Golfing in England

[juliette91]

16 day trip upcoming in May

Two of us are planning a trip to golf in the UK or Ireland, seeking some advice from those who have
gone before us. I have played in Ireland and N. Ireland 3x, touring from Shannon to Dublin, played
in Wales for 8 days and one tour in Scotland.

Never played in England and would love to replay some of the courses in Wales, too. Anyone out there
for some trip advice?

Thank you all!

[Hogan's Cardy]

Being from England I hope I can help.

Obviously it depends whereabouts you would prefer to head but a good schedule would be to start near London and take in any of the courses below:

Sunningdale - stunning course
Walton Heath - another beauty
Wentworth - very expensive though but obviously a great experience

Then you could head towards Wales and drop in towards the northernmost part of Hampshire where you can find some lovely courses like

Tilney Park
Liphook
Old Thorns
Blackmoor.

Then onto Celtic Manor which I'm sure you know already or at least aware of it.

That's a logical route which takes in some spectacular courses both championship and non-championship. If you wanted to head further north then the links courses around Blackpool and Liverpool are your best bet. Open venues like Lytham (although may be unavailable in May), Birkdale and Hoylake are all there and some other top notch links courses such as St Anne's et al. Weather (even in May) could be an issue though up there.

Hope that's useful and you find a great schedule for your trip.

[sabram]

If you are going to be near London there are many great heathland courses within an hour's drive. Sunningdale and Walton Heath as mentioned in the prior post are great and each has 36 holes. They are expensive. I'd skip Wentworth. It is overpriced and I think you'll enjoy Sunningdale or Walton Heath more. Other favorites are the Berkshire (36 holes) and St George's Hill (27 holes). If you don't require a course of 7,000 yards and are willing to play some fantastic old courses at around 6,600 yards play Woking, New Zealand and Worplesdon. A little further away Hankley Common, Liphook and Hindhead. If you want to play one of the best English links, take a ride to Royal St George's which is where the Open was played last year.

If you plan to visit southwest Scotland, visit Ayrshire. There are many great links along the coast one after the other. Turnberry has two famous courses but they are expensive (in the range of Sunningdale and Walton Heath). a littel further up the road to the north you must play Prestwick (home of the firt 12 Opens), Western Gailes is one of my favorite courses in the world, also Glasgow Gailes and Dundonald are about a pitching wedge away from Western Gailes. I'd skip Royal Troon for the same reason I'd skip Wentworth - too expensive and there are more fun courses in the neighborhood. When in the area, stay at the sandhill House, a fantatsic B&B.

If you want to hit the home of Golf, there are too many great links to choose from: The Old Course, the New Course, Kingsbarns, Crail, Elie, Lundin, Leven, and not too far away near Edinburgh there are Muirfield, North Berwick, Gullane and Dunbar.


That's about 30 of the best courses in England and Scotland in four very small geographic regions

[Hogan's Cardy]

Man, I forgot Hindhead, it's a great track. If you are down south that's a really fine choice. I've caddied at The Berkshire for my pal and that is also a belter.

Troon was silly money a few years ago - I don't know what it is now but Sabram is right, his choices are pretty much the best on offer.

[juliette91]

To Sabram and Hardy, thank you both. It's been 17 years since I played in Scotland and I think I'll
plan a route through as many of these courses as possible.

Best to you both!

[juliette91]

Whoops, I mean Cardy not Hardy.

[joe perry]

One word - Ganton

http://www.gantongolfclub.com/

I would play it twice if you are in the area

[asong77]

[quote name='sabram' timestamp='1329422532' post='4301775']
If you are going to be near London there are many great heathland courses within an hour's drive. Sunningdale and Walton Heath as mentioned in the prior post are great and each has 36 holes. They are expensive. I'd skip Wentworth. It is overpriced and I think you'll enjoy Sunningdale or Walton Heath more. Other favorites are the Berkshire (36 holes) and St George's Hill (27 holes). If you don't require a course of 7,000 yards and are willing to play some fantastic old courses at around 6,600 yards play Woking, New Zealand and Worplesdon. A little further away Hankley Common, Liphook and Hindhead. If you want to play one of the best English links, take a ride to Royal St George's which is where the Open was played last year.

If you plan to visit southwest Scotland, visit Ayrshire. There are many great links along the coast one after the other. Turnberry has two famous courses but they are expensive (in the range of Sunningdale and Walton Heath). a littel further up the road to the north you must play Prestwick (home of the firt 12 Opens), Western Gailes is one of my favorite courses in the world, also Glasgow Gailes and Dundonald are about a pitching wedge away from Western Gailes. I'd skip Royal Troon for the same reason I'd skip Wentworth - too expensive and there are more fun courses in the neighborhood. When in the area, stay at the sandhill House, a fantatsic B&B.

If you want to hit the home of Golf, there are too many great links to choose from: The Old Course, the New Course, Kingsbarns, Crail, Elie, Lundin, Leven, and not too far away near Edinburgh there are Muirfield, North Berwick, Gullane and Dunbar.


