Golf
Getaways
London...The Link to
Everywhere
by Ed Holbrook
Ask a seasoned world traveler his favorite city and
the name you'll hear most often is London. In fact, London is such a
favorite stop-over point you'll find it
listed as an add-on option in many tour brochures.
Why not play a round or two on the variety of courses in the rolling
countryside surrounding the city?
Two of the
best golf sites are Sunningdale and Wentworth, and each offers two
courses. These are heathland courses...gently rolling moors accented
with low-growing bushes like rhododendron and heather and occasional
stands of birch, pine and fir trees.
Wentworth offers the East and West courses, with
the West course being the most popular. Both were designed by famed
British golf architect Harry Shapland Colt. Wentworth is noted for
its opulent facilities and is the home of the World Match Play
Championship. The seventh hole on the West course is the one
everyone talks about...from a drive that rolls downhill, your second
shot must sail high to a stepped green!
At Sunningdale, your choices are the Old course and
the New course. Typical of the British Isles, Old is ancient and New
is not much newer. The New course is another H.S. Colt design, 1923
vintage. Every hole on these courses will test your game and give you
the pleasure of playing in beautiful English countryside surroundings
for a bonus.
Meanwhile, back in the city, the non-golfers in your
group have had plenty of sightseeing options to keep them busy. Join
them for a two-hour bus tour of the highlights of this
metropolis...then pick and choose the ones you wish to return to,
according to your own schedule and interests. Just to pinpoint a
personal favorite, I highly recommend Churchill's War Room, centrally
located just a stone's throw from Big Ben.
The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace
always draws a big crowd, but if this is a high priority for you,
check the schedule as soon as you arrive in town. Since it only
happens on certain days, you'll want to plan around it. The tower of
London is fascinating if you're a history buff, and my wife thinks
she can't visit London without having high tea at Harrod's in
Knightsbridge. London theatre is the best there is and can easily be
arranged as part of your trip. All of that is a great backdrop by Ed
Holbrookfor a golfing vacation, whether you remain in England or
merely stop there on your way to someplace else...like Scotland or
Ireland.
The
ultimate London stopover will happen in September, when golf fanatics
from all over will arrive in London for the start of their Ryder Cup
experience. From London, they will travel to Southampton to board the
Queen Elizabeth 2, their fabulous floating hotel for the week.
The QE 2 will dock at Algeciras on Spain's Costa
del Sol. Golfers may play their own matches on the area's finest
courses and enjoy every dramatic moment of the Ryder Cup matches.
While these matches always serve up a bountiful feast of fine golf,
the addition of Tiger Woods to the American team (due to his stunning
victory at The Masters) is sure to help build the momentum and make
these games more than unforgettable.
And, you can begin the whole wonderful memory in
London, with some English countryside golf. King James I of England
(who was also James VI of Scotland) brought golf to London in 1673.
After playing London's courses, you'll surely say a royal, "Thank
you!"
Ed Holbrook is a golf travel connoisseur in his spare time, as
well as by occupation. He is the South Florida Rep for SGH Golf Inc.,
providers of custom, worldwide golf travel packages. You can reach Ed
by calling 561-770-2222 or 800-785-7180.
edh@floridagolfing.com
