My goodness did it rain that first day. I think the course coped really well with the rain although it played long and the ball stopped instantly wherever you hit it.

Standing on the first tee is quite a daunting prospect as you look down onto a valley and convince yourself that the trees that cross the fairway are exactly where a good drive will end you up. And if you miss the trees, there’s a small pond (and on the day we played a very boggy marsh area surrounding the pond) to the right of the fairway trees. My drive went right – of course and I was convinced it had found the pond. First hole lost! As it happened, the second day was bright and dry and it was actually easy to soar over the fairway trees and leave a gentle 8 iron or pitching wedge up to the green. My greensomes partner mentioned that he didn’t mind where I left him, so long as it wasn’t in the bunker – so of course that’s where I left him!

The second hole is a delightful little short par 3 protected by a stream in front and a large tree to the left of the green. Parred that no problem from just short of the green having under clubbed!

I’ll describe the rest of the holes in a bit more detail as I get time. We only played the course twice, as the rain on the third day left the greens totally waterlogged and the course had to be closed.

The hotel facilities were excellent, with superb pool and gym facilities. We like to play cards as a group and found a nice quiet room tucked away from the rest of the guests where we could play and chat over a few drinks.

One tip though, if you turn up early and want a breakfast before your stay officially starts, get £10 vouchers from reception, as £16.99 for a breakfast, no matter how good, is a bit pricey. That said, superb quality and very helpful friendly staff.

Our break was (unexpectedly) inclusive of evening meals, which, as we were a large group, they asked us to select during the day so they had adequate meals for all of us and I am obliged to say that the food was excellent. Waiter and waitress service was very pleasant and good natured and they all seemed to respond to our rather loud group very positively.

Hilton Puckrup Hall Hotel & Golf Club, Puckrup, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 6EL
Hotel Tel: 01684 296200, Pro Shop Tel: 01684 271591, Fax: 01684 850788

ecco ladies spikeless

Replace that Lost or Broken Golf Club
I had managed to smash my trusty chipper on a frozen day last March and as a self punishment for the stupid lack of self control (I had duffed an easy chip and forgetting the frozen ground had smacked my chipper into the iron hard earth in temper) I had decided I would not replace it.

However, the upcoming pairs competition at my golf club, coupled with a new golf partner who has seen my chip and run with a seven iron and immediately advised me to replace my chipper, meant that I was in the market for a new chipper.

I called in at London Pro Golf where Jerry the sales assistant, (resident pro more like!) offered me a choice of no less than 5 perfectly adequate looking chippers. I proceeded to duff each one of them into the ground in their practice room and was really no nearer making a choice until Jerry poked his head round the curtain and asked how I was getting on. I suspect he had heard my muttered cursing!

I explained I was having trouble hitting any of them satisfactorily. Jerry was obviously a real gentleman, as he offered to look at what I was doing wrong, without even grinning at my ineptitude with a very simple club! Keen to take any offered advice, I welcomed him to take a look.

He watched me for a minute or so and then demonstrated a perfect chip with each club and then asked me to try it his way. I could not match what Jerry was showing me and so he then talked me through the basics of the golf shot. Things which I simply was not doing. I was looking up too soon, obviously keen to watch my perfect chip shot and as a result was lifting my head and getting all the usual problems associated with that. I was also using what he described as a cross between a put and a chip, when what the club needed was effectively a firm putt. Again he demonstrated a decent putting action, mine was all over the place with arms knees and legs moving as opposed to the really rather statuesque style he demonstrated, keeping that firm upper body triangle and no leg movement. And still he didn’t duff a single chip. I have to say he made each and every one of those chippers look very good!

In about ten minutes I had learned more about chipping than in my previous 3 years on the golf course with my old chipper.

I keep meaning to ask Paul and Peter who run the London Pro Golf shop in Camberley, to thank Jerry for me, as he really did give service above and beyond! Actually, just what you would expect from a decent golf shop, but which you so rarely receive in any walk of life nowadays!

Meanwhile just to say I was hugely impressed with the range on offer and the tremendous stock of both top name brands and even clearance lines for some of the top names like Benross Callaway and Ping, along with the expected selection of putters etc. They also have a pretty good selection of second hand clubs for re-sale and have just taken on the full clearance range from Benross, so if you have lost or broken a well loved iron and can’t find a replacement anywhere, London Pro Golf may just be the place to find it.

