Pure golf in London and why you should go there before Scotland and Ireland.

Ok, I've had enough of this. If one more person asks me "I can't decide between Scotland and Ireland for next years golf trip" I'll scream! The correct answer, if you are looking for truly great golf from the late 19th and early 20th century is...wait for it....London.
Just for fun without looking at an architecture book I"ll name you 15 wonderful courses in the London area. Okay, go!....Sunningdale Old and New, Walton Heath Old and New, Swinley Forest, Berkshire Red and Blue, Worplesdon, Woking, West Hill, Hankley Common, Camberley Heath, Liphook, Blackmoor, North Hants, St George's Hill Red and Blue, Wentworth East. How many was that? 17.... and no mention of the travesty that has befallen the once great Burma Road (or West course) at Wentworth. (Ernie are you coming back for a fourth time to "fix" it?)
Nearly all of the courses named above were designed by the greats, James Braid, Harry Colt, Herbert Fowler, Tom Simpson, Willy Park Jr. And if they weren't, such as West Hill, they were designed by architects from that era with wonderful names like Cuthbert Butchart (when did you last meet a Cuthburt?)
So, not only do you get accessible golf, with reasonable green fees, but you can visit the greatest, coolest city in the world, London. Golf during the day, great restaurants and shows at night - all within 30 miles of the center of "town" as us Brits call London. Ok, the exchange rate is a killer, but you were going anyway right. So, don't change planes at Heathrow, get off the plane, stay in town and get to grips with the best collection of golf courses within a 20 miles radius anywhere in the world.

Golf Digest Top 100 Pure Movers

The latest Digest rankings are out. Here are my personal thoughts on some of the "pure" golf courses and their respective moves up and down the list or there inaugural listing.

A couple that jump out are Crystal Downs' solid move from 16 to 12 - Mackenzie's gem is well worth the trip. (see the picture above)

Sand Hills vaults into the top 10 and well deserved it is - a wonderful golf course

Bandon Trails also made a huge jump from 80 to 63. One a recent trip to Bandon Dunes Resort, all 8 of our group placed Trails in the top 2 (with Pacific) and some had it as their number one course on the property.

Also worth commenting on are the fallers...

Chicago fell a couple of places - who knows why? ...and equal with Whistling Straits - I don't think so!

Shoreacres fell 18 spots? - I loved Raynor's course. What's up, no one going to Chicago these days?

The new entries are notable for the volume of "pure" plays

Friars Head in at 34 seems high to me. Ballyneal on the other hand at 95 is way too low. Doak did a magnificent job. I can only think that more people accessed the formers New York location than Ballyneal's remote Colorado geography. Boston and Old Sandwich are both in and represent fine work by Gil Hanse and Coore and Crenshaw.

You can see the full list here.

The 2nd at Dormie Club

My obsession with pure golf at Dormie Club continues! Here is the view from the second tee - a great dogleg left with a big reward for those taking on the left hand bunker.

The 3rd at Dormie Club

Another picture of marvelous Dormie Club near Pinehurst. This shows the approach from the right side of the 3rd hole.

The 18th at Dormie Club

A number of people wanted to know if I had any other pictures of the magnificent Dormie Club near Pinehurst, NC. Over the next couple of days, I'll trawl through my files and find the good ones. Above is a view from behind the 18th green looking back down the par 4. It has a wonderful green with a "sweep" from right to left. Really, you have to see this place - it's Coore and Crenshaw at the top of their game.

Iliac Golf - Bringing Back the Pure

Bert La Mar is bringing back the pure to golf. His Carlsbad based company, Iliac Golf creates cool products including retro style leather headcovers and bags as well as up to the minute stylish clothing in modern fabrics. Iliac likes to say "Understated elegance with hidden performance and cutting edge technology."

Bert is a skateboard and snowboard dude turned golfer and it shows in his refreshing approach to the traditional game of golf. He likes to do things his way and his way is classic with a twist. You can read his story here.

Iliac has made amazing inroads into the leading clubs in the country with his products and it is unusual to visit a top club and not see his wool or leather headcovers presented in funky Iliac wooden crates. You'll be seeing a lot more of Iliac's products out there in 2011 as they ramp up in other categories.

I have his leather headcovers, naturally in green, and they'll last a lot longer than me and they make a statement, which is 100% Pure.

They say "I love the game of golf and my equipment says so!"

National Golf Links of America - What a Picture!

Our favorite golf landscape artist, Josh Smith has just released for sale an awesome picture of the 16th and 17th holes and windmill at the architectural gem on Long Island, National Golf Links of America. Golf aficionados go weak at the knees at the mere mention of C.B Macdonald's 1911 masterpiece. I have to be honest and say I liked the golf course, didn't love it. Modern equipment has made a mockery of some of the holes and as sacrilegious as it is, I prefer Sebonack across the road.
The picture is a beauty and is a complete one off - there are no prints and it will look splendid in someones office or den. If you are interested in purchasing the picture, the price is $3,500. You can email me at - nick@macduffconsulting.com