U.K. Golf breaks - end of Feb.

[Hacker Khan]

G

Tough for the high HC bracket players

Speaking as a very high handicap player I found it enchanting. Just play to your handicap and use your extra shots and you'll be fine. Laying up is the way to go.

 

[Smiffy]

Depends how far you want to travel ?
Old Thorns?

Take your wellies.:thup:

I would avoid Old Thorns like the plague in February.
And for the other 11 months I'd just avoid it.

 

[Oddsocks]

Any suggestions mr smiffers

 

[Smiffy]

Any suggestions mr smiffers

As others have said, inland courses are likely to be a bit hit and miss unless you head for somewhere that you knows drains well, like Woodhall Spa etc. Heathland courses tend to hold up well in the winter, so if I had to play away from the coast it would be one of those that I headed to.
Links golf comes into it's own during the worst of the weather, but the drawback is that links courses are usually exposed, desolate places.
Stuck out on a links course, with the freezing wind blowing across it, has to be the closest thing to hell (from my point of view) so that's why my clubs tend to be packed away at that time of year.
Some see it as a challenge, man battling against the elements, that sort of thing. Good luck to 'em.
I am a wimp.


PS. If you did head for Woodhall Spa, play your golf on the Hotchkin and not the Bracken. The Bracken, whilst having a few good holes on it, is likely to be like a quagmire too.

 

[chrisd]

Some of you lot are seriously deluded about Prince's!! One of the best courses in Kent and great accommodation too - decent packages with the other 2 also.

Very good in Feb as its dry compared to the rest of the country. My honest opinion is jump on a plane and go to Portugal or Spain tho!

I live in Kent and have played Princes several times and it doesn't come near other courses in the County, both links and parkland. We had a strong easterly wind and because most of the holes on the Shore and Dunes run up and down the coast line we just had a horrible left to right, diagonal cross wind one way and the opposite coming the other. The other Kent links courses are must prettier and a better test.

Cinque Ports being several notches up from Princes

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I live in Kent and have played Princes several times and it doesn't come near other courses in the County, both links and parkland. We had a strong easterly wind and because most of the holes on the Shore and Dunes run up and down the coast line we just had a horrible left to right, diagonal cross wind one way and the opposite coming the other. The other Kent links courses are must prettier and a better test.

Cinque Ports being several notches up from Princes

Which Parkland Courses ?

I know its better than the three links courses mentioned

As for the wind - well thats links courses for you.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Afternoon all, looks like me and a few of the lads are planning a weekend break end of Feb / start of March. Due to a break later in the year we were thinking somewhere in the U.K.

Obviously there are the common st mellions, Celtic, Woburn, but does anyone have any other recommendations.

Ideally somewhere than drains well as the weather around then could be a bit touch and go

Are you looking at a Saturday/Sunday option? What budget are you looking for?

 

[Deleted member 17920]

PS. If you did head for Woodhall Spa, play your golf on the Hotchkin and not the Bracken. The Bracken, whilst having a few good holes on it, is likely to be like a quagmire too.

The bracken has had a lot of drainage work over the last few years and whilst its not as good as the Hotchkin for drainage last winter it held up incredibly well.

 

[ADB]

The bracken has had a lot of drainage work over the last few years and whilst its not as good as the Hotchkin for drainage last winter it held up incredibly well.

Thanks to some guidance on here, I'm looking at some deals for Le Touquet (the 2x courses - La Mer, La Foret) and the cost is surprisingly reasonable at that time. Given you are in Kent, a quick trip in the tunnel and you could be there in a couple of hours?? Need to check further, but prices were around 150euro for 2 rounds and accommodation/breakfast if you factor in the cost of the tunnel.

Here you are

http://www.opengolfclub.com/en/sejours/fiche/50/One-night-golf-break-in-Le-Touquet/296/Presentation (last years prices)

 

[Oddsocks]

Abd, I'm serious when I say this DO NOT BOTHER!

We did the same trip last spring and it was so overrated it scared me!

La floret , a park land bombers course that wasn't in very good nick, Around a 1/4 of the holes were memorable, but 12-14 was just plain boring holes

La mer, it got one prize from me - Most over rated and disappointing course I've ever played. Again 4-5 holes that were memorable, the rest I actually can't remember they were that bad.

This is exactly why we are not going back this year.

 

[ADB]

Abd, I'm serious when I say this DO NOT BOTHER!

We did the same trip last spring and it was so overrated it scared me!

La floret , a park land bombers course that wasn't in very good nick, Around a 1/4 of the holes were memorable, but 12-14 was just plain boring holes

La mer, it got one prize from me - Most over rated and disappointing course I've ever played. Again 4-5 holes that were memorable, the rest I actually can't remember they were that bad.

This is exactly why we are not going back this year.

Is that a maybe then 😂😂

Cheers for the tip off and the PM

 

[chrisd]

Which Parkland Courses ?

I know its better than the three links courses mentioned

As for the wind - well thats links courses for you.

All a question of personal choice Phil but I'd rather play The London Club, Chart Hills, Sundridge Park, Rochester and Cobham over Princes any day, but then I'd play Cinque Ports or Royal St. Georges over all of them

 

[Oddsocks]

Well at the moment it's looking like a three day trip - st George's, cinque ports and princes.

Just got to work out the best way to book it

 

[patricks148]

Baz, get yourself on a plan from gatwick to Inverness and play Castle Stuart. Have to wait till end of march for it to open though.

 

[Oddsocks]

No good if we're planning end of Feb

Heard good things about castle Stuart but the lads wanna keep it local ish

 

[Oddsocks]

Anyone got an experience on the below courses during the march time, a few more have shown interest and a couple have suggested another option instead of links:

Package 1 is easy Sussex both courses, I'm sure from experience they dry well unless it's weeks of endless rain.

Package 2 is via dale hill with options between Dale hill, the woosenham and chart hills

Thanks in advance

 

[ADB]

Baz

There is a forumer called Shagster who is a member of ESN so maybe worth a PM regarding the condition. From my experience it does get a bit soggy but is usually in great nick most of the year. Don't know about Dale Hill.

 

[Smiffy]

Anyone got an experience on the below courses during the march time, a few more have shown interest and a couple have suggested another option instead of links:

Package 1 is easy Sussex both courses, I'm sure from experience they dry well unless it's weeks of endless rain.

Package 2 is via dale hill with options between Dale hill, the woosenham and chart hills

Thanks in advance

East Sussex National. Two good courses, although I personally prefer the East. Haven't played there for a while (although I'm due to play there next week funnily enough). Both can suffer if we get plenty of rain, but no more than any other parkland course. The 14th on the West is probably one of the toughest par 4's you will play anywhere.
Dale Hill?? The "Old" course is okay(ish). Have played it plenty of times. Not a massive fan I must be honest, always found the greens to be iffy, and some of the holes are boring with a capital "B".
The Woosnam is good, some tough holes on it and a set of tough par 3's. Can get a bit boggy in places though. JustOne loved it when we played there.

 

[Oddsocks]

Cheers for the feedback guys,

Esn, I've played the west a few times but never the east, it's very local and the rates being offered make it very affordable which should encourage a lot of interest from out roll up.

Re dale hill / chart hills, I have to do a bit more digging as there was two packages chart hills\woosy and chart hills/dale hill

I'm sure I'll be able to find some course logs on line somewhere.

There is another option of foxhills , but as we get a few passes a year for there anyway it seems a bit pointless to make it weekend trip