CHAMPIONSHIP golf courses ???

[madandra]

Right folks, I was flicking through this months GM mag and as always at the back I was looking at all the lovely golf course I will never get to play and noticed that give or take a couple they were all described as a CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE and it made me think

What the kell is a CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE ?

What championships do they hold there???

Please put me out my misery.

 

[medwayjon]

Thats a tough one for sure.

Does a course qualify if it has held a tour event perhaps, or a local open, or a pro-am? Maybee it is a qualifying course for bigger events or maybee a course where a ladies event is played?

This has confused me when reading the ads in the magazines as the term championship course is very non-specific.

I think you shall be waiting a long time for a definitive answer on this one.

 

[Parmo]

Does it mean they can charge what they want for membership and people just pay?

 

[geronimo]

probably made and set up to the standard required to hold pro tournaments.

this is just a guess, will probably be put right by the lads at the magazine as they will know.

 

[thecraw]

Think its more a figure of speach these days.

I believe in the past it would have meant an Open course or possibly even an open qualifier.

The likes of Cardrona in the borders I'm sure its called a championship course when it actual fact its far from it, when I played it was a sodden mess!

 

[viscount17]

Could be it's a bit like Leeds United or Newcastle - was once - a long time ago

 

[GB72]

Not sure it has any viable meaning these days. The course that I use, Rutland Water, only became an 18 hole course last year but the adverts and banners said 'new championship course opening soon'

 

[toonarmy]

Could be it's a bit like Leeds United or Newcastle - was once - a long time ago

Ouch!

 

[stevelockie]

It's a figure of speech, there's no such thing as a "Championship Course"

 

[geronimo]

if it does mean nothing then it has got to be false advertising.
If booked a course that said it was a championship course i would be expecting something a bit better than your average course at the very least.

 

[muttleee]

I imagine every course holds at the very least a club championship so presumably they can all claim to be championship courses...

I agree, it's just a marketing gimmick.

 

[DCB]

Played at a course last spring that had a banner at the end of the road stating 'Championship Standard Course' That was an even bigger laugh than the standard of the golf!

It was little more than 'set aside' land that the EU payed the farmer not to uses for agricultural use. He made a golf course out of it. Might be ok after a few years and a lot of work by a greenkeeper, but it was definately not 'Championship Standard'

 

[rgs]

There should be a standard definition from the R&A or at least the local Golfing Union as what constitutes a championship course.

My home course held an event on the Europro Tour and a round of the Irish PGA Championship so i suppose we can called our course a championship course ro can we?????

 

[RGuk]

There should be a standard definition from the R&A or at least the local Golfing Union as what constitutes a championship course.

Couldn't agree more, should be at least 7,000 off the white and a fair challenge for expert amateurs and pros.

 

[Tommo21]

It is a bit of a loose term these days, but since I have Muirfield just up the road, that term is taken a bit more seriously around East Lothian. I have around 20 plus golf courses within 30 minutes drive and I would say 6 or 7 are regarded as championship standard.

I see championship standard as tough but fair challenge that doesn’t necessarily need to be a long course.

 

[shanker]

TOMO21 is a lucky b*****. Where do you play? Do you get to knock it round Muirfield? You're spoilt for courses up there but the crappy weather must be the drawback.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

I'm in the same situation as TOMO21. we have 3 courses at Carnoustie and as one of them is called "The Championship Course" I would imagine that it could be classed as a championship course, however i would say that the second course "The Burnside" is also what you would call "championship" quality. But the Buddon links, as good condition as it's kept, I would say fails due to it's lack of length.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Found this when googling "Championship courses" which I found interesting.

http://www.stonehavengolfclub.com/aspirations.htm

I have played Stonehaven and found that they have achieved their "aspirations". Very good, interesting course. Excellent condition. Highly enjoyable, with the best vistas of any course I've played.

 

[Tommo21]

TOMO21 is a lucky b*****. Where do you play? Do you get to knock it round Muirfield? You're spoilt for courses up there but the crappy weather must be the drawback.

Shaker, I play Royal Musselburgh, one of the oldest clubs in the world. It's a parkland par 70 course, a fair test with many doglegs, tree lined and rolling fairways with super greens. Never played Muirfield, it's way too costly, but I've played most of the others. The weather's not too bad.....mm, well.

 

[John_Findlay]

Played it many years ago, Tomo21, but frequented Monktonhall a bit more often, as a mate was a member.

Went down to the Seniors open at Muirfield this year and, dare I say it....I was a little disappointed with the course. Expected more...but would still love to play it.