 |
While most golfers favour Scotland or Ireland when travelling to the UK, there are several other options to consider. Mike Bridge visits St Enodoc in Cornwall, a course with a history dating back more than 100 years.
Exactly a century after the First Fleet landed in Australia, a group of undergraduates began to knock a ball around the church of St Enodoc and Daymer Bay in Cornwall. A year later, some local gentlemen laid out a few holes among the sand dunes at nearby Rock. The game caught on and in 1890, they formed St Enodoc Golf Club.
Famed course designer James Braid laid out the full 18 holes in 1907. This was first altered in about 1922, notably by the construction of the present short eighth and a diversion of the original 11th, 12th and 13th holes.
Despite the tinkering, golfers today still play the course essentially as laid out by Braid – a tremendous tribute to his vision and skill. The Church Course, as it is now known, has stood the test of time even with the enormous changes in clubs and balls in the last 70 years.
From the first tee to the last, you are acutely aware of the beauty of playing alongside some of the most wonderfully rugged coastline in Great Britain.
Alistair, a TV executive on holiday with his young family, was my playing partner on the day I visited. With a 50kph head wind, we knew it was going to be a totally different experience. Whereas Alistair had used a six-iron to reach a par-three earlier in the week, today it was out with the rescue club. The tips in the course notes warn constantly about wind direction so club selection is vital. The terrain plays a major part too, so it was just a matter of getting on the green without losing too many shots along the bumpy fairways.
Each hole created its own challenge but certainly the par-four sixth, with the aptly-named Himalaya bunker, was exceptional. Hitting the fairway is a must to have any chance with your second shot, which is a blind approach over that aforementioned bunker set into a 12-metre-high hill. I had a very lucky drive and managed to reach the green with an eight-iron. I had conquered the Himalayas.
The signature hole, the par-four 10th, is 413-metres and is stroke index one on the card. From a raised tee, you look down the valley to a very small landing zone with hazards on each side and St Enodoc church beside the green. The pro’s tip reads, ‘five is a very good score here’, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t make par.
At 5,986-metres, the par-69 course is a tough examination for both high and low handicappers. But no matter how good your game, you’ll enjoy a real links experience and have your breath taken away by the views.
WHERE TO STAY
With its rugged coastline, Cornwall was once famous for smuggling and tin mining but in recent times it has become a major tourist destination. There are many great country hotels and private homes offering a bed-and-breakfast experience, but a stay at a working Cornish farm such as The Olde House in Chapel Amble is recommended to really get to know the locals.
If you’re looking for a touch of luxury, the St Moritz Hotel in Wadebridge offers chic suites overlooking Daymer Bay. The original, imposing private house has been reinvented as a glamorous hotel. Politicians, film stars, business leaders and writers have all enjoyed the hotel’s celebrated levels of service.
The St Moritz has suites, king/twin rooms and five-star self-catering apartments. Dining is a delight and often a surprise: head chef, James O’Connor, changes the restaurant menu daily, serving the finest British food using predominantly Cornish ingredients. The Leisure Club has an air-conditioned gym with state-of-the-art resistance and cardiovascular machines, Jacuzzi, a Hammam-style steam room, cold drench showers, sauna, swimming pool and tennis courts.
For a bit of pampering, try the somewhat unusually named Cowshed spa, boasting six treatment rooms, manicure and pedicure stations and a relaxation lounge. Therapists soothe, calm, invigorate and delight with a luxurious range of Cowshed products, such as Wild Cow, Knackered Cow, or the award-winning Grumpy Cow.
“In addition to glorious golf at St Enodoc and perfect pampering at the Cowshed spa, this part of Cornwall is an incredibly romantic retreat,” comments Hugh Ridgway, owner and founder of the St Moritz Hotel.
“It offers wonderful coastal and beach walks with stunning panoramas, traditional, warming pubs and long lingering dinners in gourmet seafood restaurants.”
at a glance
Getting there: Qantas and Emirates both fly to London.
131-313; qantas.com.au
1300-303-777; emirates.com
Cornwall is on the western tip of southern England, about a five-hour drive from London. Hiring a car is the best way to see the region, however there are flights from Heathrow to Plymouth or Newquay and fast intercity trains from Paddington.
Accommodation: The Olde House offers a range of self-catering cottages situated on a 200-hectare working farm. Cottages are available for short breaks (weekends or mid-week bookings) or longer stays. Rates vary from £320 to £1,495 for a Friday-to-Friday stay. For information, info@theoldehouse.co.uk; theoldehouse.co.uk
Stay, Play & Spa package: St Enodoc and St Moritz are offering a Saintly Break package, including two rounds of golf over the Church and Holywell courses at St Enodoc, two, one-hour Cowshed spa treatments for a non-playing partner, a two-night stay at St Moritz on a bed-and-breakfast basis plus dinner on both nights. Package costs £145.00 per person per night based on two people sharing a king/twin room. (Not available from July 8 to August 29 inclusive).
Other activities: Cornwall has many attractions ranging from sailing, walking and swimming. It is also a surfing paradise, with world championship events holywelleld in Newquay. But more importantly for golfers, the county has an abundance of courses ranging from the seaside pitch-and-putt to wonderful championship links
For information on St Enodoc Golf Club: st-enodoc.co.uk
For information on the St Moritz Hotel: stmoritzhotel.co.uk
For information on the UK: visitbritain.com
|
Comments
|
|
|
|
|
