My next course played was a weekend more recently when my dad was in town and we decided that we better get some golf in before it got too cold. After some research, I chose to play Wentworth Golf Club, which is located just south of London and was founded in 1926. As it is ranked 9th on the top golf clubs in England and Ireland, this is probably the most presitigious course I have played thus far, although a close call with the next course on the list. The European PGA Tour headquarters are located at this club and its’ West course hosts the BMW PGA Championship every year. It has also played host to the 1953 Ryder Cup and then HSBC World Match Play Championship from 1964 until 2007.
The amazing clubhouse at Wentworth where we sat outside and enjoyed some fish and chips looking onto the 18th green.
Looking down the 18th fairway
The club is surrounded with pictures of all the golf greats from Tiger Woods to Vijay Singh and even some of the older greats of Jack Nicklaus and Freddie Couples. I pictured the top players of the world walking where I was and preparing to play in the tournaments. I heard stories of Tiger Woods walking out of the clubhouse to a mob of people as he headed down to the first tee just a few steps away. The West Tournament course costs a mere 285 pounds for one round of 18 so we decided to take the cheaper route and play the Edinburgh course for a cheap 150 pounds. The clubhouse was amazing and the hospitality was even better. Hopefully we can get back here one day and play the West course after I save up all my ‘pence.’
Lastly, probably the most well known course of the 4 I have played is Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s Golf Club. We took a train ride out to St. Anne’s on the Sea one weekend where I met a client of mine from Houston for a round of golf. This club was founded in 1886 and is a true links style course from start to finish with 3 foot high rough just off the fairways and rolling hills throughout. This course has held Open Championships on numerous occasions with the most recent being in 2001 when David Duval won the tournament with a 10 under par. The course has some very unique aspects such as the first hole being a par 3 and it having 198 bunkers, all in the exact right place for my shots I must add. The course is in wonderful condition and is preparing for the 2012 British Open which will be played at Royal Lytham.
Teeing off on number 18, not a good day, now I know why.
Looking down 18 fairway with friends from a client in Houston. Great day of golf, not so good score.
In conclusion, that is the extent of my golfing thus far. Unfortunately, it is quickly getting colder which will prevent too much more golf being played. However, I am greatly looking forward to next summer where St. Andrews and other hot spots are on the list.
If you are a golf fan and have never played in England or Scotland, the links style courses and the 40 mph winds are something you just have to experience for yourself. Be prepared to add about 10 strokes to your score. You will really appreciate the professionals.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you very much. No need for applause..
Thanks to Cristen being up for just about anything, I have had the privilege of playing 4 golf courses in England over my past 4 months of being here. Each of these courses were weekend trips away except for one which was surprisingly close and extremely enjoyable. So, without further rambling, here goes..
The first weekend trip consisted of two courses, one on Saturday and the other on Sunday. We struck out by train to the southeastern coast of England to play two courses that have a ton of history. Believe it or not, our stop was a city called Sandwich just outside the port city of Dover. The first course on this tour was Prince’s Golf Club. It was built in 1906 and then later redone after it was badly damaged in World War II. The course is now a 27 hole course and provides its challenges. It is most widely known for its hosting of the Open Championship in 1932 where the American Gene Sarazen won the tournament. As a sidenote for all the golf historians, Sarazen was the first player to debut a ‘sand iron’ which began a whole new era for golf.
In case the 4 foot tall rough wasn’t enough, since the course is on the water it also adds anywhere from 30-50 mph winds just in case you were up for a challenge that day.
Teeing off on number 1 at Prince’s..
Me on the tee at Prince's, water behind..
Amazingly enough, I found my ball in that! I didn't bother trying to hit it out.
The second stop on this trip was to the Royal Cinque Ports golf club. This course is located just a stone’s throw from Sandwich in a city called Deal. The course was founded in 1892 and has held the Open Championship in 1909 and 1920 and still holds Amateur qualifying events today. As this course also sits right along the water, it has been removed from any more prestigious tournament rotations due to the course being covered in water due to high tides at random times throughout the year.
As we pulled up, I was a little leary of the course as the clubhouse and practice area looked run down. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the course and the people inside who made this experience one to never forget. As we started off on 1, I noticed that the winds were picking up a little. Little did I know what I was getting myself into as we hit number 2 and went along the Sandwich Bay for an enjoyable yet challenging layout. Each hole provided its challenges and according to the attendant at the halfway house, the course can play into the wind for the entire 18 holes if you play at the right time (winds change with the tide). My favorite quote of the day was ‘it is not windy until the flags are hitting the green.’ Thankfully, we played the first 12 or so into a 30-35 mph wind and then had that wind at our back for a much more enjoyable finish. This included a 350 yard drive onto the green on a par 4. The wind didn't help any, I promise.
Right where I wanted to be, in the bunker.
Just a slight breeze.
Teeing off on number 9 right by the Sandwich Bay.
