I played the WORST rated golf course! (How bad?)

Rick Shiels takes on Pennington Golf Course, a budget-friendly course costing just £6.50! With only a 2/5 star rating online, can this hidden gem surprise, or is it as bad as the reviews say? Watch as Rick navigates the course, shares his thoughts, and delivers a verdict on whether it's worth your time (and money)!

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Hi I’m Rick Shiels, welcome to my channel! This YouTube channel is designed to help you play better golf, also to help you enjoy your golf more!

I specialise in golf equipment reviews, golf instruction & I play against some of the best golfers in the world!

I also want to make you play better golf by providing coaching video on all topics about golf, how to fix your slice, fix your hook, help you drive the golf ball longer, hit your irons more pure, hit your irons closer to the hole and help you draw and fade your golf shots.

I will also help you lower your score by chipping better by stopping you duff and thin chips, pitch the ball closer and also create backspin. Also I will provide you help to putt better and hole more putts!

[YouTube]

such a respectful and thoughtful review ❤ donating the clubs was a nice touch

[ianwerrett]

This is what sets Rick apart from virtually every other YouTube golfer. He could have gone out there destroyed this course for the lack of quality, but he was careful to emphasize the upsides as well. And gifting those sets of clubs to the course was a class act. You are such a wonderful ambassador for the game, Rick. Please keep doing what you are doing and stay true to who you are!

[Lucia-vhr]

Pennington Flash holds a special place in my heart, even though it was always underfunded and a bit boggy—even in the summer. It was the first golf course I ever played on as a junior 25 years ago, and it sparked my love for the game. As a 13-year-old, I saved my paper round money to buy a sleeve of 3 golf balls and a round of golf at Pennington. I still remember the 4th hole when I bought a plastic bag full of lake balls from the locals fishing them out of the stream!

Municipal courses like Pennington are the gateway to golf for those who might not have the money to play elsewhere. They provide access and opportunity to so many young and aspiring players like I once was. We need to cherish and preserve these places—they’re where golfers are born.

[marcusk]

Hi Rick, I actually run a council owned municipal golf course. I'm a golfer myself and with my team we have turned it around and now this year it's been amazing. I have one groundskeeper and one in training. With dedication and hard work it is possible to get these courses to thrive. I dare you to come and play our course! Get in touch!!

[angelam]

Rick has made history as the only golfer to ever play both Pennington GC and Augusta National GC.

[edhowtingg]

rick, you should look at doing a series where you every few months you play a subscribers local course and rate the condition and difficulty, you could have a google form set up that will randomly select local courses that subscribers submit, think this would be really interesting, as i know people who's "local courses" are places like royal St George's and St Andrews, which are considerably nicer than mine and other peoples locals, could be an interesting video concept, maybe mix it in with break 75.

[piersonmayhew]

I'd argue these courses are actually beneficial to grow the game, where people who are new to golf can go mess around and now have to worry about price, etiquette, or skill level. Ultimately more access to affordable golf will grow the game which is great for everyone

[andymcdade]

Being a Local Nomadic Hacker myself.... I've seen this Course pop up on Golf now and often fancied giving it a go.... Even tho it gets some bad reviews.... I've seen other reviews saying it's perfectly fine, especially given the price...
C'mon fellow Greater Mancunians.... Let's give this lil place some Love.

[PPaul]

The ending was a nice touch, I'd happily play that course also.

[robertflint]

Pennington Golf Course presents the First annual "RICK SHIELS GOLF OUTING". It was very nice of Rick to give the course club sets for future use, but Rick could really help the course by using his platform and "Fame" to raise money to help the course, especially with it being so close to his studio. An annual event with Rick and his friends (Guy, James Robinson, Peter Finch, Bob does Sports crew, Grant and many more). Rick said he liked the course and the people are so friendly, the course was just lacking funding. Well here is a chance to really make a difference and not just the course, but for all the people that work there and the surrounding community. 🙏
Anyhow, I am just a normally guy from here in the US, been following Rick a few years now and just wanted to toss this out there. Would gladly give up watching Rick golf at 5 star course to make this happen and watch these videos. Rock on Rick 🤘😎

[RobPage-mzej]

Lovely touch at the end! Tbh £6.50 is actually great value for money for a couple of hours of entertainment. And if you can putt on greens like that, you can putt anywhere...useful practice!

