Welcome to FineGolf

FineGolf welcomes you to our passionate promotion of the values of traditional running-golf and conservation fine grass greenkeeping.

We help golfers to select the most enjoyable golf destinations by checking out the reviews of the chosen 200 finest running golf-courses in GB&I.

Pages and course reviews showing * are available free and include the stories of three of Lorne’s favourite courses, Royal Dornoch, Hollinwell and Littlestone.

Subscribe and access: 150 detailed course reviews (click ‘Find a course*’ above); 300 pages of News articles (click ‘News’ above);  and 60 greenkeeping explanations (click ‘What is FineGolf *’ above).

You can also register for our free online 2/3 monthly FineGolf Newsletter that keeps subscribers briefed with the latest course reviews and recently published articles.

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We invite you to subscribe now to access the reviews of your favourite courses and over 360 pages of news and comments.

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What is FineGolf ?

What is FineGolf ?

FineGolf  has a 3-fold purpose:

READ MORE..

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Speedier golf Rules

Used at ‘Running-Golf Day’.

 

Speedier golf solutions by

Ted Dexter

READ MORE …

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Great Golf Books

Recommended

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Foursomes Golf

where is this the favoured form of golf?

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Golfer’s dogs

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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Hickory golf

A growing interest in playing with hickory shafted clubs

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about Fine Golf

About us

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

 

FineGolfing,

 

 

Find a course

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.

News

FineGolf’s  “Vision for Golf “

15 years on it comes down to the leadership at National and local Club level.

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Will you become a Golf Criminal?

New ball rule changes need to be ammended.

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Drone & AI technology

can help The R&A’s ‘Sustainable Agronomic Policy’

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West Lancashire

Updated review of 150th anniversary book and course.

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Hickory foursomes Tips

Lorne advises Dornoch’s juniors on playing hickory foursomes

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John Philp MBE congratulates

He defines the ‘original’ game and calls for a discussion on The R&A’s role

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Course architects please listen

Faversham being returned to Dr Alister Mackenzie’s design and condition

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BallyliffinPortsalon, Castlerock,

Narin & Portnoo, Cruit Island

Click individual course names to read reviews

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Royal Dornoch’s general manager

Neil Hampton on the original and most enjoyable game.

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Pesticides ban update

Norbert Lischka tells how ‘non-fine grass’ courses can cope.

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Minehead West Somerset review

Great value, classic out & back flat links with mostly firm fescue greens

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Brian Ward congratulates

The invigilator of Top 100, Sec of GSGB, spills the beans on the 1600 courses he has played around the world.

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Philip Truett congratultes

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Inaugural Hickory Ashes Match

Britain wins first ever Hickory Golf Ashes Match at Royal North Devon

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Woodbridge CM interviewed

Paul Lawrence explains how inland Woodbridge has been transformed from ‘Target’ to ‘Three Dimensional Running’ golf.

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Rye Jubilee

Reviewed, plus a list of England’s courses with the finest greens that give golfers the best performance and pleasure.

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St Andrew’s 8th puzzle solved

Jess Stiles shows puzzles invariably involve the running game and require firm surfaces.

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Ball roll-back & sweet spot rules

FineGolf and John Philp MBE analyse the latest controversy where the manufacturers are laughing all the way to the bank

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4th golf & Whisky book

Andrew Brown’s latest book reviewed from Scotland’s East side.

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Jess Stiles

joins FineGolf’s Advisory Panel and starts a series of articles about enhancing “golfer’s enjoyment”

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The challenge of managing gorse

by Nick Jones one of the exceptional club leaders of Hollinwell

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Golfer’s enjoyment should be The R&A’s priority

FineGolf calls on The R&A to invest in a major marketing programme

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Hoylake 2023 Open

Was it set-up for a running course Open Championship?

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Tandridge and Royal Blackheath

High quality Parkland Target golf with scrumptious food and wine

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Malcolm Duck retires

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Why Dornoch attraction success ?

Conservationist greenkeeper Eoin Riddell interviewed & reveals all.

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Ruminations of a golfer putting

Royal St George’s greens show how type of grass affects putting roll-out and borrow.

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Le Touquet La Mer

First FineGolf continental review along with Hardelot Les Pins

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Pitchmark indentation an extra measurement of firmness

Greenkeepers can use new measure to better connect with golfers

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Golf  Enjoyment

R&A ‘sustainable greenkeeping’ policy focus on golfers’ enjoyment?

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New Coul Links

Will SNP politics stop Coul Links again?

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Thanks to

R.St.G’s Fine Grasses Triumvirate

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Tom Williamson

‘The Complete Golf Professional’

by Nick Jones: reviewed

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Whisky and Golf

Andrew Brown’s third and best book

whisky and golf across the continent

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Wallasey reviewed

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Running golf

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Delamere dogs

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Goswick

at 130 year anniversary

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Why subscribe

to FineGolf ?

