Weekend away

Fellow golfers, I need to tap into the extensive knowledge on here in order to get a few suggestions for an upcoming trip I’m planning with a few mates from down south, one of the lads needs lifting out of the doldrums as he has just split up with his missus, the obvious way to do that is a weekend away that includes some good golf and plenty of alcohol ! The lads I’m meeting up with all live in Portsmouth whilst I’m up in Lancashire so somewhere along the M6 corridor seems like a good bet, I don’t mind travelling to Hampshire and they would probably come up here, but it seems a bit pointless for all of us to go out of our way by doing a trip to say, Lincolnshire – that said I’m open to all ideas – It seems to have fallen on my shoulders to organise this trip, but as I’ve only ever played golf in the north west of England I’m struggling a bit (If anything there’s too much choice) I’m leaning towards one of these stay and play type places with a good winter deal but I’d be just as happy with ideas for courses near to somewhere with decent nightlife – In short, all suggestions gratefully received

Sway

St Pierre in Chepstow is a cracking course.

There are four places for nightlife nearby (Chepstow, Newport, bristol and Cardiff).

Celtic Manor is also nearby to Newport (there is a holiday inn and travel lodge thats cheap across the road). If you go there, dont go into Newport, go to Caerleon which is a great night out (same distance).

Another, more unheard of choice but has a fantastic golf course is Woodlake in Usk (http://www.golftoday.co.uk/clubhouse/coursedir/wales/monmouthshire/woodlake.html).

official site: http://www.woodlake.co.uk/pages.php/index.html (I have played this course many times and its really, really good)

Usk has a good choice of eateries and bars for anight out. Its just off the motorway as well (the M50 which is about 5 miles from junction 24 of the M4.

Hope that helps

Hi Sway, I be from round these parts. Hobo is exactly right with his St Pierre choice. Other courses you may wish to consider in the Herefordshire/Monmouthshire/Forest of Dean are Raglan (interesting little track near Chepstow) Ross-on-Wye (excellent parkland course off M50), Belmont (near Hereford) and the 2 FoD courses which are easy to play in a day as they are only about a mile from eachother (Bells and Forest Hills). Make sure your newly single mate stays well away from the FoD women though, cos you're definitely counting the toes in certain parts :606laugh:

Noshanking - have you played Woodlake?

Cracking course that is always in good condition.

Hobo:
I haven't played that one. Where abouts is it?

Its just outside Usk
http://www.woodlake.co.uk/pages.php/index.html

Ny father was a member for about five years - very challenging (from a physical point of view) but incredible views and excellent conditioning of the course.

Thoroughly recommend it. And the grub in the clubhouse is class too!

What about a trip to Burnham and berrow?

http://www.burnhamandberrowgolfclub.co.uk/

It is on the M5 on the way to bristol.


Then move round the coast into wales and play pennard on day two.

http://www.pennardgolfclub.com/index2.asp

I'm not sure how far down the M6 you wish to come but surely The Belfry is worth looking at? Surely one of the greatest set ups for a messy one with the boys. The hotel bar closes after the last man leaves, it's got an on site nightclub and a really great spa that attracts loads of hen nights! Regardless of how you rate the actual course, it is a great place to say that you have played and is worth travelling the extra distance for.

I'm sure they always do good deals there as well. I think last time I payed around £150 for a night's stay, dinner, breakfast, entry to the spa, entry to the nightclub and a round on the Brabazon and that was in August. Makes organising easy as well as everything's in one place...

Great shout there sharrison! Also, Forest of Arden is another option with an onsite hotel. Or Collingtree park on the M1 near Northampton, again probably half way for you all to travel to. Or down in Hampshire there is Old Thorns and Meon Valley, both with onsite hotels. Fianlly, check out the Oxfordshire to see if they are doing any stay and play deals.

I'd go with the Belfry though, ticks all the boxes.

drive4show wrote:Great shout there sharrison! Also, Forest of Arden is another option with an onsite hotel. Or Collingtree park on the M1 near Northampton, again probably half way for you all to travel to. Or down in Hampshire there is Old Thorns and Meon Valley, both with onsite hotels. Fianlly, check out the Oxfordshire to see if they are doing any stay and play deals.

I'd go with the Belfry though, ticks all the boxes.

do you work for Marriott?!?

Some good suggestions so far, cheers everyone

I'm starting to lean towards a weekend that looks something like this : Turn up Friday night and go out on the urine, then play either a links course on the Sat and a parkland on the Sun (or t' other way round) the Bristol / south Wales area does look good, both for the Golf and the nightlife and wasn't somwhere I had considered so it's all good

Sharrison - The Belfry was one of the first places I looked at, but it got a strangely muted response from the Pompey boys when I suggested it, not sure why ? It is after all fairly central to all of us and you have all the makings of a great weekend in one place - might be worth having a look to see if they are doing any good deals

Hobo

Good spot but no I don't lol.

I guess the Belfry gets a thumbs down because those Midlands girls are a bit more fussy than the ones in Pompey :606laugh:

The belfry gets a thumbs down because it is very poor and uninteresting course.


Try this place

http://www.kingtongolf.co.uk/golf.html

Mac - I keep hearing that the Belfry isn't a good course - but can it realy be that bad ?

drive4show wrote:Hobo

Good spot but no I don't lol.

I guess the Belfry gets a thumbs down because those Midlands girls are a bit more fussy than the ones in Pompey :606laugh:

You are not wrong about that drive, my mates wife ran of with a bloke called CRISPIN!!!!! (I swear on my daughters life I'm not makinrg that up)

Can you even imagine that conversation:

Wife: I've found someone new and I'm leaving you

Husband: But surley we can work things out

Wife: No, it's to late me and Crispin are very much in love

Husband: But surely...............wait a sec.............did you just say Crispin................Your leaving me for some Muppet called CRISPIN........NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

:606laugh: :606laugh: :606laugh:

McLaren wrote:The belfry gets a thumbs down because it is very poor and uninteresting course.


Try this place

http://www.kingtongolf.co.uk/golf.html

Lovely part of a beautiful county Mac, but you are seriously into webbed footed goat-roping territory here. Some great golf, but a bit lacking in night on the tiles....unless you want to risk clubbing in 'Ereford or even worse Leominster <shankingcouldreallyusethat606yikessmileyhere>