GOLF TRAVEL
David Cannon/Getty Images
A Player’s Guide
Cornish Cracker: the parfive sixteenth at St Enodoc 82
HK Golfer・APR 2011
HKGOLFER.COM
England's Atlantic Links Often overlooked in the grand scheme of British golf, England's West Country is home to a number of classic links courses set in truly glorious locations, writes Alex Jenkins
T
hink of links golf in the British Isles and more often than not your mind will conjure up names from the Open Championship rota of courses – the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie, Turnberry, Royal Birkdale, and so on. It's perfectly understandable – and make no mistake: any golfer worth their salt should try and play these magnificent layouts before it's time to join that Great Golf Course in the Sky. But the fact remains that Britain is packed full of great courses, a huge number of which get completely overlooked – particularly by foreign travellers – purely because they don't hold a notable professional tournament. The Open returns to the south of England this July – to Royal St Georges (another must-play) – after a hiatus of eight years, which is great news for the clubs in an around the immediate region: they're sure to do thriving business with more than 150,000 spectators likely to descend on the Kent coast to watch the third major of the year. But head down to the southwest of the country, to the counties of Devon and Cornwall, and you'll discover a number of tremendous links tracks that have the twin advantages of being decidedly less busy and decidedly less expensive. They call themselves the Atlantic Links and they offer golfing tourists a first-class alternative to the well-trodden and more traditional golf routes of the Scottish and Lancashire coasts.
HKGOLFER.COM
HK Golfer・APR 2011
83
WHERE TO PLAY SAUNTON (East) HHHHH
If the powers that be broke new ground by deciding it was time for the West Country to hold an Open Championship, the East Course at Saunton would almost certainly be the chosen venue. Laid out over wonderfully undulating links land on Devon's unspoilt north coast a few miles west of the pleasant market town of Barnstaple, Saunton is a full-strength championship track that winds its way through dramatic dunes and demands accuracy from the tee. It would be a poor decision to make a round on the East your first on a trip to these parts, as it has the potential to seriously bite. Fortunately however, the club has a second course – the West – which is a very fine layout in its own right and provides an excellent work out before tackling its longer and tougher brother. Long, wispy rough, hard and fast greens and classic pot bunkers, combined with an exceptional routing make the East one of the most majestic – and most unheralded – courses in the land. YARDAGE: 6,779 PAR: 71 Designed by Herbert Fowler Greens Fee: From £74 in high season Others: A handicap certificate is required Contact: sauntongolf.co.uk
TREVOSE (Championship) HHHHH
David Cannon/Getty Images
Southwest Stunners: The magnificent East Course at Saunton (top) is considered the finest links to have never hosted the Open Championship; St Enodoc's fabulously quirky sixth hole featuring the dreaded "Himalayas" dune, thought to be the biggest bunker in Europe 84
HK Golfer・APR 2011
Playing this Harry Colt gem, located on the rugged north Cornish coast at Constantine Bay, just outside the charming fishing village of Padstow, is an exhilarating experience. While some links courses are noted for their blind holes and exceptionally penal rough, Trevose offers a kinder introduction to those unfamiliar with the nuances of the “bump and run” game, thanks largely to the generosity of the fairways, which means time spent looking for wayward shots in kept to a minimum. The rollicking front nine, which affords some magnificent coastal views, gets off to a stern start with the 440-yard par-four opener. But the beauty of Trevose, aside
from its consistently quick and true greens, lies in its variation. This is far from being a slog. From the members’ white tees, three of the four par-fives are reachable in two on a calm day for the majority of competent golfers, and the parthrees, which are a delightful set of holes, won’t see you pulling off your fairway wood head covers unless it’s really blowing a gale. Yes, there are some brutish par-fours on the card but there are plenty of chances to make amends should you falter. This links really is fun – and has proved its championship credentials by hosting numerous top-tier events, including the 2008 Brabazon Trophy, one of the most important amateur tournaments in the British Isles. YARDAGE: 6,967 PAR: 71 Designed by Harry Colt & Sir Guy Campbell Greens Fee: From £65 in high season Others: A range of quality accommodation is available on-site Contact: trevose-gc.co.uk
ST ENODOC (Church) HHHHH
