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FineGolf has a 3-fold purpose:
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Used at ‘Running-Golf Day’.
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Great Golf Books
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where is this the favoured form of golf?
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Are they a pest or do they add to a golfer’s enjoyment?
READ the obituary of Dexter who holds the world golf record of the number of different golf courses walked by a dog (80).
READ interview about dogs on golf courses.
READ about some famous golfing dogs
READ about the Golf Dog hall of fame.
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A growing interest in playing with hickory shafted clubs
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about Fine Golf
FineGolf is a ‘labour of love’, independent of commercial influences, edited by Lorne Smith, with an Advisory Panel.
FineGolf’s philosophy is based on two books. Frank Pennink’s ‘Golfers Companion’ and Jim Arthur’s ‘Practical Greenkeeping’.
The reviews of Pennink’s 128 GB&I finest courses, all of which Lorne has played, are updated by this website to the GB&I’s finest 200 ‘Running-Golf’ courses.
As soon as I had read in 2000, Jim Arthur’s brilliantly written “bible of greenkeeping” the scales as it were, fell from my eyes, and I realised why I had enjoyed the courses in Pennink’s book more than the numerous lush parklands. It is the type of grass that makes up the sward that is such a determinant of my enjoyment of a golf course.
FineGolf helps golfers understand why the three-dimensional game played across firm turf gives a different enjoyment to the two dimensional target-golf game on soft lush turf and why the running-game using the conservationist greenkeeping route best fits in with wider society’s wish for less use of water, fertilisers and pesticides.
I was advised correctly back in 2008 that for a website to be successful it needs a depth of content that people want to read and secondly, a free newsletter to remind people to come back to the website!
to get free notification every 2/3 months of new reviews and articles
CLICK HERE for details of the finest ‘running-golf ‘ courses and their heritage, which is ideal for overseas visitors and roving British/Irish golfers to choose where it is most enjoyable to play to get that FineGolf “joy to be alive” feeling.
The 200 finest, firm turfed ‘running-golf ‘ courses in GB&I are listed by Area. Those below are also featured with a detailed review giving their history, design and agronomy and those with a * are accessable to all.
Paul Lawrence explains how inland Woodbridge has been transformed from ‘Target’ to ‘Three Dimensional Running’ golf.
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Reviewed, plus a list of England’s courses with the finest greens that give golfers the best performance and pleasure.
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Jess Stiles shows puzzles invariably involve the running game and require firm surfaces.
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FineGolf and John Philp MBE analyse the latest controversy where the manufacturers are laughing all the way to the bank
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Andrew Brown’s latest book reviewed from Scotland’s East side.
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joins FineGolf’s Advisory Panel and starts a series of articles about enhancing “golfer’s enjoyment”
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by Nick Jones one of the exceptional club leaders of Hollinwell
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FineGolf calls on The R&A to invest in a major marketing programme
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Was it set-up for a running course Open Championship?
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High quality Parkland Target golf with scrumptious food and wine
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Conservationist greenkeeper Eoin Riddell interviewed & reveals all.
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Royal St George’s greens show how type of grass affects putting roll-out and borrow.
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First FineGolf continental review along with Hardelot Les Pins
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Greenkeepers can use new measure to better connect with golfers
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R&A ‘sustainable greenkeeping’ policy focus on golfers’ enjoyment?
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Will SNP politics stop Coul Links again?
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R.St.G’s Fine Grasses Triumvirate
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‘The Complete Golf Professional’
by Nick Jones: reviewed
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Andrew Brown’s third and best book
whisky and golf across the continent
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at 130 year anniversary
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The heart of a traditional running-golf village
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Grass selection, Soil biology, Fertiliser cost,
Ryegrass, R&A GC2030, Weather.
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From out of the shadow
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Markham/Truett book reviewed
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Heathland and fine grass returned
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Ideal for heathland courses
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What is their role?
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Full review of fine course
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Awarded a 5 Star ‘Joy-to-be-alive’ FineGolf feeling alongside Royal Porthcawl in South Wales
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Bernard Darwin quotes + criticism of
Natural Resources Wales activists
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beautiful compilation of articles
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by Baroness
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Can it help fine grasses?
