Travel Impresarios

Tuesday

Jun282011

Golfing in Wales

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 9:57AM

In 2010, Wales hosted the Ryder Cup and for the first time golf in the tiny nation was thrust into the limelight.

Sadly, the golf course in question, the Twenty-Ten did not do Wales any favours, as this is not the type of golf course that is going to interest the North American golfer.

Happily, there are many golf courses that do fit the image of ancient links land and can provide an excellent golf trip at almost half the price of its more famous neighbours in Scotland and Ireland.

On top of that who does not want to try Lavabread in Mumbles (Catherine Zeta-Jones hometown) or Welsh Rarebit, which is not rabbit, but just a ton of oozing melted cheese on bread?

We have organised a trip for 10 golfers heading to Wales in August. If you have played most of the World Top 100 courses on the British Isles, consider Wales for a trip of great golf at a really really good price.

Nefyn, the inspiration for Old Head in Ireland

The back nine at Porthmadog, offers some of the best links anywhere

Pennard, a quirky course and a favourite of acclaimed designer, Tom Doak

Local traffic at Southerndown

Royal Porthcawl, best course in the country

Welsh rarebit, not rabbit, but melted cheese on toast

Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland

Monday, April 25, 2011 at 5:32PM

The Old Course, every golfer's Mecca.

With an interest in golf architecture, I've always been intrigued, when reading the Old Course described as having been "designed by God". Therefore, it seems appropriate to describe the journey as a pilgrimage and the experience as religious.

It did not come easy. As a twosome on a Monday in April, we expected no trouble to win the daily ballot, but we were sadly mistaken. This meant a 5:30am wake-up call to line-up at the starter's hut to sign up for the walk-on list. Arriving at 6am, we were number 7 & 8 in line.

They asked us for our name, home club and a handicap card, the only course thus far on our trip to request one. The maximum handicap for a male golfer is 24. My Dad's handicap index is 24.9 and when converted to a handicap it comes out as a 27, so we strategically folded the paper above the handicap, only displaying the index. The starter read it, looked at us, paused and said, "this is the max, but you're okay." We were relieved indeed.

We went back to the hotel for a rest, came back at the suggested time of 9:30am and luckily we were off by 10:10am with a couple of nice guys from California. The day could not have been better.

It is often difficult to judge a course and the overall golfing experience independant of your score. Fortunately, I had my best round of the week, making a special round even more fun.

For the entire round, one experiences a unique feeling, an awareness of walking in the footsteps of history.

A very special day indeed.