10 GB&I clubs to dream about

[Ally Mcintosh]

I don’t get many golfing weekends away. I was supposed to be in Gullane right now playing 6 rounds, staying in the Bonnie Badger, eating and drinking in the most GLORIOUS weather... so I have to dream. Here are 10 golf clubs (course & location critical) that I would like to be a member of, to sit back, relax, enjoy the course and the vibe for a few days each a year:


Summer towns: ST. ENODOC, LAHINCH, SANDWICH, ELIE


Solitude: MACHRIHANISH, GANTON, PULBOROUGH


Tradition / Lunch: PRESTWICK, MUIRFIELD, PORTMARNOCK


What are the clubs you would choose if you could live a life of luxury and no responsibilities?

[James Boon]

Ally,


Plenty of dreaming this year with so little trips taking place! I've also missed out on meeting some old friends and making new ones, visiting me at Hollinwell. To your excellent list I'd add:


Summer Town: DORNOCH
Solitude: SILLOTH
Tradition/Lunch: NEW ZEALAND


But to be honest I'd play anywhere at the moment with a good group of GCAers able to have a beer or two afterwards staying in a nearby B&B, breakfast at the club the following morning before heading out for more golf!


Cheers,


James

[Sean_A]

I don't know which category they fall, but beyond what has been mentioned, I think the following would be very fine.

Woking
Gullane
Rye
The New GC St Andrews
Brancaster

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

I’m guessing Rye (summer town & tradition / lunch) would fit in well but I have never been there so would have to defer to those that know better....


Given that I’m going to be a member for a week a year at each of these (in my dreams), one of the overarching necessities is that the place doesn’t feel too busy / swarmed with golf tourists.


Certainly the New Course at St Andrews would be ruled out for me. I’d worry a little about Lahinch but the surfing would save me. Elie can get very busy but I’m giving a pass to second homers. It tends to have less hit ‘n’ runners.

[James Boon]

Yes Rye is a good call, though the town was pretty full of general tourists the past couple of summers when I've been there, but not golfers. It was also very hot the 2 summers I've been down there for a few days and Dornoch being slightly cooler appeals more to me! 
Cheers,
James

[Michael Wolf]

Am i the only one who thinks the formal lunch and drinks at Royal St George's rivals that of Muirfield?


Michael

[Sean_A]

Am i the only one who thinks the formal lunch and drinks at Royal St George's rivals that of Muirfield?

Michael

I love Sandwich, but I am not sure its the sort of place I would choose for membership.

Ciao

[Jeff Schley]

Am i the only one who thinks the formal lunch and drinks at Royal St George's rivals that of Muirfield?


Michael

I haven't been to Muirfield, but have been to RSG and it is fabulous.  Also think that Royal Birkdale and their brunch with the carvery deserves an honorable mention.

[Thomas Dai]

Playability 365 days p/a and how busy would be key so Nov - April around the coast from Mid-Wales to Kent, maybe Norfolk, plus Irish coast would appeal. Not so much appeal in the summer though when inland GB and maybe further north would be preferred.
Atb

[Michael Wolf]

Thomas, I didn't know that about the Welch weather. So November wouldn't necessarily be too late to attempt my Pennard-Porthcawl-Southerdown trip that was cancelled last month? Am I correct to assume that St Enodoc and Sauton would be much more exposed to bad weather that time of year?


Apologies if i've misread your post.



Michael

[Thomas Dai]

Thomas, I didn't know that about the Welch weather. So November wouldn't necessarily be too late to attempt my Pennard-Porthcawl-Southerdown trip that was cancelled last month? Am I correct to assume that St Enodoc and Sauton would be much more exposed to bad weather that time of year?
Apologies if i've misread your post.
Michael

Michael, You shouldn't have any worries with any of the places you mention in Nov, they should be pretty quiet too and none are really much more or less exposed to bad weather than the others. Indeed SW England and S Wales aren't actually that far apart as the crow flies so if an occasional storm were to arise it'd probably hit them all at a similar time and being on sand the courses will dry very quickly. You'll need your wet weather gear but you'll need that in most places in GB&I for 60% of the year anyway!
In fact if this vile Covid situation is sorted you'll probably find me and my usual mates heading for some of the same courses you mention either along the South or West Wales coast or to Devon/Cornwall in SW England during Nov.
atb

[Tommy Williamsen]

Autumn: south-west England Royal North Devon, Saunton, St. Enodoc.
Spring: Surrey Sunningdale, Walton Heath
November: Dublin, Ireland Portmarnock, The European Club
Summer: Scotland Royal Dornoch

[Ira Fishman]

My experience is more limited than those of you have posted already, but


The restaurant/bars at Brora, North Berwick, and Lahinch are very hard to beat in combination with the courses.


The veranda at St. George’s Hill is quite special.


But the patio at Woking has no rival.


Ira

[Mark Mammel]

Royal Dornoch May-August
White Bear Yacht Club fall

[Mark Mammel]

Sorry- I managed to hit "enter" before I sorted out my thoughts. First- GB&I!
Live in Dornoch.
Royal Dornoch, Brora, Tain, Reay, Golspie, and for a road trip Durness or Castle Stuart. Lunch at whatever club I play, dinner at Sutherland House, Luigis, the Castle, the Eagle, Highland Spice Indian.
But I'd rather leave GB&I for the winter months...

