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course guideCourses the society has visited are detailed below. Reviews of these venues will appear shortly.
Aberdovey Golf Club
Thanks to our Society Secretary being a member here I had long looked forward to visiting Aberdovey, even more so as I had missed our similar visit two years ago. Having only managed 14 holes of golf since the society played Druids Heath at the end of April, I was more certain than ever before that my name would not figure on the roll of honour at a BUNGS event. This certainty was bolstered by the pre-dawn journey across Mid-Wales through stiff showers and blustery winds, which held until all were assembled at the club. By the time we stepped onto the first tee, however, the showers had blown themselves out, the wind also abated during our round and (on both days) the hours between 12 & 2pm belied the fact that we were here in the middle of November, as the sun shone and gave us a little warmth in which to “perform”. As can be read from many other sources, Aberdovey is a true “out-and-back” links course, squeezed between the dunes and the railway line. The prevailing wind means that the front nine is predominantly into the wind, and we felt this to full effect as we teed it up at the start of our rounds. The Course Guide (one of the least useful examples of these I have ever seen) suggests that your aim here at the first (420yds, par 4) should be on the line of the Pump House. Succeed in this and you still have a tricky shot to a green guarded left and right. A newcomer to the course arriving on the 3rd tee (157yds, par 3) may well wonder where the green is, as it requires a blind shot to a hidden green. Playing your shot only after you have recce’d your target, you must then wait until you get up to the green before you can locate your ball. Although Aberdovey is ostensibly an out-and-back course, the variation is that the holes actually run in a figure of eight, with the par 3 5th (193yds) cutting at right angles to the course. Slicers are now in danger of losing their ball onto the railway line, as the fairway of the 6th (331yds) runs alongside this. Nowhere on the course do the drainage ditches come into play more than on this stretch. Go slightly off the fairway and you run the very serious risk of getting your balls wet! Negotiate the turn and you are faced with the prospect of the 12th – Aberdovey’s signature hole. A par 3 of only 131yds, the green is way above the tee, perched on top of a dune and open to all the wind Mother Nature throws at it. Pull your shot and your ball will bounce and roll all the way to the bottom of the hill, push it and you'll be on the beach. Get it right and be rewarded with a fabulous view across Cardigan Bay. The par 5(539yds) 13th and par 4(383yds) 14th run along with the dunes to your right, with the 15th crossing back towards the railway line. At only 281yds, the 16th is possibly the shortest par four I have ever played, but with a fairway on the side of a hill and a green cut into the same, how interesting! Those attempting to lay-up on the fairway will invariably see their ball feed down to the left, leaving a chip up to the green. Big hitters can get on, but too far right and your ball will rest on top of (or to the right of) the crest of the hill, too far left and you're on the railway line and OOB. A great hole! The 18th(419yds) requires an accurate drive (sic!) before playing to the large green under the balcony of the Clubhouse. This building is quite new as the previous edifice was razed by fire in 1995. This splendid new building was built with the help of Lottery funding and was opened by the Duke of York in 1998 – and VERY nice it is too! I really must get my domestics sorted as this lovely course has once again whetted my appetite for the game, and a return here at some point in the future during the summer months is definitely now on my list of things to do. Hopefully, we won’t have to play off mats… (All yardages quoted are off yellow tees) 25 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 8/10 Condition of course: 7/10 Catering/Service: 9/10 Overall experience: 8/10 Value for money: 9/10 Would you like to return: 100% YES / 0% NO Some comments received were: 'Did not like playing off mats' (numerous replies echoed this) 'Come again in the Summer' 'Great trip' 'Overall excellent'
Aston Wood Golf Club
Barlaston Golf Club
Beau Desert Date of visit: May 2005 (report supplied by Graham Adams) Such is the reputation of Beau Desert I was really looking forward to playing here – and was not to be disappointed. Set within Cannock Chase the course wends its way through an ancient forest of huge, impressive trees interspersed with penal rough. Very true. I’d heard from many quarters that it was tight off the tees - enough to give me more than a degree of trepidation given my recent lack of form. However, the sun was warm and the winds (fairly) light, so a positive state of mind ruled as play began. This was soon dented when faced with a daunting first tee shot. It’s not that the 1st, at just 291yds and uphill, is particularly difficult, just that you are faced off the tee by a deep, rough filled “hollow” demanding a carry of about 120yds to find the other side. Again, not particularly difficult (although I managed to screw it up) but very intimidating. The 5th (392yds, par 4) is a lovely hole – and S.I.1. From an elevated tee, your drive first of all requires a carry over the ever-present heather to a fairway which falls away from you and doglegs to the left. At the turn, the fairway starts to rise up again to the green. Your 2nd shot must carry a cross-fairway bunker placed just 30-odd yards from the front of the green. The 7th (par 3, 147yds) looks tighter than it is. From the tee all you can see is a jumble of deep, unfriendly rough (contained in another hollow, similar to that faced on the 1st.)between you and the green, including a large tree in the centre. To the left and right are more mature trees making the whole quite daunting. However, beyond the right hand trees, there is a large area to where you can “bail out” and play either a chipped approach or a long putt. (On our