NW links debate

[Deleted member 1740]

'If Formby had no trees'......what about if Hillside had no sand dunes ? :rofl:

Hillside chews you up and spits you out. Formby gently caresses you as you go round Hillside has the best holes, Formby is the more enjoyable course over 18 holes and the one I'd rather be a member at. Just my opinion of course.

So what you're saying is because formby is easier it's better than hillside.....

 

[bluewolf]

So what you're saying is because formby is easier it's better than hillside.....

Enjoyable, not easier.... There's a world of difference. For example, you are enjoyable, but you are definitely not easy.

 

[NWJocko]

So what you're saying is because formby is easier it's better than hillside.....

Formby isn't easier, I've scored better at hillside than Formby every time, just prefer Formby as a place to play golf.

I've maybe not played enough courses or I'm not good enough at golf to define/understand what a "better" course is, tend to go on how I enjoy playing there.

Like my choices for membership, I think SAOL is probably regarded as a "better" course than my place but I love wandering round mine on an evening, much more pleasant place (IMO) to play all my golf than SAOL.

 

[Liverbirdie]

'If Formby had no trees'......what about if Hillside had no sand dunes ? :rofl:

Ahhhhh, but the sand dunes are part of the holes or make up the undulation of Hillside, whereas Formby's trees dont tend to come into play, but just frame the holes (normally at a distance) unless your really wild.

 

[NWJocko]

Ahhhhh, but the sand dunes are part of the holes or make up the undulation of Hillside, whereas Formby's trees dont tend to come into play, but just frame the holes (normally at a distance) unless your really wild.

Where do the dunes come into play on Hillside unless you're wild?

 

[Liverbirdie]

Peter,

Its just you that thinks Hillside is better than Formby so get to the back of the class .

Hillside isn't as good as S&A either

Pack in, Yokel and has been ebidenced on here and on other threads, its nearly a split decision between Formby and Hillside, and I think Hillside won the poll once.

I'd also go as far to say that the ones who rate Hillside higher tend to be the forum's elder statesmen.......:whoo:

 

[Liverbirdie]

Where do the dunes come into play on Hillside unless you're wild?

2nd green is surrounded by the dune on 2 sides.

5th - the dunes come into play on the drive, and have to shoot between them on the approach.

6th - the green is set amongst small dunes

8th - in play all down the left

10th - Green set on top of the hill surrounded by them.

11th - say no more

13th - another one where the dune had provided the plateau for the green

14th - in play down the left

16th - in play everywhere

17th - again provides the plateau to tee of from, the green to play up to

18th - the tee to play from, and due to this and the exposed high winds can bring the complex left and right into play.

They dont just have to be whispy yellow long grass covered to be classed as dunes. If they have a tee, green or are part of a fairway flattened onto them, they are still a dune......IMO.

 

[NWJocko]

2nd green is surrounded by the dune on 2 sides.

5th - the dunes come into play on the drive, and have to shoot between them on the approach.

6th - the green is set amongst small dunes

8th - in play all down the left

10th - Green set on top of the hill surrounded by them.

11th - say no more

13th - another one where the dune had provided the plateau for the green

14th - in play down the left

16th - in play everywhere

17th - again provides the plateau to tee of from, the green to play up to

18th - the tee to play from, and due to this and the exposed high winds can bring the complex left and right into play.

They dont just have to be whispy yellow long grass covered to be classed as dunes. If they have a tee, green or are part of a fairway flattened onto them, they are still a dune......IMO.

So a lot of them no different to the trees at Formby then.

The dunes at Hillside frame the holes rather than be part of them IMO

Also, it's a bawhair between them in my book so not criticising

 

[Liverbirdie]

So a lot of them no different to the trees at Formby then.

The dunes at Hillside frame the holes rather than be part of them IMO

Also, it's a bawhair between them in my book so not criticising

Frame some of them, but a lot closer and in play more.:thup:

I do agree with you on SAOL and Fairhaven though - I think SAOL is the better test, but for a nice pleasant experience on a balmy Sunday evening, Fairhaven would be my choice on a weekly basis.

 

[Val]

I take your opinion on board and do wonder if as a member of Wallasey you may have grown bored. Who knows.

But most of the people on this thread seem to echo my thoughts.

Never in a million years could I get bored of Wallasey, it's a fantastic course.

If you read the thread back I think you will find most have said Royal Liverpool is ahead of Wallasey, and rightly so IMO.

Let me ask you this, given both courses are approx 5 miles apart and I'd argue Wallasey is a damn sight easier to get to then why do thye hold the open at Hoylake rather than Wallasey?

 

[TonyN]

Never in a million years could I get bored of Wallasey, it's a fantastic course.

If you read the thread back I think you will find most have said Royal Liverpool is ahead of Wallasey, and rightly so IMO.

Let me ask you this, given both courses are approx 5 miles apart and I'd argue Wallasey is a damn sight easier to get to then why do thye hold the open at Hoylake rather than Wallasey?

I did read the thread back and most people put Wallasey ahead of RLiv.

And Wallasey is very limited in terms of space for grandstands, media villiages, tour trucks etc where as Royal Liv isnt and also has the benefit of Hoylake muni for practice ground and other bits and pieces.

 

[Fish]

Never in a million years could I get bored of Wallasey, it's a fantastic course.

If you read the thread back I think you will find most have said Royal Liverpool is ahead of Wallasey, and rightly so IMO.

Let me ask you this, given both courses are approx 5 miles apart and I'd argue Wallasey is a damn sight easier to get to then why do thye hold the open at Hoylake rather than Wallasey?

Because there's nowhere for spectators, stands etc..

This thread clearly shows that we all look for different things, whether it be the playability of just the course, the whole package including the clubhouse, the surrounding area (views) and much more, I don't think there is a definitive right or wrong irrelevant of the courses standings in the top 100.

I think some people should just accept that people look for different things and will have a different eye to them in what they feel is important to them and how they enjoy their day on a course.

I played Royal Liverpool immediately after Formby and was very underwhelmed, I found Formby to be almost unique in it's setting, it's a hybrid of Links, Heathland & Parkland because of the mix of everything you come across in all those definitions as you walk the course, I'll happily give Hoylake another go but I wouldn't put myself out, however, I'd put myself out to play Wallasey all the time as for me I know I'll stand on far more tee's and say "what a great hole", I wouldn't or didn't say that at Hoylake and most definitely not at SAOL!

I don't dislike a course if I've struggled around it or if the conditions were bad that day, that isn't how a course should be judged, I struggled my way around Wallasey on my first first, and even on a good few holes since playing it many times since, but I still rank it IMO above Hoylake and West Lancs, it was terrible conditions when I played at Silloth and SAOL but I could still distinguish between the 2 courses, Silloth is a fantastic course but SAOL is too flat and boring for me, other than their signature par 3 hole.

We all look for different things back from our visits and rounds, I have said it before and I won't be changed in my opinion, that, if you picked up the clubhouse at Hoylake and stripped back all it's history and Tiger's 2 iron, which is very nice to see, and looked at it purely as a course, it would feature, IMO much lower than other courses in the immediate area.