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Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #25 on: March 28, 2012, 12:07:09 AM »
17    Byth War (Take Care)    4     392

Elevation17 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Route17 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

"Taken from the back tee on #17.  The 6th green is the main subject.  To the left is the third fairway and behind the 6th green is the 3rd green. One gets a better sense of how steeply uphill the long par 3 4th is!  The fairway feeding down from the right is #5." Sean Arble

on Flickr

"#17 features a blind drive, but a sensible one with a decent landing zone.  The green runs left to right and is very good." Sean Arble

"The 17th green, I think." Bryan Izatt

on Flickr

SA17Green on Flickr
« Last Edit: October 07, 2017, 09:27:56 PM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #26 on: March 28, 2012, 12:10:16 AM »
18    Deweth (Finish)    4     282

Elevation18 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Route18 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

"18th. 280 yds, downhill." Paul Turner

on Flickr

"A drivable par 4 in most conditions, but leaving it short will leave another one of those tricky uphill chips / pitches." Ulrich Mayring

"The 18th is the final short par 4 and its a cracker.  The plateau green makes it difficult to really go for the green in one, but in any case one wants to leave an approach as much into the wind as possible." Sean Arble

on Flickr

"Knowing the obligatory caravan site is just off the right side of the fairway, many folks must end up pin-highish left." Sean Arble

on Flickr

SA18Pitch on Flickr

SA18Green on Flickr

SA18LookingBack on Flickr
« Last Edit: October 07, 2017, 09:46:16 PM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #27 on: March 28, 2012, 12:14:26 AM »
IN    36         3138
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"Yardage, slope, hell everything in modern golf is thrown out at Perranporth.  It is like golf in the old days in the books that show British links in the late 1800s/early 1900s.  Sporty, fun against nature.  We told Tom Doak to go there at Painswick, I wonder what he thought.  Perhaps,
even too quirky for him. 

James Braid should be considered the king of quirky golf--Perranporth, Pennard and St. Enodoc, what a resume!

One last thing, Perranporth has perhaps the coolest symbol in golf, very akin to the golf we played there.  In truth, it is a black shadowy saint with a halo and staff facing the sun with a shark below him.  In reality, it looks like the grim reaper.  Quite spectacular.

PPS-those are NOT cart paths, they are crushed sea shell paths.. I don't like the look either, but it is natural." Noel Freeman (pictured below)

on Flickr

"Okay, much like the hilltop courses I really enjoy, Perranporth is just too wild to be given serious consideration for greatness.  What it lacks in that department is made up for in spades with shot after shot excitement.  I mentioned Ballybunion's Cashen course, the two are quite similar, but Perranporth is much better and a more sensible walk.  Somehow, these classic archies were able to see holes and offer a walk that while may be strenuous, is not crazy.  I am quite surprised that there aren't more par 3s on the course.  The extreme terrain seems to be calling for them, but I guess it is not very satisfactory to have string of short holes.  The Ladies card offers five to the Men's three.  The count is the same for the par 5s.  Indeed, the Ladies card looks very interesting and some of the tees are quite tempting to have a go."

"My first visit to Perranporth was in 1997 (not long before I moved to England) on a word of mouth visit recommended by a mate who played it on a whim while on holiday.  He described Perranporth as a clifftop course, typical English understatement.  Of course, Steel's book missed Perranporth!  Rather oddly, so did Pennink's.  Anyway, I was just as stunned this time as any previous visits.  Much time was spent in a daze wandering around like a lost child while his ice cream melts.  Perranporth is a tough course to remember the details, but that certainly isn't the case for its spirit.  I could play Perranporth tomorrow and have a wonderful sense of adventure - its that magical. 1*  2014" Sean Arble
« Last Edit: October 07, 2017, 09:51:18 PM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #28 on: March 28, 2012, 12:31:30 AM »
Paul's original tour is here: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,13285.0.html
Unfortunately the pictures were gone, but George Pazin had zipped them away and sent them to me.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 12:51:34 AM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

William_G

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #29 on: March 28, 2012, 12:45:44 AM »
WOW! GREAT POST!

Love it.

Looks awesome.

THANK YOU!
It's all about the golf!

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #30 on: March 28, 2012, 12:49:02 AM »
WOW! GREAT POST!

Love it.

Looks awesome.

THANK YOU!

You're welcome Lover Boy
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Noel Freeman

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #31 on: March 28, 2012, 01:55:04 AM »
I was once given great advice by a good friend's father who had led a bon vivant lifestyle after my divorce in 2000 which was don't lament, life is short.  Now while I am a fan of Darwin's Life is Sweet, Brother this thread has caused me to feel lamentation for past days.  I don't know if I miss the car rides, the 36-54 holes a day walking with Paul, the crazy restaurants and night clubs and carousing or just the silent meditation of walking on a links with a good friend but I know the memories that went into this thread have reappeared from my associative memory.  I can literally smell Perranporth at the moment and the mist that came upon the course enshrouding Paul and I for a short time at sunset.

Paul and I were fortunate enough to enjoy my 40th birthday party at Cypress Point last year and I have always thought the famed walk between 15 and 16 is golf's greatest for those of us who will not know the joy of walking down a fairway to win the Masters or Open Championship but I now realize that sense of awe and adventure I felt at Perranporth that day is one of my least bad ones in a golfing anthology--mine.  That said, if the golfing gods are listening, I'm still waiting for a jubilee on my hook issues with the driver which was the greatest impediment to that 2004 trip. 


