Playing Cape Cornwall is a totally different kettle of fish to playing Pavenham!
There are wonderful views - Pavenham has them; there are are 18 holes... Pavenham has them... but that's about it!
Firstly, Cape is a much shorter course than Pavenham: the whites 5529yds; yellows 5312 and reds 4952 with a sss of 68 for men and 69 for ladies and par of 69 for men and 70 for ladies. We often complete the course in three and a half hours or less. (Unless there's a 4-ball competition!)
There are wonderful views - Pavenham has them; there are are 18 holes... Pavenham has them... but that's about it!
Firstly, Cape is a much shorter course than Pavenham: the whites 5529yds; yellows 5312 and reds 4952 with a sss of 68 for men and 69 for ladies and par of 69 for men and 70 for ladies. We often complete the course in three and a half hours or less. (Unless there's a 4-ball competition!)
However - there are some differences! The greens are much slower than Pavenham, so much so that at first my putts would be lucky to get half-way to the hole ! I have become more used to the greens; they have sped up a bit too so I am beginning to get the weight of them.
There are a few bunkers with a very gritty grey sand in them - quite tricky to get out of!
The main hazards are Cornish Hedges running across several fairways... the odd tin mine...several severely sloping fairways, which makes hitting the fairway no guarantee to remaining on it, and the views! Sometimes I just get lost looking out to sea!
We have played some interesting formats - one was a Powerplay which meant that on the 9 hardest holes two pins were waiting. You had to choose to play three of these more difficult pin positions as your Powerplay and if you parred the hole (with your handicap) then you could double your score. It was a very thought provoking format... and in our case a very slow one. We took 5 hours to complete! Ouch!!! Lost balls and problems with the scoring combined with a shotgun start with no signal... and starting on the fourth hole all contributed to the slowness; it was awful! Everyone was waiting for our card... and two of my playing partners ended up taking first and second! I was stolidly supporting everyone else with the lowest score!
There are a few bunkers with a very gritty grey sand in them - quite tricky to get out of!
The main hazards are Cornish Hedges running across several fairways... the odd tin mine...several severely sloping fairways, which makes hitting the fairway no guarantee to remaining on it, and the views! Sometimes I just get lost looking out to sea!
We have played some interesting formats - one was a Powerplay which meant that on the 9 hardest holes two pins were waiting. You had to choose to play three of these more difficult pin positions as your Powerplay and if you parred the hole (with your handicap) then you could double your score. It was a very thought provoking format... and in our case a very slow one. We took 5 hours to complete! Ouch!!! Lost balls and problems with the scoring combined with a shotgun start with no signal... and starting on the fourth hole all contributed to the slowness; it was awful! Everyone was waiting for our card... and two of my playing partners ended up taking first and second! I was stolidly supporting everyone else with the lowest score!
On Tuesday evenings the Men's Captain arranges some fun golf. It seems we usually compete over 9 or 11 holes, in teams and we follow the fun with a Golfer's Special - a well priced meal :-)
The first time I played was outrageously unfair! The men played off the Ladies Tees and vice versa. This meant that a normally par 5 for the ladies became a par 4!!! Anyway - it was lots of fun, and the losers (the team I was in!) were given IRN BRU to strengthen them for next time! The winning team won bottles of wine :-)
It was good fun and a lovely way to spend an early evening so folk can come after work.
The first time I played was outrageously unfair! The men played off the Ladies Tees and vice versa. This meant that a normally par 5 for the ladies became a par 4!!! Anyway - it was lots of fun, and the losers (the team I was in!) were given IRN BRU to strengthen them for next time! The winning team won bottles of wine :-)
It was good fun and a lovely way to spend an early evening so folk can come after work.
Last Tuesday was even more entertaining! The weather was glorious... the picture above is looking at the 12th tee with the hole disappearing down on the right! The rocks just offshore - likened by some to General de Gaulle lying in the bath, are called The Brisons, beyond them on the skyline are the Scillies.
Back to Tuesday, the format was Pink Flamingo! Can you picture it? Whenever you hold a putter in your hand - you have to stand on one foot! It was tricky - very tricky! It was a good job we weren't playing in a gale!
The good news is that the team I was in was not last this time... so there's hope!
Back to Tuesday, the format was Pink Flamingo! Can you picture it? Whenever you hold a putter in your hand - you have to stand on one foot! It was tricky - very tricky! It was a good job we weren't playing in a gale!
The good news is that the team I was in was not last this time... so there's hope!