Who has played the most British Isles courses?

[milesgiles]

So we are lucky to live on a small island with 2000 courses. Quite easy to knock off lots of them. I’m never going to play them all and don’t intend to for various reasons

 

Too expensive/exclusive (100 is my current absolute top whack, so Scotland/Ireland/Surrey/Southport/Kent is getting a bit tricky)

 

Don’t enjoy parkland

 

Don’t have a helicopter, Dornoch, Western Isles etc

 

Not fussed about courses in the bottom few hundred on golf shake(has the most independent reviews and whilst some courses rankings are way out, it does give you a good steer most of the time)

 

So im at about 500 and playing 6-8 new courses a year, a chum is on about 750 and on a mission to knock off far more(playing stuff I wouldn’t look at tbf)..who’s getting up there in numbers? Somebody somewhere as the time and money to play them all I would guess?

[Walter]

looking forward to see the numbers here.

I'm at +-20, Scotland, Kent and London area. Still much to discover!

[Chanceman]

Scotland 9, Ireland 16, NI 4, England 15 Total 44

Adding to the Scottish list in May by playing Dornoch and some others.

A never ending quest.

[duffer987]

Shouldn't the priority always be quality over quantity?

Be a shame to miss out on Royal Dornoch and play 4 or 5 middling courses instead.

 

Of course you sure are fortunate to live there and have them a drive away instead of a flight. Doubly fortunate there are a lot of courses in England that fit under that 100 quid bar, that are simply awesome fun to play.

 

Anyways, I would suspect El Gringo might be able to Top Trumps this or at least from a breadth and depth POV.

[milesgiles]

I could just about swallow the £180 green fee for Dornoch, maybe, but it’s the extra fuff in getting/staying there which is going to cost that much again, and more. The way to do it is to play a few in the area of course, I probably will one day but don’t feel I’m quite in the position to throw that sort of money at a golf hol..

 

Last few years I’ve done a 5 day and a 7 day hol a year, plus goodness knows how many 1 or 2 day jaunts. Concentrated on English top 100 and/or Open qualifiers. The British top 100 is another matter, played about 35 and that number is going to creep up extremely slowly. Can’t even get on a few of them (Swinley, Loch Lomond, wentworth west, Centurion, etc) which I think should disqualify them from these top 100 discussions.. just my opinion..

[tiderider]

So we are lucky to live on a small island with 2000 courses. Quite easy to knock off lots of them. I'm never going to play them all and don't intend to for various reasons

 

Too expensive/exclusive (100 is my current absolute top whack, so Scotland/Ireland/Surrey/Southport/Kent is getting a bit tricky)

 

Don't enjoy parkland

 

Don't have a helicopter, Dornoch, Western Isles etc

 

Not fussed about courses in the bottom few hundred on golf shake(has the most independent reviews and whilst some courses rankings are way out, it does give you a good steer most of the time)

 

So im at about 500 and playing 6-8 new courses a year, a chum is on about 750 and on a mission to knock off far more(playing stuff I wouldn't look at tbf)..who's getting up there in numbers? Somebody somewhere as the time and money to play them all I would guess?

 

500 different courses? ... that's a lot of new courses each year ... 20 or so over 20-25 years ... gonna say no one's close to 500, or even close to 100 ...

[duffer987]

I could just about swallow the £180 green fee for Dornoch, maybe, but it’s the extra fuff in getting/staying there which is going to cost that much again, and more. The way to do it is to play a few in the area of course, I probably will one day but don’t feel I’m quite in the position to throw that sort of money at a golf hol..

 

Last few years I’ve done a 5 day and a 7 day hol a year, plus goodness knows how many 1 or 2 day jaunts. Concentrated on English top 100 and/or Open qualifiers. The British top 100 is another matter, played about 35 and that number is going to creep up extremely slowly. Can’t even get on a few of them (Swinley, Loch Lomond, wentworth west, Centurion, etc) which I think should disqualify them from these top 100 discussions.. just my opinion..

Oh sure if you are out hitting 150GBP courses every weekend it'll add up. My week in/week out tracks are typically around 50USD, so while I am under 2 hours from Pebble, I've only played it twice in the last 7 years, which is often enough.

