European Tour UK swing 2020

[Lord Tyrion]

British Master at Close House today. Grey and mizzly up here but thankfully not heavy rain. Nice to see the tour back up and running. Good to have different golfers rather than the usual US fare.

The rain should make the greens very receptive so I'm not surprised scoring is generally good. For us amateurs the greens are very funky but it doesn't seem to bother the top guys. Course is looking good, as it should be with the weather we have had.

Anyone fancies it after seeing it, they have a stay and play offer on right now which is great value.

 

[moogie]

I realise we're in very strange times right now
But that is without a doubt the worst field I've ever seen assembled for a european tour event.....!!
Very poor
But yet they are still ripping it apart

As for Westwood.... Shocking scoring really, as he's playing there all the time, and will have played the course more times than the entire field combined.

They're even playing the course the right way around this time, as no need for grandstands, no space for one around the proper 18th, so they used the 4th as the 18th last time


Local lad.... Garrick Porteus going well

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I realise we're in very strange times right now
But that is without a doubt the worst field I've ever seen assembled for a european tour event.....!!
Very poor
But yet they are still ripping it apart

As for Westwood.... Shocking scoring really, as he's playing there all the time, and will have played the course more times than the entire field combined.

They're even playing the course the right way around this time, as no need for grandstands, no space for one around the proper 18th, so they used the 4th as the 18th last time


Local lad.... Garrick Porteus going well

I'm pleased they are playing it in correct order, I can work it out now ?.

What do you think the defences are for the course at this level? Do they need it bone hard, windy? The difficulties I see don't seem to bother them.

Agree about Porteous. A Morpeth lad, did everything you could at amateur level but has struggled since turning pro. A good tournament could help give him the confidence needed to feel at home at this level.

 

[moogie]

Tbh
It's not a tour venue
It's not long enough or difficult enough

If it was windier it still wouldn't be difficult enough for these fellas

Only thing I could see them do to reduce the scoring would be to narrow the fairways up and grow that rough above knee high

The greens are slopy
But not really showing up due to the rain today

Still say the 18th is a terrible finishing hole, for a place like this

**think Garrick turned pro with a +5 handicap**

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yes, you are right about GP. Scary isn't it ?.

Fair point about the course.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Just glad to have ET golf back. Pleased to see Michael Campbell rolling back the years and having a good first round

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Horribly wet morning up here today but the sun is out now. Hopefully they are getting this at Close House as well. Great to see Robert Rock up on the leaderboard again. He smiles, not hard folks.

 

[Grant85]

I'm happy to give the European Tour a pass and likely we will see a lot of benign set-ups like this on the UK swing.

However Close House was pencilled in for this pre-Covid, and has hosted before so tough to argue it isn't a tour venue. I'm sure they set-up would have been much the same if there hadn't been the lockdown.

It does look like wide fairways and large greens. Perhaps in drier weather they might have got the greens running a bit quicker and the pins would be tougher to access.

But I guess it his hosting due to connection with Westy and generally they will get decent crowds in the NE, close to large population base.

 

[jonny1409]

Having played the course loads of times I agree that it's nice to see it played in the correct order.

However, I also agree that it's nowhere near tough enough for a proper tour venue.
The facilities themselves are definitely tour standard, but the course itself can easily be tamed (Not by me I add, but I'm rubbish! )

 

[Zig]

Agree with everything people have posted above about the place.

Fantastic facilities, and for families/society golf, it takes some beating. They've clearly invested hugely, and it's a joy to visit.
Membership: can see why it's both expensive and popular.

Played it two weekends ago before it closed for comp prep. It was first class.

Tour golf: different beast. First, it's been wet, which dramatically reduces the courses defences. And slows down some of the fairways/greens. And there's not really been any wind to speak of. The site doesn't lend itself to being a challenge for the pros (but then, lots of courses on the tours aren't, and see low scores in relation to par). The holes aren't long enough, and some that are long play dramatically downhill. That said... if golfers as good as Westy are still shooting level par, then it can't be that easy!

 

[sunshine]

Close House only hosts tour events because the owners are paying to host as part of their marketing budget. They probably spend the rest of their marketing budget getting Westwood to endorse it. Just looks like an average resort course to me. Whenever it's been on tv the weather has been rubbish, which doesn't help sell it to me. If you live in the north east, I'm sure it's a nice place for a short break, but I don't understand why anyone would travel a long way to stay and play.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Close House only hosts tour events because the owners are paying to host as part of their marketing budget. They probably spend the rest of their marketing budget getting Westwood to endorse it. Just looks like an average resort course to me. Whenever it's been on tv the weather has been rubbish, which doesn't help sell it to me. If you live in the north east, I'm sure it's a nice place for a short break, but I don't understand why anyone would travel a long way to stay and play.

I have watched bits of the golf after work each day. The cameras flatten out the curves and contours of the course, the greens in particular. It really is a challenge for amateurs, it really is interesting to play, but you do not necessarily pick that up on tv.

In terms of why stay? It is a lovely set up, not a standard hotel style course and accomodation. You can see where the money has been spent, it is a classy place albeit very relaxed in manner. You park your car, no need to drive again, two courses directly there for you, immaculately prepared, good clubhouse, top rooms. If so inclined you can get a taxi into Newcastle. If you get a decent deal it is a very good option for a golf trip.

 

[sunshine]

I'm sure Close House is a nice resort and a challenging course, just pointing out that if you are in the "south" there are plenty of other resorts which do the same job e.g. the Belfry, Forest of Arden, Hanbury Manor.

I went to Slaley Hall for a weekend a long time ago. We went to a game at st James Park and had a cracking night out. Newcastle was a fun place for a weekend trip but I wouldn't go there to play golf again.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm sure Close House is a nice resort and a challenging course, just pointing out that if you are in the "south" there are plenty of other resorts which do the same job e.g. the Belfry, Forest of Arden, Hanbury Manor.

I fully understand your point there. In your original post the comment was a little more blanket than for regional reasons. I've done a good view golf weekends and the max I would travel is 4 hours. Even then it would have to be a special place to go that far, 2hrs would be my usual target.

 

[Depreston]

Beautiful weather today up in the NE

 

[sunshine]

Beautiful weather today up in the NE

Pretty chilly - only 19 degrees according to BBC.

 

[Crow]

Just had a look on the website, Sam Horsfield eagled all three of the par fives, nice.

 

[Jensen]

Close House only hosts tour events because the owners are paying to host as part of their marketing budget. They probably spend the rest of their marketing budget getting Westwood to endorse it. Just looks like an average resort course to me. Whenever it's been on tv the weather has been rubbish, which doesn't help sell it to me. If you live in the north east, I'm sure it's a nice place for a short break, but I don't understand why anyone would travel a long way to stay and play.

I agree with you and live in the North East. I played the course once and felt very underwhelmed afterwards. Personally I think Matfen Hall is better.