[Mark Pearce]

Ally,


Just take your week(s) at Elie outside the Scottish school holidays.  September is frequently a lovely month to be in Fife, and the place is dead quiet!


Michael,


I have only ever been to RSG for lunch twice and both times on days with visitors, whereas I have had many lunches as a member's guest on a non-visitor day at HCEG and I have a clear bias towards the latter but it does seem to me that there is something less self conscious, more comfortable and relaxed, about lunch at HCEG


No-one has mentioned Brancaster?

[Tim Gallant]

Until now Mark

For the white bait: Brancaster

For the early morning sunrises: Mchrihanish

For the late summer evening jaunts: North Berwick

For 36: Sunningdale

For fun: Cruden Bay & Sacred 9

For Winter: Rye

For lunch: HCEG

For quietness: Pulborough

For reinvigoration: Prestwick

[Ben Stephens]

Ally,


Just take your week(s) at Elie outside the Scottish school holidays.  September is frequently a lovely month to be in Fife, and the place is dead quiet!


Michael,


I have only ever been to RSG for lunch twice and both times on days with visitors, whereas I have had many lunches as a member's guest on a non-visitor day at HCEG and I have a clear bias towards the latter but it does seem to me that there is something less self conscious, more comfortable and relaxed, about lunch at HCEG


No-one has mentioned Brancaster?

Sean mentioned Brancaster earlier on in the thread. The course is normally closed to visitors in July/August time best time to play it is in September/October

[Richard Fisher]

I love Tim's list! In my lockdown dreams, golfing days at Brancaster, Prestwick, Westward Ho!, Macrihanish all loom very large. Sunny spring mornings suggest a  9.30am teetime at (say) Swinley or New Zealand, with a proper lunch and another 18 to follow. Winter likewise suggests to me Rye or, moving inland, Alwoodley or The Sacred Nine. Easter suggests highly sociable and competitive foursomes at Harlech, whilst the clubhouse breakfast at Porthcawl, gazing up the first, seems best of all in September or October. A later afternoon round at Huntercombe on a sunny June day, before driving down the hill into lovely Henley for dinner, is likewise the stuff of dreams.

[jeffwarne]

Pennard-heaven
Aberdovey-
Durness-better than heaven and a spectacular drive
Brora
Portsalon
Dunfanaghy-town and golf (nicely paired with the bolded and Rosapenna)
Northwest
Dingle-town and golf with occasional runs down the Ring of Kerry
Machrihanish-with regular trips to Shiskine, Carradale, Dunaverty,Mach Dunes
Ferndown and surrounds-lots of choices

[Ari Techner]

If thinking about a 12 month or winter GBI club an important consideration (to me atleast) is finding a place where you don't have to play off mats at all during the year.

[Sam Andrews]

Yes Rye is a good call, though the town was pretty full of general tourists the past couple of summers when I've been there, but not golfers. It was also very hot the 2 summers I've been down there for a few days and Dornoch being slightly cooler appeals more to me! 
Cheers,
James

James, it has been boiling again and the younger members are grousing about the long socks with shorts!! We've also got a significant issue with the Camber Road getting blocked up as people head to the beach, so winter or at least spring/autumn is the time to play at Rye if you are not a local. I concur on Dornoch with all the golf available around the town. Brora in the sun is heavenly and please everyone have a bit of fun at Fortrose and Rosemarkie.

[Thomas Dai]

"We've also got a significant issue with the Camber Road getting blocked up as people head to the beach, so winter or at least spring/autumn is the time to play at Rye if you are not a local."

How true. Location in relation to time of year is crucial.
The school holiday periods, bank holiday weekends and weekends generally usually ain't the best times to visit seaside golf courses or their locality, unless I guess you enjoy sitting in a slow moving car. And the further north you go in the winter, well ........
atb

[BHoover]

I have played only a few courses in the UK, but I could quite happily play Woking or West Hill every round for the rest of my golfing life.

[Sean_A]

Thomas, I didn't know that about the Welch weather. So November wouldn't necessarily be too late to attempt my Pennard-Porthcawl-Southerdown trip that was cancelled last month? Am I correct to assume that St Enodoc and Sauton would be much more exposed to bad weather that time of year?
Apologies if i've misread your post.
Michael

Michael, You shouldn't have any worries with any of the places you mention in Nov, they should be pretty quiet too and none are really much more or less exposed to bad weather than the others. Indeed SW England and S Wales aren't actually that far apart as the crow flies so if an occasional storm were to arise it'd probably hit them all at a similar time and being on sand the courses will dry very quickly. You'll need your wet weather gear but you'll need that in most places in GB&I for 60% of the year anyway!
In fact if this vile Covid situation is sorted you'll probably find me and my usual mates heading for some of the same courses you mention either along the South or West Wales coast or to Devon/Cornwall in SW England during Nov.
atb

Ooohh, that's a bold call. It's one thing to drive a few hours and quite another to cross an ocean. You would have to be the kind of guy that doesn't care about rain. For instance, I wouldn't plan to cross an ocean to play Bandon in November.

If this winter is anything like last winter, God help you.

Ciao