Bridport and West Dorset

Bridport and West Dorset 5

WelcomeBridport and West Dorset was so welcoming to Dog Golf that they actually reached out to us to be added to the dog golf database. As it happens, just a fortnight later we were camping in Bridport and decided to take in a round with our camping companions’ canine, Jeannie, to have to test it out.

Walk – The walk is most flat with no trees to disrupt your view or your shots. Until you get to Hole 6 where the course plummets (with a fun par 3 that just sails down like some Tik Tok trick shot).

Wildlife – Naturally the seaside course is dominated by seabirds. We are especially fortunately that a rare Northern Wheatear hopped along the ground on hole 5.

Water – With a hat tip to Coleridge, there is all the water on one side of the course, but not much else atop these sea side cliffs (drinkable or otherwise). The course does circle back to the clubhouse on the 10th as an opportunity to get a quick lap of water.

Wind Down – The course had a superb clubhouse restaurant (one of the best bacon butties I’ve had on a course), but dogs were not allowed inside (there is a lovely deck area looking over the sea), so we decided to try the nearby West Bay Hotel which Jeannie’s persons, Sue and John, thought was the best pub food in West Bay and it was a delicious lunch with the very tasty local brew, Palmers.

Bridport and West Dorset

Bridport and West Dorset 3

Bridport and West Dorset 2

Bogliaco (Italy)

Bogliaco

Welcome – We were greeted by a member with a lovely something-poo on a lead so we knew we were in the right place. Beware that if you are coming from the south (eg. Salo area), then the sat nav might direct you though the little village of Toscolano Maderno which is the most direct, but the roads are incredibly narrow and a medium sized car might struggle to navigate through. The preferred route is going past the golf course and turning inland off SS45bis onto “Via Golf”.

Walk – The course starts out with a steady switchback climb up the hillside that overlooks the picturesque Lake Guarda, but all of the gradients up and down are quite moderate.

Water – Not surprisingly as the course overlooks the largest body of water in Italy, the course is immersed in all sorts of water hazards. It seems like there is some sort of water on every hole. But the curse of the wayward shooting golfer is a mountain stream delight of refreshment for a canine caddy especially in the warmer summer days.

Wildlife – And with all of the water comes waterfowl. Quite a few ducks wandering throughout the course.

Wind Down – While the course had an inviting clubhouse and food, we chose to return to the village of Gardone Riviera where we were staying for a bite at Da Dario Snack Bar whose has their own lovely mascot named Lucky.

Bogliaco 3

Bogliaco 2