Mike's Great Orme Golf Course

[Blodyn]

I've just noticed the new banner for the golf course on the Forum, Mike.  The banner and your website look very good.  Hope the weather improves and you get plenty of custom.  Perhaps some fluorescent golf balls would help? 

[Michael]

Thanks for the message Blodyn. I don't imagine this weather is doing the flowers that feature in your photos much good---but, I may be wrong. Generally do they like rain but not wind? Or are they all different?

[DaveR]

I've just noticed the new banner for the golf course on the Forum, Mike.  The banner and your website look very good.  Hope the weather improves and you get plenty of custom.  Perhaps some fluorescent golf balls would help? 

I should mention at this point that Mike has generously agreed to have a Banner Ad on the Forum, in order to support it with the running costs.   

[Michael]

I would'nt like to claim that I was generous. The sole purpose of advertising is to get more cash in your till, and I think this advert will do that. Having said that, it is nice to be able to support something at the same time.

[Bellringer]

Not sure if anyone has asked before Mike, but is there any parking other than on the roadway? In other words can you drive into the narrow entrance to the course and park?

By the way I have a quantity of golf balls which are no use to me (long story). If they are any good to you, I will let you have them.

[Michael]

Yes, there is room for three or four cars to safely park on the course. I say safely meaning they wont be hit by very wayward golf balls. Having committed myself in print here, I had better go on to say that in the agreement I have with CBC it states "no cars on the site." I think that was put in to stop any possible use as a car boot sales (as if any upright person such as myself would think of doing anything like that HaHa) Thanks for the offer of golfballs. I go through a fair amount because I cannot bring myself to charge any one for lost balls. Unlike the previous operator who wrote a sign in the shed  "lost balls. 80 pence."  Its a wonder no one ever gave him a thick ear because it is common knowledge that mixed golf balls can be purchased (in quantity) off ebay at under 20pence each.

[Bellringer]

I will pop up sometime in the next day or so Mike and bring some golf balls with me.

[Fester]

That reminds me Mike,
I had a family of customers the other day, who came to my shop in the appalling rain... but they had also just played your course in the rain,  and loved it!
They also said that they had lost a couple of balls on the 7th and 8th holes, but the ''very kind gentleman'' let them have replacements, for no charge.

They will be back Mike, I have no doubt of that.

[DaveR]

At the Southern end of Mike's Golf Course, there used to be a stone Tower (marked on maps and visible in the photo below). What was it used for and when was it removed?

[Nemesis]

I have a framed map from 1889 hanging on my hall wall and I can see a building called Birmingham Villa which looks to be somewhere above the gate from Haulfre and  Invalid's Walk.---- too far over to be below the Golf Course, but there were quite a few buildings in the old 'Pleasure gardens'

[Blodyn]

Thanks for the message Blodyn. I don't imagine this weather is doing the flowers that feature in your photos much good---but, I may be wrong. Generally do they like rain but not wind? Or are they all different?

Sorry to be so long in replying, Mike, I've been away. 

The wild flowers around here are well adapted to the conditions, so they're generally pretty tough.  Even something which looks really delicate, like a harebell, is able to survive a surprising amount of wind and rain but you're right that some plants will stand up to wind / rain / drought better than others.  Some will therefore flower better in some seasons than others but most of the perennials will survive, though life can be a bit harder for the annuals if there's very bad weather at flowering / seed time. 

[Michael]

Well, thats what I thought---but I was'ent sure. Nice to have expert advice confirming my guess. I'm not too sure whether or not this is the correct place to ask this, but here goes. You say the flowers on the orme are pretty tough. But, so are a lot of the human residents. Do you know a lady who lives on Tyn y Coed Road, I believe works for Social Services and knows a lot about the Ormes wild flower life---I believe she even takes groups of interested people on informal walks around. The reason I ask is that she frequently walks down to town through the golf course and always has a medium size dog (dont ask me what breed, at a guess Heinz 57, ). I havent seen her for about five or six weeks, very unusual.  Anyway yesterday the dog arrived, by itself. I gave it a bit of biscuit and tried to get it on a bit of old rope I had, it wears a collar, but it wasent having any of that. It took off towards Tyn y Coed, I followed, it went into a garden, the gate was open, so I ran behind, shut the gate, and knocked on the door. No answer. So I left the dog in the garden, it obviously knew the place, its tail was wagging when I knocked on the door. Any ideas?  Its just a worrying niggle in my mind!!

[Blodyn]

Yes, I know the lady whom you mean.  She's a real expert on wild flowers - much better than me. I'll call round tomorrow and see if she's there.   

[Blodyn]

Mike, all is well.  The lady and dog were both in this morning and she hadn't realised that the dog had been out alone.  How nice of you to be concerned. 

[Michael]

Oh, good, I'm glad to hear that. It was just so unusual, I never seen one without the other, and then I see the dog wandering around by itself.