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Golf EnglandUnderstatement and mumbling inaudibly about one's great assets are particular English traits, so it comes as no surprise to us when our vacationing members on holiday are astonished to learn that England is home to more of the world's highest rated golf courses than any other country except the United States. The Scots and Irish have twigged to the advantages of vigorous marketing and self-promotion to get you to vacation at their fine golf courses. The English simply don't do that sort of thing, or at least they don't do it well. If they did, the unique nature and ambience of England and the English-what, quite frankly, makes England uniquely England-would be buried under a bluster of insincere hype generated for tourists. Though two of England's top ten golf courses, Ganton in the northeast and Woodhall Spa in the Midlands, are somewhat remote from the other great courses, the remainder can be found in three clusters. The rolling, wild dunes land bordering the Irish Sea stretching along the Lancashire Coast from Liverpool to Southport to Blackpool harbours the best collection of links courses in the world. Within an hour's drive of Southport there are six courses that have hosted the Open, the Amateur, the Walker Cup, and the Ryder Cup, and three of these are ranked in the world's best 100: Royal Lytham & St. Annes (where David Duval won the 2001 Open), Royal Birkdale (Mark O'Meara won there in 1998), and Royal Liverpool, recently restored to the Rota after an absence of almost 40 years. Hillside features perhaps the best twelve closing holes in golf and is worthy of an Open. Southport & Ainsdale has hosted two Ryder Cups, and Formby is one of the great championship golf venues for amateurs. Though a mecca for golfers, the Lancashire coast offers little to prevent the non-golfer from developing a deep and lasting depression. Southport does have a certain sordid charm that men tolerate reasonably well, but is not a golf holiday destination where one should take a partner who does not golf, as any touring of real interest is nearly two hours away. The likelihood of experiencing a cultural epiphany here is virtually nil. London and the Channel Coast, on the other hand, are ideal destinations for golfers and tourists alike-a veritable paradise for couples on holiday. Suburban London boasts at least a dozen superb heathland and parkland courses ranging from three of the world's top ranked (Sunningdale Old, Wentworth Burma Road, and Walton Heath Old) to two delightful but obscure gems (The Addington and St. Georges Hill). Exclusive Sunningdale (comparable to Muirfield) features two outstanding golf courses. For seasoned travelers, we need not dwell on the obvious attractions of shopping and touring in and about London, and there is a plethora of impeccable lodging choices for your golf holiday trip-the luxurious Stoke Park Club, the filming location for the famed golf match between James Bond and Goldfinger, comes to mind as an example. On the Channel Coast less than two hour's drive from London are Royal St. George's (venue for the 2003 British Open) and historic Rye-both links are ranked among the best in the world. The Kent region is the 'garden of England", and contains more English history, castles and manor houses converted to luxurious hotels and inns than anywhere else-a splendid destination for both golfers and their non-golfing mates on their custom planned, Haversham & Baker golfing holiday in England. Major Basil Haversham, OBE |
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The Golf Courses of England