Here's 500 quid - go play.

[Chanceman]

This part of the forum is getting lazy. It's summer, here's 500 quid, you have 10 days to spend it on golf courses. You start at somewhere near Heathrow, a car is provided and you can go anywhere in the UK with all expenses paid. But you can only use the designated May/October green fee as per a club's website eg St Georges Hill 185gbp.

Where would you play?

[El Gringo]

It would take some time to devise an itinerary, but I would definitely go hunting the out of the way rustic courses of Scotland. 

[thecumbrian]

5 hours ago, El Gringo said:

It would take some time to devise an itinerary, but I would definitely go hunting the out of the way rustic courses of Scotland. 

Stopping off for 36 holes at Silloth on Solway on the way up which will set you back £60

[El Gringo]

16 hours ago, thecumbrian said:

Stopping off for 36 holes at Silloth on Solway on the way up which will set you back £60

Already played Silloth and 60 quid is a big chunk of the budget. I would likely be more frugal and picky. 

[Chanceman]

A million ways to do this but my first cut would be this loop:

The Addington 65

Royal Ashdown Forest 85

Hankley Common 75

Huntercombe 45

Painswick 50

Kington 50

Cavendish 40

Northampton 45

Old Fold Manor 45

with a day off in the middle to enjoy the Peak District.

 

[Divot License]

If I could cheat and use my county card I could get probably another two rounds out of the savings. 

[babyfade]

On 11/8/2020 at 8:36 AM, Chanceman said:

This part of the forum is getting lazy. It's summer, here's 500 quid, you have 10 days to spend it on golf courses. You start at somewhere near Heathrow, a car is provided and you can go anywhere in the UK with all expenses paid. But you can only use the designated May/October green fee as per a club's website eg St Georges Hill 185gbp.

Where would you play?

Covid stops us from travelling to the UK, I guess thats the reason that the forum is getting lazy. I really hope I can come back next year.

 

10 days from Heathrow with 500 GBP for green fees... I would drive to Dorset and play Broadstone, Parkstone, Remedy Oak, Ferndown and Isle of Purbeck. Maybe Isle of Purbeck multiple time because it's the cheapest of the pack and I only have 500 GBP.

Edited November 10, 2020 by babyfade

[Chanceman]

2 hours ago, babyfade said:

Covid stops us from travelling to the UK, I guess thats the reason that the forum is getting lazy. I really hope I can come back next year.

 

10 days from Heathrow with 500 GBP for green fees... I would drive to Dorset and play Broadstone, Parkstone, Remedy Oak, Ferndown and Isle of Purbeck. Maybe Isle of Purbeck multiple time because it's the cheapest of the pack and I only have 500 GBP.

Nice, I like it. If I throw you an extra 50, maybe go down a bit further to Lyme Regis or Came Down? 

[Divot License]

I think the big question her is do you go for quantity, quality or a try and find courses in the middle ground. 

 

£500 is not a lot for multiple rounds of golf and only 10 days as many of the better but cheaper courses are going to require travel and Heathrow is situated in probably the most expensive golfing area of the UK as a general rule (Surrey border) - Foxhills is £80 a green fee in winter and is a second tier course in Surrey.

 

If we could fly to a different course and minimise travel you may get some different answers. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Jedaigeki

[Chanceman]

Ok, as an alternative - start and finish at Birmingham in the midlands. from there you can go into Wales, up North, east to the North sea or south towards London or the SW.

And yeah the question is partly one of whether to allocate some to a big ticket course which will absorb a big chunk of the budget..

[El Gringo]

On 11/8/2020 at 8:09 AM, El Gringo said:

It would take some time to devise an itinerary, but I would definitely go hunting the out of the way rustic courses of Scotland. 

Oh s***, didn't notice the Heathrow restriction. That makes Scotland a little less accessible. Not a big fan of driving so I would likely stay south. I'll give this some thought, but off the top of my head I would like to play Piltdown, Bramshaw, Newquay, Worthing Lower, Parkstone, Flempton, Royston and Berkshire Red. I don't think 500 quid would cover all those courses unless I went off season and the driving would be crazy. 

