Saturnia (Italy)

Welcome – Lori and I have a tradition of visiting Italy every Easter weekend as the two public holidays in the UK (Good Friday and Easter Monday) give us a 4-day weekend. Just enough time for a 2-3 hour flight and several days of exploring a small area of this charming country. This year we centered our trip at Saturnina, famed for its aquamarine, tiered hot springs. And like many thermal springs, a resort is built around them which just happens to have an 18-hole golf course. So of course, we had to get in a round (unfortunately, the “magic algae” of the springs didn’t seem to do much for our game). Especially, as we saw dogs throughout the quite luxurious hotel, we had to ask if the course welcomed canine caddies, and they said indeed they did. When I got back, I did a bit of research on dog friendly courses in Italy and it turns out that quite a number of courses in Italy do welcome them. My theory is that golf resorts are more likely to welcome pets (eg. Cornwall), and the courses that don’t allow them tend to be striving to create an elitist vibe. I think the “country club” set thinks that the more restrictions you place on the members, the more exclusive the place seems.

Walk – Most of our walking was searching for the ball…ON THE FAIRWAY! The entire course was covered with daisy fleabane (see photo below). So scanning the area where your ball landed is a bit of a “Where’s Wally” hunting exercise finding your white dot among a sea of white dots. A great opportunity for a practicing your dog’s ball sniffing skills.

Wildlife – Only saw a flock of seagulls on one of the fairways (go figure, since we were considerably inland).

Water – Playing at the end of a very wet spring, many of the bunkers became pop-up water hazards (with that tasty muddy water dogs love). The clubhouse gave us free bottles of water, but they were so minerally they really tasted like they too had been drawn from the sand trap puddles.

Criss-crossed by streams, but given the proximity to the thermal springs, I wonder if these are a bit sulphury. The course is free of official water hazards until the end of the back nine where holes 15 through 17 are flanked by great lakes, but they are most inaccessible due to reeds.

Wind Down – The hotel hosting the course has an extensive range of tasty food and, as I mentioned, is very dog friendly. We stopped after the 9^th hole for a little snack and some (non-bottled water) liquid refreshment. And if you want, you can book yourself into the thermal springs for a natural soak to ease away the fatigue and stresses of your round.

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Santo Da Serra (Madeira, Portugal)

Welcome – Santa da Serra’s dog-friendly policy seems a bit low key. When we enquired, they said that they did have a few clients that had asked about bringing their dogs and they were happy for them to do assuming the dog was well-behaved and on a lead.

Walk – Like its fellow Madeiran course, Palheiro, Santo de Serra features towering undulations of landscape. In fact, you start the Machico course (the most picturesque) driving over two gaping chasms (bring extra balls!) that require mini-hikes to get around.

Water – With the 3-times 9-hole layout, stopping at the clubhouse is easy after any 9. We enjoyed our own “watering” with an extended break that included some nibbles as well as drinks.

Wildlife – Lots of grey sea gulls.

Wind Down – The clubhouse has one of the most spectacular views on the island, and one of the best club house views in the world I suspect. Tour buses come up to the club, just to see the view.

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Palheiro (Madeira, Portugal)

Welcome – We took an extended weekend and decided to try another set of warm climate islands in the middle of the Atlantic with few golf courses after our delightful visit to the Azores last year. So we decided to check out Madeira. In general, we preferred the Azores (more flowers and greenery and less built up), but we have to say that Madeira is at least more dog-friendly with their golf. We will always inquire about the dog policy at any course we play (even without canine companion in tow). We were delighted to find out that not only Palhiero dog-friendly but they even have their own dog mascot, Denis (see photo above). Denis was a poorly stray who wandered up to the course one day years ago and the course embraced him. He has had a rich and long life making the course his home. Also, we had the serendipity to meet one of the dog golfers who had just finished a round – Cosi (see photo below).

Walk – The spectacular views of the ocean below won’t be the only thing taking your breath away as it is a challenged roller-coaster of precipices like the island itself.

Water – The course had no water hazards or other water sources on the course, but it has “halfway houses” by both the 6^th and 12^th holes so you are never very far from liquid refreshment (for you or your dog).

Wildlife – A few random sea birds.

Wind Down – The obviously wind-down is the clubhouse itself. In fact, people make the windy trek uphill to the course who don’t play golf but just want to take in the spectacular vistas from the clubhouse restaurant terrace. We stopped for a “Madeira Tonic” (like a gin and tonic made with Madeira wine) and some of the local orange cake.

