Golf Trip To The UK

[SFPGA25]

When is the best time to travel to the UK for golf? Definite courses will be Sunningdale and Carnoustie, but open to any suggestions!!! Will be there for one week with my wife.

[duffer987]

IMHO: Second 1/2 May through end of June or September.

For a single week, you do realise fitting in both Sunningdale and Carnoustie means internal flights or a fair bit of time in the car?
You should do a search in the UK sub-forum for plenty of threads on the topic. Also pick up James Finnegan's books and Tom Doak's book for lots of good info (some small, some bigger) on what the UK has to offer in regards to golf.

[SFPGA25]

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443214238' post='12367706']
IMHO: Second 1/2 May through end of June or September.

For a single week, you do realise fitting in both Sunningdale and Carnoustie means internal flights or a fair bit of time in the car?
You should do a search in the UK sub-forum for plenty of threads on the topic. Also pick up James Finnegan's books and Tom Doak's book for lots of good info (some small, some bigger) on what the UK has to offer in regards to golf.
[/quote]

Thank you for the heads up! My last trip across the pond I was able to hit Germany, Austria and France with great ease. If I drop one of those it would be Carnoustie. Then, I would stay in the South and not go past the Midlands.

[duffer987]

[quote name='SFPGA25' timestamp='1443215004' post='12367780']
[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443214238' post='12367706']
IMHO: Second 1/2 May through end of June or September.

For a single week, you do realise fitting in both Sunningdale and Carnoustie means internal flights or a fair bit of time in the car?
You should do a search in the UK sub-forum for plenty of threads on the topic. Also pick up James Finnegan's books and Tom Doak's book for lots of good info (some small, some bigger) on what the UK has to offer in regards to golf.
[/quote]

Thank you for the heads up! My last trip across the pond I was able to hit Germany, Austria and France with great ease. If I drop one of those it would be Carnoustie. Then, I would stay in the South and not go past the Midlands.
[/quote]

Keeping the missus happy in London is (to make a sweeping gender biased statement;)) purely a matter of your budget and absolutely opens up loads of Southeast, South, and Southwest options if you can pry her away from the city for a couple days.

I was going to start a thread yesterday and still haven't about my most recent trip over to hopefully help one or two souls out. I played St. Enodoc, Saunton x 2, Royal North Devon down in the Devon/Cornwall and Royal Porthcawl, Southerndown, Pennard, and Tenby is South Wales and either of those groupings could easily be thrown into a week alongside Greater London (Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. George Hill, Huntercombe, and all the other heathland courses...) and Kent (Open rota Sandwich, Deal, Cinque Ports, Rye - which is really East Sussex, Royal Ashdown actually Sussex but still).

[SFPGA25]

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443216027' post='12367834']
[quote name='SFPGA25' timestamp='1443215004' post='12367780']
[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443214238' post='12367706']
IMHO: Second 1/2 May through end of June or September.

For a single week, you do realise fitting in both Sunningdale and Carnoustie means internal flights or a fair bit of time in the car?
You should do a search in the UK sub-forum for plenty of threads on the topic. Also pick up James Finnegan's books and Tom Doak's book for lots of good info (some small, some bigger) on what the UK has to offer in regards to golf.
[/quote]

Thank you for the heads up! My last trip across the pond I was able to hit Germany, Austria and France with great ease. If I drop one of those it would be Carnoustie. Then, I would stay in the South and not go past the Midlands.
[/quote]

Keeping the missus happy in London is (to make a sweeping gender biased statement;)) purely a matter of your budget and absolutely opens up loads of Southeast, South, and Southwest options if you can pry her away from the city for a couple days.

I was going to start a thread yesterday and still haven't about my most recent trip over to hopefully help one or two souls out. I played St. Enodoc, Saunton x 2, Royal North Devon down in the Devon/Cornwall and Royal Porthcawl, Southerndown, Pennard, and Tenby is South Wales and either of those groupings could easily be thrown into a week alongside Greater London (Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. George Hill, Huntercombe, and all the other heathland courses...) and Kent (Open rota Sandwich, Deal, Cinque Ports, Rye - which is really East Sussex, Royal Ashdown actually Sussex but still).
[/quote]

I actually prefer the heathland courses over the links! Even in the US I prefer parkland courses. I have heard nothing but great things about Royal Porthcawl. Maybe even ring Sir Nick Faldo in WGC, haha. Another time!

P.S. The missus has been married to a golf pro for 18 years. We always make time for golf and leisure. She also plays to a 7 H.I.

[duffer987]

^See how my stereotyping bites me in the behind
I always assume when someone mentions their better-half separately they are non-golfers.
If you fancy the heathland courses, then forget what I said about Wales and Devon, a trip up the M1/A1(M) is in order, to Woodhall Spa and Hollinwell, if you have not already played them.

That is a really easy, drive up from London and play one, stay overnight in Lincoln which is a Cathedral town with the requisite cobbled lanes, play the other, and come back down.
I've played Woodhall Spa and it is awesome, springy turf, strong par 4s, couple interesting par 3s. Notts had a competition when I was passing through so I didn't get to play it this time.

[SFPGA25]

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443222805' post='12368266']
^See how my stereotyping bites me in the behind
I always assume when someone mentions their better-half separately they are non-golfers.
If you fancy the heathland courses, then forget what I said about Wales and Devon, a trip up the M1/A1(M) is in order, to Woodhall Spa and Hollinwell, if you have not already played them.