[sean.m]

Rick it is really refreshing to see you doing a laid back, bouncy/jolly video like this. It feels like the good old days of your channel which is what got me hooked. As much as people love break 75 I feel it had made the channel quite serious at times. Things change and businesses grow so I’m not knocking you at all. But for me this is your best video this year and I would love to see more bouncy videos where the outcome does not matter. Especially seeing you happy and relaxed not frustrated

[adamwebber]

Rick, you should adopt this course and fund it a bit yourself. Fix that contour mower, hire a part time maintenance worker, etc.

[BoonBrothersGolf]

Nice to see affordable courses for newer golfers. Helps grow the game even if it isn’t the nicest course.

[koozie]

What you did was awesome! These courses are definitely important in growing the game. It can be very intimidating for new golfers starting out at $50-$70 courses getting reprimanded for slow play by the marshall. Well done, Rick!

[marcusharrison]

I very rarely comment on any video (I do always click to like them though). However, I really loved this one Rick, I was really hoping that you wouldn't slate it, that you wouldn't go all golf snob on it. You didn't. You appreciated the fact that they were doing the best they could with the funding available, and also that not everyone can afford to pay the membership or green fees for a perfectly manicured members course. I'd play that course and enjoy the challenge of it, for the money it's an absolute bargain. Yes, the greens aren't great, yes the fairways are cut to second cut length, yes the bunkers are like Blackpool beach after a busy day in the summer, but the process is the same...get the ball in the hole at the end 😂This is one of my favourite, if not THE favourite video you've ever produced. Now take one of your tour pro guests on a course like this for a match, a full 18 holes 😉

[AndyHighton]

A someone has played this course every now and again over the course over 20 years, Rick described it perfectly. I challenge virtually any 9-hole course in the UK to demonstrate a better, more fun, and well-thought-out layout than Pennington Flash. It has such unbelievable variety for 9 holes and has ridiculous potential.

Unfortunately, Rick played this course on one of the best days the course has possibly ever seen...which is saying something. I've played this course when the first tee flag was missing and a stick was used as a reference point, I've had to play with gangs of kids hiding under the trees, playing music and shouting abuse at us, and on several of the holes, I've seen random walkers strolling around the course drinking beer and smoking, etc, as it's basically a public park at times. As for the condition, the fairway is genuinely 1st cut of rough at best, and the greens might be the worst in the world.

Someone, please fund this course and pump some money into it.

Also, Rick, try and break 75 at Haigh Hall in Wigan. That would be interesting.

[handsomemike]

We play there once a week after work, often just in my work clothes. You’re spot on - great course design, poor maintenance.

It’s where I learned to play. The first time I went to a ‘proper’ course it felt VERY EASY in comparison. It’s like learning to play on hard mode.

Absolutely love the place though, lots of great memories. It’s improved recently, they’ve really worked on the drainage and there’s been a bunch of changes but it’s a long road with few resources.

Can’t stand the slagging off that it gets - it is what it is and we’re lucky to have it. So happy to see you play there, wish you’d played every hole.

Only downside - I GUARANTEE I can’t get my usual tee off time tomorrow thanks to you.

[stuttgartbiker]

If Rick likes this comment I am quitting work right now and go play a round with the boys

[michaelphillips]

I’m from Leigh and played this so many times in the 90s as a kid. When I took up golf properly during Covid, it was the first course I played just to get used to the clubs I’d bought. Genuinely think the layout of that course is awesome, some great holes. But the drainage is AWFUL so impossible to play in winter and not nice having to dodge dog walkers or groups of teenagers sitting and chatting. Still a great course for practice in summer; ignore putting and just hit multiple balls to get distances sorted at a price cheaper than 80 balls at Trafford Golf.

On a similar theme to getting people into golf, you should check out Boomers & Swingers in Astley for a driving range with a difference.