That's about 30 of the best courses in England and Scotland in four very small geographic regions
[/quote]

Sorry to thread jack but sabram, I'm quite jealous of all the courses you've played (that you have on your website)...you're one of, if not the most, knowledgeable person on the forum when it comes to golf travel in all sorts of locales. Do you work in the golf or travel industry? If not, you certainly have the qualifications to turn it into a for-profit venture, I'm sure. I've played a lot of the NY Metro area courses and definitely agree with most of the things you say about them. Anyway, keep up the great work and advice.

[sabram]

[quote name='asong77' timestamp='1329463870' post='4306525']
Sorry to thread jack but sabram, I'm quite jealous of all the courses you've played (that you have on your website)...you're one of, if not the most, knowledgeable person on the forum when it comes to golf travel in all sorts of locales. Do you work in the golf or travel industry? If not, you certainly have the qualifications to turn it into a for-profit venture, I'm sure. I've played a lot of the NY Metro area courses and definitely agree with most of the things you say about them. Anyway, keep up the great work and advice.
[/quote]

Asong - Thanks for the nice comment. I'm not in the business, just a golf addict who is lucky to have a wife that lets me go on a couple golf trips every year. I also travel for work and try to play a round on the front and back ends of the trips (Lots of red-eye flights home). Next week Vegas for a conference, the following week a vacation in Orlando and the week after that a business trip to the LA area. I wish there was a way to turn the hobby into a profit venture, but I don't think that's ever happening. I'm also a work-a-holic at my real job.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

[quote name='joe perry' timestamp='1329435349' post='4303435']
One word - Ganton

[url="http://www.gantongolfclub.com/"]http://www.gantongolfclub.com/[/url]

I would play it twice if you are in the area
[/quote]

I add a second word--Gaton, definitely.

It's been on my "gotta go there" list for several years now and I'm not sure when I'll make it but having walked the course and played a few holes on a previous trip I should have just canceled my flight home and stayed there for a week to play it every day.

Just as well sorted a course as you could ever ask for. A bogey golfer can steer his way around it with no problem (except for his score, which will definitely be a problem) and the best amateur players in the world find it will take everything they can throw at it. Possibly the best inland golf course I've ever seen.

P.S. But you pretty much have to hire a car to play there. It's a long, long taxi ride from anywhere you can get to by public transportation.

[MattTheTaff]

There is a links course called Nefyn golf club in north Wales- the best kept secret in Wales so dont tell anyone.

There's a pub just off from the 16th

I want to die on this course

[sidboggle]

[quote name='sabram' timestamp='1329422532' post='4301775']
If you are going to be near London there are many great heathland courses within an hour's drive. Sunningdale and Walton Heath as mentioned in the prior post are great and each has 36 holes. They are expensive. I'd skip Wentworth. It is overpriced and I think you'll enjoy Sunningdale or Walton Heath more. Other favorites are the Berkshire (36 holes) and St George's Hill (27 holes). If you don't require a course of 7,000 yards and are willing to play some fantastic old courses at around 6,600 yards play Woking, New Zealand and Worplesdon. A little further away Hankley Common, Liphook and Hindhead. If you want to play one of the best English links, take a ride to Royal St George's which is where the Open was played last year.

If you plan to visit southwest Scotland, visit Ayrshire. There are many great links along the coast one after the other. Turnberry has two famous courses but they are expensive (in the range of Sunningdale and Walton Heath). a littel further up the road to the north you must play Prestwick (home of the firt 12 Opens), Western Gailes is one of my favorite courses in the world, also Glasgow Gailes and Dundonald are about a pitching wedge away from Western Gailes. I'd skip Royal Troon for the same reason I'd skip Wentworth - too expensive and there are more fun courses in the neighborhood. When in the area, stay at the sandhill House, a fantatsic B&B.

If you want to hit the home of Golf, there are too many great links to choose from: The Old Course, the New Course, Kingsbarns, Crail, Elie, Lundin, Leven, and not too far away near Edinburgh there are Muirfield, North Berwick, Gullane and Dunbar.


That's about 30 of the best courses in England and Scotland in four very small geographic regions
[/quote]

Great list, there are lots of wonderful courses in the Surrey/Sussex area which are less expensive than Wentworth. Worplesdon (daughter is a member), Woking and West Hill are all beautiful and within a few miles of each other. Royal Ashdown Forest is also wonderful, very traditional with no bunkers but can be tough in a dry summer. Saying that a day at Sunningdale cannot be beaten anywhere if you have the money. Both the Old and New are great tracks.
It's definitely worth visiting the East Kent coast as you have 3 British Open courses within a few miles - Royal St Georges, Royal Cinque Ports (home club) and Princes. Rye and Littlestone aren't too far away either.
Another area worth considering is Devon/Cornwall. Highlights are both courses at Saunton (view across the mountainous dunes approaching the clubhouse is one of the best in golf in my view) and the beautiful St Enodoc down in Cornwall. You could also take in Burnham & Berrow on the way down.