Match VI: CAVENDISH V LITTLESTONE V ROSAPENNA OTM

[Sean_A]

Cavendish marches on in impressive fashion.  In this match we get two bottom feeder top 100 links to have a go at Cavendish..  As with the last match...my gut says these links will have to work to turn over Cavendish. 

#1. C's short two-shot opener is good and better than L's opening hole.  OTM's opener is short as well, but with a curving fairway right.  NO BLOOD

Cavendish


#2. C's 2nd plays over a dip to a table top green leaning right.  L's par 4 features a blind drive, not a bad hole.  OTM's par 3 is lovely.  I am going to go with the setting and give a win to the short hole. 1 SKIN TO OTM



#3. OTM's shortish par 4 is much like its 3rd, low lying, yet quite satisfctory.  C's, as we know, is an excellent reachable par 4.  L's third is blind, tough par 4 of considerable merit.  However, C is obvious answer to the question.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#4. C's short hole is a drop shotter to a longish, narrow green.  OTM's short par 4 turns back on the 3rd to a saddle type green...again, a very pretty hole. L's par 4 works back to the house and uphill.  I think on the whole, OTM just pips ths one.  1 SKIN TO OTM



The match stands at

OTM: 2 skins (2 & 4)
Cavendish: 1 skin (3)
Littlestone: 0 skins

No Blood: 1

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

Sean

What’s the rationale behind picking these three?

Next up Apples vs. Steak vs Chops?


Also I think OTM has serious problems in the disconnect between the front 9 and the back 9 with a horrible walk in between. Littlestone is all low key where the sum is far greater than its parts.  I mention these because it highlights the limitations of this format which was fun comparing courses with commonalities. Sorry you’ve lost me.

[Sean_A]

Spangles

All the courses are bottom feeder top 100 quality.  All are golf courses...and I like em'.  Its nothing like comparing apples and oranges.  How much more in common does there need to be?  People act like its impossible to compare some courses to others...I think we are only limited by our imaginations. 

I am fully aware these matches cannot possibly be the final word on the quality of a design.  What they do is highlight the best holes and for me that has been very instructional in the case of Cavendish.  I have hit the point of my searchings where I am now looking for the very good, unusual holes.  So long as there aren't too many duds or something else horrible about the design (carts...egads!) then I am now more inclined to favour and savour the unusual.   

The match stands at

OTM: 2 skins (2 & 4)
Cavendish: 1 skin (3)
Littlestone: 0 skins

No Blood: 1

#5. OTM's par 4 slings left, with the terrian moving right....not a bd hole.  C's long par 4 angles a bit right, then plays to an elusive uphill green.  L's shortish par 5 is nothing dramatic, but solid enough.  NO BLOOD.

#6. OTM's par 4 is not to my liking, tumbling and funneling downhill.  C's par 4 has a very good green, but indifferent drive. L's short isn't outstanding, but it is very good in that wee ledges and falloffs are present.  Given the weak competition I think this is a winner.  1 SKIN TO LITTLESTONE



#7. We encounter another shortish par 5 for L's 7th.  A stream cuts the fairway in two, nothing special here. OTM's 7th is a very dramatic par 3 over a chasm in which balls can be found and played.  C's short par 4 is also cut in two by a stream, then heads uphill to the green.  Once again, and a bit unusually, the par 3 wins here.  1 SKIN TO ROSA OTM



#8. I really like OTM's par 5 curving its way to an interesting green below the fairway.  L's 8th is littered with trouble in the form of dunes, bunkers and OOB.  C's modest par 4 is good as well.  NO BLOOD

#9. OTM's par 4 is a wondeful hole with continuous curve around dunes to a green which bends just as much.  L's 9th is a very difficult long par with the inevitable cross wind making matters worse.  C's 9th is a bit of a dud par 3.  For me there is a clear winner an that is OTM.  1 SKIN TO ROSA OTM



The match stands at

OTM: 4 skins (2, 4, 7 & 9)
Cavendish: 1 skin (3)
Littlestone: 1 skin (7)

No Blood: 1, 5 & 8

Ciao

[Sean_A]

The match stands at

OTM: 4 skins (2, 4, 7 & 9)
Cavendish: 1 skin (3)
Littlestone: 1 skin (6)

No Blood: 1, 5 & 8

#10. After a long walk to the 10th tee, we are not rewarded with a great hole at OTM...its long and a bit dull.  L's  medium length par 4 turns right around a dune to a hidden green.  C's long par 4 though is the obvious winner here.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#11. C's par 4 drops down over water to an interesting green.  OTM's lengthy 4 is better than the 10th, but nothing of note.  L's hard legging par 4 around water is good use of water even if the land is flat.  Because the water is used well I think L does enough to earn a half.  NO BLOOD.

Littlestone


Cavendish


#12. C's par 4 is a bit dull until you get to the excellent runway green which can't be seen.  OTM's par 4 features a centreline bunker and its green in the fold of a rise.  L's  par 4 is a brute!  I think I have to go with OTM because of the terrain.  1 SKIN TO ROSA OTM



#13. OTM continues with good golf with a sucker play short par 4.  The green is tucked into a fold.  C's par 3 is straight uphill, but one can play a hook and take the contours to avoid the full frontal assault.  L's blind drive par 4 is good, but not exceptional.  The crafty nature of C's par 3 always engages me fully...1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#14. C's par 5 rises from the flat like a phoenix to the base of a railroad embankment.  The stone wall is used exceptionally well.  OTM's plateau green par 3 is good.  L's par 3 too is good.  I think Dr Mac's use of what was given to him as a very good flat linking hole takes the day.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



The match stands at

OTM: 5 skins (2, 4, 7, 9 & 12)
Cavendish: 4 skins (3, 10, 13 & 14)
Littlestone: 1 skin (6)

No Blood: 1, 5, 8 & 11

Despite some good holes to come, I don't think there is any way back for Littlestone...the spoiler role is the most it can hope for.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

The match stands at
OTM: 5 skins (2, 4, 7, 9 & 12)
Cavendish: 4 skins (3, 10, 13 & 14)
Littlestone: 1 skin (6)

No Blood: 1, 5, 8 & 11

#15.  Once again, the par 4s on offer don't entice me enough tip the balance in their favour over C's very good Eden short hole.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



#16. C's blind par 4 is excellent.  However, L's bastardized 16th steals the show.  The will often play like a par 5 and in truth it may be sensible to approach the hole in this manner...its tough and excellent.  1 SKIN TO LITTLESTONE



#17. L's long, tough par 3 wins another skin.  Although, OTM's short hole is very good in its own right.  1 SKIN TO LITTLESTONE



#18.  We revert back to form and that means C wins.  L's par 5 is good because of the raised green, but no competition for C.  1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH



Winning two of the last four sees Cavendish pip Rosa OTM.

Cavendish: 6 skins (3, 10, 13, 14, 15 & 18)
Rosapenna OTM: 5 skins (2, 4, 7, 9 & 12)
Littlestone: 3 skins (6, 16 & 17)

No Blood: 1, 5, 8 & 11

Previous Matches

Match V: Cavendish V Prestbury V Liphook
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63743.msg1518020.html#msg1518020

Match IV: Kington V Huntercombe V Cavendish
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63725.msg1517854.html#msg1517854

Match III: Kington V New Zealand V Huntercombe
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63708.0.html

Match II: Cleeve Cloud V Royal Ashdown Forest V Kington
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63674.0.html

Match I: Minch Old V Painswick V Cleeve Cloud
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63660.0.html

Next Up: Cavendish V Beau Desert V Narin & Portnoo

Ciao