Blackwell GC

Not played much golf this year after a bit of problem with a dodgy knee, but entered for a pairs comp at Beau Desert, Little Aston and Blackwell later this month. Anyone know Blackwell, played it, views on it? I've read bits (Fowler/Simpson design), and all sounds very interesting. Nothing better than first hand knowledge, so all reports gratefully received. Cheers.

Rickie/Webb?

Herbert and Tom, as I suspect you know! Does make you wonder what a Rickie/Webb design would be like though? Maybe substance for a future topic!

puligny wrote:Does make you wonder what a Rickie/Webb design would be like though? Maybe substance for a future topic!

Greens would be orange.
And no golfing on Sundays..

Never heard of it but you will enjoy the others very good.Is Blackwelll new

Not new - by reputation I've heard it's one of the best in Midlands. Seems a bit mysterious as people have spoken of it with some reverence but no detail!!

pedro wrote:

puligny wrote:Does make you wonder what a Rickie/Webb design would be like though? Maybe substance for a future topic!

Greens would be orange.
And no golfing on Sundays..

Ha ha

Don't laugh, there's no golf on The Old Course on a Sunday, which is absurd. Just a few comps a year and that's it.

super_realist wrote:Don't laugh, there's no golf on The Old Course on a Sunday, which is absurd. Just a few comps a year and that's it.

I assume this was originally for religious reasons, and the tradition has been retained. So is this not discriminatory? The Old Course should be closed on Saturday for the Jews, and closed during Ramadan etc.

Well, the Links Trust who administer it are as discriminatory as the R&A. The R&A get 3 times as many times as other clubs in the area, so the R&A really haven't quite grasped the "equality" concept they claim to have (or rather had forced upon them)

There's no need for it to be closed on a Sunday, I think it actually refers to it originally being "public land" rather than it being for religious reasons, however, that's outdated and needless.
At the very least it could be opened up for local use on a Sunday.

Well they don't seem to have any issues playing the Open on a Sunday and the annual Dunhill championship finishes on a Sunday too, so they inconsistently apply their own rules. Are there any other comps on Sundays too?

There is the R&A Gold medal for all local Cat 1 players on a Sunday (never done well in it), Links Trophy, Open, Dunhill and numerous club days for the pampered R&A.

Assuming they dont say its not open due to it being the Sabbath then its not discriminatory. Some shops and business dont open weekends, but I would guess if it was any other course that needed the money they would be open all week and accept anyone playing.

I think (and what I chuckled at) was the no golf on Sundays referring to not making the cut rather than not being permissible.

Interesting TOC is shut on Sundays, hadn't heard that before. Crazy - unless it's set aside for intensive maintenance. Appreciate it's one of the few places not requiring weekend revenue, but still an odd organisation that turns down what would be lucrative. What is it now £130 a pop * 6 four balls per hour * 10 (ish) starting hours a Sunday in peak season (say 12 weeks) - £374,400 in green fees alone.

A ton of nationwide grass roots support could come from Sunday play alone.

(alternatively, odd that it isn't open for locals/members only, if only to mitigate the inconvenience of thousands of visitors at other times.)

Roller, Old Course is around £170 a round. Although these people obviously subsidise us members playing.

Maintenance is not an excuse when every other Open course doesn't close. It's simply an old "tradition" enforced by a bunch of old farts which means that other courses have more demand on them.

Jeezus - @ £170 that would be 490k for those 12 weeks alone in my previous criteria, what an amazing business decision.

If they don't want to keep the money, do it anyway and buy me a house!

THey are run more like a non profit organisation. Though think what they could do with that. Pay off the bloody R&A for a start and stop them monopolising the links with their ancient "by-laws" would be a good start.

Maybe they should go the whole hog and sell out to a US PE House. Expect costs to be slashed everywhere

Sell it to Donald..

Trump Old Course St Andrews has a ring to it ??!!

If you happen to be looking for a course in the Bromsgrove, or wider West Midlands area, do have a butchas at Blackwell. Very impressed. Super greens - plenty of slope and speed. Interesting layout which keeps turning you in relation to wind. Superb job of reinstating original style bunkers. Bit old school but very friendly. Par 70, sss71.