Silloth on Solway & an Albatross!

[MendieGK]

Played Silloth on Friday, wow! What an incredible course. If it was in Merseyside it would be ranked even higher than it already is.

Was lucky enough to get joined up with the head pro from Formby, Andy. Really nice guy. Who also had an albatross on the 17th. The first and probably last I’ll ever see. Mental

 

[fundy]

Saw one 30 odd years ago when as Juniors we nicked out after the pro-am. One of the lads I played with holed in 1 at the par 4 9th!

cracking track Silloth

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Played Silloth on Friday, wow! What an incredible course. If it was in Merseyside it would be ranked even higher than it already is.

Was lucky enough to get joined up with the head pro from Formby, Andy. Really nice guy. Who also had an albatross on the 17th. The first and probably last I’ll ever see. Mental

Glad you liked it.

Did you play off the back tees?

 

[MendieGK]

Saw one 30 odd years ago when as Juniors we nicked out after the pro-am. One of the lads I played with holed in 1 at the par 4 9th!

cracking track Silloth

We actually gave up thinking it must have gone in the bush 5yards left of the pin. Then I picked mine out of the hole and saw his

 

[MendieGK]

Glad you liked it.

Did you play off the back tees?

Yes mate. Enjoyed it even more because of that. Par 3s were exceptional

 

[fundy]

We actually gave up thinking it must have gone in the bush 5yards left of the pin. Then I picked mine out of the hole and saw his

Yep sounds familiar, looked in the bunkers, the car park behind the green etc etc

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Yes mate. Enjoyed it even more because of that. Par 3s were exceptional

Cool, I always enjoy the Blue tee comps.

Par 3's are good, I find the 16th toughest hole on the course for me. Very difficult hole when its playing firm, so easy to end in the gorse left, right and through the back.

Tough test yesterday I suspect, breezy 20 miles down the coast where I live.

 

[anotherdouble]

Stunning course, loved the meet there last year.

Well done

Totally agree mate. Would love to return but it must be warmer which wouldn’t be hard. Wind I can deal with, but the beast from the east dealt with me😩

 

[chellie]

Totally agree mate. Would love to return but it must be warmer which wouldn’t be hard. Wind I can deal with, but the beast from the east dealt with me😩

Yes, it certainly was bloody cold and windy wasn't it. It's on our list to do again.

 

[Jacko_G]

Had a big bird myself. Par 4th @ Machrihanish Dunes.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Have had one as well - 3rd at Springs near Wallingford 🏌🏿‍♂️

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Mate of mine played it the week after the open. Cracking course in poor nick, was his feeling.

Never had a “double eagle”😉 myself, but had a hat full of regular ones.

 

[MendieGK]

Mate of mine played it the week after the open. Cracking course in poor nick, was his feeling.

Never had a “double eagle”😉 myself, but had a hat full of regular ones.

People perceptions of ‘poor nick’ are often poorly informed. Same people that moan when greens are hollow tined 😂

Greens were great, tees perfect and fairways solid. Considering it was the driest summer in history last year I have absolutely 0 complaints

 

[Hitdaball]

I play with some folk that think any heathland or links we have ever played is in poor nick because they are not dolled up like an American parkland. Different strokes....

 

[MendieGK]

I play with some folk that think any heathland or links we have ever played is in poor nick because they are not dolled up like an American parkland. Different strokes....

Yeah and the greens arent ’green’ enough

 

[sunshine]

People perceptions of ‘poor nick’ are often poorly informed. Same people that moan when greens are hollow tined 😂

Greens were great, tees perfect and fairways solid. Considering it was the driest summer in history last year I have absolutely 0 complaints

But what was the condition of the car park? Nothing worse than poorly maintained Tarmac

Had an albatross myself: 18th at littlestone. Spent ages looking over the back of the green before finally checking the cup.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I play with some folk that think any heathland or links we have ever played is in poor nick because they are not dolled up like an American parkland. Different strokes....

You make an interesting point but I take it the opposite way. If all courses are ranked against a 'table' then surely that would mean parkland course would score quite highly on the condition marking. You are not marking a course against another sand based course, you are marking it against all courses in the UK & I.

A couple of the best condition courses I have played have been parkland. One was the belfry and the other mount Juliet. Stuggle to think of a healthland or links course in Summer/Autumn that completes.

Clearly drainage is an issue for a lot of parkland courses in winter, but the opposite is true of heathland/links in summer(unless it is in a high rainy period/area) and a couple that I have played were in poor condition wise for that kind of course.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

People perceptions of ‘poor nick’ are often poorly informed. Same people that moan when greens are hollow tined 😂

Greens were great, tees perfect and fairways solid. Considering it was the driest summer in history last year I have absolutely 0 complaints

In respect of the point highlighted, would you be slightly annoyed, if you turned up to a course and was paying say £100-£400 green fee, would you be happy that you are paying full green for those kind of putting greens(whether hollow tined or cored) ? I know I would not be happy, as I am paying a lot of money.

I do agree that it is questionable whether that should be taken into account with rankings tho.

Easy if the round is for free or maybe upto say upto £50 to ignore the poorer greens. Did that at Moortown and the greens were very very poor to putt on. We were told just before teeing off that they had been cored a couple of weeks prior, but the greens were very poor and if I have been paying full green fee, I would have moaned about(ha ha). So I should I be allowed to moan or would I be wrong to and were do you draw the line.......

 

[patricks148]

You make an interesting point but I take it the opposite way. If all courses are ranked against a 'table' then surely that would mean parkland course would score quite highly on the condition marking. You are not marking a course against another sand based course, you are marking it against all courses in the UK & I.

A couple of the best condition courses I have played have been parkland. One was the belfry and the other mount Juliet. Stuggle to think of a healthland or links course in Summer/Autumn that completes.

Clearly drainage is an issue for a lot of parkland courses in winter, but the opposite is true of heathland/links in summer(unless it is in a high rainy period/area) and a couple that I have played were in poor condition wise for that kind of course.

I don't think its fair to compare Links conditions to that of parkland courses, they both sit in very different enviroments. Wind from the sea air and the soil require different grasses and links grass is alwasy going to be less lush and diff colours than parkland.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I don't think its fair to compare Links conditions to that of parkland courses, they both sit in very different enviroments. Wind from the sea air and the soil require different grasses and links grass is alwasy going to be less lush and diff colours than parkland.

I didn't mean in that manner, I was more referring to grass coverage being equal/good/consistent, divots being repaired, semi-rough being consistent and rough being consistent, not having 'tuffy' lumps of grass. I understand that the underlining soil conditions mean it can not be a lot fo the time, just like parkland in winter doesn't drain as well as sand based.

But surely the rating should be based on the course and therefore it is course against course, otherwise you would just ignore the muddy conditions of parkland in winter as it is the underlining soil conditions that causes that.