The only good thing about January

Looks like winter is returning with a vengeance this week, not pleasant golfing weather at all

However I usually quite enjoy January as Club diaries come out and Open Competitions go online so it's a chance to plan the year ahead. I've not been slow to jump at a few opportunities already, signing up for Team comps at both Royal Porthcawl (Feb) and Saunton (March), by April I'll turn more to individual events (Saunton 36 Holer on Easter Monday), might have another pop at back on black at The Grove in May. Also tempted by Dundonald Links having a similar comp (rumoured for July but not announced yet. Tonight is the biggie though when the entries for the Tassie in September go online, it's becoming a fixture in my calendar now and probably the event I look forward to more than any other, regardless of how the course might beat me up.

Anybody else started filling out Open entries yet?

January, I actually love it.

For a start, Christmas is over. Secondly the days are drawing out, and every week you get through without further bad weather means another week closer to spring.

Then there is the optimism of the current season and getting your game ready, organising opens etc.

Paying the fees isn't fun though, especially when you have two clubs.

i was looking at a few opens at the weekend - might give ladybank a go this year - one course i've never got around to playing. was also putting together a fixture list for club comps between my home and away course. can't wait till march for it all to kick off.

I can't wait until March either (12 of us coming up to East Lothian for a long weekend) unfortunately its in celebration of one of us becoming a crusty old half century old :-o

JAS wrote:Looks like winter is returning with a vengeance this week, not pleasant golfing weather at all

However I usually quite enjoy January as Club diaries come out and Open Competitions go online so it's a chance to plan the year ahead. I've not been slow to jump at a few opportunities already, signing up for Team comps at both Royal Porthcawl (Feb) and Saunton (March), by April I'll turn more to individual events (Saunton 36 Holer on Easter Monday), might have another pop at back on black at The Grove in May. Also tempted by Dundonald Links having a similar comp (rumoured for July but not announced yet. Tonight is the biggie though when the entries for the Tassie in September go online, it's becoming a fixture in my calendar now and probably the event I look forward to more than any other, regardless of how the course might beat me up.

Anybody else started filling out Open entries yet?

Hi JAS -- What do you think of Saunton ? We've just booked our summer hol in Devon and have Saunton on our shortlist as we've never played there before. January golf working our great for us (so far) as there's no snow yet at Bethpage and I have a biz trip coming up in Bermuda !

Personally I love Saunton Plunky, nice friendly club and 2 terrific courses. The East gets all the plaudits and is a pretty stiff test but I think the West is the more interesting layout. It's a lovely part of the country. Going to try Royal North Devon (oldest club in England) this year as well which is just across the estuary.

If you're in the SouthWest it's going to be worth your while making the trip to the other 2 high quality tracks (St Enodoc in Cornwall & Burnham & Berrow (in Somerset)

Thanks -- I'll add those to the list !

You have a fine line-up of places already sorted JAS, can't help but be a little jealous even if the travelling is a bit heavy!
Royal North Devon's course isn't quite in the Saunton league but a must visit for the history alone (the Clubhouse is wonderful). Some really good holes but some plain ones after the turn, and the bunker on the 4th to marvel at of course. Is it the Bideford Bay comp that you're playing in March?
Saunton East is always the pick of the two there though for me.

"Quirky" is how I've heard RND described. I vaguely know someone who is a member, and have heard stories of needing to be mindful of grazing sheep roaming the course (and what they might have left behind on it), but it does sound like great fun.

Almost managed a golf trip to Saunton last year, but the stars didn't quite align and not sure if it will ever happen now. I recall discovering there is a modest discount on green fees if you stay at Saunton Sands hotel (this is probably not an option for a group trip on a budget however - it's a lovely hotel though). I've also been advised to avoid summer due to overcrowding. It struck me that the green fees were also massively cheaper over the off-season too.

I think that area was hit pretty hard in the recent flooding, but don't know if that has affected any of the courses (seaside or otherwise).

Well that was easy this year...Tassie entry successful. That's the 1st week in September sorted

Turnip, no not the Bideford Bay Comp, just the Easter meeting, medals on both the Sat and Sun.
I've heard that too that RND is a bit quirky Sky. I'm expecting it to a bit of a mixture of Old Prestwick (relatively untouched by the mists of time) and Pennard (which also lets livestock freely graze)

Barragan, I can wholeheartedly reccomend Ladybank. Fantastic heathland track that I had the pleasure to play for a week 2 years ago. Last 5 holes all par 4s just over the 400yard mark , but each hole is fantastically individual!! Great clubhouse and a nice change from its nearby famous TOC.

Never played Saunton but getting 5 days golf there at the end of June for this years Navy Championships. Have heard from others here in Cornwall and from further afield that have played all say course would be on the open rota if it had the necessary infrastructure. Some tough carries to fairways though if the winds up by all accounts!!looking forward to it!

JAS wrote:Well that was easy this year...Tassie entry successful. That's the 1st week in September sorted

Turnip, no not the Bideford Bay Comp, just the Easter meeting, medals on both the Sat and Sun.
I've heard that too that RND is a bit quirky Sky. I'm expecting it to a bit of a mixture of Old Prestwick (relatively untouched by the mists of time) and Pennard (which also lets livestock freely graze)

Prestwick was pretty much entirely rebuilt in the 1890s. It was originally 12 holes, then changed to 18 on the same land, which is why it's all a bit cramped. The first hole used to be about 600 yards and young Tom Morris holed out in 3 en route to winning the 1870 Open.

The layout you play today is not much more than 120 years old, so a newcomer compared to St Andrews or North Berwick.

One of the really BAD things about January in these parts is the obligatory "January thaw" where, seemingly overnight, the snowpack of at least two feet has disappeared leaving dirty brown dormant grass below, sodden.
Forty degrees Fahrenheit above normal last night; can't do anything in January anyway except winter sports and drinking, not necessarily in that order, so it's all one big tease with temps we'd prefer to see accelerating spring in late March.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/video-dave-pelz-backyard-better-yours-everyone-190026013--golf.html

Clearly it doesn't apply right now in Northern England, or even here in Northern New England, but wouldn't you just crave a bright winter's day when the snow was cleared and you had this back garden?

Doesn't look too shabby does it? Only slightly jealous....

Having snow cleared to find it would imply it's still rather chilly. Having that kind of cash I would probably not be there in the first place, favouring a broadly similar garden in significantly warmer climes.

Might even practise a bit. Who knows down in 2 from somewhere might become a possibility...