Cornwall course advice sought

We're about to book a 5 day golf break in Cornwall for the end of February. The proposed courses are listed below - all good?

Trevose
West Cornwall
Perranporth
Cape Cornwall
St Melion (Jack Nicklaus Course)

Mercurio wrote:St Melion (Jack Nicklaus Course)

Don't do it!!

MustPuttBetter wrote:

Mercurio wrote:St Melion (Jack Nicklaus Course)

Don't do it!!

Agreed. Good course but very prone to holding a lot of water and playing extremely long.

Why no St Enodoc on your list? The best course in Cornwall by a country mile! Trevose is highly rated but I found it quite underwhelming.

Top tip.... get a county card, they now cover multiple counties and it will save you a fortune on green fees.

Whitsand Bay at Port Wrinkle used to be a fun little course...

St Enodoc should always be on any list of courses to play in that area.

St Mellion avoid like the Bubonic plague,

Contact Tarka, as he plays those courses every week, as its his neck of the woods

st melion aww dude. gonna be a hard one lol- want to play it myseolf mind!

Why shouldn't we play St Mellion?

Its poo

i dont believe that- it looks like a proper test

MustPuttBetter wrote:Its poo

That's not really very helpful when I need to tell the organiser why we shouldn't play it.

Why is it poo?

play it- its a great course

Merc

It's a good (and very testing) course but doesn't play very well in the winter as it's prone to getting very wet. Down in Cornwall there are plenty of good links courses which will be dry and less prone to frost. For a boys trip (mixed abilities??) you should add Bude to your list. Not particularly difficult but good fun to play.

Can only reiterate what D4S is saying there behind my reasons too. Played it in the height of summer and its worth the visit and money, however having played it twice in the winter months and its really a watse of your money as it remains wet and it parts gets a little boggy.

Its one to save for the drier months of the year. And you really want VFM if your away with the boys in winter which it wouldn't be. Swap it for St Enodoc

Agree with what's already been said about St Enodoc, best in county by some considerable distance. If not everyone in your group is low handicap, links hardened then Trevose is a decent introduction to links golf. It can be brutal off the tips at over 7000 yards but off the yellows or even whites it's very playable.

Personally I love Perranporth too, Braid designed like St Enodoc but not as long and much more of a fun course, quite a few blind shots and a wonderful high up setting overlooking the town and beach.

I've heard good things about West Cornwall but have yet to play it.

Depending on where you're staying, Newquay is actually worth a pop if you're staying in the town, it's cheap and actually not a bad test.

Merc: Concur with what D4S and JAS said about St Enedoc and Trevose (the former is a sterner test, the latter has a friendlier club-house imho). Whitsand Bay is a nice course to play (1954 Open Winner Max Faulkner was the club pro there) and St Just has some breathtaking views of sea (fond memories of playing golf and then joining nutty ex-girlfriend for a 'dip' in the sea below and almost drowning whilst being dragged back by undertow whilst everyone whilst stading on the jetty looking at my sad plight Get yersen a County Card - they run from March each year. Will cost you less than a meal out and will save you an absolute packet Ohh and for chrissakes if 2 lairy females approach you with a 'come hither' look and try and ply you with round after round of voddie shots and jager bombs, in the fine words of Nancy R 'Just Say NO'

NST...a lads trip to Cornwall?? You just know they're gonna end up in Sailors..... and probably fall into exactly the same trap we did...lol

Mercurio wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:Its poo

That's not really very helpful when I need to tell the organiser why we shouldn't play it.

Why is it poo?

I played in October last year and it was one of the least enjoyable rounds i've ever played. There are blind shots on every other hole which - and this is just a personal thing - i hate. Plus the fairways were the narrowest i've ever played, which is fine but there is no semi. One yard off the fairway is lost ball. I didn't play too badly there and lost 4 balls that day. 3 of them were drives barely 5 yards off the right of the fairway. The round took us over 5 hours due to the time we, and the group in front, were spending searching.

I've no problem with a course being difficult, but unplayable at an amateur level is a joke, and that's what it was.

I've not played it in summer so can't comment, but i won't be going back to try

A great effort, chaps. Thanks a lot.

My [organising] mate said:

The Pro at St Melion was full of praise for his course but then I suppose he would be. He said play it last, rather than first, because it will be far better than anything else you play, although he did say it is not a 4 hour round, more like 5 hours so probably best we do avoid it.

MustPuttBetter wrote: Plus the fairways were the narrowest i've ever played

But you've played Cranleigh

Mercurio wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote: Plus the fairways were the narrowest i've ever played

But you've played Cranleigh

You can at least find your ball if you miss by a yard at Cranleigh!

Mercurio wrote:My [organising] mate said:

The Pro at St Melion was full of praise for his course but then I suppose he would be. He said play it last, rather than first, because it will be far better than anything else you play, although he did say it is not a 4 hour round, more like 5 hours so probably best we do avoid it.

Make it 6 hours!

