Perranporth instead of West Cornwall

Our February Cornwall tour has had a slight change - Perranporth replaces West Cornwall.

Any experience of Perranporth, peeps?

Yes, it is a marmite course. I don't like marmite but love perranporth! It has a few blind drives that can catch you out and even hitting a drive down the middle of a fairway there is no guarantee that it will be on it by the time you get to it. Great links course, bit hilly but always in great nick. Better than west Cornwall without a doubt. Hope your playing two rounds as after the first you may feel a little beaten up, but wishing to get out and give it another Craic straight away once you know the right lines off the tee!! Hope it's not windy as it is tough enough without!!

Cheers, Matelot.

We are indeed playing two rounds there either side of, and I quote, "Ham, Egg and Chips".

The full line-up is:

Trevose
Mullion (36)
St Enodoc
Perranporth (36)
Okehampton (on the way home)

Merc

I am truly jealous of anyone playing St Enodoc, it has to be one of my most favourite golf courses on planet Earth. I missed their Open last year as I was at Carnoustie but I'll be back down there in September, not missing that event 2 years in a row!

Enjoy, it is a truly wonderful place to play golf, hope you get one of those wonderful crisp sunny winter days

That bodes well, D4S, knowing I agree with your views on Saunton.

Merc

I think what sets St Enodoc apart from other links courses is the great variation of holes. Uphill, downhill, long, short, blind, gullies.....it has the lot. I love Saunton but I rate St Enodoc higher.

Yep, it's a beauty . Cornish closed champs at st Enodoc in April next year As well i think? 36 holes for £10 is the bargain of the year. Played last year at Trevose, so two great courses in Cornwall back to back for the last 2 years for £20 for all Cornwall club players. Sometimes forget how spoiled for quality golf we are down here in Kernow!!

My mistake, Cornish closed at perranporth in April next year,DOH!

Merc, I personally love Perranporth but I do realise it won't be everybody's taste. Like St Enodoc it is a Braid Course so there are some similarities but St Enodoc is THE class track of the region. I've always found it in great condition too. Like Matelot eludes to earlier up the thread, you should have a strong urge to get out for your 2nd 18 as you'll have a better idea of where to go (or where NOT no go).

Merc, played it (St Enedoc) with my trusty Wing Man (JAS-meister) back in October; conditions were inclement (to say the least). I would definitely recommend buying a course planner. I found the back 9 easier than the front (actually parred 3 in a row off the whites), but struggled with the topography of the front 9 (the first has a blind 2nd shot which has to be hit pretty straight) and not withstanding the 'Himalayas' (which I needed a sand iron to negotiate over) there are some pretty tricky greenside bunkers. It is a classy course which will test your game for sure.

NST, you should try it off the blues in a hoolie, one of the toughest tracks I've ever experienced! The 18th fairway wasn't reachable from the tee!!

drive4show wrote:NST, you should try it off the blues in a hoolie, one of the toughest tracks I've ever experienced! The 18th fairway wasn't reachable from the tee!!

Drive: I caddied for JAS for 36 holes at Trevose and the weather was rainy with strongish gusts and that was bad enough. I like to enjoy my golf and when you can't feel your face, snot is dribbling out of both nostrils, your eyes are constantly watering, it ain't much fun as far as I'm concerned. You'll be asking me to walk across hot coals next at some Anthony Robbins gig

Controversial (possibly):

Last night, I was introduced to an old boy who has played a lot of golf in Cornwall. He said that he preferred Trevose to St Enodoc as he found St Enodoc a bit gimmicky (or similar). He certainly banged on about Trevose a lot.

Anyone know what Looe golf course is like? I've been invited away on a weekend in June down to Cornwall and that is one of the courses suggested. Don't know if I can go yet but interested to know what the course is like

Mate, I can safely say its best to give this one a miss. There are far better courses around there. No one in my Cornish Golfing circuit rate it anywhere other than in the courses that they least would travel to play.

