Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Ran Morrissett on July 15, 2015, 03:57:07 PM
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When brother John and I started GolfClubAtlas.com, we did so by writing positive course profiles. The purpose was to highlight what is good and important in architecture in optimistic hopes of showing a way forward. That ideal has never changed. One of our earliest influences was Nick Edmund and his wonderful UK profiles that appeared in both Links Magazine for a while as well as Following the Fairways, which he edited (my marked up edition is from 1996).
Roll the clock forward and the person whose writing and photos best capture the pure, unfiltered joy of the game - to me - is Sean Arble. We have now assembled a majority of his tours under Course Tours in the Best of Golf section.
Many of them are of hidden country gems scattered around England where the game remains simple and untouched by the junk that plagues so many modern courses. Such uncluttered 'walks in the countryside' are the stuff of dreams, at least to me, especially when your dog tags along for the exercise too.
Sean's tours alternate between historical facts and what makes the courses/holes fun. Honestly, what else matters?! You can read about 7,000 yard plus, water strewn, expensive, slow playing, over-maintained, bland tournament courses elsewhere.
Sean has produced 50+ tours over the years, each different from the others. Now they are collected in one spot for ease of enjoyment. My apologies (!) for taking so long as Sean's body of work is exemplary; truly the Best in Golf.
As Chris Buie likes to remark, "Keep calm and read Sean Arble!"
Best,
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This is great news and very deserved. Happy you guys did this.
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What a splendid idea!
Thanks Ran and Sean for putting these terrific essays in a single, easy-to-find digestible resource.
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A well-deserved honor for Sean, whose tours--even well before I joined this site--have always captivated me.
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Fantastic Ran (and Sean). Thank you both for your efforts.
Obviously, from the comments and photo additions to Sean's tours, his perspective is inspiring. I certainly feel that sense of joy and inspiration when scrolling through the photos and reading the commentary.
For me, this exemplifies what this site and community do best.
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Very good call!
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Sean and Ran,
This will be an inspirational resource for all who seek the true allure of the gowf!
To have this repository to hand should ensure that generations of golfers to come will be led down an enlightened path!
Well done to both of you. Sean for the exquisite descriptions and images and Ran for the foresight to archive them in such an accessible manner.
Bravo!
Colin
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Sean,
I'm proud for you, my friend. Your presentations are the stuff of dreams for most golfers on this site. Looking forward to seeing you in Nottingham!
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Outstanding. Congrats to Sean on this richly deserved raise in profile.
I've never played a single course Sean has profiled, but as a result of his wonderful tours, I feel like I have.
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Outstanding. Congrats to Sean on this richly deserved raise in profile.
I've never played a single course Sean has profiled, but as a result of his wonderful tours, I feel like I have.
I feel the same way about Jon Cavalier's profiles. We are fortunate to have both chaps making such contributions.
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Excellent stuff - very useful for planning golf trips.
A couple of tours that I've just been looking at - thinking of playing these on the twilight rate in the next few weeks - that were excellent and not on the list.
West Hill
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57487.msg1342844.html#msg1342844
Woking
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32655.0.html
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Oh to be a young man again... As a golfer, I'd love to have an opportunity to live and work for a year or more in GB and use a resource like this smart compilation to carve a path through mostly jolly old England, in order to take in the authentic experience of the pure game.
Now this resource it there for the many who yearn to sample this variety of simple country golf thanks to Sean's dedicated and passionate efforts, and Ran's foresight to feature Sean's work.
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I too am, of course, very pleased at Sean's well deserved recognition, and very appreciative of the wonderful resource that is now permanently in place.
I would add this: Ran writes that "you can read about 7,000 yard plus, water strewn, expensive, slow-playing, over-maintained, bland tournament courses elsewhere". True enough. But you can now also read about "retail-priced, high-profiled, top-ranked, leading-edge architectured, far-flunged, resort-based, once-in-a-lifetimed, main-lined exclusive" courses elsewhere (and here, and there, and everywhere).
The average, English course - the 4s, and 5s, and 6s that for decades have with modesty and restraint and simplicity and affordability served their purpose exceedingly well as ideal venues for the game of golf and all of its pleasures: about those, the lifeblood of the game, we can only read (or at least read most satisfyingly) in the works of Mr. Arble.
