Marching to a Different Beat
Rob Smith takes a look at some of the UK&I’S more unusual, and sometimes even eccentric, golf courses
ome time ago, a friend sent me his tongue-in-cheek interpretation of golf course descriptions, such as easy-walking (flat as a pancake) and scenic (great for weddings). He also offered quirky (bad hole), which made me smile but also think. Yes, it is used to cover a multitude of sins, but couldn’t it also be used to describe something different, interesting or even unique?
As a self-avowed golf course fan, I would argue that a quirky course is one that at least has character. Happily, the obsession with a par of 72, four short holes and four par 5s evenly split on either nine and as much length as possible is far from obligatory. For me,
there is nothing wrong with 16 par 4s (thank you, Elie), no sand (thank you, Royal Ashdown) or back-to-back par 3s (thank you, West Sussex and many other lovely courses).
While some see quirky as a slightly disparaging adjective, I think everyone at Golf Monthly would argue that it is quite the opposite – a badge of honour and a recommendation. In a world of so many formulaic designs, who wouldn’t want to play somewhere boasting characteristics that really mark it out from the crowd? Throughout the UK&I, we enjoy the greatest variety of golf in the world. As someone who has played an unhealthy number of courses, I very much celebrate those that are different, that embrace their setting and offer something special.
In England, two Ps spring to mind. Perranporth, in Cornwall, is as natural and elemental as they come. Like Pennard in Wales, this James Braid design is a links situated unusually high above town and sea. It runs over and through some of the most impressive dunes in the country. An undulating start, combined with terrific views and challenging tee-shots, really gets the
adrenalin pumping. Not all will cherish the number of blind shots, but it is a thrilling and rewarding place to play.
Next is Painswick in Gloucestershire. This remarkable course is under 5,000 yards, but so what! At one point, there is a hat-trick of short holes followed by a pair of par 5s. Fantastic! The reason for this configuration is that the course runs along Painswick Beacon, a narrow and extremely scenic ridge that is also home to an Iron Age hill fort. There are frequent crossovers, drivable par 4s and some very small greens. Golf here is all about embracing and enjoying the magical setting.
“You won’t need to take out a loan to play Carradale. What you will need is imagination, guile... and a camera!”
North of the border
Scotland’s rich golfing heritage has fostered some remarkable designs, with Prestwick, the original home of The Open, perhaps the most famous. This is a living, breathing museum of golf packed with unusual features, such as the blind par-3 5th, Himalayas, and the Sahara bunker at 17.
Simply based on the number of holes, Shiskine is an unusual design with 12. Once 18, six holes fell into disuse during World War I. This is now a very different and extremely pretty course with four par 4s, seven par 3s and one par 5. Golf here is all about character, location, natural beauty and fun. It won’t stage The Open, but it’s a prize winner in its own right.
Just over the water on Kintyre, the nine-holer at Carradale is wonderfully sporty and scenic. This little gem has five par 4s, the longest of which is just 341 yards, so a driver is not essential. Nor will you need to take out a loan for the green fee. What you will need is imagination, guile... and a camera!
Over to the east, Cullen is a remarkable design with ten par 3s and a solitary par 5. The mid-section runs over the wildest topography, with rocky outcrops, blind shots, elevated tees and more. Pocket-sized fun all the way.
More than just a sideshow
Royal County Down’s Championship course rightly attracts golfers from all over the world, but many visitors overlook its short but truly engaging second course, the Annesley. Only one hole exceeds 350 yards, but your two and a half hours through the dunes is a sugar rush of wow-factor golf. The three newer holes at the far end run down to and alongside the beach.
Over on Ireland’s wild and glorious Donegal coast, Cruit Island won’t
please architectural purists, but it will please anyone who loves life and golf in general. The one disappointment is that there are only nine holes.
If ever a course changed character dramatically over its two nines, then the James Braid design at Porthmadog in west Wales is it. The front nine is perfectly fine, with some attractive parkland holes. But wait! The back nine is a thrills and spills journey through the dunes, packed with “where do we go now?” and the most fabulous scenery.
Not far away, there are 27 holes at Nefyn & District. The reconfigured Point nine is the star of the show here. These holes run along an elevated, photogenic promontory, with the par-3 7th playing over the famous blowhole.
This is just a taster of the UK&I’S more unusual courses. There are plenty more that fit the quirky category, plus plenty of individually quirky holes. Let us celebrate them all, because what golf really needs is character. And what clubs and courses also need is something that marks them out as different and special. Long live quirky!