Davie, if you are based near looe than I would suggest either st mellion, china fleet or Carlyon bay are far better tracks, all within about 30-40 mins of Looe.

Mercurio, when's your trip down here? One that I had not mentioned before, but is a hidden gem and in great condition is Bowood Park. Played 2 rounds on Monday for £22 through teeoftimes.co.uk. . Great parkland test with a stunning back nine. The weather has been kind down here lately with not much frost and definitely no snow. All the tracks on your itinary are holding up well as we have not had much rain either in the last month and a half.

Thanks guys - as I said I'm not organizing it and at the moment unsure if I can go anyway. The plan at the moment is for a couple of rounds at Whitsand Bay (sentimental reasons - the group that are going have been there many times, but a long time ago) and either a couple at Looe or one at Looe and one at St Mellion

To be honest, this is a "high handicap" society - a few guys only play two or three times a year and of the potential attendees, only one is what you would call a good golfer (plus a couple of half-decent players).

I'm a high handicapper myself but at least I'm a regular player and don't consider myself as much of a hacker as some of these guys. Don't get me wrong, they are great company and it promises to be a good weekend - I'm just not sure I'd enjoy the golf aspect as much as I should considering how much it's likely to cost. From what you've said I may give it a miss and save my money for a few away days nearer to home

Matelot golfer wrote:Mercurio, when's your trip down here? One that I had not mentioned before, but is a hidden gem and in great condition is Bowood Park. Played 2 rounds on Monday for £22 through teeoftimes.co.uk. . Great parkland test with a stunning back nine. The weather has been kind down here lately with not much frost and definitely no snow. All the tracks on your itinary are holding up well as we have not had much rain either in the last month and a half.

Next week, Matelot.

I'm very, very excited.

Merc, not wanting to p*ss on your bonfire. I know that there is/ was work on 9 holes of the championship course taking place at Trevose and that they were playing on a composite of 9 from the champ and 9 from the other course. Might be worth a bell to see if the works finished, if not maybe you can get some sort of discount? All others are all fully open for play as far as I am aware with not a winter green currently in sight.

Mercurio wrote:Controversial (possibly):

Last night, I was introduced to an old boy who has played a lot of golf in Cornwall. He said that he preferred Trevose to St Enodoc as he found St Enodoc a bit gimmicky (or similar). He certainly banged on about Trevose a lot.

I have to say, out of the 100's of courses I've been fortunate to play, Trevose has to be one of the most overrated and biggest disappointments of all. For the life of me, I cannot understand why it is a top 100 course. It's not even close to the standard of St Enodoc.

Matelot golfer wrote:Merc, not wanting to p*ss on your bonfire. I know that there is/ was work on 9 holes of the championship course taking place at Trevose and that they were playing on a composite of 9 from the champ and 9 from the other course. Might be worth a bell to see if the works finished, if not maybe you can get some sort of discount? All others are all fully open for play as far as I am aware with not a winter green currently in sight.

Thanks for the tip-off, but thankfully our organiser phoned up last week and was informed that the works have finished.

As the cost of the trip, including 4 nights at Clowance Lodges, is only £205, we'd be too embarrassed to ask for a discount, anyway!

D4S, I have been fortunate enough to play Trevose in all seasons and in all weathers. If you hit it on a dull,wet,windy day it can be the most miserable place to be. My first round there was in just such conditions and came away disappointed.
Took a while to be convinced to return. When I did it was in the height of June, sunny, firm,fast and zephyr of a wind Teed off at 1500 and found out what a great place it was to be. I have enjoyed it ever since.
Not sure how many times you have played it, or just got unlucky on your visit. I too would rate St Enodoc course better. However, the clubhouse is a throwback to the 60's in decor and attitudes whereas Trevose is 21st century forward thinking club with a great atmosphere in the clubhouse run by the Gammon family.

