h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't claim anything quite as exotic as the previous two posters, but two of my favourite are on England's North-East coast:

1) The Bridlington Links. A club that welcomes the paying public, at reasonable prices, the Bridlington Links is ingenious by managing to squeeze all the facets of links golf into a long-ish (7150 yds) course, and even throw in a couple of target-style American holes as well. An unprepossessing first hole (unless you do what I did once and tee of in thick fog, in which case it can be a tad daunting) gives way to a meandering front nine, picking through bunkers. A spendid two-shot par 5 carries you over water twice, and a par three plays over a ravine, requiring an elevation of nearly twenty feet from tee to green. The front 9 finishes with a sumptuous par 4 with a tricky little lake. The tenth hole take you out along the cliff tops - the rough is deep heather and very punishing. The eleventh plays past a WWII pillbox on the course of its gargantuan 670 yards. Played well (by a 24-handicapper's standards), your third shot should leave you with a spectacular gentle pictch over a gully to the green. Care required at the 14th, as any overshoot will leave your ball dropping down the cliff-side, and inward along the cliff edge with its spectacular views. The greens are cut very slick here, and the eighteenth has the feel of an old 'country club' hole as you play up through dense trees towards the clubhouse. Sublime and cheap.

2) The Whitby Golf Club is a links of a more earthy nature. Drawing comparisons with Pebble Beach because of its challenging terrain, it is a short but fun course. Several holes cross a gaping ravine in the cliff edge, several greens have blind approaches and the rough is shallow gorse. Great target golf in an American-Links hybrid.

B

The 11th is 670 yards! Dear God, man - that's hike and a half! Great posting and will go very nicely indeed in the entry.

On a separate note, have you ever read 'The Art of Coarse Golf' by Michael Green? It's hillarious. I recommend it if you haven't already read it.

No, I've read 'Coarse Sailing', which was hilarious, even though I've never been on a sailing boat in my life. I keep meaning to get hold of both 'Coarse Golf' and 'Coarse Rugby', both of which have been highly recommended.

*wanders down to Amazon to price up*

B

You MUST read Coarse Golf. MUST.

*starts to panic under Sam's unaccustomed intensity*

Alright! Easy, tiger.

B

Sorry, Master B - I don't know what came over me. Lost my grip for a second there. Right, that's better.

I have, nevertheless, just picked it up for the grand price of £4.24 (inc P&P) from a second-hand bookseller through Amazon.

Bargain!

B

Excellent choice!

I am a big fan of second-hand books; they have a genuine 'read' feel to them - much better than having lots of pristine paperbacks on your bookshelves.

B

Agreed. Not long ago I bought a much sought-after (by me anyway) first edition copy of 'A Christmas Story' by none other than Richard Burton. It was his first and only published book; a very short reminiscence of one particular Christmas in Wales. I, personally, found it hard to come by (in years of casual looking in bookshops I'd never actually set eyes on a copy) yet Stella Books (through Amazon) found it for me, sent it to me, and charged my no more that 8 quid!

I use a friend of mine in Lancashire for out-of-prints. He managed to locate a complete set of the Beiderbecke books (from the Channel 4 comedy-drama of the early 90s - very funny books if you get the chance) for under a tenner.

Might have his URL round here somewhere....

http://www.nwnet.co.uk/BFG/

B

Excellent! Many thanks indeed for that - I've just bookmarked the link.

I'll tell you something, Internet shopping is distinctly under-rated. I ordered Coarse Golf yesterday lunchtime; it arrived on my doorstep this morning. Amazing...

B