Swinley has the internet now. I sent them an email before a trip last year and they were very accommodating. Myself, a member, and the secretary had a nice chat out on the terrace after my round and the proshop guys were nice too.

[milesgiles]

So we are lucky to live on a small island with 2000 courses. Quite easy to knock off lots of them. I'm never going to play them all and don't intend to for various reasons

 

Too expensive/exclusive (100 is my current absolute top whack, so Scotland/Ireland/Surrey/Southport/Kent is getting a bit tricky)

 

Don't enjoy parkland

 

Don't have a helicopter, Dornoch, Western Isles etc

 

Not fussed about courses in the bottom few hundred on golf shake(has the most independent reviews and whilst some courses rankings are way out, it does give you a good steer most of the time)

 

So im at about 500 and playing 6-8 new courses a year, a chum is on about 750 and on a mission to knock off far more(playing stuff I wouldn't look at tbf)..who's getting up there in numbers? Somebody somewhere as the time and money to play them all I would guess?

 

500 different courses? ... that's a lot of new courses each year ... 20 or so over 20-25 years ... gonna say no one's close to 500, or even close to 100 ...

 

Depends how many are on this forum.. must be 20 players at my small club who have played at least 300 (their May tour has been going more than 30 years and rarely goes back to the same place, plus they are all getting on lol)

[milesgiles]

I could just about swallow the £180 green fee for Dornoch, maybe, but it’s the extra fuff in getting/staying there which is going to cost that much again, and more. The way to do it is to play a few in the area of course, I probably will one day but don’t feel I’m quite in the position to throw that sort of money at a golf hol..

 

Last few years I’ve done a 5 day and a 7 day hol a year, plus goodness knows how many 1 or 2 day jaunts. Concentrated on English top 100 and/or Open qualifiers. The British top 100 is another matter, played about 35 and that number is going to creep up extremely slowly. Can’t even get on a few of them (Swinley, Loch Lomond, wentworth west, Centurion, etc) which I think should disqualify them from these top 100 discussions.. just my opinion..

Oh sure if you are out hitting 150GBP courses every weekend it'll add up. My week in/week out tracks are typically around 50USD, so while I am under 2 hours from Pebble, I've only played it twice in the last 7 years, which is often enough.

Swinley has the internet now. I sent them an email before a trip last year and they were very accommodating. Myself, a member, and the secretary had a nice chat out on the terrace after my round and the proshop guys were nice too.

 

Internet? At Swinley? Ye gads!

 

Surrey is on a different level. Most of them want £100 in the middle of winter. Berkshire as well. Going to have to improve and play some Open competitions to experience them methinks

[El Gringo]

Shouldn't the priority always be quality over quantity?

Be a shame to miss out on Royal Dornoch and play 4 or 5 middling courses instead.

 

Of course you sure are fortunate to live there and have them a drive away instead of a flight. Doubly fortunate there are a lot of courses in England that fit under that 100 quid bar, that are simply awesome fun to play.

 

Anyways, I would suspect El Gringo might be able to Top Trumps this or at least from a breadth and depth POV.

 

I know a guy or two who have played more GB&I courses than me. Plus there are guys on magazine panels such as National Club Golfer who have played far more than me.

 

I have played an awful lot of GB&I courses...don't know how many. I did start a Google Drive Map a while back to try and figure it out, but kind of lost interest. I have only sought to complete one list; all the Open rota courses. I did that about 15 years ago and it gave me no great pleasure when it was said and done...so no more must play lists other than to focus mainly on small, backwater courses. I enjoy going back to places far too much to overly worry about seeing different courses. I am starting to get a taste for 9 holers as they are a great break on long travel days. Its surprising how good some these courses are.

 

Ciao

[Hawkeye77]

LOL, if you are playing dozens of courses a year you can afford to play Royal Dornoch, take in Brora, and give up 4 or 5 also rans, or just have soup for lunch for a month. “Throwing away” plenty of money on golf otherwise. ;-)

[Hawkeye77]

I haven’t played very many, but I’m doubling that number come summer!

[milesgiles]

^ I also lost interest adding it up, think the easy way is to do it county by county, I can remember the names just about.. My chum collects the scorecards or ball markers or something.

