Royal Porthcawl

[Matt_Ward]

I had always heard a great deal about Royal Porthcawl from a wide assortment of people who had played the course and when my opportunity came to play it last week I really was looking forward to it. The course did not dissappoint.

The skinny on the layout:  6,722 yards from the tips and a par of 72.

The course is adjacent to water and when you get a sunny day with a bit of wind (as it was when I played) the circumstances of the golf only become more and more enjoyable.

Royal Porthcawl opens up with a short and somewhat easy par-4 -- it plays 327 yards and with a big drive you can get a birdie. Just don't pull the tee shot in the v-e-r-y deep bunker that guards the left side of the putting surface.

If you don't get the birdie at #1 be prepared for two of the best holes you can play in Wales -- the long par-4 2nd is 475 yards and is followed by another par-4 of 421 yards. Both holes follow the same direction as #1 -- following in a parallel to the beach. The 2nd is a grand hole -- the tee shot must be a slight draw but overcook it and the high grass awaits. You can bail a bit out to the right but the approach then becomes longer and more challenging. I was told that the prevailing wind usually comes directly across both holes and when players decide to play a fade with their second shots they must be careful not pull it OB.

The next few holes are a good mixture of long and short -- you have a solid par-5 at #5 (515 yards). If you hit a big tee shot on this slightly uphill dog-leg left you can go for the green with the second -- however, there is a wall that cuts in very near the green and the slightest pull is major league deadsville. The 475-yard 8th is played as a par-5 but for the big boys can easily be a long par-4. I also liked the 9th -- the #1 handicap hole which plays 384 yards. The hole is usually downwind but this dog-leg left tempts the long hitters in shooting on a more daring line at the hole with a driver. The key is not missing too far left because a devilish deep bunker patrols that side.

The back nine is also very good. The 10th is but 336 yards but the green runs on a diagonal from right to left and there are two pot bunkers stationed near the rear where the top pin placement can be put.

I also liked the uphill 468-yard par-5 12th which likely could also be a long par-4 if circumstances warrant.

One of the supreme driving holes is the downhill par-4 13th -- 441 yards. You look at the directional marker from the tee and it appears to be quite straightforward. However, the fairway necks down considerably when you get past the marker and there is a dangerous bunker over the hill you cannot see on the right that sits in a dynamic depression.

The 464-yard 15th is also grand. Here you play down to a valley that is cut-off by a series of bunkers. The shot can be partially blind and the green has just enough tilt to thrwart any indifferent effort.

I didn't like the 16th hole because it forces the player to hit no more than 260 yards off the tee and then adds a blind shot on top of it. This type of hole really strains the player who doesn't have the power to hit such a long second as often is the case.

The finishing holes are good but not great. The tee shot on the 17th -- a par-5 of 511 yards is blind but the hole is simply so-so in my book. The downhill par-4 18th (411 yards) is another story and a bit better The hole plays directly back to the ocean and the green sits below the fairway and is contoured very well.

I have seen some tentative plans put forward to strengthen Royal Porthcawl and I believe the work was submitted by architect Donald Steele. The club is at the moment considering what the next steps will be.

Royal Porthcawl is a wonderful layout and with the addition of a bit more yardage the layout could entertain a major event. There was some talk I heard that Wales would love to see a BO be played there but whether that happens is likely going to be determined by what changes / improvements are made to the layout. There are also some logitical issues but I was told there is enough parking near the site to accomodate the masses.

Anyone venturing to Wales had best put Royal Porthcawl on their golf itinerary. It's a wonderful design and will not disappoint.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

So glad you liked it!  In the 1995 Walker Cup they played the 1st from a tee between the clubhouse and the sea and Tiger Woods drove the green with a 3-wood each time he played the hole.  He and Graham Rankin both got albatross twos on the 17th in practice, both with a drive and wedge!  

[Matt_Ward]

Mark:

The thing about the 1st is that a lot of options can be executed. I hit driver but it was too much club as I went through the green and had to fight hard for a four.

Royal Porthcawl has plenty of solid qualities and if any changes are made it would be interesting to see if it might be able to convince the R&A that a future BO is indeed possible.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Matt,

It would be lovely to see the Open there, but I suspect there just isn't the space, even if they pushed the length up to the obligatory 7,000 yards.  I don't think there's much spare room, but then Donald Steel can get quarts out of pint pots, so maybe it will come to pass.

Our golf magazines every now and then put together a piece on potential Open courses and its always the same list:

Royal Co Down (not enough hotels/political situation/thought not to want it)
Royal Portrush (hotel shortage, apparently wasn't too well liked when it held the Seniors')
Royal Dornoch (still too far away even in the jet age, not quite long enough)
Prestwick (too old fashioned)
Hillside (Birkdale already does a pretty good job, and Hoylake is back in the frame)
Saunton (there are two fine courses and a decent composite championship course might be feasible.  Fairly difficult for roads)
Royal Porthcawl (currently too short, not enough space)
Prince's (tons of space, but the course is less challenging than R. St Geo's next door)
R Cinque Ports (rather cramped and one or two weak holes)
R Aberdeen also appears in one or two lists, but it's not really a viable proposition.

There is only one Open venue (R. St George's) in the south of England and the real need for spectators is another one - and I don't think Rye wants a rebuild!  Painswick it'll have to be....

