Davies So Close at Celtic Manor

PerryGolf Staff

A week ago I witnessed some of the best golf on the European Tour so far this season.  Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell shot 64/63 (15 under par) over the weekend and won the Wales Open by 3 shots from Welshman Rhys Davies.  On the last day of the tournament the 2 players conjured up rounds of 63 and 62 respectively over the 2010 Ryder Cup Course with 62 being the new course record.

I’m not taking anything away from Graeme McDowell’s fantastic weekend display, but the fact that Rhys Davies, a rookie who has just burst onto the scene with 5 top 3 finishes in the last 2 months, shot the course record in tough conditions on the final day of a major tour event, and on the Ryder Cup course is amazing!  This has put him in a great position to claim one of the places in the European Ryder Cup side when the golfing world converges on Celtic Manor in October.  There is no doubt about it; Rhys is ‘the form player’ on the European Tour right now and someone who I would certainly have in my team.  People have questioned if he is ready for the Ryder Cup as he is relatively inexperienced; however bear in mind that he had a glowing amateur career before turning pro and was in the Walker Cup team which was captained by one of PerryGolf’s founding directors, Colin Dalgleish.  I hope Rhys keeps up the excellent form which he has shown in the first half of the season and qualifies for the Ryder Cup in a few months time.  The fact that he is a Welshman will also help to draw some local fans which I’m sure will add to atmosphere.

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 4 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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Shoulder Season Golf in Spain

PerryGolf Staff

I recently visited the Costa Blanca in Spain and I have to say that the weather and the condition of the golf courses were both ideal. We played 3 rounds of golf while I was there and found the greens to be fast and true; I’d have struggled to find a better lie on each of the fairways – I only wish I could have hit more of them!

La Finca Golf Course
La Finca Golf Course

The temperature varied between 70–80 degrees in the afternoons and for me, a fair-haired Scotsman, this was just right!  La Finca, Alicante Golf Club, and El Plantio are not household names like Valderrama or Las Brisas, but they were good enough for me and my golfing buddies. The Costa Blanca is not an area of Spain which we deal with as the caliber of golf courses there is nowhere near as good as the Costa del Sol, but there are similarities in the style of the courses and obviously in the climate.  June, July and August are considered peak periods for travel to both Spain and Portugal as this is when the temperatures are at their highest, but this does not help the condition of the golf courses.  For those who consider travelling to this part of Europe I would highly recommend travelling in March or April or even waiting until the end of the season and travelling in September or October. The golf courses are fresh and the climate is perfect.

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary has been with PerryGolf for 4 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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Gleneagles is new Home for PGA National Academy

PerryGolf Staff

Gleneagles is already well-known throughout the world as a fantastic golf destination; and with them hosting the 2014 Ryder Cup, their great reputation should only become more widespread.

To add to this, Gleneagles have now been selected as the home of the PGA National Academy for Scotland.  This should provide an outstanding facility for golfers and coaches in Scotland.  Congratulations!

See full article here.

By Alastair Niven.  Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 9 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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What’s Your Favourite Golf Movie?

PerryGolf Staff

Having just watched Tin Cup for the umpteenth time, it got me to wondering which golf movie is most requested.  Apparently a group of guys passing time over a few beers usually ask for something light-hearted such as Caddyshack, Happy Gilmore or The Water Boy.  The Legend of Bagger Vance goes down well because it features Will Smith.  True fans of the game prefer the biographies of great golfers, such as Stroke of Genius (Bobby Jones) or Follow the Sun (Ben Hogan).  We all enjoyed The Greatest Game Ever Played, which tells the story of Francis Ouimet’s win at Brookline – a bit of a weepy for us girls this one!   Most popular?  Caddyshack or Tin Cup.   Do you agree?

By Yvonne Shaw.  Yvonne has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of our admin team.

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