Hunstanton

[Tashyboy]

To be fair to the op. I played it a couple of years ago with three others. We paid £90 each. It was a minimum of £45 to much. We played sheringham for £65. It was bob on. Kings lynn was about the same £65. But again a £45 course. But better vfm. Hunstanton just never ticked any boxes. For close to £100. There was no wow factor.
I have gone on record and said i think that links in this country ( well the ones i have played ) are bland and over priced. I hated Links, until i went to Ireland. I played in a lot worse conditions re wind and rain but loved it. But will deffo be back to Ireland. But this country esp Hunstanton, someone else can have my tee time.

 

[Foxholer]

From what I can see the only person slagging off the course is the OP and it would be nice if he came back and gave his reasons.

Er..T believe he did - in the 'Worried' thread.....

...
From a miserable greeting in the pro shop...For the money we shelled out, the fairways were a disgrace, the greens even worse. Unkempt bunkers. Bunkers with no sand in...

 

[Orikoru]

The Colloseum, it's just a big pile of rocks innit . If Karl Pilkington did Links golf .

I'm laughing because you are absolutely right. They are much more than that of course, I say that as someone who is not a fan but who does appreciate what they are.

I do want to play one at some point just to really experience the difference, but living where I live means a bit of planning to choose one and travel out to it and I just haven't bothered doing the research yet.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I do want to play one at some point just to really experience the difference, but living where I live means a bit of planning to choose one and travel out to it and I just haven't bothered doing the research yet.

I started out on a links course but always enjoyed away days at parkland courses more. At some point the penny dropped and I moved clubs. I like the aesthetics of a pretty course, I like grass under a ball, and largely I get that more at non links courses. At some point it would be good for you to play one, in the same way that all golfers should play heathland, parkland and links at some point. A bit of variety, different skills required.

 

[robinthehood]

I've said it here before, but I think it is wrong, unfair, over the top to go out and totally slag off a course just because one person doesn't rate it in their opinion.

If you're selling yourself on the back of being rated as one of the best courses in the UK and Ireland then you need to justify that. I think it's great that we can read and write reviews and share our experiences for all manor of things.
Being top 100 has to mean something, and not just expensive.

 

[IanM]

Correct - and most ratings on sites and magazines usually set out their criteria and the score weightings. Worth reading the detail.

But, generally, links seem to get higher ratings "all other things being equal."

 

[Tashyboy]

I remember when we went on a jaunt oop north. We played courses on the recommendations of folk on here, plus we got a three course deal. We played Goswick. Massively over rated in our fours view. Bamburgh is on the coast but not a links. We loved it. foxton aka alnmouth is classed as a parkland course but has two or three holes that run along the beach. Again we all loved it. Less money than Hunstanton but for us four far more appealing. So much so we had a deep and meaningful discussion in “the ship” in seahouses re how some of these courses are rates so highly. It seems VFM does not come into it.

 

[Foxholer]

...It seems VFM does not come into it.

Absolutely correct!

Compare Gullane #2 @ £20 for a twilight round against it's (slightly) bigger brother #1 at £90 even for twilight!

Mind you... it used to be a Fiver for either as a 'member's guest'.....!!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

The criteria for the course rankings is on the GM website under the courses tab. It is designed to list the BEST courses, not best VFM.

 

[IanM]

The criteria for the course rankings is on the GM website under the courses tab. It is designed to list the BEST courses, not best VFM.

Thank goodness for that....

 

[Orikoru]

The criteria for the course rankings is on the GM website under the courses tab. It is designed to list the BEST courses, not best VFM.

I don't really see a distinction there. If a course if one of the best courses then surely it is value for money by default, unless it costs like £1000 to play.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I remember when we went on a jaunt oop north. We played courses on the recommendations of folk on here, plus we got a three course deal. We played Goswick. Massively over rated in our fours view. Bamburgh is on the coast but not a links. We loved it. foxton aka alnmouth is classed as a parkland course but has two or three holes that run along the beach. Again we all loved it. Less money than Hunstanton but for us four far more appealing. So much so we had a deep and meaningful discussion in “the ship” in seahouses re how some of these courses are rates so highly. It seems VFM does not come into it.

Agreed with some links courses that are ranked high are not great (some for not a great test of golf, setting, look, views, condition, memorable or even experience). And often wonder why they are ranked so high and why parkland courses are not.

Never really read a real reason for this, but I did notice that in the 2017/18 top 100 booklet produced by GM, of the 5 testers detailed all said Links was their favourite kind of course. Also in the 2019/20 top 100 GM booklet, a different 4 testers said their favourite course in the top 100 was a links course(slightly different question asked). Take from that what you will.

I loved Bamburgh and right up there with the best views from a coastal course I have played. I would have to say that as a golf course test, conditioning and practise facitlites isn't up there with the best, however loads of great fun holes and cant wait to go back there. Very memorable course for sure and would recommend it to people before quite a number of higher ranked courses. Great fun course.

 

[Colonel Bogey]

Correct - and most ratings on sites and magazines usually set out their criteria and the score weightings. Worth reading the detail.

But, generally, links seem to get higher ratings "all other things being equal."

I've noticed that. Are links really so much better than other types of course? I think it's a case of Emperors New Clothes myself.

 

[IanM]

Maybe it's history and tradition. Links are the original form of the game.

I can live with that.

What you see on TV week in week out is a 20th Century invention.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Come on who is going to come out with the classic links bingo phrase? Alarms will go off, fireworks will be set alight. Can't be long now.

 

[IanM]

Thought I just did! Doesnt make it wrong!

 

[robinthehood]

Maybe it's history and tradition. Links are the original form of the game.

I can live with that.

What you see on TV week in week out is a 20th Century invention.

For me links is a rarity as I live far from the sea. I have played a few courses an enjoyed it, especially the old course , although that was for the experience as much as anything else.

 

[IanM]

Me too.... growing up in Guildford, I always love a trip to the seaside! (golf or otherwise)

Maybe that drives my delight at getting beaten up by a tough links!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Thought I just did! Doesnt make it wrong!

You nearly had it right, 'Links is the purest form of the game' gets the top prize .

Each to their own. No one is right or wrong, it is personal preference.

 

[Tashyboy]

Agreed with some links courses that are ranked high are not great (some for not a great test of golf, setting, look, views, condition, memorable or even experience). And often wonder why they are ranked so high and why parkland courses are not.

Never really read a real reason for this, but I did notice that in the 2017/18 top 100 booklet produced by GM, of the 5 testers detailed all said Links was their favourite kind of course. Also in the 2019/20 top 100 GM booklet, a different 4 testers said their favourite course in the top 100 was a links course(slightly different question asked). Take from that what you will.

I loved Bamburgh and right up there with the best views from a coastal course I have played. I would have to say that as a golf course test, conditioning and practise facitlites isn't up there with the best, however loads of great fun holes and cant wait to go back there. Very memorable course for sure and would recommend it to people before quite a number of higher ranked courses. Great fun course.

Your last paragraph hits the nail sock on the head. But would you of felt the same if you had paid £150. Not sure if we only paid £50. But it was memorable and i would deffo play it again. Wonder how much a course like that would cost in the Surrey belt.