Here is an interesting golf trip in GB&I

[Chanceman]

I was interested to see the courses being used for 2019 Open Qualifying and I thought this would make a great 2 week trip around England at least.

Alwoodley

Kedleston Park

Northhampton

Frilford Heath

Sandy Lodge

Burhill

Minchinhampton

West Lancs

Fairhaven

I would be interested in comments about these courses? Alwoodley of course is on most radars as one of Alister Mackenzie's first and best tracks.

I see the excellent Panmure in Sco and Baltray in Ire are also on the list but requiring extra travel.

 

 

 

[El Gringo]

> @Chanceman said:

> I was interested to see the courses being used for 2019 Open Qualifying and I thought this would make a great 2 week trip around England at least.

> Alwoodley

> Kedleston Park

> Northhampton

> Frilford Heath

> Sandy Lodge

> Burhill

> Minchinhampton

> West Lancs

> Fairhaven

> I would be interested in comments about these courses? Alwoodley of course is on most radars as one of Alister Mackenzie's first and best tracks.

> I see the excellent Panmure in Sco and Baltray in Ire are also on the list but requiring extra travel.

>

>

>

 

Northampton County is a very good and difficult course. It's not flashy so it gets overlooked.

 

Frilford Heath is quite average. It is not the qualifying course, but the Green has more interesting holes than the other two courses. The original 18 must have been quite special before it was ripped apart to add the two more modern courses

 

Sandy Lodge has its moments, but it is not a course to make too much time for.

 

West Lancs is seriously under - rated. It's tough, but very good.

 

Ciao

[jonnymc44]

I really enjoyed playing Fairhaven; Royal Lytham's underrated neighbour. It's a very flat course from what I remember, not an undulating links through the sand dunes you might come to expect. Plenty of well placed bunkers. I seem to recall the short 17th has about 7 or 8 bunkers surrounding the green.

I've played plenty more memorable courses, but wouldn't pass it if you're after a fair priced, good links course. You can always hop across to Royal Lytham within a 10minute drive. That is the great thing we have in the UK; so many great courses within short driving distance from each other, especially on the 'golf coast' we have in the north west (I'm very lucky to live only about 40mins drive from most of the courses). [englandsgolfcoast.com/](http://www.englandsgolfcoast.com/ "englandsgolfcoast.com/")

[duffer987]

I like it Chance!

You could throw in US Open qualifier venues and make 3 weeks out of it :)

[Chanceman]

> @duffer987 said:

> I like it Chance!

> You could throw in US Open qualifier venues and make 3 weeks out of it :)

 

Walton Heath? Yep, good call. I'm on my way.

[imakaveli]

Played Panmure and West Lancs, great courses!

[milesgiles]

^open qualifiers are a reasonable steer if you are exploring an area. Just to add to the above, I prefer St Anne’s to Fairhaven (similar price). I rate Sandy Lodge top 3 in Herts (my county) others would be Berkhamsted and Ashridge.

Moortown is my preference to Alwoodley, very different in character. Burhill old (not new) is lovely but god knows it has a lot of competition very close by.

You also have the ‘final’ qualifiers to consider, think Goswick was last year? I think a course has the qualifying for 6 years in a row before they move to another in the area, it’s almost always on their website if in doubt.. (I have played some extremely average courses that were qualifiers decades ago so have to be a little careful)

[thecraw]

> @milesgiles said:

> ^open qualifiers are a reasonable steer if you are exploring an area. Just to add to the above, I prefer St Anne’s to Fairhaven (similar price). I rate Sandy Lodge top 3 in Herts (my county) others would be Berkhamsted and Ashridge.

> Moortown is my preference to Alwoodley, very different in character. Burhill old (not new) is lovely but god knows it has a lot of competition very close by.

> You also have the ‘final’ qualifiers to consider, think Goswick was last year? I think a course has the qualifying for 6 years in a row before they move to another in the area, it’s almost always on their website if in doubt.. (I have played some extremely average courses that were qualifiers decades ago so have to be a little careful)

 

Goswick is a very good test of golf.

[El Gringo]

Miles

I too have come to prefer Moortown to Alwoodley mainly because it is more playable. Alwoodley keeps horrific rough. Get that rough as it should be and I would take Alwoodley.

 

Ciao