Mercurio. I live in West Cornwall so feel that i maybe able to offer you some 'informed' advice about which of the course I recomend you to play.
There are many people here not giving St Mellion a good report. I have played there alot in the last 5 years and in the last 2 have seen a marked change in the improvements taking place there. The Nicklaus course is now kept in top condition for much of the year. A phonecall in early Jan is recommended as they will be able to tell you about any work that is scheduled for course maintainance around the time of your visit. I would endorse those that say go to St Enodoc. The view from the first hole and clubhouse on a nice clear day is something to be seen.
The one I strongly recommend you drop is Cape Cornwall (not a great layout spread over 3 sloping fields with walls to negotiate!!) and opt for Mullion instead. This is a gem of a course only 10 miles from West Cornwall. The first 5 holes ease you into the round but form 6 to 12 it is a real test. The 6th is a great risk/reward driveable Par 4. The 7th is without doubt one of the top 5 par 4's in cornwall with a great view of an elevated tee. Finally 10 gives a magnificent view of the bay and out to sea all the way over to penzance, the 2nd shot being played to a hole with a 40 ft ravine looming on the right for any shot pushed there. Then a steady run in from 13to 18 with a great friendly bar at the end. Very cheap to play and one that is often missed. You need to head past RNAS Culdrose towards the Lizard, take the first right after the roundabout once past Culdrose, Go straight on the for 2 miles then you arrive at the course.
Enjoy your visit, any other details you may need on the area i will be happy to oblige you with.

St Mellion - TOP course but very very difficult
Good deals this time of year and the second course is actually much easier but very well manicured, the Kernow course so two courses at the one venue, not bad. I played on a sunday morning at 10am about two months ago and the course was DEAD, in fact played it half a dozen times this calendar year as a 3 ball and I have went round in less than 4hrs every time.

launceston - only a couple of miles into cornwall off the road from exeter and this is my course. I could sort out some good green fee rates if needed for you. This would be good to play first or last as it is on the road home for you. I have been really impressed with the course in the last month and the rain hasn't spoiled the course over the last week, played wed and it was great.

other options that I like, fair prices and are worth a play are

Trethorne - cracking greens, water and long

China fleet - see above, excellent facilities - good winter deals and my teaching pro is based here

bude - north cornwall links course if thats your thing I played with two touring pros recently before i played Royal Lytham and it was very similar believe it or not!


If it is a wash out or frosty

over the border into devon

Tavistock GC and Yelverton GC are pretty much open all year and I have never seen a temp green at tavvy and played it 50 times

Thanks everyone for the advice.

The tour itinerary has been finalised as follows:

Monday - Trevose
Tuesday - Mullion - 36 Holes
Wednesday - St Enodoc
Thursday - West Cornwall - 36 Holes
Friday - Okehampton

And we're staying here for the week: http://www.clowancelodges.co.uk/

Mercurio wrote:Thanks everyone for the advice.

The tour itinerary has been finalised as follows:

Monday - Trevose
Tuesday - Mullion - 36 Holes
Wednesday - St Enodoc
Thursday - West Cornwall - 36 Holes
Friday - Okehampton

And we're staying here for the week: http://www.clowancelodges.co.uk/

clowance - v.nice

okehampton - I know this course well, ask me about it nearer the time

Mercurio- Not sure what your handicap spread is but I would strongly recommend that if you are all of a good standard then make sure to ask if you can play from the white tees rather than the winter yellows @ Mullion.The course drains well and the committee are now far more proactive in trying to make sure visitors enjoy their game and will hopefully return. The winter yellows do not do the course justice and hopefully the 7th will not be too wet as it sometimes gets at this time of the year. Best hole on the course and great view from the tee. West Cornwall also a fine course at around the same length as Mulllion @ 6000 yds with some quality holes and its own little 'amen corner' at holes 4 to 6. St Enodoc and Trevose rightly deserve there places in the top UK 100 courses. Trevose can play as long or as resonable as you want given the tee positions. St enodoc is always in good nick and has some quality views of the estuary and across to Padstow, idylic if you get a crisp, clear day! Looks like a great week of fine links golf you have planned there. Clowance has a little old 9 holer but not played that in years. Hope the weather is good for your visit. Any Q's you have then I a am very familiar with all your choices bar Okehampton

Mercurio wrote:Thanks everyone for the advice.

The tour itinerary has been finalised as follows:

Monday - Trevose
Tuesday - Mullion - 36 Holes
Wednesday - St Enodoc
Thursday - West Cornwall - 36 Holes
Friday - Okehampton

And we're staying here for the week: http://www.clowancelodges.co.uk/

The discussion of costs for the 606v2 meet-up reminded me about this tour.

The cost of all this golf and accommodation is £205 per person. That's VFM.

Merc

That is excellent VFM especially when you consider that St Enodoc and Trevose are both Top 100 courses!

Hey Mercurio. Just done a Post on a thread about"rate my course" .thought you might like a link to see what mullions like before you hit the links in February .
It's www.mulliongolfclub.co.uk if your interested.

matelot golfer wrote:Hey Mercurio. Just done a Post on a thread about"rate my course" .thought you might like a link to see what mullions like before you hit the links in February .
It's www.mulliongolfclub.co.uk if your interested.

It looks tidy, matelot.

I'll hopefully be dragging McLaren to see it, too.