Here is my list of courses for an upcoming UK Trip.
Sunningdale (Old)
Sunningdale (New)
Walton Heath
Hankley Common
St George’s Hill
Rye GC
Royal Ashdown
Royal Cinque Ports
Royal St George’s
Princes
West Sussex
Swinley Forest
Royal Portrush
Ardglass
The Gunnamatta Course
At The National Golf Club
Tom Doak - 2019
#12 in Australia
Private
It’s actually insane how good the land is down on the Mornington Peninsula is. Both the Gunnamatta and St Andrews Beach are on golf sites that are what dreams are made of.
At Gunna, Tom Doak inherited a Peter Thomson course that many thought didn’t use the land well. Tom went in and removed man made features, added width, and brought nature back into the golf.
Now it’s truly spectacular.
The course runs up and down parallel the coast and is closer to a traditional Links routing, mostly in the direction to and from the clubhouse. So when the wind is a beast, which it was when we played, you get it multiple holes in a row.
The use of wide fairways and angles is once again used perfectly. With the perfect firmness of the turf, shots can bound over the green if not coming from the right angle.
Tom once again showed restraint with his bunkering. There is almost always a way to avoid the sand and the forced carries are rare. Knowing it’s a very windy site, he made the course very playable. But that doesn’t mean easy, the bunkers are deep and the green slope is dangerous.
The National has 4 golf courses and the word is all are world class. Having only played one, I agree so far!
Remarkable England is on the verge of losing by an innings to an Aussie team without Cummins, Hazlewood & Lyon + a batting group in transition.
All after four years of meticulously preparing for this precise challenge. 2-0 will be great for Australia but disappointing for cricket.
@SEN_Cricket@1116sen #Ashes
@TronCarterNLU Live on the grounds here at Royal Portrush. Patrick Cantlay with some of the slowest golf you’ve ever seen.
2 groups waiting in the 5th tee waiting for Cantlays group. Disgusting.