That is a really easy, drive up from London and play one, stay overnight in Lincoln which is a Cathedral town with the requisite cobbled lanes, play the other, and come back down.
I've played Woodhall Spa and it is awesome, springy turf, strong par 4s, couple interesting par 3s. Notts had a competition when I was passing through so I didn't get to play it this time.
[/quote]

Those are wonderful suggestions. Thank you!

Seeing you are from Canada reminds me of the only two rounds I played there...Glen Abby and Royal Ashburn. Amazing time!

[johnstitch]

Hmmmmm. This time of year sees a lot of courses start their autumn maintenance plans. Hollow tined greens etc.

Sunningdale is awesome (and hideously expensive unless you get signed in or try a PGA discount..). Add in The Berkshire, Walton Heath, West Hill, New Zealand Club....plenty of classic heathland courses.

As mentioned Carnoustie is 500 miles from London and a pain to get to. Championship course is brutal and was in brilliant condition for this years Amateur. Add in Montrose, Downfield in Dundee and Blairgowrie Rosemount.

Best time for visitors is May to Sept.

[SFPGA25]

[quote name='johnstitch' timestamp='1443290707' post='12371008']
Hmmmmm. This time of year sees a lot of courses start their autumn maintenance plans. Hollow tined greens etc.

Sunningdale is awesome (and hideously expensive unless you get signed in or try a PGA discount..). Add in The Berkshire, Walton Heath, West Hill, New Zealand Club....plenty of classic heathland courses.

As mentioned Carnoustie is 500 miles from London and a pain to get to. Championship course is brutal and was in brilliant condition for this years Amateur. Add in Montrose, Downfield in Dundee and Blairgowrie Rosemount.

Best time for visitors is May to Sept.
[/quote]

Thank you! Carnoustie will have to be another time. Maybe, Carnoustie, St. Andrews, then Aberdeen rotation next trip!

[Daniel Eason]

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443216027' post='12367834']
[quote name='SFPGA25' timestamp='1443215004' post='12367780']
[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1443214238' post='12367706']
IMHO: Second 1/2 May through end of June or September.

For a single week, you do realise fitting in both Sunningdale and Carnoustie means internal flights or a fair bit of time in the car?
You should do a search in the UK sub-forum for plenty of threads on the topic. Also pick up James Finnegan's books and Tom Doak's book for lots of good info (some small, some bigger) on what the UK has to offer in regards to golf.
[/quote]

Thank you for the heads up! My last trip across the pond I was able to hit Germany, Austria and France with great ease. If I drop one of those it would be Carnoustie. Then, I would stay in the South and not go past the Midlands.
[/quote]

Keeping the missus happy in London is (to make a sweeping gender biased statement;)) purely a matter of your budget and absolutely opens up loads of Southeast, South, and Southwest options if you can pry her away from the city for a couple days.

I was going to start a thread yesterday and still haven't about my most recent trip over to hopefully help one or two souls out. I played St. Enodoc, Saunton x 2, Royal North Devon down in the Devon/Cornwall and Royal Porthcawl, Southerndown, Pennard, and Tenby is South Wales and either of those groupings could easily be thrown into a week alongside Greater London (Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. George Hill, Huntercombe, and all the other heathland courses...) and Kent (Open rota Sandwich, Deal, Cinque Ports, Rye - which is really East Sussex, Royal Ashdown actually Sussex but still).
[/quote]

Add my course to this...Ferndown (Old Course)

Greens maintained in August, still pretty firm even with the dewy mornings and rain.

[mjtoal]

May to Sep is fine. Could rain any day then, but won't be too cold or too warm.

I would start by deciding what sort of golf you want. I would strike parkland golf off the list. You can do lots of that in the US. Links golf means mostly Scotland or the NW England coast (near Liverpool/Manchester), or heathland golf means mostly near London. Heathland golf is the sort of golf you may have seen at the Senior (British) Open at Sunningdale, recently, sort of like an inland links(isa). This is some great golf and would be my suggestion unless you want to cross Open venues off your list, or have lots of relatives in Scotland.

You can also consider Ireland, which has lots of good links courses too. Short internal flight or ferry ride.

For UK golf, I would look at a long list of heathland courses including Sunningdale (2 courses), Walton Heath (2 courses), The Berkshire (2 courses), West Hill, Woking, Worplesdon (the 3 'W's), Swinley Forest (need to call ahead), New Zealand (ditto), Hankley Common, Camberley Heath, Handheld, St Georges Hill and others. Your wife or significant other can easily go into London by train from the area you would be staying in.

All of these are to the west and south of London and relatively near each other. You could also take a trip to the south coast and play Royal St Georges, Princes and Royal Cinque Ports (aka Deal) which are an hour's drive or so away, or a few hours away there are a bunch of great links in Devon and Cornwall.

[jay65]

Frilford Heath near Oxford is a nice place to play. 3 Courses there, 2 Heathland, 1 more Parkland, all 3 courses are always immaculately turned out. Europro Tour events are played there. Worth Googling the website up to see if it's your cup of tea. And going into Oxford City centre for the afternoon around the Colleges who open their doors to visitors is a treat too.