I may never get there to the UK, and I may never play any of the courses profiled. But that doesn't matter. These courses exist, and Sean highlights and promotes them, which helps keep them healthy and vibrant for others to enjoy for many many years.
Peter
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To paraphrase Oliver Twist, "please Sean, can we have some more"!
Atb
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Sutton Coldfield's profile didn't make the list either....!
Well done Sean. They are part of what makes this sight great.
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Fantastic addition to the site and well deserved recognition for Sean!
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I've long hoped for this day. Great stuff.
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Sutton Coldfield's profile didn't make the list either....!
Or Reddish Vale... :(
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Organizing Sean's course profiles in one place was a great idea. Thanks for doing that.
Last month, I had a short business trip to England. In that, I managed to play five courses that Sean has profiled: Cleeve Hill, Blackwell, Church Stretton, Reddish Vale, and Cavendish. I'm confident in saying no one else has ever played the same lineup in a single trip, though I'm not sure that's something to brag about! I did more driving than Sean would approve of, but wanted to take advantage of the chance to play a few course that have intrigued me for some time.
Without Sean's posts, I might never have heard of any of these courses, and certainly not all. He's doing us all a great service by showcasing the variety of quality golf that is in the UK. If every trip overseas included just one of these lesser known courses, people could both save money and get a fuller experience in both golf architecture and culture.
I may not get a chance to play every course he's profiled, but if it's one he likes, I'm going to try.
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Having read many of Sean's profiles of the so called lesser lights, I enjoyed his take on the big guns such as Sunningdale, Castle Stuart, Dornoch. I would be interested in his reviews of Kingsbarns, Turnberry Ballybunion etc. He should be paid for this stuff.
I do think his rating system is bonkers though.
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Having read many of Sean's profiles of the so called lesser lights, I enjoyed his take on the big guns such as Sunningdale, Castle Stuart, Dornoch. I would be interested in his reviews of Kingsbarns, Turnberry Ballybunion etc. He should be paid for this stuff.
I do think his rating system is bonkers though.
Ryan if you are keen you can use Google to search within the site to find his reviews of Turnberry and Ballybunion (not sure about Kingsbarns.)
Congratulations Sean. Do my troozers now get repeat fees?
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Thanks all for your kind and encouraging words. Thanks especially to Ran for coming up with the idea and Chris for what I suspect was the grunt work :)
The project was a bit rushed so many tours were excluded. I will slowly troll for decent tours and request they be included on the master list. So far I found
Sutton Coldfield Winter Course
Handsworth
Sandwell Park
Woking
TNC
If folks know of other tours mention them on this thread.
As an aside, I tried to pursuade Ran to include tours from other contributors, but that idea was nixed. I would still like a section for other GB&I tours and if you would too then lobby Ran.
Once again, thanks all.
Ciao
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I recall Mark Rowlinson's wonderful Fairhaven tour so I'll second that emotion Sean.
What's your take on Lytham which I'm visiting in October?
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Mike
Any course which requires some 200 bunkers is imo dubious. For sure Lytham is good, not great and not really my bag. I place it #57 in GB&I behind inglorious haunts such as Kington :D
Ciao
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Understood, and I appreciate your perspective Sean. Indeed, Lytham and the considerable number of bunkers is something I wrestle with in evaluating similar courses such as Oakmont, or even Merion.
Tough to be a card-carrying minimalist and yet rationalize the need for scores of bunkers dotting the landscape, but somehow it doesn't bother me quite so much if they fit the landscape in my mind's eye, if that makes sense.
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Mike
I spose the crux of Lytham is it feels crowded to me. Being jammed into suburbia plus the numerous bunkers pushing play to the centre of the alley is all too much for my tastes. I much more enjoy a feeling of freedom when playing and Lytham decidely does not offer that. So from a macro and micro PoV Lytham doesn't work for me. However, on a mid-macro level the holes are all fine and some are excellent...but nothing earth shattering or that can't be found at many other places.
Ciao
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Thanks Sean,
I'll let you know my impressions after I visit. It would be fun to compare notes.
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Thanks Sean. Missed this and just read the "Irish Eyes Are Smiling":
https://golfclubatlas.com/best-of-golf/sean-arbles-united-kingdom-course-tours-2/