I've played both...a lot... and there is no comparison, St Enodoc is by far the classier track in my personal opinion but hey, different things appeal to different people. I'm certainly not as harsh on Trevose as D4S is, I do enjoy it but I would class it as one of the easier links I've played (although not from the tips in a 3 club wind). Having said that they have done their best to pee me off recently, organizing my birthday weekend I phoned up for a teetime

ME "Do you have a tee time for Sat 24th March - mid morning-ish."
Trev "Best we can do is 12.20"
ME "OK how much?"
Trev "£56 for a winter green fee."
ME "OK do you take the County Card?"
Trev "No county card at weekends in March"
ME "Really?? what about the Friday then, that's my actual birthday. Will you take the County card on Fri 23rd March?"
Trev "Oh it depends how busy we are"...
ME "What???, Ok...bye"

Needless to say St Enodoc, Perranporth, West Cornwall or maybe another will get the benefit...which reminds me I've still got to confirm the Friday and Saturday rounds The 'doc is booked for the Sunday.

Matelot, I played it one year in September, the day before the Goodman trophy across the water at St Enodoc. Weather was fine, one short shower and just a moderate breeze. I just thought a lot of the holes were a bit featureless, could probably be improved considerably with better bunkering.

Incidentally, I love the clubhouse at SE, it's how a proper golf club should be

JAS wrote:which reminds me I've still got to confirm the Friday and Saturday rounds The 'doc is booked for the Sunday.

Which reminds me, I've still got to find a fancy dress outfit!

Try Bowood park, 20 miles north of Newquay if you fancy a decent test on a parkland layout. Back 9 is superb and doing some good value deals. The 13th is the closest you will ever get to playing Augusta's par 5 13. Both 510 yds par 5's . It's just bowood doglegs hard to the right, unlike Augusta's to the left! No azaleas mind either but still a great hole overall. The 11th through to 18 are some of the best parkland holes in Cornwall.

Just goes to show that one mans drink is another mans poison. My mate thinks a course called Merlin in north Cornwall is great, just cause he shot 37 pts there and won a fiver! Everyone else think its a dogw*nk glorified potato field, but there you go!!

Played Bowood a couple of times, had one of my funniest experiences on a golf course when my mate's drive hit the stone block on a tee and flew back over our heads, left him a 3 wood just to get back to the tee! From memory, it was the par 5 after an uphill par 4, his ball just ran all the way back down the hill. I had to tee off next, couldn't see my ball for the tears rolling down my face

Are we talking The same Bowood? There's one in Cornwall and one in Wilts I think?

Sorry, just realised you was only referring to it in your first sentence.

Don't worry chaps, I'll be able to settle the St Enodoc v Trevose argument next Wednesday, after I've played both courses.

No question, St Enodoc is the better course on any given day. I just think that Trevose is a nice track if all the conditions are just right also.

What day you playing at Mullion merc? I maybe up there sometime or times during next week!

Make sure you bring a cashmere insert putter with you. Your going to be playing some slick greens next week on your tour!

Yep, I was referring to the Cornwall Bowood although I've also played the one in Wilts many times.

Matelot golfer wrote:What day you playing at Mullion merc? I maybe up there sometime or times during next week!

Tuesday - we've 36 holes there.

I had a seagull nick my ball at Bowood. Guessing it was karma as me and John who was the pro then had spent part of the morning pinging drivers at a bunch of them on the range.

Can't remember which hole it was but remember it being in a slight valley where you drive down towards a ditch that ran across the fairway and then play up to the green. The ditch feeds into a pond on the right. I hit a perfect drive right down the middle just short of the ditch. Before John hits I start yelling at this damn bird that's trying to peck the fudge out of my ball. John says no worries I'll hit it. Yeah, right you never managed to hit one in a group of 50 so there's no chance of one in the middle of the fairway. As expected it didn't put the bird off.

We go racing down the fairway with me still yelling and cursing. The bird then picks up my ball and flies over the ditch and drops it on the other side. I think this is great, he's just got me 30 yards closer to the hole. I jump the ditch, clubs and all only for the Mofo to fly back the other side. Cue more cursing as I'd just lost those 30 yards plus a few more. Jump the ditch again and the little plucker flew back! One more leap and I'm getting closer this time with 7 iron in hand and you've guessed it, ball gets picked up again and he's flying back across the ditch towards the tee.