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Cumbrian enjoyment

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The Faversham Story

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The spirit of Integrity

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Dornoch &

Rubinstein

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South West England

courses report

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Gullane

The heart of a traditional running-golf village

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BTME Report

Grass selection, Soil biology, Fertiliser cost,

Ryegrass, R&A GC2030, Weather.

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Hillside

From out of the shadow

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Herbert Fowler

Markham/Truett book reviewed

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Woodbridge

Heathland and fine grass returned

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Tree Popper

Ideal for heathland courses

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green committees

What is their role?

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Murcar

Full review of fine course

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Ted Dexter

a tribute

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Support the MBE

for Paul Larsen

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The truth of

Royal St George’s

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Pennard

Awarded a 5 Star ‘Joy-to-be-alive’ FineGolf feeling alongside Royal Porthcawl in South Wales

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Aberdovey

Bernard Darwin quotes + criticism of

Natural Resources Wales activists

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Golf in 1888

beautiful compilation of articles

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Greens Rollers

by Baroness

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Soil Biology

Can it help fine grasses?

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Golf dog interview

and Dexter inducted into:

Dog Golf Hall of Fame

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Open Fever

Pioneering family history who started

the Australian Open Championship

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Dunes emergency

New research at Montrose. 

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Nairn Dunbar

Full review of changed running-golf links

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New Hollinwell history

Nick Jones researches EBook

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Woking Ramblings

by A.W.(Tony) Riley

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Askernish visited

in Taba Dale’s new book

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Royal Montrose

Full review

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Peter Alliss

Some thoughts

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Greenkeeper honoured

West Lancashire name 7th hole ‘Muir’

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Heather

and its part in the heath.

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West Hill

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Flempton

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Moorland Lanark

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Hollinwell (Notts.)

gives conservation lead to inland courses

with return to upper echelons of golf

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Fair Ways in

Ashdown Forest

by Colin Strachan, reviewed by FineGolf

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Royal Wimbledon

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Scott Ballentine

Worly’s successful secretary retires

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Bowing & Curtseying

A new warm way of greeting?

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The Meaning of Golf 

by Craig Morrison & reviewed by FineGolf

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Saving the planet

Report on R&A ‘Golf Course 2030’.

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North Hants

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James ‘Shaig’ Logan

John Philp MBE gives an eulogy to one of

the most accomplished greenkeepers.

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Symbio Founder

Martin Ward tells 30 year story

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Bamburgh Castle

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Course architects

Advice from Norbert Lischka

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Mark Broughton

on setting up a running heathland

for a R&A tournament.

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Woodhall Spa

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Andrew Brown’s

New book on Whisky and running-golf

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Walker Cup

Happy thoughts

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Ball distance

What to expect from R&A review

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Luffness New

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Greenkeeping

Language

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Royal Portrush

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Gordon Irvine

on the problems with UK courses

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Fairway recovery

scarifying Luffness New fairways

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Hoylake Hero

Alistair Noake’s book reviewed

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Blairgowrie Rosemount

New review

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Piltdown

Update review

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Enjoyment

is key focus for greenkeepers

in BTME Report

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Borth & Ynyslas

Reviewed while threatened by Quango

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Malt Whisky and Scots golf Tour

new book by Andrew Brown

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Interviewed by

 

 

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Ecology

John Quinn MG’s answer to

greens performance

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Sean Power

Tribute to a much loved Pro

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Lewes

fine grassed downland with views

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Sky TV ignores

Stand-out issue at British Masters

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Chair of Green

John Beynon at Pennard confesses

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Sheringham

Royal Cromer

Running clifftop downlands reviewed

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Roger Morton

Hickory club repairer extraordinaire

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Walton Heath

Reigate Heath

reviewed

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Carnoustie Open

Critical review of opportunity lost

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Tree management

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High green-fees

and leadership

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Is golf a privilege?

The need for mutual respect between golfers and greenkeepers

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Threats to our

Finest courses

Royal North Devon suffers from

‘Natural England’ policy.

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Donald Steel

autobiography reviewed

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Denham

reviewed

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Augusta Syndrome

Disease (ASD)

Enville & Pennard review updates

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Gorse

Friend or foe?

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Fraserburgh

Peterhead

New reviews from Aberdeenshire

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FineGolf  diary

1965 to 2018,  interesting change in score-card names of club’s played

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Coul Links

News on American funded course near Royal Dornoch

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Billy Mitchell retires

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Perranporth

Cornish finest reviewed

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Downlands

Lewes joins 200 finest courses

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Norbert Lischka MG

joins FineGolf’s Advisory Panel

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Running-Golf Day

Videos published

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New reviews from Dorset

Broadstone

Parkstone

Ferndown

Isle of Purbeck

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Comment on Birkdale Open

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Royal Mid Surrey

gains greater historical importance

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Interview

with Steve Isaac

“R&A Director – Sustainability”

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Ted Dexter

joins FineGolf Advisory Panel

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Philip Truett

joins FineGolf Advisory Panel

& calls for 3-dimensional game

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Wentworth

The truthful review

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The Green illusion

Norbert Lischka talks colour

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Royal Birkdale

No.1 in the 1970s. Is it still?