Sean_A

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #32 on: March 28, 2012, 02:15:50 AM »
I know what you mean Tuco.  

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 05:56:31 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Ed Tilley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #33 on: March 28, 2012, 07:31:46 AM »
My favourite course, along with St.Enodoc. Not the best but the course I enjoy the most. Short, ridiculously unfair at times, borderline unplayable when the wind gets up but fantastic fun. Haven't been there for years but I'm going back in two months time. Can't wait - especially now I've seen these pictures again which I thought had been lost to the sands of time!

Kris Shreiner

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #34 on: March 28, 2012, 09:53:25 AM »
What a crazy track...the first time I can say I got dizzy just looking at the pictured holes on a GCA thread. That said, I'd have a go for sure! Brora, another Braid-influenced track, is one of my all-time favorites in the "golly golf" category. As others have said, it may not be a great golf course, though it certainly has several superb holes in my opinion, but it IS a great time ON golf course. That, and enjoyable company, in concert, are really what makes for a great day on the links!

Cheers,
Kris 8)
"I said in a talk at the Dunhill Tournament in St. Andrews a few years back that I thought any of the caddies I'd had that week would probably make a good golf course architect. We all want to ask golfers of all abilities to get more out of their games -caddies do that for a living." T.Doak

George Pazin

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #35 on: March 28, 2012, 04:23:48 PM »
Incredible thread, thanks Garland. I hope everyone takes a moment to reflect on the amount of work that went into it, from Paul and Noel's pics and thoughtful posts to Garland's analytical additions and more. Amazing.

Next time someone whines about OT threads, point them here and ask them why they didn't contribute... :)
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #36 on: March 28, 2012, 05:07:46 PM »
The tour has been updated with the addition of Ulrich Mayring's pictures.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Ulrich Mayring

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #37 on: March 28, 2012, 05:53:41 PM »
Garland,

great job, thanks for the effort.

It's a fun track, no doubt, but I would count myself as a bit of a sceptic when I read comparisons with Ballybunion and St Enodoc. I don't think that Perranporth is at that level, in fact I have the likes of West Cornwall, Crail Balcomie and Saunton West ahead of it. I do think it is very slightly better than Brora.

For the price a world-beater, of course.

Ulrich
Golf Course Exposé (300+ courses reviewed), Golf CV (how I keep track of 'em)

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #38 on: March 28, 2012, 06:08:54 PM »
You're welcome Ulrihc.

Play it hole-by-hole
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Jim Sherma

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #39 on: March 28, 2012, 09:22:59 PM »
Wow - I think that this may have moved to the top of my wish list. It would be great to just move in for a week or so and play it 10+ times in different winds in order to get where the blinds are not "blind" anymore.

John Mayhugh

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #40 on: March 29, 2012, 12:49:32 PM »
Sean urged me to see Perranporth in a recent trip I took to the area, but the schedule just didn't work out.  My loss!

James Boon

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #41 on: March 29, 2012, 03:58:11 PM »
Crazy?

Just looks like a damn fine course to me...  ;D

Thanks Garland!!! You may have just chosen my holiday destination for a month or twos time!

Cheers,

James
2023 Highlights: Hollinwell (Notts), Brora, Aberdovey, Royal St Davids, Woodhall Spa, Broadstone, Parkstone, Cleeve, Painswick, Minchinhampton, Hoylake

"It celebrates the unadulterated pleasure of being in a dialogue with nature while knocking a ball round on foot." Richard Pennell

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #42 on: March 29, 2012, 05:08:00 PM »
You are most welcome James.

Now go back to Cullen and check out the routing there. I need a pith helmet just looking at it.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

DMoriarty

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #43 on: March 29, 2012, 07:35:28 PM »
Thanks for putting this together Garland, and thanks to the other contributors as well.  Looks like great fun.   Can anyone imagine something like this getting built today? 

The mention of a "caravan" on the 9th hole.  Is that a reference to the trailer houses?  If not what? 
Golf history can be quite interesting if you just let your favorite legends go and allow the truth to take you where it will.
--Tom MacWood (1958-2012)

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #44 on: March 29, 2012, 07:55:58 PM »
You're welcome David,

Caravan Park is the British equivalent of Trailer Park in the US. At least that's what I have learned from Top Gear.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Paul_Turner

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #45 on: March 30, 2012, 08:21:25 AM »
Ha! Those were the days....freedom and spare time to roam!  I still think it's the craziest links, it's kind of like Pennard but with Birkdale size dunes.

Garland well done.
can't get to heaven with a three chord song

Sean_A

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #46 on: July 26, 2013, 01:21:54 PM »
delete.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 05:15:40 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Garland Bayley

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #47 on: July 26, 2013, 01:38:12 PM »
Thanks Sean,

Do you have a picture of the 6th? It seems you referenced the pic from the 5th again.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Sean_A

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #48 on: July 26, 2013, 02:06:44 PM »
delete.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 05:34:21 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Mark McKeever

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Re: Perranporth (The Craziest Links in the World) Tour
« Reply #49 on: July 26, 2013, 02:18:22 PM »
That looks f***ing awesome.

MM
Best MGA showers - Bayonne

"Dude, he's a total d***"

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