Edited November 12, 2020 by El Gringo

[babyfade]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:31 AM, Chanceman said:

Nice, I like it. If I throw you an extra 50, maybe go down a bit further to Lyme Regis or Came Down? 

Wow they both look great!! Definitely on my bucket list now, thanks!

[Chanceman]

EG, that is a very interesting and under the radar group. Have you played them all before? Care to comment on Bramshaw, Worthing and Royston in particular?  

[El Gringo]

3 hours ago, Chanceman said:

EG, that is a very interesting and under the radar group. Have you played them all before? Care to comment on Bramshaw, Worthing and Royston in particular?  

I haven't played any of these courses except for Berkshire Red. 

 

Bramshaw is an old, rustic course in the New Forest. Over the years I have heard good things. 

 

Worthing Lower is a Colt downland course which looks interesting. 

 

Royston is another downland course over some very cool terrain. 

[Divot License]

1 hour ago, El Gringo said:

I haven't played any of these courses except for Berkshire Red. 

 

Bramshaw is an old, rustic course in the New Forest. Over the years I have heard good things. 

 

Worthing Lower is a Colt downland course which looks interesting. 

 

Royston is another downland course over some very cool terrain. 

Happy to join you for that fictional round at Royston as it's about 20mins from me.

[Chanceman]

Along the lines of EG's hidden gems, with a bias to the south, these are some relatively good value courses I would like to play:

Chart Hills/Faldo

Canterbury/Colt

Mannings Heath/Colt

East Berkshire/Paxton?

High Post/JH Taylor

Kingsdown/Allan, Cotton

Tadmarton Heath/Vardon

Saffron Walden/Vardon

Berkhamsted / Braid, Colt

Colchester/ Braid

Appreciate any comments on these courses which are only on the list because of their architects and price.

Admittedly you wou;d have to leave the London area but still a nice doable trip I would think. I should have done this years ago, time is on the wing.

[Divot License]

Saffron Walden is nice, tight course and has the highest slope rating within the Cambridge Area Golf Union. 

 

Colchester is also a lovely course. Both within an hour of me and get at least one round a year from me. 

[El Gringo]

On 11/14/2020 at 10:11 AM, Chanceman said:

Along the lines of EG's hidden gems, with a bias to the south, these are some relatively good value courses I would like to play:

Chart Hills/Faldo

Canterbury/Colt

Mannings Heath/Colt

East Berkshire/Paxton?

High Post/JH Taylor

Kingsdown/Allan, Cotton

Tadmarton Heath/Vardon

Saffron Walden/Vardon

Berkhamsted / Braid, Colt

Colchester/ Braid

Appreciate any comments on these courses which are only on the list because of their architects and price.

Admittedly you wou;d have to leave the London area but still a nice doable trip I would think. I should have done this years ago, time is on the wing.

I know Canterbury, Tadmarton and Berkhamsted fairly well. None are the sort of course I would reco for a guy crossing an ocean. I like Berkhamsted best of the three, but it needs tree removal. Canterbury has a few excellent holes, but was poorly presented when I was last there. Taddy has been working on bunkers and removing gorse to good effect. Solid course without many highs. 

 

Not as far north and in the heart of Oxford is Oxford GC. I think it's a solid notch above Taddy. It has tree problems, but it's a good Colt course. 

Edited November 17, 2020 by El Gringo

[El Gringo]

On 11/13/2020 at 5:00 PM, Jedaigeki said:

Happy to join you for that fictional round at Royston as it's about 20mins from me.

It's not fictional. I am gonna play Royston. I would like to do a 1 nighter and add Flempton. 

[Divot License]

Happy to join for both if you want company.

[El Gringo]

10 hours ago, Jedaigeki said:

Happy to join for both if you want company.

Very fine. Forward your email to me and we can work on dates when golf is back on. 

[Divot License]

DM sent

[Chanceman]

On 11/15/2020 at 8:52 AM, El Gringo said:

I know Canterbury, Tadmarton and Berkhamsted fairly well. None are the sort of course I would reco for a guy crossing an ocean. I like Berkhamsted best of the three, but it needs tree removal. Canterbury has a few excellent hole, but was poorly presented when I was last there. Taddy has been working on bunkers and removing gorse to good effect. Solid course without many highs. 