Debate rages in pubs and inns across Cornwall as to which is the better course: Trevose or St Enodoc. It's understandable as the two courses are only a few miles apart (St Enodoc can be found across the Camel Estuary from Padstow in the royal sailing town of Rock) and both offer a tremendous golfing experience. But they are in truth quite different. While laid-back Trevose is a fully-fledged resort, St Enodoc is very much more of a private members' club in the traditional sense of the term. Set amidst towering sand dunes clad with wild sea grasses, the front nine of the Church Course here is a breathtakingly magnificent run of holes and affords a number of fine coastal views. The pick of the bunch – and one of the most wonderfully quirky holes anywhere – is the sixth, a mid-length par-four which features a blind drive and requires the approach shot to be played over a mammoth dune called "Himalayas" some 100 yards from the green. "Himalayas" is rumoured to be the biggest bunker in Europe – and at 75 feet high it might just be. The back nine isn't as linksy as the front and while it is has some memorable moments – the closing three holes provide a superbly challenging finish – the meadowland nature of some of a few of the early holes prevent St Enodoc from being rated higher. The course is named after a small church that stands to the right of the tenth green, which is the final resting place of John Betjeman, the Poet Laureate, who penned his famous poem Seaside Golf after a rare birdie at the thirteenth. YARDAGE: 6,547 PAR: 69 Designed by James Braid Greens Fee: From £67 in high season Others: A handicap certificate is required Contact: st-enodoc.co.uk HKGOLFER.COM
HKGOLFER.COM
HK Golfer・APR 2011
85
Atlantic Aces: Spectacular scenery awaits at Trevose (top); the wild sea rushes can be a serious hazard at Royal North Devon (right); an example of Burnham & Berrow's artfully-designed green complexes
ROYAL NORTH DEVON HHHH
England’s oldest course – and the oldest links outside Scotland – Royal North Devon, known locally as Westward Ho!, is the complete antithesis to the modern style of layout so favoured by developers in Asia – and a must-visit for anyone who considers themselves a true aficionado of the game. Established in 1864, RND is links golf at its most raw. There is scarcely any definition to the fairways, which are classified as common land and are more often than not populated by sheep, and the greens merely follow the natural contours of the land. But herein lies its brilliance. The best holes are down by the shore and take advantage of crumpled terrain. It’s along this stretch that you encounter huge clumps of the infamous sea rushes – a tall, spiky marine vegetation that can be even more hazardous to your score than the majority of the deep sleepered bunkers that punctuate the course. Although you wouldn’t want to stray into “Cape” bunker, one of the biggest in the land that gobbles up under-hit drives at the par-four fourth. RND’s most famous son is J.H. Taylor, the five-time Open champion, and a large part of the atmospheric clubhouse-cum-golfing museum is dedicated to his achievements. At Westward Ho! you really are following in the footsteps of champions. YARDAGE: 6,653 PAR: 72 Designed by Old Tom Morris and Herbert Fowler Greens Fee: From £48 Contact: royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk
BEST OF THE REST
If you're making your way to Devon and Cornwall from London, then it's well worth stopping off at the links at Burnham & Berrow, a quality Harry Colt design that overlooks the Bristol Channel some two and a half hours from London. The opening holes are some of the most demanding in the region, with sandhills framing the fairways and the small greens featuring strong contours. Precision is everything here. Contact: burnhamandberrowgolfclub.co.uk. For more information on all the courses listed here visit atlantic-links.co.uk.
WHERE TO STAY
The art deco-style Saunton Sands Hotel, a four-star resort with splendid ocean views, is a good base for playing both Saunton (it's literally next door) and Royal North Devon some 20 minutes away. There are numerous accommodation options available in and around Padstow, the closest town to Trevose and St Enodoc, including Trevose itself, which offers a range of quality accommodations onsite. The St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, which adjoins the golf club, is another excellent choice and houses Nathan Outlaw, a superb seafood restaurant that was awarded two Michelin stars in January 2011.
WHEN TO GO
The British weather is famously unpredictable but golf is generally possible year-round on the Devon and Cornish coast thanks to the 86
HK Golfer・APR 2011
HKGOLFER.COM
influence of the Gulf Stream, which makes these the warmest English counties during winter; snow – and the likelihood of the courses being closed as a result – is rare. The best golfing conditions are typically May thru September when the turf is at its best. Sunset doesn't occur until after 8p.m. in the summer months and many courses offer substantial green fee discounts on rounds commenced after 4pm.
GETTING THERE
HKGOLFER.COM
Richard Hughes (Royal North Devon)
Numerous carriers – including Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas – fly direct to London's Heathrow airport daily. Car hire is by far the most convenient mode of transport upon arrival, although it is possible to travel by a combination of train and taxi to all five courses listed here. It's approximately a four and a half hour drive from Heathrow to Padstow; three and a half hours to Barnstaple. HK Golfer・APR 2011
87