Vacation Conundrum

[Edward Buchanan]

Heading to Italy solo this weekend for a friend’s wedding early next week, and am trying to make some last minute plans.
Current itinerary:
5/10 - 5/11 - Travel from Nashville to Naples to Ravello
5/11 - 5/14 - Wedding, etc. Amalfi Coast
5/15 - 5/17 - OPEN - lodging not even booked
5/18 - Fly out of Manchester at 11am
So basically I need to make an 11am flight out of Manchester on 5/18, but have 3.5 days before then with no set plans. I do have a dirt cheap flight out of Naples to Manchester early on 5/18 I am willing to punt on.
Weather in Italy looks a bit brisk - so why not ditch the pizza and pasta for golf? Manchester appears to make for a good leaping off point for some world class golf (Birkdale, Hoylake, Lytham, etc.)
While I have never been, Italy and the Amalfi Coast seems best suited for couples, and I am not so sure the subtle charms of this Tennessee Buck attract the does and fawns trotting along the Italian coast.   
Would love to play a combination of an affordable quirky links with a round or two at an Open rota venue. Have yet to have the honor of playing links golf anywhere in the UK.  I would however be at the mercy of rental clubs.  Can any of you you wise and wily veterans help steer me on the proper path? Would only a true degenerate golfer volunteer to leave the Amalfi Coast early to get to Manchester? 


   

[MClutterbuck]

You donīt want to lug golf gear around the Amalfi Coast. Chances are your hotel does not even have car access. Plenty of places to visit around there outside the wedding. Donīt miss a sunset drink at Francoīs in Positano. Or take the train to Rome...

[Edward Buchanan]

You donīt want to lug golf gear around the Amalfi Coast. Chances are your hotel does not even have car access. Plenty of places to visit around there outside the wedding. Donīt miss a sunset drink at Francoīs in Positano. Or take the train to Rome...

I would be at the mercy of rental clubs.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Go to Sicily and tee it up. Tom Doak was recently there and shared some cool photos of a course.
Stay in Italy.
Go to Rome.

[Jay Mickle]

I am not so sure the subtle charms of this Tennessee Buck attract the does and fawns trotting along the Italian coast.   

Don't dress like a garish American tourist and your foreign accent may prove more of a draw than you might expect. Enjoy Italy while you are there. You will certainly create more chances for yourself to play in GB&I.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Either go to Rome for 3 days or if you want the change, indeed play some golf near Manchester.


3 rounds in the area, if big courses are the key, I’d go Birkdale, Lythym and Formby.


All close together and you need a course like Formby (rather than all 3 Open courses) to add a little ground contour and variety.