visit the flag was on the extreme left edge of the green.) To those confident enough, the 9th is a drivable par 4. At only 252yds it can theoretically be reached with a well hit 3-wood. Beware though, as there is nothing between tee and green but trouble as the ground falls away from the tee to rise again to the well elevated green. Another elevated green is to be faced on the 10th, but here it is only 110yds away. Major clubbing decisions are to be taken here as anything just short of the green lands you in a very deep bunker! The 12th (S.I. 2, 416yds, par 4) is a “Double dog-leg”, left right first, then right-left. Your drive needs to be well placed off the tee to leave you any chance of a decent approach to the green. The par 5 15th, at 516yds the longest on the course, marks the start of a cracking end to your round. Just at (a well hit) driving range the fairway is bisected by a chain of humps and hollows. Only the brave (and long) will attack the green from here as your view of the green is obscured by the contours of the land and anyway, it is protected by a well-placed bunker in front. 16 is a short (135yds) par 3 with a bunker the width of the green between you and the flag. 17 is another long (417yds) par 4 with a ditch across the fairway in the area where your drive is likely to land. The 18th (par 5, 476yds) once again puts you in the position of flirting with a chain of bunkers and mounds across the fairway at driving distance. With 200+yds still to the green there is one final hazard to negotiate: 60yds short of the putting surface is a hollow filled with gorse bushes waiting to gobble up any ball not purely struck. The ground staff and green keepers deserve special mention, as all 18 holes are kept exceptionally well manicured, and the greens are fast, true and in great condition. All greens have subtle borrows to be negotiated, but are a pleasure to putt on. At 5961yds, the shortness of the course is easily offset by its difficulty, which in turn lends much it interest and charm. Excellent Clubhouse facilities and an idyllic setting (the only sounds heard during the day were birdsong and the wind rustling the leaves) Beau Desert rightfully deserves its reputation as one of the best courses the Midlands has to offer.
The Belfry (Brabazon course)
(green fee paid £50 which included coffee and bacon sandwich, bucket of balls on the range, free course planner and 18 holes on The Brabazon) 20 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 8/10 Condition of course: 7/10 Catering/Service: 6/10 (meal was taken at the nearby Beehive Inn) Overall experience: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10 Would you like to return: 95% YES / 5% NO Some comments received were: 'Can we eat at The Belfry next time'
The
Belfry (PGA National course) Green fee paid: £25* * This was a special winter rate green fee which represents good value for money for the condition of the course at this time of year. However, the summer green fee is around the £70 mark, which I would say is too steep a price to pay for this course. They do have 2-4-1 offers throughout the year which would certainly make the price of a summer visit more acceptable.
On what would have been a fabulous day had the weather been kind, a rainy early March day made this opener to the BUNGS 2003 season a potentially miserable affair, and as a result none of the assembled 30 members saw the course at it’s best.
If you are a
first timer at The Belfry, two things help to lift your spirits before a ball
has been hit. Arrive early and have a coffee, then take a wander through the
golf complex, including the Pro Shop (advertised as being the largest on-course
golf shop in After your coffee, get your clubs and warm-up on the Putting Green, but don’t forget to walk the extra few yards to the tee for the 10th on the Brabazon Course, appreciate the beauty of this hole, and imagine you are Garcia, Woods, etc as you contemplate how you would drive the green! The PGA National is one of the trickiest non-championship Courses in the country. It was recently given an “Honourable Mention” in the “Today’s Golfer Good Course Guide”, losing out to Carnoustie in the “Hardest Course” category. Standing on the first tee armed with this information, you wonder why. This has a wide-open fairway stretching ahead with a single line of trees separating it from the returning 18th fairway, and seems to offers few terrors. The PGA National is indeed a fairly flat course with very few trees. Water (potentially) comes into play on 11 holes, and it is this combined with well-placed bunkers and the manufactured contouring of the holes that provide the test. The first real test comes on the 4th. There are two lakes connected by a brook and the fairway doglegs between them, with bunkers guarding the “kink”. A 180yd carry is required over the first lake (off the yellow tees) to bring your ball into the “kink” of the fairway. Those able to drive a ball 300yds need to be careful though, as at this length the second lake awaits. Again, a long tee shot could leave trouble on the 10th, as there is a brook which traverses the fairway. In all cases, prudence dictates that you keep the ball on the fairway, some of which have a very narrow entry off the tee. Spray the ball wide and you can end up in the sort of snaggly rough that can ruin your scorecard. To compound all this, all holes have deep, strategically placed bunkers placed just where you don’t want them! All in all an excellent course with some really challenging holes and a venue with a mystique which adds to your day. Well worth a visit for golfers of any ability.
Bloxwich Golf Club
Breadsall Priory Golf & Country Club (Moorland Course) Date of visit: December 2003 (report supplied by Graham Adams)
Lets make this quite clear: I'm
crazy about the game of golf. Less than good at it, and with a determination to
improve, but never happier than when I'm pitting my wits and lack of talent
against the control of a golf ball around the 18 holes of a course. As such,
when I write these course reports I have the tendency to wax lyrical about the
beauty of the surroundings, the views on offer and the testing nature of some of
the holes.