[Bob_Huntley]

Matt,

An interesting story on Porthcawl and the 1951 British Amateur. Dick Chapman told me that one of the reasons he felt he was able to beat Charlie Coe in the final, was his use of the lowest compression ball he could find, something like an 80. The weather was miserable and he felt the less the ball spun, the better control he had in the wind.

[NAF]

Mark,

Just out of curiousity what do you think are the weak holes at Deal.  If I had to pick a weak one I may say #7 isnt great but I can't really think of any hole there I don't enjoy.. Just trying to get your opinion as I welcome your views.

Wouldnt Deal have the best finish of any potential Open Venue.  From my time at the club I reckon it can snag a Walker Cup and is a perfect place for it.. Don't you think?

[Nigel_Walton]

Mark, you are correct about that list. I believe that Saunton is most definitely a viable venue from a pure golf standpoint. Alas, it almost certainly can never meet the modern infrastructure requirements.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Weak holes at Deal?  Remember, these are potentially weak holes for an Open field, not a hacker like me!  I don't think they'd take kindly to the 18th, having to take an iron off the tee to avoid running into the stream. I doubt if the 1st would trouble them - does anyone in an Open field ever pitch into the Swilcan/Swilken Burn on the 1st on TOC?  I doubt if they'd be much stretched by the holes around the turn, 9, 10, 11 at their present length, and I don't think there's room to push their tees back.  The 7th is fairly plain, as you say, and I don't remember the 5th as anything particularly interesting, but they'd probably play it as a 495-yard par 4.  On the other hand, more than a few would come to grief on the run home from the 12th, especially if the 16th were again played as a super-length par 4.  It would be great for a Walker Cup and it's probably long overdue another Amateur Championship.  I'd welcome your views as you must know it far better than me.

[Matt_Ward]

I'd be curious of those who have played Royal Porthcawl a few times how they view the 16th hole (the issue of the cross bunkers preventing anything longer than a hit of 264 yards -- followed by a blind second shot) and secondly, does anyone believe that the holes that go up the ridge line become a bit repetitive in their design qualities?

Thanks ...

[Paul_Turner]

Matt

I had no problem with the 16th.  Although, I have heard the same criticism that you have stated.  I see the bunkers as simply a natural place to have them and obviously when the hole was designed it wasn't a lay up.  As for the blind approach, if you don't like it, then the option is to lay up even more.  I actually think a really big hitter (the hole plays downwind typically) could maybe get past the bunkers?

Answering your question about the ridge, I'm not a big fan of the par 5 12th and 17th.  Although at least the 12th has a cool green. Both have similar tee shots, with the 12th being more intimidating.

You didn't mention the superb 110 yd 7th.  I love that hole, it's totally man made, but so well done (Tom Simpson's design).  The par 3s are a fine set at Porthcawl.

I'm a big fan of the 18th.  I love the way it rolls down to the Bristol Channel, has that interesting pit and that superb green (triple level).

[Matt_Ward]

Paul:

Good point but flying the bunkers at the 16th? I'd have to see that one to believe it.

Second, I like the 18th too, however, the ending of the fairway makes me wonder if an alleyway could have been created to tempt the longer hitter in trying to go that route. Right now you simply play to a given spot and everyone goes from there.

One other thing -- the 12th can really play as a long par-4 for the better players -- this only increases the pressure on the tee shot to find the right fairway location.

[Thomas_Brown]

Porthcawl - One of my fav. courses:

The legend I heard had Tiger flying the cross bunkers on 16 w/ 3 wood everyday w/o issue.  I didn't hear about driver-wedge at 17 - That is absurdly long.

Tom

[Mark_Rowlinson]

17th - driver-wedge.  I was told by Clive Brown, that year's Walker Cup Captain.

[Thomas_Brown]

A small follow up - I never thought 2 & 3 were all that great of holes.  

I'm also a bit surprised that Matt's post omitted the par 3 4th.  I really enjoy the movement in that green.  Call me crazy, but it's a bit like Augusta's 4th in it's uphill contours approaching the green.

9 is still my fav. hole I think.
Few course are blessed w/ such topography to create that sort of a hole.

[Matt_Ward]

Thomas:

Pardon my omission on the par-3 4th -- you are absolutely correct about the green. It's one of the best on the course.

What really amazes me about Porthcawl is how little appreciation the course does indeed get. I guess part of that has to do with the fact that tiny Wales is often forgotten when the other "big name" courses from Scotland and England are mentioned.

Thomas -- one last thing -- the 2nd and 3rd holes are influenced by the wind blowing off the water. I cannot imagine that type of shot is anything but demanding when the wind freshens a bit. I would also have to ask you if you played the holes from the tip tees in maing your assessment.

[Thomas_Brown]

Matt,
 Yes - I did play the tips.
But, I only played Porthcawl one day, but I played 48 holes that day (love the day pass idea in the UK).

Ok - before you try to institutionalize me:
I played 2nd and 3rd holes 3 times that day in various winds.
My memory of it was the approach and the greens didn't stand out.  (I'll admit I am biased on rating courses based on  approach shots.)

I think in my second round, I was even until 17.
I thought that tee shot was very easy to lose due to crosswinds.  2/3 of my tee shots that day were lost ball on it.   I still can't believe wedge for Tiger.  I thought the cross bunker at 130(or whatever it was) was very strategic for me to get over.

Tom