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A Dog’s Eye View on Golf

When I first added the reviews of the dog-friendly course to the Dog Golf website, I wanted the observations to be from the dog’s perspective and what they would care about, though I wrote about it in the first person. Robert F. Bradford (aka “The General”) recently penned a charming report of one of his golf outings with his trusty conscript Dashiell Doggett for Dogs Today magazine, but he wrote it from Pvt. Doggett’s voice. Here is an excerpt:

“The General (as he calls himself since reading that every boy with a dog becomes Napoleon) took me on field maneuvers for the first time today…He took his bag of metal sticks out from under the back porch, put snacks for himself in the little pockets, and topped up what he calls the ‘birdie bottle’…My job was to keep an eye on them to make sure we didn’t lose them in the gullies and woods into which they kept chasing a little round white thing…Whenever they caught up with it, they would beat at it with a stick, and it would skitter away – usually sideways. Then they would say bad words, usually in a growl, but sometimes in an explosive bark, and occasionally in a yip of pain. It seemed we were on a hunt, and their talk of hooks and slices bethought me of meat, hung and carved, but it was just an imaginary safari, beating their way up a series of narrow fields, deliciously lined by trees, bushes, and flowers, until they surrounded a gopher hole with their little round white things, which they would then knock back and forth, criss-crossing the hole several times before finally making the little round white thing disappear.”

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Portpatrick

Another guest review of the 9 hole Dinvin course at Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club, Dumfries & Galloway, by Fiona (walking) and David (golfing) with Chloe, on 3 May 2022. Fiona has helped with information on a number of Scottish courses, one of the most dog-friendly golfing areas in the world, so hopefully we will be graced with more reports from up north:

Chloe is a Working Cocker Spaniel, rescued at 4, then a fit age 12. She’s not allowed onto David’s own course (The Irvine Golf Club), so her golf walks are limited to our trips away in the motorhome. The Golf Pro said Chloe was very welcome on the Dinvin course on a lead, confirming the “walkers welcome” sign at the entrance. Players in the car park said a friendly hello to all of us. Chloe didn’t appreciate the cracking views to Ireland over the 18 hole Dunskey course on the way to the 1st tee. She doesn’t walk well on a lead and hates standing still, which isn’t ideal in a canine golfing companion. She found the Dinvin course very boring until a handsome male pheasant came out of the Dunskey estate woodlands that flank the first three holes. That cheered her up! The course was a bit like Chloe – small, quirky, and full of character. It was draped on a hillside looking inland over typical Galloway farmland, with rocky knolls, several steep ups and downs where Chloe almost pulled the walker over, very few bunkers, gorsey rough harbouring good smells for a spaniel, but no water hazards for drinking. Dinvin punched above its weight and was in very good condition: exceptional value at £12. There was no water dish back at the clubhouse, and we didn’t eat there as we’d lunched in the motorhome, but the dining room was busy. There is a good choice of places to eat down at pretty Portpatrick harbour, where there’s a small sandy beach at low tide that’s good for a dog runabout.

[Postscript – Chloe is no longer with us, after collapsing on a walk. New rescue Poppy is as yet untested as a golf companion.]

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Hall of Fame 2023 – Grace

Gracie Girl. Our nickname for her. The literal face of Dog Golf. Our co-pioneer to explore the courses of the UK and share our insights with dog-loving golfers around the world. As reported, Grace left us in June. We still miss her every day. She still holds the “world record” for courses “played” by a dog. She wowed countless players with the ball-in-the-rough sniffing ability. Long may her legacy of role modelling of canine caddying live on.

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Beachwood (USA)

Welcome – Just when I had started giving up hope finding dog-friendly courses in the USA, I stumbled upon a Christmas gift of serendipity. Over the yuletide holidays, we were visiting my sister-in-law who has a beach house in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Once the weather warmed up a bit from the unseasonably low sub-zero temperatures, we decided to play a round. We were spoiled for choice as there are over 80 (!) courses in the Myrtle Beach area, but we ventured to the nearby Beachwood GC. A lovely course who just blocks from the beach (so some of the holes have bonus “sand” bunker lining the entire flank of the hole as underneath the landscaping surface is essentially a big sand pit. As we were finishing our play, we came upon the Kevin with his lovely dog, Josie (see photo above). He was in a golf cart and going from hole to hole so I thought he was playing, but when I approached, I saw that he didn’t have clubs. So, I feared that it was just another example of a groundskeeper bringing along a canine companion, but playing with them wouldn’t be allowed. But (after a cheery welcome from Josie – see below) it turns out that he was the GM of the course and confirmed that dogs were indeed welcome. He noted that several members bring their pups regularly. Bingo!

Walk – As you would expect from a coastal course, the walk is completely flat (which was welcome as I’m not sure our post-feasting condition could have managed anything much more challenging).

Water – Half of the holes have water hazards, many of which are quite substantial, but I’m not sure how much of an opportunity for a drink on a hot southern summer’s day as they are likely quite brackish. But the course does wind back around to the clubhouse at the 9^th so you can refill your water bottle/dish.

Wildlife – SQUIRREL!!! And not just any squirrels, but these huge, fluffy, and fairly tame black squirrels the likes of which I had never seen before. They were captivating Lori’s and my attention so who knows how distracting they would be to a canine companion.

Wind Down – Finding dog-friendly eateries in the USA is just as hard as finding golf course. https://www.bringfido.com is a great site with a database of dog welcoming establishments. It shows a Krave Bagel Bistro right next door, but the Beachwood course also does have a restaurant with an of grilled items.

