El Gringo

I too would rather play the Portrush combo over the RCD combo and Portstewart. Although, a few great holes were ripped out of the Valley Links to bolster the Dunluce. That said, the second course at RCD is very good.

Littlestone is bloody good!

Norfolk isn’t a bad shout. But I would try for Hunstanton over Cromer and Sheringham. Both are good courses, but not in the class of Hunstanton and Brancaster. In fact, I would choose Royal Worlington over those two as well. It’s in Suffolk so on the way. You could also try Aldeburgh and Westbridge. Lovely part of the world. There are so many options. I hope it works out for you. England is far and away the best country in UK&I for golf. It gets seriously overlooked because it isn’t marketed like Scotland and Ireland.

Yep, those three links and include Rye above Princes. If you can’t get the amount of links you want try Littlestone. My guess is many of the named courses will not take visitors on weekends or maybe only pm times.

If it was me I would immediately start looking for times at Walton Heath Old, St Georges Hill, Sunningdale Old, Woking, Addington, Pulborough, Swinley Forest and Worplesdon. If you don’t get enough tee times from that lot try West Hill, Liphook, Hankley Common, Blackmoor and Sunningdale New.

Island and/or Portmarnock if you want a test. Baltray if you want a more playable course. Corballis if looking for a shorter, funkier and far cheaper round.

The ferry was running between Troon and Broderick. We drove on the way back because the Campbeltown ferry wasn’t running. The ferries are a mess at the moment.

I agree. Traigh is high on charm. If you like that make the effort to see Isle of Harris. Lovely course and the island is stunning.

I agree. Traigh is high on charm. If you like that make the effort to see Isle of Harris. Lovely course and the is stunning.

My approach is to identify the must see courses. The type of courses that if they are not available I don’t do that trip…I choose another area. Once the must courses are booked I build the rest of the trip around them. I prioritise the supporting courses and book them. I will happily change out the supporting courses to minimise drive time or take advantage of a deal, play with a member or to stay in a town I want to see etc. I try to avoid paying money in advance which usually means booking directly with secretaries, never online unless the play date is so near it doesn’t matter. Having played well over 500 UK&I courses it’s getting tougher and tougher to find trips of more than a handful of days I want to do. The wanna see courses are so spread out and the cost of seeing some repeat plays is prohibitive. My latest trip was to Arran to play Shiskine for the first time in at least 20 years and Corrie. Then over to Campbeltown for Machrihanish, Mach Dunes (the targeted course I hadn’t played) Dunaverty and Carradale. Good trip! Last year I did I wonderful trip to Scotland. Played a few 9 holers I had been wanting to see…Gatehouse and St Medan…both recommended. Then on to Turnberry then ferries to the islands to play Askernish and Isle of Harris…both long time wanna sees. Back to the mainland for Traigh…another long time wanna see. Planned to play Leadhills on the way home. It was raining so we skipped it, but through the fog and rain it looked interesting. Cracking trip. I want to back and play a few others we missed because of ferry schedules. The riches of 9 hole golf is incredible. As you can tell, quite a bit of research goes into planning. If that doesn’t interest you then it’s probably best to engage a travel company.

Royal Dublin might be very convenient. If you were willing to go to the Island then Portmarnock is a good shout. Jameson Links might do the job.

Seems a shame to drive practically past Cruit and not play it. Find the time. As always, find the time to play Otway.

I am not sure you will be able to play any champ tees at a true champ course. My club doesn’t even put out champ tees unless an event calls for them. More like the medal tees…which has been happening more in the past 15 years.

I just did a trip to Arran and Campbeltown…getting to Silloth is a doddle. 😎

Is there a definitive plan for 11 and 12? I saw the rough was cut back down the left on 11 presumably to stay well Lear of the Caravan Park. Hopefully some semblance of 11 can be saved.

Yes, this last trip was plagued with high winds….pretty common in my experience at Silloth. Rough wasn’t bad as it was March. Jeepers, huge swaths of gorse were cleared.

Silloth is pretty cool! After a long layoff I spent a few days there this year. They have cleared back quite a lot of rubbish! I didn’t make it to Seascale…love that place! If you go back up, play Appleby, just off the M6. Lovely course.

That would be a brutal walk!

Western Gailes specialises in cross winds. On the front nine holes leg left against left to right wind. It’s the opposite on the back nine. Not my favourite course, but it will test your driving skills.