They have recently relaunched the shop on the web at http://www.londonprogolf.co.uk and I understand are intending specialising in stocking those hard to find replacement (non full set) clearance irons from many of the top manufacturers.

dragon hotel swansea

The accommodation for our golf holiday this year was The Dragon Hotel, right in the heart of Swansea, within easy walking distance of the town centre, restaurants clubs and bars. Even a bowling alley!

Although there was a slight hitch in that the hotel reception had no record of our online booking, this was sorted within 10 minutes and we checked in with almost no delay. The delightful young lady behind the check in desk was more than accommodating and we found ourselves quickly installed in our comfortable rooms, almost as if there had been no hitch!

Surprisingly the check-in girl was happy to suggest local restaurants she felt we would enjoy, even at the expense of us eating in the hotel restaurant, of which we had nothing but glowing reviews from the other diners.

Breakfasts were a real treat with the buffet style suiting our needs completely and the lovely helpful lady who was obviously an expert on all the local golf courses keen to tell us all about that day’s course as we relaxed before the day’s exertions.

The spa was well equipped with a decent sized pool that allowe a “proper swim” and the sauna and training room were as good as any we have experienced.

As a group we tend to enjoy a game of cards now and then and we were allowed the use of one of the hotel’s bars, which was usually unused in the evenings and we had the place all to ourselves – excellent!

For the golf courses we played The Dragon Hotel was an ideal base, with none more than a 20 minute drive, apart ffrom Machynys, which we planned for the final day as it was close to the M4 and almost on or way home.

All in all The Dragon Hotel afforded us comfort, convenience and quality for our Welsh Golf Holiday. We would all happily stay there again and have no hesitation in recommending it to others.

machynys golf club

With our golf holiday drawing to a close, we had definitely saved the best to last, with the majestic (not to say bloody difficult) Machynys Golf Club. The weather was forecast to be diabolical, but the round started off dry and bright, although the brisk breeze did catch most of us out on more than one occasion.

Machynys oozes quality, from the rolling landscape and beautifully “in keeping” clubhouse and health spa, to the double ended driving range and practice area, to Terry the starter who was both welcoming and informative at the same time.

Of course this didn’t stop me duffing my first drive just short of the ditch – about 45 yards – right in front of him – very embarassing!

Machynys is a highly challenging course and I found my slashed to 22 handicap was nowhere near the number of shots I needed to put in a half decent card and Machynys, from very early in the round was obviously destined to be  my worst round of the week.

The views across the peninsula are breathtaking and although I could not score and spent most of the round cursing and smacking whichever unfortunate club I happened to have in my hand into the ground,  I did recognise that here was a truly classy course and if you are a half decent golfer, you will love Machynys. At my age and level of ability, I felt that the course was simply beyond me, but I would suggest any golfer with a handicap less than say 16, would love the challenge as well as the fine views, difficult par 3′s and seemingly enormous par 5′s that Machynys has to offer.

I enjoyed the luxurious bar very much, with its panoramic views across the course, although a pound for a packet of crisps was a bit steep! Especially as, as one of the day’s losing pairs, I had to buy the opposing team members their drink!

For me, sadly, the best part about the day was whacking my driver at the practice greens on the double ended driving range and really getting a feel for how far I could hit my new club,  although sadly I was unable to produce more than one decent drive out on the actual course.

The weather held up right up  until the very last hole, when it just started to drizzle and we were safely inside the clubhouse when the rain really set in and the heavens opened.

All in all by far the best course, although for me as a high handicapper – too much of a challenge to be really enjoyable in less than spectacular weather. More of an endurance test I am afraid.

We were welcomed by the Clyne Golf Club professional Jonathan Clewett, who explained a bit about the sheep and horses that roam the course.

Thankfully the fencing surrounding all the greens was this time not electrified as we had found to our pain at Pennard and the sheep were not the trouble we had expected, sensibly sticking to the middle of the fairways, in the sure knowledge that they were safe there!

Although backing on to Fairwood Park, the two courses could not have been more different, with Clyne Golf Club being a true seaside course with the spectacular views and scenery one would expect, compared to the sheltered parkland of Fairwood.

Clyne Golf Club

Many of the holes were so charming and had such spectacular backdrops, that we found ourselves distracted by the views and the golf inevitably suffered. The Pro shop was well stocked in a small space and the bar and snooker room were another unexpected treat. The shower facilities were superb!

Unusually for us, after this particular round, which most thoroughly enjoyed, we left the course sharpish and went to visit nearby Mumbles – which was in itself a treat.