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Running-Golf Day

at Notts/Hollinwell, Mon Sept 4th

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Lord Ted’s

speedier rules taken up by R&A

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Crisis reconciled

Norbert Lischka helps golf clubs

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Pantheon of  the

Finest Greenkeepers

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Rye

Epitome of traditional running-golf

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Tom Simpson

by Jess Stiles, disciple and expert

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Dexter

Obituary of a special gun & golf dog

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GK equip article

Golfers! discover where your £s go

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Wilmslow

Fine-grassed, ‘Running-golf ‘ Parkland course reviewed.

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Fortrose &

Rosemarkie

Historical update

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Goswick

Berwick-on-Tweed, reviewed

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Pesticides

FineGolf 2016 Report

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Royal Dornoch’s

Conundrum

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Paul Lawrie

Interviewed by Lorne

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New facts on

Green speed

by Norbert Lischka

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Michelson’s 62

Why did he miss his record breaking putt?

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Fast greens =

Slow play

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Royal Troon

Gailes Links

Reviewed

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Greenkeeper

Comms Training

evolutionary needs

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Fast greens

Too quick for The R&A and Geoff Ogilvy

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Ryl Worlington

updated review

Moor Park

New review

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Firmness

Agronomist and low handicap golfer puts fine grass and enjoyment together

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Golf ball myth

It is not being hit ever further

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Grass ID needs Funding

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Is GEO conservationist?

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Boat of Garten

Reviewed

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Organic matter

is it good to have under greens?

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Frilford Heath

Tadmarton Hth

Blackwell

Little Aston

New south and west Midlands reviews

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Finest Irish

R Portrush, R County Down, The Island, Portstewart, County Louth all Reviewed

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2015 Open anecdotes

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Lorne

interviewed by GolfClubAtlas

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Askernish

Royal St George’s

updated reviews

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Chambers Bay

exhilarates

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Jim Arthur’s inheritance

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Donald Steel

The State of today’s game

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Ganton

Liphook

new reviews

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Wide fairways

by Paul Gray

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 Kingsbarns

Delamere Forest

new reviews

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Fast Fairways

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The Power of

fine and weed grass identification

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Sky v BBC coverage

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Aldeburgh

Thorpeness

Felixstowe Ferry

Askernish

Western Gailes

Turnberry

new reviews

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Royal Dornoch

The Renaissance

New updated reviews

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Timeless Luffenham Heath

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North Wales finest reviewed

Royal St David’s, Conwy, Bull Bay, Prestatyn, Porthmadog, Aberdovey.

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Ball needs regulation?

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Jacklin on the ball

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Tribute to

Nick Park

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REAL Golf Survey

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Royal Aberdeen

A Serene Old Lady

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Cornish Finest

Four finest courses reviewed
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Royal Porthcawl

Open Championship standard

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Grasses explained

to non-experts

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Gordon Irvine &

Alistair Beggs join FineGolf

Advisory Panel

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Cruden Bay

awe inspiring

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Littlehampton

Hoylakesque

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Soil Biology Conference

Report from Royal Holloway

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VIDEOS

of Expert Panellists

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Hickory golf

explained to the ordinary golfer

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Littlestone

reviewed

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Soil Biology

explained to non-experts

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Gleneagles

Reviewed

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History of

Golf Greens

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Trump attracting golfers,

Annual Ryegrass overseed

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Speedier Golf

Rules published

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some Open

thoughts

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Prestwick

reviewed

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Trip to West Scotland

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Machrihanish Dunes

reviewed

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FineGolf  helps

Bobby’s Open win

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Disrepute at

elite Masters

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Greenstester explained

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One of Britain’s most enjoyable

inland courses

Hankley Common

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 Value in

FineGolf

by Nick Park

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State of

Nation’s courses

by Alistair Beggs

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Panmure

A pedigree club near-by Carnoustie, reviewed 

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Muirfield

2013 ‘Open’ venue reviewed

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John Philp

gives a lead on The Open Championship

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True Links 

Brilliant book by Peper/Campbell reviewed

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Tradition

and Progress

at St Andrews Old Course

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Controversial

Trump reviewed

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FineGolf  in North East

England  Reviewed

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Crowborough

Reviewed

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Ryder Cup anecdotes

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Golf Monthly

reviews FineGolf

read 3-page article

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Hail !

Hunstanton

returns from the ‘dark side’ 

READ MORE…

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Where did Scott

lose The Open?

FineGolf’s view…

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BBC defended

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2012 Open venue

Royal Lytham & St Annes

Reviewed

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Saunton

The finest 36 holes of golf in the British Isles? READ MORE…

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Old Tom Morris’s

Masterpiece

Tain reviewed

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The future for

Golf courses

Natural biodiversity fits FineGolf  READ MORE… 

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