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and Dexter inducted into:
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Pioneering family history who started
the Australian Open Championship
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New research at Montrose.
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Full review of changed running-golf links
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Nick Jones researches EBook
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by A.W.(Tony) Riley
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in Taba Dale’s new book
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Full review
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Some thoughts
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West Lancashire name 7th hole ‘Muir’
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and its part in the heath.
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gives conservation lead to inland courses
with return to upper echelons of golf
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by Colin Strachan, reviewed by FineGolf
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Worly’s successful secretary retires
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A new warm way of greeting?
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by Craig Morrison & reviewed by FineGolf
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Report on R&A ‘Golf Course 2030’.
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John Philp MBE gives an eulogy to one of
the most accomplished greenkeepers.
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Martin Ward tells 30 year story
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Advice from Norbert Lischka
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on setting up a running heathland
for a R&A tournament.
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New book on Whisky and running-golf
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Happy thoughts
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What to expect from R&A review
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on the problems with UK courses
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scarifying Luffness New fairways
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Alistair Noake’s book reviewed
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New review
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Update review
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is key focus for greenkeepers
in BTME Report
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Reviewed while threatened by Quango
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new book by Andrew Brown
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John Quinn MG’s answer to
greens performance
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Tribute to a much loved Pro
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fine grassed downland with views
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Stand-out issue at British Masters
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John Beynon at Pennard confesses
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Running clifftop downlands reviewed
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Hickory club repairer extraordinaire
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reviewed
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Critical review of opportunity lost
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The need for mutual respect between golfers and greenkeepers
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Royal North Devon suffers from
‘Natural England’ policy.
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autobiography reviewed
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reviewed
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Enville & Pennard review updates
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Friend or foe?
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New reviews from Aberdeenshire
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1965 to 2018, interesting change in score-card names of club’s played
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News on American funded course near Royal Dornoch
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Cornish finest reviewed
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Lewes joins 200 finest courses
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joins FineGolf’s Advisory Panel
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New reviews from Dorset
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gains greater historical importance
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Interviewwith Steve Isaac
“R&A Director – Sustainability”
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joins FineGolf Advisory Panel
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joins FineGolf Advisory Panel
& calls for 3-dimensional game
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The truthful review
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Norbert Lischka talks colour
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No.1 in the 1970s. Is it still?
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at Notts/Hollinwell, Mon Sept 4th
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speedier rules taken up by R&A
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Norbert Lischka helps golf clubs
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Epitome of traditional running-golf
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by Jess Stiles, disciple and expert
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Obituary of a special gun & golf dog
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Golfers! discover where your £s go
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Fine-grassed, ‘Running-golf ‘ Parkland course reviewed.
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Berwick-on-Tweed, reviewed
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FineGolf 2016 Report
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Interviewed by Lorne
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by Norbert Lischka
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Why did he miss his record breaking putt?
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Reviewed
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evolutionary needs
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Too quick for The R&A and Geoff Ogilvy
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updated review
New review
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Agronomist and low handicap golfer puts fine grass and enjoyment together
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It is not being hit ever further
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Reviewed
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is it good to have under greens?
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New south and west Midlands reviews
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R Portrush, R County Down, The Island, Portstewart, County Louth all Reviewed
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interviewed by GolfClubAtlas
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updated reviews
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new reviews
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by Paul Gray
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new reviews
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fine and weed grass identification
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new reviews
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New updated reviews
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Royal St David’s, Conwy, Bull Bay, Prestatyn, Porthmadog, Aberdovey.
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Tribute to
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to non-experts
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Alistair Beggs join FineGolf
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awe inspiring
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Hoylakesque
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Report from Royal Holloway
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explained to the ordinary golfer
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explained to non-experts
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Annual Ryegrass overseed
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Machrihanish Dunes
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One of Britain’s most enjoyable
inland courses
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by Nick Park
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by Alistair Beggs
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A pedigree club near-by Carnoustie, reviewed
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2013 ‘Open’ venue reviewed
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gives a lead on The Open Championship
Brilliant book by Peper/Campbell reviewed
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returns from the ‘dark side’
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Royal Lytham & St Annes
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Saunton
The finest 36 holes of golf in the British Isles? READ MORE…
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Natural biodiversity fits FineGolf READ MORE…
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