On balance we found Clyne Golf Club an unexpected treat.

Clyne Golf Club

fairwood park

Well, the weather on day two of our golf holiday had been atrocious at The Gower and frankly almost anything would have been a vast improvement. Fairwood Park turned out to be an unexpected joy as the weather brightened to be dull but dry and gave pretty much perfect conditions. The only downside was that the course was mid maintenance and had been hollow tined just the week before our visit, making many of the greens interesting!

A sheltered parkland course, the spectacular views of the coastal courses were missing, but several of the golf holes themselves were picture perfect and not a little challenging to boot!

There are a few ditches and a little water, although with sensible course management, very few need come into play.

One slight shock for us was the realisation that Fairwood Park was right adjacent to Clyne golf Course, our target for the next day and according to the locals, a complete contrast, being more your typical links/coastal course, although being Wales, the sheep roamed free on Clyne.

An unexpected treat in the Fairwood park clubhouse was a very attractive barmaid and a full size snooker table – with noone playing on it. Quite which was the more appreciated is still under discussion to this day!

All in all, not a difficult course and in the context of our week long competition, an opportunity to bag some decent stableford points.

We arrived at Pennard to find a beautiful links course bathed in glorious October sunshine – glorious enough that three of the golfing break party played in shorts.

I know October, Wales, Shorts. Not three words you would ever expect to see in the same sentence, unless it was one of those “endurance” style reality TV programmes.

At my level, 24 handicap, arbitrarily reduced to 22 (I said I’m not bitter) Pennard is a difficult course. Not least because you can seldom see the ball’s final resting place from the tee, even if you hit a great shot straight down the middle, which on occasion I did. I think this is a downside of links golf, with players who can play claiming that you need to place the ball accurately to ensure a good round. At Pennard, you do need to be able to carry a good distance to have a half decent score, but there are some spectacular views from most parts of the course. There are a couple of particularly challenging Par 3′s, one of which feels just like you are driving across a chasm, but in fact, if you can hit the ball 160 – 170 yards it’s an easy par. Just don’t go short.

The weather played a great part on that day, with just a light breeze and beautiful sunshine adding to the fabulous scenery. Had I been allowed my full handicap, I would have scored a nice 36 points and been very happy with the day. As it was I had to make do with 32 points and slight sunburn. I don’t go out of my way to play links golf, for the reasons I mentioned earlier, but Pennard is as nice a links course as you could wish to play. The pro, Mike Bennett,  was very welcoming, as were some of the local club players and there is a nice putting green and driving/practice area just behind the first tee.

The club’s website is extremely well laid out and if you are thinkling of visiting, take a look at the video tour and the course distance maps that are all available via the website.

the gower golf club

After the splendid weather of day one of our golf holiday, day two dawned damp and overcast. Yup, this is more like the weather we were expecting from Wales in October.  The weather didn’t improve on the short trip out of central Swansea and a light drizzle had begun to fall by the time we teed off.

The first hole is a very straightforward 308 yard downhill off the yellow tees, with a wide open fairway and no real danger between the tee and the flag.

With my shiny new Ping G10 driver, bought especially for this trip, of course I had to go for the green!  As luck would have it, I caught the tee shot quite well and ended the hole with a reasonably straightforward par as the rain began to fall a little more heavily.

After Pennard, the Gower was a very straightforward and pleasant club course to play. Plenty of room on most fairways to forgive the higher handicapper’s loose drives and more often than not, a good view of the ball from almost all parts of the course. That being said, there are some very big and tricky holes, not least of which is the 465 yard par 5  eighth, a huge downhill drive towards a lake and an inviting fairway. (The eighth is the only hole with a stepladder next to the tee so you can spot your fellow players’ ball as it descends the hillside – hopefully towards the middle of the fairway below.)

Naturally the lake is magnetic and I failed to score in a rather dismal yet eyecatching hole!

The par 3 ninth looks easy, but with trees all around, is anything but, as you have to avoid the trees both off the tee and onto the green! Not so easy as it looks and another dismal 4.

As the weather deteriorated we soon found ourselves playing in cloud – very wet cloud at that and we were wondering whether the course would be closed as the visibility became so poor at one stage. In fact, so bad was the visibility that two of our fellow players actually set off down the eighth again on their way to the eighteenth, not having seen the stepladder at the side of the tee owing to the dramatically reduced visibility.

With a friendly club pro and local members, we liked The Gower Club very much and resolved to come back again when the weather wasn’t quite so disastrous.