Lots more cursing and a huge running leap to get there as the plucker is landing only for the bar steward to change his mind halfway and fly over to the pond and chuck my ball in. Mofo! Nearly new pro v1 just disappeared.

John meanwhile who has been about as much use as a chocolate teapot is in hysterics. He calms down enough to phone the pro shop to tell them the story and holds the phone out so they can hear me cursing that little bar steward in the background. It then took another 15 minutes or so to finish the hole as he couldn't compose himself. Luckily there was no one else to see this debacle.

Despite that I do have fond memories of the course. In another round with John it was blowing like crazy. We played the par 5 7th into the wind and I hit driver, driver, driver, 3 wood into greenside trap. Halved it in 7s as he 3 putted. On the par 3 11th, 180 yards downhill we both hit driver and came up short!

Was the pro then John Phillips by any chance Grumps?

BlueCoverman wrote:Was the pro then John Phillips by any chance Grumps?

It was indeed BCM. Couldn't remember his last name. Did tuition trip to Cornwall, then one to Portugal with him. Went back to Cornwall in a wet and windy November whilst my missus went to NYC.

Bloody hell that's a coincidence Grumps!

John grew up in Maldon, Essex and he and I were good mates all through our teenage years. We were members at the same club and played a lot of golf together. I lost touch with him a long time ago but I knew that he moved down to Cornwall to take a Pro job but never knew which club.

Small world sometimes!

I think he was somewhere else before then, BCM. I seem to remember him getting some grief in Portugal about having been a pro for a pitch n putt.

I liked John he was a good guy. He nearly burst a blood vessel trying his cork out of a wine bottle trick.

Mercurio wrote:

Matelot golfer wrote:What day you playing at Mullion merc? I maybe up there sometime or times during next week!

Tuesday - we've 36 holes there.

Good day to play. Apart from the ladies who go out at 10 it's normally very quiet . You might be surprised into thinking your playing millionaires golf with the views and so few people on the course. Just got in from playing it off the tips and shooting 4 over. Course in good condition and with it being dry lately and we are starting to see a bit of run on the the fairways. Greens in great nick also. If you get the weather next week which I think so far it's forecast to be ok then you will be in for some good days of golf.

Here's hoping, Matelot!

Merc, not sure what your handicap spread is next week but if all sub 18 i would reccomend that you ask to play off the whites. The club sometimes get a little 'twitched' about people plying off whites this time of year.However, The weather has been kind and it is fairly firm underfoot. The winter yellows don't do the course justice at the 5th, 9th, 13th and 17. The 12th(stroke index2) is forward by 80 yards so even if you do not do the others off the whites I certainly would at these holes.

Me and my big mouth! Lashing down here now, should be alright come Tuesday as it a very sandy linksy subsoil. Supposed to stop in hour or two so will be fine by then.

Matelot golfer wrote:Merc, not sure what your handicap spread is next week but if all sub 18 i would reccomend that you ask to play off the whites. The club sometimes get a little 'twitched' about people plying off whites this time of year.However, The weather has been kind and it is fairly firm underfoot. The winter yellows don't do the course justice at the 5th, 9th, 13th and 17. The 12th(stroke index2) is forward by 80 yards so even if you do not do the others off the whites I certainly would at these holes.

13, 14, 16, 17, 22 and 25.

The 22 and 25 are not bad, mind. The 22 handicapper probably hits it the furthest out of all of us.

Maybe you could put a good word in for us

If there's only 6 of you and it's quiet I would be surprised if they turned you down having a knock off the whites. Clubs need to realise that people pay good money to play these days and they should not try to curtail people's enjoyment from playing from what tees they think are appropriate for their handicap. I Think some clubs are far to precious about tee restrictions, they should only be enforced if the course is very busy or there is work or ground that cannot be in play due to poor or exceptionally wet conditions.