son and me, I wanted to find a course that offered a true window into the game plus its history (two different things) and that could accommodate our respective skills. I think RND will be perfect. (My sense is it will be difficult to lose a ball yet require precision of shots and will offer interesting yet gentle ie walkable land.) Plus we're in range of a few other places we might check out (St E, Saunton and possibly on the way in Burnham) -- could knock off two Gourmet's Choices in one trip.   Mostly though it will be golf -> local -> lodging. Those three in quality is literally all I need to be happy.

Sean - in that case, I withdraw my non-invitation invitation.   Something I found interesting was no one mentioned RND. I understand some / many hold several holes in low esteem, the absence of mentions gave me comfort I was making the right decision, as it seems people were looking for "wow" on the course plus lots of busyness in a nearby town. I'm looking for something different. I am hoping for simple yet not simplistic, which I think is very hard to accomplish. Strip off some of the varnish that's been glommed onto architecture and onto the game. A few marsh holes seem a low price to pay and maybe not even a price at all.

BTW my second choice was Brancaster. The club was extremely welcoming and and the area seemed nice enough, with a solid relief course up the way in Hunstanton. For me the demerits were the North Sea (I want my son to experience English weather but not all the time) and the definition of the course. I think the definition might have made things a bit tougher on my son as it looks to come in the form of carries, water and boundaries. Were it just me on the trip it could well have been the choice, and on some days during the decision process it was!

I am genuinely excited at the opportunity to get to know the course. After my trip, maybe I will do a hole by hole comparison with Dismal.

At any rate, anyone in the area is welcome to join us. Just send me a PM.

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