Surf & Turf @ Trevose

Apart from losing a number plate on the M5 and backing into the pro's car in the club car park, life does not get much better than a few days on the coast at Trevose, in North Cornwall.

As clubs go, this is pretty close to the dressed to a tee dream. Stunning views of the Atlantic, tip top track, flip flops in the club house, surf school on site and reasonable value if you don't mind roughing it a little.

Staying in the chalets will cost you around £25 B&B per person and then if you play two rounds a day you are looking at £20 a round. Throw in some cheeky bartering and things can look even sweeter.

A very laid back affair.

Rye Golf

Played at Rye Golf Club over the weekend.

A very simple but outstanding links course - there is a real spiritual feel to the place.

I think what makes links golf so powerful is that the natural elements are continually influencing your experience - the sea view, the coastal breeze, the humps and bumps of the fairways, the beach sand in the bunkers.

It creates a feeling that nature has built the course rather than man and makes the experience wild and invigorating. I don't think you get that from a parkland course however good it is.

Beyond The Beaten Track

Just back from a road trip to Scotland.

Had the sticks in the back of the wagon so made the most of a couple of great finds.

Dropped in on Braid Hills which is probably the best public golf track on the planet. The course is literally on the top of Edinburgh with great views of the city.

The course is very quirky with the majority of holes being played through the crags with gorse everywhere. Loads of semi-blind shots. Really good fun.

The other hidden gem we stumbled on was Moray in Lossimouth. Two fantastic links courses: The Old and The New. At £20 notes to play the New this is top value. Loved the fact that the courses are bang in the middle of the town - part of the furniture.

Two places you gotta play before you hang up the blades.

Eco-friendly Golf Course - Machrihanish Dunes

Doesn't she look nice!

I read about this course here.

From tee to green all natural - no chemicals or pesticides, just 50 Hebridean Black sheep to keep the grass down.

What a great idea, working in harmony with nature rather than against it.

The course should be open now, but officially opens on the 21st of July.

If you are tempted, the course website is here.

I think we may have to visit in the off season!

Our Man In The East

After Rick's last escapades at the Angkor golf course in Cambodia he has now sent us news of his latest reccy to the King's Island course, near Hanoi in Vietnam.

He played both the Lakeside course in the morning and then followed up with the Mountain View course in the afternoon. Both courses he said were fantastic although they did expose his lack of fitness! He knocked it round in 18 on the Lakeside and 20 on the Mountain.

In Rick's Words:

"The best bit was that I was the last person playing golf on the island at the end of the day, as the light was fading and everyone else had sensibly caught the ferry home.  But they were happy for me to finish the round and they even turned on the floodlights for the last 3 holes so I could play - by then I'd lost my Korean playing partners, so it was just me, the caddie and the course manager, who drove me in his buggy!  Apart from the floodlights, it reminded me so much of our times playing Braidhills in Edinburgh...last out and not being able to see where the green is, let alone the pin!"

Rick vs. Nick

Our friend Rick is living in Cambodia at the moment and last week he visited Siem Reap to check out the amazing temples at Ankor.

While he was there, he and a couple of mates also managed to get a round of golf in at the Nick Faldo designed Angkor Golf Course.

In Rick's own words "I've got no idea if he's any good at designing courses, but this one looks impossible!"

Knowing they had a tough test in front of them the lads spent a bit of time on the practice ground to fine tune their swings!

And this practice payed off, with Rick certainly having a good round, including a birdie on a par 5 and perhaps more impressively a birdie putt on the notoriously sandy 13th.

He finished with a round of 23 over, a very respectable score considering the toughness of the Nick Faldo designed course.

If their good play continues I can see the lads getting into the Indochine Cup Team or even teeing up with the King of Malaysia on his next visit!

Urban Golf

I was down in the big smoke to look at Urban Golf as a possible venue for a golf evening next year.

I took along the sharp shooter Gav to see what he thought.

We went to the venue in Soho which has around 8 simulators. It's a pretty chilled out place with bars, plasma screens and of course, no dress code.

You take your pick from 50 of the world's most famous courses. We took on the mighty Pebble Beach on a flat calm day...

It was good fun and I reckon pretty accurate, as my trade mark 'block' raised its ugly face time and time again. Gav on the other hand was no better.

Overall verdict was that it was a really good laugh and we will definitely do it again next year.

We will let you know the date we are going in advance, so if you are free, you can come down and take on Jack Nicklaus' favourite course with us.

Pure Unadulterated Escapism

I headed to the Norfolk coast with a few mates last weekend for some links golf.

It reminded us that there is something very magical, almost spiritual about playing golf on the coast - cleanses the soul.

We played a couple of rounds, at Sheringham, which, although less well known than Brancaster and Hunstanton, is a real gem and the atmosphere is extremely friendly, which is always a refreshing change.

So if you're ever thinking of cruising down to the Norfolk coast, for a few days down time, then set the sat nav to Sheringham Golf Club, NR26 8HG - you won't be disappointed.

There's Always Oxford Brookes

I managed to find a few hours without the rain bucketing down to see if the old magic is still there.

I met up with a friend who is at Oxford Uni and they get a cracking membership deal at Southfield Golf Club in Oxford. They pay £150 a year for the pleasure which seems a fair cop considering the club was founded in 1875 by University graduates.

If you have not got the brains to get into Oxford Uni then there's always Oxford Brookes or a green fee of £40 during the week. They also do a twilight rate of £20 after 5 during the week and after 4 on weekends which is outstanding value.

You'll also be interested to know that "Southfield extends a warm welcome to all golfers and societies, regardless of age, gender or ability"........

A Royal Gem

dressed to a tee is always razor sharp when it comes to getting good deals and hunting out a bargain.

I think we can credit this to our early student tours to the Emerald Isle where we honed our skills, getting onto the likes of Waterville for free and Lahinch for a fiver. We even managed £25 notes at the Old Head which will now set you back a cool 295 euros for 18 holes of golf.

Our latest find is Hampton Court Palace. The course is set in the royal grounds and is just outside London in Kingston Upon Thames. Even if you're not from the big smoke it is well worth the trip.

Normally costing £40 for a midweek round you can use two for one vouchers or if you ask nicely you can pay £20 without the vouchers - but you never heard it from us...

The best time to play the palace is from May through to late Autumn, when the fairways are framed by long flowing acid grass. This gives you a real sense that you are on the links and the long irons will be out in abundance.

Just watch out for the deer on the tee!