St Enodoc - Discuss

[Foxholer]

Situated in Rock, affectionately known as "Chelsea Sur Mer" by the locals due to the number of rich Londoners who have holiday homes here.

Grass range (balls supplied), practice chipping area with bunker and practice green.

Large friendly clubhouse with great food and stunning views across the course. One point to mention, the car park has a sign on it saying "members only" but is available for visitors as they are regarded as day members!

A Links course is 6404 yards off the whites and 6067 off the yellows.

5 par 3s, 1 par 5. Must be a Cornish thing but again the par 3s are quite long! Starts off with a very tough par 5. The fairways are very narrow and built between towering sand dunes, anything too wayward will end up in the marron grass and you will be lucky to find it. Star hole has to be the par 4 6th locally know as The Himalayas. Described as the most spectacular natural hazard on a British golf course, a largish bunker lies some 220 yards from the tee. When I say largish, it is actually 80 feet long, about 60 feet wide, and in the side of a dune blocking the entrance to the green. Longhitters may be able to clear it with a driver if at 220 yards their ball is still 130 feet up in the air! The green lies a further 160 yards from the bunker. From the course there are spectacular views across the estauary and out to see and Padstow (just a mention for those visiting Padstow, there is a great crazy golf course here at the end of the harbour up a hill) is just across the wash.  There is a sunken church next to the 10th green and which lies alongside the 14th where Sir John Betjemen is buried.
This is a thinking persons course and if you don't have your golfing brain with you when you arrive you are in for a world of pain.

This is my favourite course, to date, in the UK and I urge anyone going to Cornwall to play it.
Please note it is the only course I have ever been to where handicap certificates need to be produced.
You can also do some celeb spotting, Hugh Grant was in the group behind us!

Rating 10/10

A truly fabulous links (the Church Course). Played it to 'tick it off' and enjoyed it so much, went round again!

Didn't quite do Betjamin's feat of a birdie on 14 that his poem documented - lipped out! Par-ed the 6th from that enormous bunker though. The par 3 15th can just about be reached with a 9-iron, though the 6 tha I meant to use would have been better!

Another great joy is the wonderful views of the Camel River - and it's lovely salty, weedy aroma!

Excellent test with just enough of that 'something else' that makes a course memorable. That par 5 first is actually one of the easier holes, but certainly sets the scene. There is another Par 5 - the 16th that at over 550yds, mainly (gently) uphill could be a monster.

And just in case you ever consider it - I did but the locals informed me 'no way' - don't try to do St Enedoc and Trevose in the same day - unless you have a boat and the tide's right! They may be only a short distance away as the crow flies, but quite a way (and a long time on Cornish roads!) by car.

Ross

[AndrewPI]

Played here yesterday and even in the rough conditions I loved almost every minute of it. Doubt I have played a course with so much character and the views were fantastic. The 16th as mentioned by Ross was indeed a beast. Especially into a strong head wind. I hit Driver, 4 iron, 4 iron and was still well short of the green.

Also, after the disappointing service I received earlier in the trip as mentioned elsewhere, I could not have wished for a better time here. The welcome I had when I arrived was fantastic with the guy on reception going through everything I needed for the round, while ensuring I had any questions answered. After the round the members were very chatty and eager to hear my thoughts on the course. Upon entering the bar, the guy from reception came to see how I got on, apologised that the conditions were not better so I could enjoy the course more and said I was more than welcome to return in fairer conditions.

I am already trying to work out how to visit the area again. My pictures will be up later.

[Scottt]

And just in case you ever consider it - I did but the locals informed me 'no way' - don't try to do St Enedoc and Trevose in the same day - unless you have a boat and the tide's right! They may be only a short distance away as the crow flies, but quite a way (and a long time on Cornish roads!) by car.

Yeah? The little ferry between Rock and Padstow leaves every 10-15 mins and takes 5mins to cross the estuary. Using the ferry and with your car parked in Padstow, I can't see it taking more than 40mins from clubhouse to clubhouse.

Sounds to me like the locals are a bit soft!

[Longshot]

Yeah? The little ferry between Rock and Padstow leaves every 10-15 mins and takes 5mins to cross the estuary. Using the ferry and with your car parked in Padstow, I can't see it taking more than 40mins from clubhouse to clubhouse.

Sounds to me like the locals are a bit soft!

Even if you take your car and then go the round trip via Wadebridge to cross teh river, it's not that bad unless it's holiday season - it could then take ages!

[Knotty]

Mate of mine has just moved to Wadebridge - so booked in at St Enodoc and Trevose over the easter weekend 

Even though it is 387 miles I can see this become a regular trip 

[Scottt]

Am I the only one who thinks St E has too many average holes to be truly top shelf? It has some moments of absolute brilliance, but to me, the poor holes come at far too regular intervals and keep on breaking the momentum.

• The par threes are a bit repetitive, and 3 of the 5 force you to fly it on.
• 10 is just a laughably absurd hole - drive to a fairway 8m wide between a creek and lost-ball rough, then a blind 200m hook over a creek to a green that slopes away from you.
• Much of the blindness is coupled with fairways that are far too narrow. They need to make the course (esp. 2, 3, 10) wider.
• 15 is nothing more than a crap way to get from 14 green to 16 tee, and even then you have a 100m+ walk after 15

The finish (16-18) is world-class and holes like 1, 4, 6, 7, 12 and 14 are deserving of better support.

As far as atmosphere though, and the views you get from almost every hole, it's up with North Berwick and NSWGC as the best I have seen.

[True Blue]

I would certainly disagree with you Scott...still one of my favourite courses and don't remember a truly weak hole that lets it down.

The place oozes charm and class and the staf are exceptionally welcoming as are the members.

[Scottt]

Why do you like 15?

[AndrewPI]

I found myself liking most of the par 3's in all honesty. 15 was a brute though straight into the wind and I did well to end up pin high just off the green.

I found 10 ok to play as well albeit I did go very safe. Having seen the hole I would have played it slightly differently. I ended up hitting an iron short of the narrow part of the fairway. Had I better idea of the green layout I would have taken a longer iron in but layed up short and pitched on.

[True Blue]

Its a par 3..plain and simple. I hate all par 3's, they are the devils work.

[Knotty]

Played this over the easter weekend and I must say it is top draw. Played off the whites as I was with a member, breezy day and provided a challenge but didn't leave you feeling that you had been beaten round the head for 3 hours 

Condition of the course was immaculate, as well presented as any course I have played and probably better than some illustrious counterparts.

There are a few blind shots which I am not a massive fan of and I do agree to some extent with the comments about the 10th but I would say that it is SI 1 (IIRC) and has a right to be a pretty tough par 4...but it is borderline...

Apart from that I would find it hard to criticise, and certainly up there with the best links courses around, if it were better (near an Open venue) located I have no doubt it would be an Open qualifier.

If you happen to be down that way play it and you will not be disappointed. 

[ecclesrec]

Down in Mawgan Porth for a week from Next Friday so may try and get a round in there.....here's hoping!