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If Dogs Could Actually Golf

Despite having a Dog Golf Instagram account (@dogggolfing), we’re not really that active on it (as our solitary post would testify). But I do enjoy perusing Instagram when I’ve got a bit of time to kill and I must tip my hat to their algorithm as it serves me up mostly puppies and other dog clips (with occasion cats). But one grammer I actually subscribe to is the ingenious JauncyDev who caricatures various dog breeds in assorted human situations. Last week, JauncyDev depicted how different dogs would be if they weren’t just accompanying their human, but actually were doing the golfing. Enjoy!

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Sedbergh

Our latest guest post from Bertie (and his persons Steve and Mrs. Brown) not only provides another pooch perspective on par play, but also highlights the imperative to “keep asking”. While Dog Golf UK tries to keep its database up-to-date, my experience has been that policies change from time to time. Usually this shift has been the unfortunate case of being informed that a course doesn’t welcome dogs after all despite someone telling me previously that they did (I document all my calls to clubs who tell me they allow dogs). In the case of today’s Sedbergh, the report is a fortunate addition to the database. When I had contacted Sedburgh previously, they said that dogs were not allowed,. But when Bertie did a round and I double checked, they were hesitant but in the end said that people did bring their dogs on the low periods of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thanks to Bertie for not just another review, but also another course for people to check out:

Another weekend away with friends who have a place at Barnard Castle, and we needed a course we could play and have lunch. We settled on Sedbergh and what a gem of a course. Nine holes (18 tees) and it is immaculate.

Some very tricky holes, with drives over river gorges, water features and some tricky undulating ground. This is a course that no one will take apart.

Its £15 for 9 holes and having a dog is not a problem. The owner is on site and very welcoming, his son is the greenskeeper. There is a fabulous clubhouse, more of that later.

The first hole is tricky with hole protected by bunkers, unseen, the second a drive across the river onto a green. Then a short walk takes you to the third well over 500 yards and you can see a Victorian iron railway bridge behind the green. It is a very picturesque course.

You have great views of the Yorkshire dale. Another par 5 has the green protected by a ring of water. Eventually we arrive at the 9th. A green you feel you can reach. On our visit there were two societies starting off on our return.

Dogs are not allowed in the clubhouse but they serve one of the best steak and ale pies this northern lad has ever had on the verandah. Mrs. Browns’ fish pie was also excellent.

What of Bertie our Tibetan Terrier, after all this is about golfing with dogs. I think Bertie has decided that golf balls are not worth chasing. He allows us to play our shots, and whereas once he had to have his own ball he isn’t interested now. We do use a lead to tie him up when teeing off and putting wherever possible. We have a long lead and he now trots happily alongside us, we do stand on the lead if we need to do so. He still won’t sit and look at the camera for the killer photo!

The big problem I have is not controlling a dog while playing, but the fact Mrs. Brown is obviously already a better golfer than me and the gap is only getting wider!

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Four Marks

Welcome – We had a bit of a sad welcome to Four Marks, but it was nothing to do with the course itself. We had long planned a foray further south with the distance justified by seeing our fellow dog golfing friends, the Baileys. Initially intended as a reunion for Grace and Pepper, with at Grace’s departure it pivoted into an anticipated soothing dose of doggie-ness from Pepper to help our grief. But when we arrived, the Bailey’s told us that Pepper too had passed away just a few days ago from a sudden seizure. As a result, the session became a memorial round to our two beloved companions. I wore my Rhoback dog golf shirt (see above) as I had to step in as the face of Dog Golf UK for the day. The course is undergoing a bit of a refurb at the moment, but nonetheless, it is a bit of a casual aesthetic typical of such parkland courses. But always makes dog accompanying players a bit more relaxed about how fellow golfers feel about canine caddis.

Walk – The course is laid out in a tidy and fairly compact 9-hole course at only 1960 yards. Being flat it was a very easy step back onto the links after an extended time away after losing Grace (and my hip giving me a bit of gip). The exception to the flatness was the greens who seemed to all be perched on near vertical precipices. The course play, like our old girl Grace, was a bit rough, bumpy and motley.

Water – The course has small artificial ponds near holes 1, 4 and 7, but they (like many other parts of the course) were under repair so completed dried out (actually, without being spring or stream fed, most small artificial ponds of this type don’t make for good drinking as they get quite stagnant even if they do have water). Still, with such a small course, you are never very far from the clubhouse if you need to retreat there to get a drink.

Wildlife – Lots of sheep and cows in the surrounding fields, but not too many critters crossing the fairways.

Wind Down – The clubhouse itself had a lovely dining area which, as you can see from the sign below, certainly welcomed dogs. But we opted for the intriguingly named “Castle of Comfort” pub just down the road. Several very friendly dogs in the bar area greeted us. One of the simplest menus with an assortment of nicely grilled meats (with some excellent cheesy chips). So plenty of opportunities for scraps for your fellow dining dogs. In fact, the proprietor is also a butcher so you can ask him for some extra bones or scraps that he might have out back.

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