Royal Cinque Ports Is Hosting The Amateur This Week...

Which is not really of interest to most except that this is one of my very favorite places in the game. And the British Amateur is a perfect excuse to show some photos of the place three years ago when things were drier in the UK and I was there to investigate Freddie Tait's cross country play a century ago.

You can follow The Amateur at the R&A site, and there was this account of the first day of matches.

I've included photos of the links and the town of Deal, which would make wonderful hosts of the Open Championship (again).

Comments

[Marky Mark]

It would be excellent to see the Open return to Deal.

Also, RSG and Prince's would make excellent parking lots and media/logistics staging areas - he he he.

[Mike U (LA, CA)]

Wonderful, another event with a format that should have been used for the Olympics. I feel like between the two of us, Geoff, we could come up with about 67 better options than 4 day stroke play.

PS - Great pictures.

[Stephen W]

Great pics - growing up in the area I particularly appreciated the one of the Martello Tower (a whole string of these watchtower/forts were built along the Kentish coast because Great Britain feared that Napoleon might invade - he never did). Wish we still had weather like the days these photos were taken! It truly is a wonderful course which tests all aspects of play especially when the wind is up - as it usually is!

[RichD]

Great pics of a wonderful part of the UK and a super course. It will be much greener this year!

[Chuck]

Brilliant writing, Geoff. I loved it.

The multiple-course play in Ayrshire is not exactly a cross-country sojourn, as I understand it. Rather, members at Troon and Prestwick start at one course, play a few holes, continue on to the other course where they nearly abut (separated only by a little trailer park), play 18 at the other and have lunch, and then return to the first course followed by dinner after the 36 holes.

There's also an outlandish point-to-point "course" that stretches up the coast by starting at Prestwick St. Nicholas, and going on to Prestwick, Troon, the Troon Munis, Western Gailes, Glasgow Gailes and finishing at Barassie. What they do, I think, is just play the seaside holes in one direction.

[Foreright!]

I do love the contrast between Merion and these photos. Both have their contirbutions to course architeture and play.

[RichD]

Yes, very different types of course but both outstanding. RSG is even more open and linksy in feel and is a tremendous test, particularly when playing hard and firm like in 2003.

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Seems to be England's day at the moment with Garrick Porteous (Bamburgh Castle) winning The Amateur Championship. The Amateur format is such a marathon that he must be thinking he's occupying a parallel universe at the moment with the prospect of playing up the road at Muirfield in the near future.

As for RCP, I had the privilege of playing it a couple of years ago. I love links golf because it makes me feel closer to the history of the game. Wonderful venue and, the clubhouse nosh is an added bonus!

[Martin]

Great golf course indeed. I played it 25 years ago for the first and last time and still remember the tough par 4s with elevated greens. Not easy to make a good score but true in every sense of the word. Princess, which is close by, has 27 holes that have been renovated in recent years. They built a lodge too, which seems to be a very nice place to stay.

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Stayed up to watch the highlights of the 36 hole final. The conditions were brutal. As to number of strokes being taken ... well, let's put it this way ... scoring probably wouldn't have been out of place on a Ladies' medal day at my club!

[Squire]

Deal, one of my favorite pure joy courses. Rye, North Berwick West, Prestwick Old, Woodhall Spa, too.