Urgent help needed....last minute weekend trip to London

[chickenpotpie]

Where can I play?

Guys, I need some help....I just found out that I will be spending a weekend in England in 2 weeks (June 11-13) I'll be flying in from Munich Friday evening, possibly Saturday morning. I need to be in Zurich on Sunday night. That said, I want to get some golf in, since this will be a rare opportunity for me (my wife has no interest in ever going to the UK....sigh....she likes warm beaches).

Anyway, I'm looking for courses that are reasonably within driving distance from London, though I suppose if I could fly to somewhere closer from Munich for a reasonable fare, that's an option too. I would need to rent clubs, and I'm hoping there's a Marriott chain (any brand) somewhere nearby (not a requirement, but a preference).

I would LOVE to play the Old Course, but I have no idea if that's an option.

Any recommendations are MUCH appreciated!!!

[Mainlinegolfer]

It's not clear if you MUST be in London for the weekend. If so, many clubs are open to guests; Wentworth comes to mind because it's near Heathrow, but there are other clubs (and public courses) in Surrey and Kent. Two of my favorites are Sunningdale and Walton Heath but there are many other options. There is also links golf if you want to drive to the Channel (Royal Cinque Ports, Royal St. Georges IF you can get on). Playing on the weekend can be a problem for a visitor, however. See club websites for vistor info and green fees.

If you have your heart set on playing in Scotland, you can fly in to London and immediately catch a flight to Edinburgh (or Dublin if Ireland appeals to you). I spend a lot of time in Frankfurt and sometimes "reward" myself by flying up to Edinburgh for a few days of golf on my way back to the U.S. I flew into Edinburgh from Frankfurt/London on a Friday, drove to St. Andrews and got up at 4:30 to get on the Old Course; then played Kingsbarns. However, that sure seem like a hassle if you have to be in Zurich on Monday.

If you don't have to be in London, you obviously have a lot of alternatives in Europe that can keep you a bit closer to Zurich, your Monday destination, but give you a round of golf and some sightseeing. We don't know what your main criteria are-- great, good or OK golf, a famous Scotish course, accessibililty/convenience, cost? If you want a bit of warm weather, I suppose you could consider flying to Spain, Portugal, Italy or even Morocco for a golf weekend. Otherwise, I would think you could find a nice place for R&R, golf and sightseeig (Germany, Switzerland, France) that keeps you in a bit more of a straight line between Munich and Zurich.

[Golfpunk62]

Just North of London, Hanbury Manor. [url="http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/stngs-hanbury-manor-a-marriott-hotel-and-country-club/"]http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/stngs-hanbury-manor-a-marriott-hotel-and-country-club/[/url]
Nice course and definitely worth a look. I think you might need to be a resident in the hotel to play it though.

[chickenpotpie]

Thanks for the responses. I kind of have my heart set on playing some links style courses. Scotland or anywhere else in Europe is not out of the question. Certainly, somewhere in Switzerland or Germany is easier, but it doesn't meet the links style criteria I don't think. I mentioned London earlier, because another travel companion of mine is going there to visit with family. I don't have to travel with him though. I guess the main issue is how easy (and ultimately cheap, but not as big a deal) will it be to get there (wherever "there" is) and back to Zurich. I would like this to be a memorable experience, which is why the big name courses come to mind.

[Mainlinegolfer]

I think you need to decide how much time and money you want to spend to play "links" golf over a weekend, i.e. you better check the flying time/connections, schedules, cost of intra-Europe flights, ground transportation, and availability of weekend tee times for visitors. Do you have free accommodations with your companion in London or is traveling with him/her a compelling reason to go to London?

Personally, I think you need to do a little homework and think about what you really want to do and what you are willing to sacrifice to do it. It seems a little crazy to me to fly to the UK for the weekend when you ultimately have to be in Zurich (unless you have no interest at all, for example, in driving through the Alps and sightseeing in Germany and Switzerland; maybe finding a golf club to play a little mountain golf or along a lake. I don't know how much time you have spent in Europe but the cities and countryside in this region actually attract a fair number of visitors because of the scenery and other attractions.

If you really want to have your links golf experience and/or have your heart set on playing a famous Open rota course, if possible, I'd take some time at the beginning or end of your trip to spend a few days in England, Scotland or Ireland. Of course, how much money and time you want to spend and what hassles and travel abuse you are willing to endure is up to you, but I think you need to cozy up to Google Maps and Travelocity and think about your priorities. THEN, come back to Golfwrx and ask us about golf courses in your chosen area.

This reminds me somewhat of one of the first times I traveled to Singapore. I thought, since I was flying 20 hours to Singapore anyway, it would be a good opportunity to just hop on over to Sydney since I was "in the neighborhood" and had never been to Australia. That idea lost its attraction somewhat when I was told it was about a 7 1/2 hour flight! lol

[jaskanski]

If I was in the London area looking for good courses, then Sunningdale, Walton Heath and Wentworth (yes, even after makeover) would be on the top of my list. It's about as good and classic as it gets without going further afield. A trip to the coast could be worth it - nice courses in Kent like Sandwich and Deal. Forget about Hanbury Manor - it's one of the worst Marriott courses I've ever played and if it's an alleged 5 star hotel, then I'm a banana.
A lot better bet would be the London Club - [url="http://www.londongolf.co.uk/courses.shtml"]http://www.londongolf.co.uk/courses.shtml[/url]

[chickenpotpie]

The thing is, I've done the Germany/Switzerland thing already. And I can come back here for work if needed, since we have sites in both countries. A UK trip will NEVER happen for me personally, as much as I've tried to sweet talk my wife. I think I have enough time to pull this off. Another thing I hadn't considered is that work is on the hook for my hotels and meals anyway, so all I need to pony up for is the air, car, and any incidentals like golf.

[Openwater22]

Lucky dog. No slaw recipe without a poker chip ball marker from wherever you play. lol

[Mainlinegolfer]

[quote name='chickenpotpie' date='28 May 2010 - 05:07 PM' timestamp='1275080854' post='2473554']
The thing is, I've done the Germany/Switzerland thing already. And I can come back here for work if needed, since we have sites in both countries. A UK trip will NEVER happen for me personally, as much as I've tried to sweet talk my wife. I think I have enough time to pull this off. Another thing I hadn't considered is that work is on the hook for my hotels and meals anyway, so all I need to pony up for is the air, car, and any incidentals like golf.
[/quote]
OK, you have a few names for London - either the great heathland courses or the links courses already mentioned.
You can also connect through London to Dublin, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Great links courses are not too far from each of those cities. Decide what you prefer and we'll provide tips and recommendations.

It seems unlikely that you'll be in the UK for the foreseeable future and you REALLY want to play the Old Course and you are willing to do whatever it takes; therefore, I guess it's hard to argue against going up to St. Andrews-- it will give you something to talk about for the rest of your life.

[chickenpotpie]

[quote name='openwater32' date='28 May 2010 - 05:36 PM' timestamp='1275082604' post='2473612']
Lucky dog. No slaw recipe without a poker chip ball marker from wherever you play. lol
[/quote]

I'm on it!!!

[chickenpotpie]

Well, its looking like its going to have to be London. That seems to offer the best flight schedules and options. An added bonus is that the US/England match will be on Saturday night 6/12!!!

[chickenpotpie]

Ugh, well I got trumped by the folks I'm traveling with (one of them is my boss), due to various customer visits that are planned. No trip to England for me.....sigh......