Lorne Smith took from Frank Pennink and Jim Arthur an attitude to golf while following the Fine Trail, which is summed up by the phrase “joy to be alive”.  There are many facets that give this feeling.

Central to creating enjoyment is golf course design. Below are some further elements, illustrated with personal observations.

A fine course is set up for the running game.

The fairways present a ball sitting down that needs to be squeezed, rather than scooped from a high grass lie. They are dry, bouncy and running and brown-off in a dry summer.

Green aprons allow a ball to be bumped through with predicability of bounce.

Greens will be dominated by fescue and indigenous bent grasses, giving a true, fast and firm surface all the year round.

Turf Quality:

Your shot making improves off  fine turf, which is fundamental to the enjoyment of golf.

Fine turf grows on draining, aerated, poor soil, not in fertile, damp conditions,  and allows you to squeeze the ball and take a crisp divot without jarring your wrists, as off clay.

Scenery, Wildness, Remoteness, Escape, Refuge

Links courses with their fresh air, seascapes, the wildness of sandhills, their dryness of turf and the ever present wind have a natural advantage over inland courses in our “Joy to be alive” factor.

Can one better the environment under the Mourne Mountains at Royal County Down, the views from Gullane Hill, the Victorian watercolourscape of the 9^th green at Royal West Norfolk, the tantalising appeal of the rushes at Westward Ho?

Fine Golf transports the spirit away from life’s worries and renews.

Is it our balanced attempt to both live with and control nature’s wildness that is an aspect of Fine Golf ?  Is this in some respects similar to the art of country sports ?

The beauty: of the recently opened out heathland at Hankley Common, the peacefulness of The Addington within Greater London, the white sands of West Sussex, the views from Gleneagles and Southerndown, the natural rhododendrons at Swinley, the whins at Aldeburgh, the valleys at Hindhead, the sentinel Scots Pine at Walton Heath and the heather-tufted bunkers at Woodhall Spa are examples of the scenic aspect of the “Joy to be alive” factor, typical of inland Fine Golf.

Speed of play

It almost goes without saying that a ‘joy to be alive’ factor is a course where other games of golf do not disturb your own.

The clubs where the ‘Etiquette of golf’ is in everyone’s mind,  where play is swift, certainly adds to the enjoyment of your game

Heritage and Ambience

Age does not guarantee quality or fineness but it often enhances it.  To be where great events have unfolded, both professional and amateur, is uplifting.

The love/hate generated by the Old Course at St Andrews continues but we are all in awe when teeing off in front of the Royal and Ancient clubhouse, though it may be the easiest shot in golf !

The Welcome

Some with little knowledge might think The New Zealand GC in Surrey as a ‘stuffy toffs’ Club but the leadership of the Secretary, in creating a personal welcome to visiting societies is legendary, and only goes to enhance its elite reputation.

The Locker Room

So many clubs, from the necessity of upgrading locker-rooms have lost an element of individual character. They are now mostly light oak!  An exception to this is the brilliant balance between openness and intimacy created within the new design at The Berkshire G.C.

The Pro Shop

Most Fine Clubs have recognised the need to support their pros by providing decent facilities these days for merchandising of their product.  A remarkable exception to this rule is the cramped shop at what is otherwise a spectacular Royal Dornoch G.C.

Practice Facilities

Grass teeing areas and a practice green near the 1^st tee, maintained identically as on the course, are de rigueur while a bump-and-run practice area from 30 yards, like over the road at Rye GC, is so important.

Dining and Bar Facilities, halfway house

Lunches at the Finest Clubs are remarkably good value and an example of simple British cooking at its best.  It is difficult to only mention a few: The Berkshire, Sunningdale, Walton Heath, Swinley Forest and Muirfield but the “joy to be alive” gold star for this factor has to go to Royal St Georges, while Sunningdale surely picks up the halfway house top accolade, and a ‘bucket’ of Kummel at Prestwick settles the tummy beautifully for the afternoon round after a good lunch.

Accessibility

Fine Clubs are predominantly members’ clubs and the Finest, particularly the ‘Open’ venues, have difficulty in keeping a balance between accessibility to visitors and availability of the 1^st tee for members and unfortunately green fees have risen from when I played most of them. Nevertheless unlike some of the proprietor-owned new exclusive clubs, most Fine Clubs want to be accessible to well-behaved visitors and, by being in touch with secretaries in advance, arrangements can usually be made.  Mention you are following the ‘FineGolf Trail’: it may just help create that connection for which you are looking.

Your view? Leave us a comment below.