# couple course reviews...



## hamshanker (Sep 21, 2014)

Just back from our short golf break down to Swansea so thought give little good/bad review of the courses .

Machynys was the starter and looking at the course before hand was in fear of losing lots of balls as it showed plenty of water on the course and thought it would be a low points scoring round for many but some decent scores were made......
Water in play from the 1st hole to the right on this gentle dog-leg right par 4 which was a nice gentle opening hole to some and then the fun really started on the 2nd par3,water to the right all the way upto the green but from the tee had a little glimpse of the left hand side of the green with out going over the water and luckily the pin was located there (phew)......
From there on i can only remember 2 holes that didnâ€™t have any water that could come into play,the lay-out of the course was fantastic every hole being different in some way,there were straight holes with water either left or right,dog-legs right and left with water usually on the inside so coming into play when hitting into the greens too.
So to the 18th if youve been lucky to dodge alot of the water the finishing hole has a HUGE pond straight in front of the tee and the carry was 175yrds easy ya might think but even some of the big hitters got wet and is definately a hole that can ruin many cards....
The greens were absolutely stunning to play on,pick a line and your ball stayed there and not one bobble on any green,would highly recommend this course every hole has something different..

Pennard(Links in the Sky) was our 2nd course and meant to be the highlight of our trip but the only thing in the sky it resembled was lunar land scape.........
Was looking forward having read reviews but was such a let down,apart from the greens the course was non existing,there was no definition of any fairways couldnt see them just aimed in the general direction of where the green was or rather marker posts as lot of blind shots,apart from the stunning views im sorry cant give much more of a review as there isnâ€™t anymore i can say and wouldnâ€™t recommend definitely not worth green fee...

Final course we play on way home so Vale of Llangollen was our 3rd course,we have played here before and is a gorgeous parkland course set in a valley.
Starts with a dog-leg par5 with water short and right of the green and then from there on mixture of long and short par4/5 all tree lined but not to heavy so ball can easily be found in them if you find the trees and the greens are true and fairly fast and finishes with a lovely up hill par3 2 tiered green which the club house over looks a definite course to play if your in the area and also worth the travel.


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## SVB (Sep 21, 2014)

Certainly agree with your reviews of the first two, haven't played the third.

My Dad and I visited Swansea 2 wks ago and played Monmouthshire GC on the way over, Mach, Pyle & Kenfig and Pennard in their open medal (ug!!).  We were lucky to have great weather for all so on that basis I think my review is not coloured by sunshine on one and a soaking on another.

Loved Mon GC & Mach - both very different and the Mach was great and felt much more mature than it's age would suggest.

P&K was good and great for 5 holes (11-16). 

Pennard I thought was rubbish.  We were lucky in being sent out for the medal round with a member as our third without which and the 'information' (not advice!) he graciously gave on each tee would have made the course on the point of unplayable for vistors.  As it was, good shots were punished with the dead ground (not fairways!) between tee and green a total lottery. I played very poorly as a result as I found it difficult to commit to any shot as I had no confidence on what the outcome would be! May be this is 'pure' and 'traditional' links golf - I've not played any of the greats but I can't believe the game would be where is it today if this were the reality.

Off the course, other than Mach, the other three were members clubs with that feel.  Both Mon GC and Pennard were very welcoming, P&K was not unwelcoming but equally made little effort to be welcoming and as a result left us feeling a bit unwanted (and their sun terrace and garden area needs to be seen to be believed - 3 runs of old slabs with a bit of grass that looks like no-one knows who to ask to cut the grass for the whole season and mole heaven - smacks of Greens and House Cttee not in silos but concrete reinforced bunkers!!!)  Mach is typically american corperate in style and delivers on that ethos very well.

All my opinoin only of course, others may have a polar opposite view and happy to accept that - life would be boring if we were all the same.

Simon


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## hamshanker (Sep 21, 2014)

Yeah totally agree Simon was made welcome at both courses and excellent club houses with fabulous views...

Was really disappointed at Pennard was expecting a great links course,ive played quite a few and they are nothing like Pennard so dont let this course put you off a true links is a joy to play.....


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## Deleted Member 1156 (Sep 21, 2014)

I played in the Welsh MidAm at Machynys this year, quite a tough track from the back tees and a few pins were in smelly positions. Always enjoyed playing there.

Pennard is more of an aquired taste, very natural course with some great holes but doesn't suit everyone's eye. Personally I liked it because it doesn't feel manufactured in any way whatsoever. 

P&K.....well, what a missed opportunity. The club had the chance to buy all the fantastic dunes land down by the back 9 but they turned it down. If they had it would be one of the best links courses in the UK. As it stands, it's definitely a course of 2 halves. Didn't think much of the front 9 but once you cross the road it is completely different, it really comes alive and becomes a proper links course.

Some very good courses in S Wales!


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## hackandburn (Sep 30, 2014)

Good timing - haven't long got back from Machynys myself and thoroughly enjoyed it. Played off the back tees (7100 yards) and thought it was a tough but very fair test of golf - typical Jack Nicklaus course. Pretty wide forgiving fairways but if you missed them you could be in trouble. The greens had just been top dressed so probably not at their best but perfectly playable. 
Would highly recommend it - bargain at Â£50 a round. Cracking clubhouse and off course facilities
Also played Royal Porthcawl on the way - another great track and a real good old fashioned links! They wouldn't let me play off the very back tees (no surprise!) but played off the white medal tees and it was a great test from there. Quite expensive but well worth it if, like me, you love the links golf.


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