d ourist Boar ales T tesy of The W Photo cour

Aberdovey WWalesales GolfGolf

By Jack Berry Now say “” and Whiskey-makers Jack Daniels you might think but hen I say “Wales”, what and Evan Williams trace Welsh doesn’t resonate like Scotland and do you think of? roots as does zillionaire J.P. Ireland when you think golf. The W Morgan. Architect Frank Lloyd Welsh would like to change that. Catherine Zeta-Jones? Tom Wright? He named his Wisconsin They’ve been playing the game Jones? Robert Trent Jones? home and Arizona winter head- about as long as anyone. They just Charlotte Church? Richard Burton? quarters Taliesin, after the Welsh haven’t boasted about it despite Coal? How Green Was My Valley? poet. having the third oldest golf union The Prince of? in the world and Dr. Frank

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Stableford first used his unique Country Hotel in , and 12 green mountains, it’s become scoring system at Glamorganshire million sheep to three million peo- cheaper to import it so Wales had in in 1898. ple. Excellent food with emphasis to begin looking for new business on lamb, seafood and Welsh Angus and to promote its natural features. Matter of fact, the Welsh just beef. But they don’t fly their gold don’t seem to boast at all despite on black Cross of St. David flag Led by Sir Terry Matthews, the having some of the most beautiful the way the white on blue Cross of first Welsh billionaire, Wales has land in the British Isles, great St. Andrew flies everywhere in its eye on golf and golf tourism. green mountains, picturesque val- Scotland. Matthews was born on the property leys and villages, bordered by the where the 2010 will be Irish Sea, twisty roads, small, Coal was king in Massachusetts contested, was educated in Britain stick-shift cars (no SUVs or F-150s -size Wales until the mid-1980s, and then, after making his fortune at $8 a gallon), fast-running during Margaret Thatcher’s reign in Canada in telecommunications, streams, wonderful small hotels as premier. Long strikes closed the returned to Wales and built five- like the Penhelig Arms in mines and while there still is plen- star 400-room Celtic Manor, the Aberdovey and Maes-y-Neuadd ty of the mineral beneath those largest hotel and golf resort com- d ourist Boar ales T tesy of The W Photo cour

Celtic Manor

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Royal plex in Europe, just two hours west of London’s property into part of the complex, and while in Heathrow Airport. Florida happened to meet an American architect with Welsh family roots – Robert Trent Matthews turned the former maternity hospital Jones. He hired Jones to design a championship

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course and it opened in 1999. It has been home since teurs. The losing American team in 1995 2000 to the Wales Open on the European PGA Tour. included Tiger Woods. Padraig Harrington was on the winning side. Reminiscent of last year’s Ryder Until Matthews lit the fire, about the only course Cup? traveling American golfers had heard of was Royal Porthcawl overlooking the Bristol Channel, a short Porthcawl, founded in 1891 and at its present loca- from , Wales’ capital and largest city. tion since 1895, was described by Bernard Darwin, Porthcawl has hosted six British Amateurs plus the acknowledged as the finest golf writer of all time, as Walker and Curtis Cups between America and Great “very excellent …the genuine thing – the sea in Britain and Ireland, the best male and female ama- sight all the time, and the most noble bunkers.” d ourist Boar ales T tesy of The W Photo cour

Royal St. David

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Nefyn

unchanging as the magnificent the best, most memorable links are Michael Williams, of more links.” Aberdovey and Royal St. David’s, recent vintage, said Porthcawl each dating to the 1890s and never “epitomizes that which is best As good as Porthcawl is, there victim of a bulldozer’s blade. about the game even down to a are nearly 200 courses in Wales, Along with Porthcawl, creaking clubhouse that is as many of them seaside, and two of this year ranked them among the

