England

England
England has a highly prized reputation for being decent and discreet. For avoiding the flamboyant or flashy. It is a country valued for its sleepy villages, its hallowed halls of learning, its traditions and ceremonies. A place where everyone enjoys a spot of afternoon tea and everything is prim and proper. This is all nonsense, of course.
England does have its fancy elements. There is a soothing quaintness in many parts of the country, particularly in the landscapes around London and the south east. While many cities in the north are offset by huge tracts of natural beauty such as the Peak District, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and a coastline that is a dramatic mixture of high cliffs and fine beaches.
But it also has a flipside. Just consider the English attitude towards sport. Their passion for football, rugby, horse and Formula One racing, tennis, cricket and, of course, golf. Additionally, England stages many of the world’s greatest sports championships – and often supplies the champion players.
To See and Do
London has something for everyone from world class theatres, museums and art galleries to night clubs and restaurants.
Other cities in the south worth visiting include Oxford, Cambridge and Canterbury, even if just to admire the architecture.
Further north, York with its Minster and Chester with its remarkably preserved walls are also worth exploring.
Away from the cities are hundreds of picturesque villages and during the summer month’s visitors can watch a cricket match on the village green.
To Eat and Drink
England has produced a legion of world-class chefs and restaurants, especially in and around London.
Elsewhere, the great outdoors generate hearty appetites so substantial food is readily available from Yorkshire’s famous pudding, served with roast beef to Lancashire’s tasty hotpot, all washed down with distinctive real ales and ciders.
Fine dining however, is not just restricted to London as it has made a huge impact in the country due to the availability of fresh local produce, especially in the coastal resorts.
Nightlife
London is definitely the place to be, with an endless supply of theatres, bars, comedy acts and world class restaurants.
Other cities also offer a full range of successful lively options, albeit on a smaller scale.
Indeed, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds are well-known for their vibrant music scene and raucous club life.
Several cities such as York, Leeds, Bath, Birmingham and Newcastle are also famous for their cultural offerings, which range from concert orchestras to theatre.
The Golf
The bulk of England’s golfers live in and around London and the south, so that is where the bulk of the courses are.
All manner of layouts can be found within an hour or so of London. For example, Wentworth, host to two PGA championships, the Volvo and the World Matchplay, is only a 30-minute drive from Heathrow Airport.
In the north, several links courses such as Royal Lytham & St Anne’s Royal Birkdale, near the famous seaside resort of Blackpool, feature random sand dunes.
Outside Newcastle on the north east coast, the innately difficult Slaley Hall, which hosted the 2001 European Tour Grand Prix, is made harder by narrow fairways lined with soaring pine trees and lethally dense rhododendron bushes.
In the Lake District in Cumbria, short but tricky courses like Windermere pose unusual problems because the fairways undulate so radically and the views are so distracting.
Must play courses
Wentworth Club
Tel: +44 (0) 1344 842201
Fax: +44 (0)1344 842804
Web: www.wentworthclub.com
Email: via contact form on website
Royal St George’s
Sandwich, Kent, CT 13 9PB
Tel: +44 (0) 1304 613090
Fax: +44 (0) 1304 611245
Web: www.royalstgeorges.com
Email: general@royalstgeorges.com
St Mellion International
Nr. Saltash, Cornwall PL12 6SD
Tel: +44 (0) 1579 351351
Fax: +44 (0) 1579 350537
Web: www.st-mellion.co.uk
Email: stmellion@crown-golf.co.uk
The Belfry Brabazon
Wishaw, Warwickshire B76 9PR
Tel: +44 (0) 1675 470301
Fax: +44 (0) 1675 470256
Web: www.thebelfry.co.uk
Email: enquiries@thebelfry.com
Royal Birkdale
Waterloo Road, Southport, United Kingdom, PR8 2LX
Tel: +44 (0) 1704 552020
Fax: +44 (0) 1704 552021
Web: www.royalbirkdale.com
Email: secretary@royalbirkdale.com

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