 

^^only Open course I’ve played (current rota) is St George’s, fantastic and playable if it’s not too firm. I’ve been to all of them to watch and I’m sure I’d love them all, the history is a big bit of it for me.. but I also know there are dozens of courses that are just as good at half the price, and hundreds 90% as good for a fraction of the cost.

 

IMO the only ‘also ran’ courses in Britain tend to be parkland. Very rarely have I been underwhelmed by a links or heathland course.

 

Edit, 9 holers, I know you are right (several holes on the channel 9 at Burnham belong on the main course). Chorleywood and Arkley are two good ones near me

[bobbydazzlewazzler]

Quiet day at work, knocked up an XL of courses played, discounting the rubbish parkland tracks..

 

59 in total, over 8 counties.. will be 66 following inverness trip in July

[El Gringo]

^^only Open course I've played (current rota) is St George's,

 

Well, if you are going to pick one Sandwich is a fine choice. I can't say I have played a better course in GB&I than Sandwich. Spending time in the house is just as magical.

 

Ciao

[milesgiles]

^unless it’s running really fast, I think a lot of handicaps could enjoy RSG. Of the rest, no doubts about the golfing credentials of Carnousite(always an entertaining Open as well which must mean something), Birkdale or Muirfield. St Andrews is St Andrews, I haven’t been to Portrush. Of the rest, and I’ve watched several Opens at each, I’m not convinced by Troon or even Turnberry, Hoylake doesn’t seem great near the clubhouse, and Lytham I’ve never understood at all. No room for spectators, not scenic, character of the course changes as you go round.

And just to really upset y’all..as much as I love RSG..Trump Aberdeen is better, by a margin. Other opinions are available..

[duffer987]

^unless it’s running really fast, I think a lot of handicaps could enjoy RSG. Of the rest, no doubts about the golfing credentials of Carnousite(always an entertaining Open as well which must mean something), Birkdale or Muirfield. St Andrews is St Andrews, I haven’t been to Portrush. Of the rest, and I’ve watched several Opens at each, I’m not convinced by Troon or even Turnberry, Hoylake doesn’t seem great near the clubhouse, and Lytham I’ve never understood at all. No room for spectators, not scenic, character of the course changes as you go round.

And just to really upset y’all..as much as I love RSG..Trump Aberdeen is better, by a margin. Other opinions are available..

Sure, especially when yours are consistently wrong ;)

I cannot compare as I'll never play that course, but RSG really is as good as it gets for seaside courses, alongside the usual Irish suspects and a handful of other UK courses from TOC to North Berwick to Silloth and some others.

[El Gringo]

Trump Aberdeen is better, by a margin. Other opinions are available..

 

Miles

 

I can see an argument made for Trump Aberdeen besting Sandwich, though I don't agree. Both are championship courses designed to challenge the best, although I am not yet convinced TA will ever host a proper championship. Regardless, TA's design is geared very much for the aerial approach with very difficult bounce in shots because of the raised greens...thats big boy golf. Unfortunately, most of us aren't big boys. We need alternatives to offset lack of skills and weather conditions. Because of this and the many raised tee shots which then play between dunes, I found TA a bit lacking in variety. For instance, when compared to Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart, the other two highly ranked modern Scottish links, I don't think TA stacks up regarding variety and they have hosted decent quality touring pros. Adding Sandwich into the mix with its excellent terrain which creates all sorts of issues with stance and ball flight control, TA falls well short. TA is a great course, just not as great as Sandwich because it is more one-dimensional championship venue. That said, TA is designed to be played by the best golfers, to provide good viewing areas and to move spectators around the property, so from this perspective it functions very well. The issue is Sandwich is basically designed for championship play as well, especially when we consider that 3, 8 & 11 were greatly altered (for the 1981 Open and to the detriment of the course imo) to accomodate modern championship ideals. It too can move people around the property for big events and provides excellent viewing points. However, this is accomplished without having to rely on playing between dunes or to raised greens so often.

 

Ciao

[TerpFangolfer]

I have played 13 on 3 separate visits:

 

Eng (2) - Princes & RSG

 

Scot (6) - N. Berwick (x2), TOC, New, Jubilee, Leven & Dornoch

 

Ire (4) - Bally (Old), Waterville, Dooks, Portmarnock

 

NRI (1) - RCD

[imakaveli]

Skip any 3 or 4 good courses you want to play, save money, buy a plane ticket, rental car, 1 night B&B and PLAY ROYAL DORNOCH ONCE!!!