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best 100 courses outside of the others are 173, 188, 202 and 218. because of his 6-2 height, uncom- United States. None are over great stretches of monly tall in the Middle Ages), water, like so many American had a knack for castles. He built an The Cambrian Line railroad 3s. Instead there are humps, “ Ring” of five of them in borders each, and when the two bumps, mounds, bracken, golden Wales to quelch Welsh national- clubs had matches, their members gorse (in the spring), rabbit holes ism. And today, among many could board a train next to their and, of course, bunkers. Welsh, there’s still a certain ani- own course, ride to the other, step mosity toward , one reason off and walk to the first . Aberdovey has three par 5s and they’ve held onto their language, the par 3s and par 4s offer wonder- one that uses vowels but not where It always seemed to me that ful challenges with the big green of you’d expect them. They share the great British courses were bor- the 173-yard third at Aberdovey their little distaste of England with dered by rail lines and Aberdovey hidden from the tee, sunk among the Scots – Edward thrashed Mel and Royal St. David’s qualify. the humps and bumps with just the Gibson’s William (Braveheart) Aberdovey was Darwin’s favorite. top of the flag visible. To the left, Wallace, killed him and had him His mother’s family lived there – over medium-high dunes, is a drawn and quartered. the Welsh spelling of the village is broad, sandy beach and the sea. I did learn one Welsh word: . Darwin was the club’s ARAF. Painted on the road, it first captain, a post he held many Neither the Welsh nor the means SLOW. years, and of Aberdovey he wrote Scottish seaside courses I’ve “It is the course that my soul loves played have the towering dunes That’s the way to go, too, best of all the courses in the that mark the northwest and west around Nefyn & District Golf Club world.” links of Ireland like Carne, in North Wales, atop a slender Rosapenna, Enniscrone and peninsula jutting into the Irish Sea. Neither is long by today’s stan- Portstewart. Slow, hold your hat and take your dard, 6,571 yards and par 69 for Standing high above Royal St. camera. It rivals Ireland’s Old Royal St. David’s and 6,454 yards, David’s and looking west out to Head for Most Spectacular – you par 71, for Aberdovey. There are the sea and north to 3,560-foot Mt. see the sea from every tee — and it only two par 5s at St. David’s and Snowdown, Wales’ highest peak, is is open 365 days a year. It’s windy they’re back-to-back. But there are a great stone castle built by at another Welsh clifftop course, five par 3s and they’re good ones. Edward I in the late 13th Century. Cardigan Golf Club above The shortest is 144 yards and the Edward (nicknamed Long Shanks Cardigan Bay, but it can’t hold a d ourist Boar ales T tesy of The W Photo cour

Nefyn

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wind sock to Nefyn where you one-lane road. unlike our expensively manicured need the lowest shots you can hit. Pennard, on the Gower courses traversed in golf cars, there Peninsula near , Wales’ is a feeling that this truly is golf And all that on a beautifully second largest city, is another cliff- the way it was meant to be played. maintained 26 hole course. Right, top course – 200 feet up from the And, like Ireland and Scotland, 26 holes, Old Course dates to nine sea but with typical links holes you walk. Some courses have a holes in 1907 and nine more in with humps, bumps, gorse and few “buggies,” used primarily by 1912. An additional nine, the New bluebells. Dating to 1896, it’s physically handicapped people. Course, was added in 1933 and in known as the “Links in the Sky.” Unlike American resorts and real the rearranging, one hole had to be While it’s a modest 6,225 yards, estate-driven courses, the next tee dropped. par 71, as with all the seaside isn’t a quarter mile from the previ- courses, length is deceiving and ous green. They’re close. Every hole is, well, spectacular much depends on the weather thanks to the surroundings, but the which can change several times In a tongue-in-cheek effort to par 3 14th can stand with Cypress during a round. distinguish themselves from their Point’s famed 16th. It’s 165 yards, English cousins and Celtic clans to all carry, clifftop to clifftop. Golfers today might like to the north, the Wales Tourist Board draw and quarter a few course adopted a campaign stating that Tucked at the bottom of the lee- designers but when they walk (a Wales “Is Golf As It Should Be” ward side is a very small fishing key word), feel the turf beneath and “There’s Stuffy Golf and village reached by a very narrow their feet and play those links, so There’s Golf in Wales.” Stuffy is d ourist Boar ales T tesy of The W Photo cour

Cardigan

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Cardigan represented by a mutton-chopped, just places where two tee markers Greens fees generally compare bearded gent in tweed suit, bow tie were set down on rough, uneven to northwest courses in Ireland – and plus fours with a likewise ground. And don’t expect yardage about $80 at Aberdovey and garbed manservant behind him, markers on sprinkler heads or ball Nefyn, $117 at Royal St. David’s, while the Welsh are represented by washers at the tee. If it’s windy, $50 at Cardigan, $75 at Pennard a couple strolling, he carrying his and, after all, you are by the sea, and the two priciest are Celtic bag, she pulling a trolley (golf yardage markers don’t mean much Manor, host of the 2010 Ryder cart). Strangely, they’re on a anyway. And don’t expect drinking Cup, at $180 and Royal Porthcawl rolling green course with four water on the course or a cute cart are $189. The best bet is to book horses grazing, a stone castle ruin girl with snacks and beverages. As with a specialist: and the sea in the distance. at most courses in Ireland and http://www.walesgolfvacations.co Scotland, clubhouses are unpreten- m is one, led by a personable PGA They’re also trying to appeal to tious and simple. Changing rooms professional Dylan Williams. women with a picture of golf- have benches to sit on while you Another is spiked high heel pumps and the change shoes and hooks to hang http://www.welshrarebits.co.uk. line “For Women Who Take Their your clothes. Nor are the pro Golf Seriously.” shops stocked like department The Wales Tourist Board web- stores. site is http://www.visitwales.com Unfortunately, not all course and it also publishes an excellent managers have caught up. Forward But there’s always a comfort- large brochure which contains seemed an afterthought at able bar and sandwiches and websites for all of the Welsh cours- Aberdovey and Royal St. David’s, friendly bartenders. es. MG

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