The Golf Courses of the British IslesDarwin, Bernard
History
The Golf Courses of the British Isles
Darwin, Bernard
Golf courses -- Great Britain
There the marsh is, however, and the best has undoubtedly been made
of it, so that the first three and the last two holes, if they
have no particular fascination, are thoroughly good and difficult:
more difficult, indeed, than some of the more attractive ones. The
first hole demands two very long, straight shots, for there is a
ditch to catch a slice and only a narrow opening to the green. The
second, again, is a fine, long driving hole, a little 'dog-legged'
in character, and at the third, which is a short one, the green is
beleaguered with pot-bunkers on every side. Yet this third hole shows
that there are limits to what human ingenuity can do, for the hole is
as difficult as can be, and yet of so flat and melancholy an appearance
that one could scarcely feel any warm affection for it.
By this time we are close to the famous 'Pebble Ridge,' and the real
golfing country begins with the fourth hole, a fine two-shot hole with
a well-guarded green. Next comes the fifth, and in front of the tee
there is a bunker so colossal that the carry looks at first sight to be
impossible. A good long carry it certainly is, but it is not nearly so
appalling as it looks; a well struck ball will career gaily over it,
and, if we feel frightened, we can make the carry a little shorter by
going to the right. A moderate pitch will take us home after the drive,
and this is true not only of the fifth, but of the sixth and seventh
also.
It is just a little unfortunate that these holes, which have a good
many features in common, should come so close together, for their
doing so imparts just a suspicion of weakness to this part of the
course. In each case there is a stirring tee-shot from a high tee, and
if that be well struck we may then pitch easily home, although the
greens are very well protected, and should have a comfortable string
of fours. There is a spot further on among the hills to the left where
some desire that the green should be placed, and if ever it is done,
not only the sixth but indirectly the fifth and seventh will also be
benefitted.
The eighth is an interesting little short hole--an extremely difficult
one from the back tee--and after that come two of the finest holes in
golf, the ninth and tenth.
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