[milesgiles]

^ it will happen one day, seeing as it’s so popular on here

 

^^ on TA, fair points, and yes it will never hold a significant championship while the Trump name is attached, just not worth the aggravation. It is an incredibly difficult golf course with virtually no let up. Think the back tees are 7400 ish and in any decent wind at all I’d call it close to unplayable. Can’t even find reference to a course record, which says it all.

 

If it was me I’d be significantly altering a lot of greens. The setup and location are as good as it gets, but how many people want to shoot 10 over their handicap, holiday or not? Whilst I met a large US party there, sounds like a lot of WRXers are happy to skip it on a weeks tour, and that’s bad business.

[shotmark]

I've played 238 in the UK including every 18 hole course in my native Yorkshire of which there are 157.

[milesgiles]

^ I thought Hertfordshire had a lot with 65..brb moving to Yorkshire. Moortown is my favourite of the few I’ve played there

[shotmark]

^ I thought Hertfordshire had a lot with 65..brb moving to Yorkshire. Moortown is my favourite of the few I’ve played there

 

Technically four counties West Yorkshire has 58, North Yorkshire has 47, South Yorkshire 33 and East Yorkshire 19. The system I use to count courses means Herts has 53. I don't count 9 hole courses our ones which are shorter than 5308 yards (sss 66 based on length).

 

Moortown by the way was my third ranked course in Yorkshire after Ganton and Alwoodley.

[milesgiles]

^several have shut in Hertfordshire, you can bet I’m still counting them on my list..

 

Moortown had the considerable advantage of flowering gorse when I was there about 5 years ago..although the club seemed to be clearing large areas of it, hopefully they didn’t go completely bananas. Ganton probably divides opinion like nowhere else, it did amongst us. I wanted to like it more than I actually did, but it lacks tight run offs around the green, your perspective is a little flat from the tee, and it doesn’t have a strong 18th which is always a pity.

[Divot License]

I used to play Eurotour so knocked off a few really nice courses back then. Stop playing golf for about 5 years and restarted 3 years ago when my wife decided she wanted to start playing the game so we had something to do together.

 

Since then I've played 73 courses in the UK and France several off which is in the "top 100" in the UK. We've never paid more than £100 for a green fee (as anything above that feels excessive) and this year so far we are playing four mixed opens at several really nice courses (Princes, Lindrick, Delamere and Fulford) non of which cost more than £95 for the couple to play (including food)

[milesgiles]

The opens are the way to go, keep talking about it ‘just need to improve a bit’ and of course it’s never enough. Maybe this year..

[El Gringo]

I don't think there is a huge gap between Alwoodley, Ganton and Moortown, though I do think Ganton is the best of the three. Being one who despises harsh rough, I am not a huge fan of Ganton or Alwoodley. Both would be greatly improved by clearing out vegetation and offering a bit more space to play the game. This issue is especially annoying at Ganton because the conditions are superb and the bunkering often delightfully provacative. Its disheartening to hit drives down the middle in trying to challenge the bunkers and end up in the rough. The effect of the narrowed fairways (they used to be significantly wider) is if one can't carry the bunkers there is a forced layup. Given the excellent turf and well placed bunkers, it is a great shame that skirting the bunkers has practically been completely removed from the design unless the course is less than keen. Alwoodley doesn't have nearly the same issue with canted fairways off bunkers, but the rough is very penal and reduces the level of fun quite dramatically. Moortown, the least impressive design of the three, gets more from their property because of the presentation of wider fairways and more forgiving rough than the other two courses.

 

In general, the northern (including Notts & Woodhall Spa) big gun heathland/moorland courses are more rough and tumble compared to the London counterparts...with Walton Heath Old being a rather large exception!

 

Ciao

[AuldPLO Swiss Golftrotter]

38 so far (SCO 25, IRL 9, NIR 4), mostly big names. Quality over quantity !

[milesgiles]

^^ completely agree on heavy rough. A lot of really top courses keep rough and scrub to a minimum these days. It slows down play and wrecks the average player to no great purpose. IMO if you are in the heaviest cut, you should be able to see the ball, even if it’s only to wedge it out.