 

Not as far north and in the heart of Oxford is Oxford GC. I think it's a solid notch above Taddy. It has tree problems, but it's a good Colt course. 

No worries about me travelling for a round of golf anywhere. Ideally I would just love to spend May to October in the UK being a gypsy and play every course I could physically play in that time. Let's see that's 26 weeks playing say 5 times/week so 130 courses. Money and health permitting. My wife may not agree of course but we can negotiate! And then there's Covid.

[El Gringo]

You have far more staying power than me. I probably wouldn't play that much golf in 4 years! 

Edited November 17, 2020 by El Gringo

[Chanceman]

12 hours ago, El Gringo said:

You have far more staying power than me. I probably wouldn't play that much golf in 4 years! 

I know it's ridiculous but I play 3/4 times a week here so what's another round or two?? Anyway its just a pipe dream although I might get to do a month or so, if and when Covid allows. My body seems to cope with a lot of golf - I just get tired at night so alI need is a few jars and good nights sleep . Anyway I must go, I have a tee time down at Cape Schanck today. Cheers!!

[El Gringo]

12 hours ago, Chanceman said:

I know it's ridiculous but I play 3/4 times a week here so what's another round or two?? Anyway its just a pipe dream although I might get to do a month or so, if and when Covid allows. My body seems to cope with a lot of golf - I just get tired at night so alI need is a few jars and good nights sleep . Anyway I must go, I have a tee time down at Cape Schanck today. Cheers!!

That's a rather unfortunate name for a golf course! 

[Superbrit]

Easy, drive the 400 odd miles to St Andrews and play the old course (£195) new course (£85) Jubilee (£85) Lundin (£85) with £50 left id probably get a tee time on the Torrance course at the fairmont

 

All the while staying at the Old course hotel

 

I've actually done all this all in 1 week except Lundin and it was the best week ever, not cheap though!

Edited November 18, 2020 by Superbrit

[Jiggered]

On 11/14/2020 at 9:54 PM, El Gringo said:

It's not fictional. I am gonna play Royston. I would like to do a 1 nighter and add Flempton. 

 

I've played Flempton, lovely 9 hole course which makes an ideal partner to play with Royal Worlington.

 

Haven't played Royston though so, if you can put up with a mid-handicap hacker who only plays vintage/classic clubs, I'd love to join you and Jedaigeki when you play it if possible.

[Divot License]

49 minutes ago, Jiggered said:

 

I've played Flempton, lovely 9 hole course which makes an ideal partner to play with Royal Worlington.

 

Haven't played Royston though so, if you can put up with a mid-handicap hacker who only plays vintage/classic clubs, I'd love to join you and Jedaigeki when you play it if possible.

I'm happy to have you join, more the merrier. 

[milesgiles]

On 11/14/2020 at 10:11 AM, Chanceman said:

Along the lines of EG's hidden gems, with a bias to the south, these are some relatively good value courses I would like to play:

Chart Hills/Faldo

Canterbury/Colt

Mannings Heath/Colt

East Berkshire/Paxton?

High Post/JH Taylor

Kingsdown/Allan, Cotton

Tadmarton Heath/Vardon

Saffron Walden/Vardon

Berkhamsted / Braid, Colt

Colchester/ Braid

Appreciate any comments on these courses which are only on the list because of their architects and price.

Admittedly you wou;d have to leave the London area but still a nice doable trip I would think. I should have done this years ago, time is on the wing.

 

 

Chart Hills is similar to East Sussex. Possibly top 250 ish

Tadmarton I played recently, outdated imo. Maybe top 400

Saffron Walden quite tight and steep, typical parkland nice condition possibly a little pricey, top 250

Berkhamsted I play often, condition varies a lot for some reason. One of very few Herts heathland courses, I rate it borderline top 100.

Royston I also play often they have just recently installed full watering for the greens which never used to be at all receptive. Inland links style, very, very tough walk, I find a lot of the holes very amusing but it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea..