Posted under Stan's Blog
Whilst driving through the valleys on this autumn day seeing all the colours glistening from the sunlight drifting along the mountainside, seeing the true splendor of nature at its best. But within the hour clouds had formed bringing with them strong winds.
This little club way up in the mountains of South Wales can boost having the second highest green of any Welsh golf club at nearly 1300 feet above sea level giving scenic views all around that are timeless.
Standing on the first tee one can imagine what it must have felt like when in 1921 a consortium of gentlemen got together to form the club. Very much a mountain course with heather, ravines, dips ditches, bunkers and some steep climbs makes it a course not for the faint hearted. With the wind factor high accuracy here will pay rewards more than most, as many of the greens are smaller than the majority of courses played so far.
Only 5,386 yards, par 67 and no par 5′s it is not easy. The wind factor was a strong 30 mph plus which made club selection difficult as there are very little features to distinguish the distance to the greens. The most difficult hole, the 15th, stroke index 1 playing from a tee approximately 100 foot below the green into a strong prevailing wind, this 411 yard uphill into wind with out of bounds on the right was a daunting hole. Putting one OOB off the tee didn’t help, and then driver, 3 wood and a 5 iron and a single putt gave me a double bogey which felt like a birdie. Looking down the fairway, from what is reputedly claimed as nearly one of the highest greens in Wales seeing panoramic views that seem timeless; one must applaud the visions of those that laid out the course over 87 years ago.
Conditions: Overcast with strong gusting winds
Result: Lost to course.
Out: 43
In: 47
Gross: 90
H/Cap: 13
Net: 77
Par: 67
Putts: 20 / 18=38
Stableford Pts: 16 / 12 = 28
0 Birdie; 2 Pars; 2 Bogeys; 3 D/Bogeys; 1 other