Breedon Priory Golf Club
Bulwell Forest Golf Club
Burton on Trent
Cannock Park Golf Club
Cavendish Golf Club
Chesterfield Golf Club Chilwell Manor Golf Club
25 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 7/10 Condition of course: 6/10 Catering/Service: 7/10 Overall experience: 7/10 Value for money: 7/10 Would you like to return: 72% YES / 28% NO Some comments received were: 'Good condition for the time of year' 'Worth coming back' 'Needs a course planner' 'Very challenging course' 'Greens in poor condition - come back in the Summer'
Collingtree Park Golf Course
Conwy (Caernarvonshire) Golf Club
Coventry Golf Club
Coxmoor
Golf Club 20 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 9/10 Condition of course: 8/10 Catering/Service: 9/10 Overall experience: 9/10 Value for money: 9/10 Would you like to return: 100% YES / 0% NO Some comments received were: 'Superb' 'A bargain' 'Very enjoyable day' 'Stunning course' 'Best course we've played'
Drayton Park Golf Club
Druids Heath
Enville Golf Club
Erewash Valley Golf Club
The Forest of Arden
Formby Ladies Golf Club
Fulford Heath Golf Club BUNGS members got a shock when the society visited Fulford Heath at the end of May. The weather we enjoyed was so good that all were subjected to the sight of my knees! Donning my shorts (for increased comfort only) for the afternoon 18 holes did not however have the desired effect on my game. I found this course to be very expensive, losing more balls than I care to remember on a course where tight fairways, heavy rough, mature trees and water in abundance took no pity on the slice (not present during my previous round) that I had hauled around the M42 that morning! Easy to find, and very accessible (allowing for traffic jams – but that’s another story) given it’s proximity to the motorway, Fulford Heath was, nonetheless, an enjoyable, if very demanding, course, with a variety of holes presenting challenges to all present. A course of the Parkland variety, and without too much contour (but enough to make it interesting), Fulford Heath GC was laid down in 1933 and wears its maturity well. Not long (5959yds off Yellow Tees), it has many holes where the “thinking” golfer will profit, having narrow fairways combined with doglegs to contend with. Of little help, however, was the course guide, being one of the poorest and least informative I have come across. (and at £3 not cheap, either) Three lakes (one of which represents the whole of the “fairway” on the par three 16th, of which more later) are linked by the River Cole (little more than a stream), which criss-crosses the course repeatedly. After “warming up” on the straght 1st, the 2nd (314yds, par 4, S.I.10) is the first of the doglegs. Those trying to cut the corner (or Slicers like me) can fall foul of the first of the lakes here. As with most of the holes, this is lined with trees of varying maturity, and if your ball lands even just off the fairway it will nestle down into rough (which on our visit was 2-3 inches deep) and makes your next shot “interesting.” The 5th (127yds, Par 3, S.I.18) is the shortest hole on the course, but has a narrow green guarded by 4 bunkers, so anything off target is likely to mean your Sand Iron is your next club. Hole 7 (379yds, Par 4, S.I.8) proved interesting on both our rounds of the day. A left to right dogleg, your first shot is into the angle of the dogleg. On our morning round, one of my partners played what appeared to be an almost perfect drive (with cut) around this corner, and we were all confident his ball would lie in the middle of the fairway, ready for his 2nd shot to the plateau green up the hill. Despite searching for the allowed 5 minutes we were all left scratching our heads as no ball could be found! Similar tales of woe accompanied all three of us when we played the same hole in the afternoon. The 10th (Par 5, S.I.9) starts back near the clubhouse and rises all the way to the green 532yds ahead. The “river” cuts across the fairway at around driving distance, leaving a 2nd shot uphill toward the flag. The plateau green is, however, tucked around the corner of the trees to the left, guarded front left and right by bunkers. The 12th (324 yds, Par 4, S.I.3) was my most expensive hole of the day: a wicked left to right dogleg around a lake which consumed 4 (yes FOUR!) of my ball stock! Why at least one of them didn’t hit a member of the large flock of Geese here and stay dry I’ll never know! (As I said, it was a frustrating day.) The Geese are a common feature here, along with many other birds. Coming off the par 3 11th we were delighted to see a Heron striding through the “river” looking for its tea! The 16th, although only S.I.15, is a great hole, and deservedly the signature hole on the course. At 155yds it is not long, yet all of this is an intimidating carry over water, with a steep rise off the pond to a raised green. Club it correctly, ignoring the water, and it is fairly straightforward. Anything under-clubbed will have your ball doing the Dambusters two-step! To end the round, the18th (504yds, Par 5, S.I.13) is a fine finishing hole. Another, though gentler, left to right dogleg, it has a sloping green with misleading borrows. Indeed, this is a common feature: there are no “simple” greens here, as all are fast (and immaculately manicured) and not easy to read. Being fairly new, the clubhouse “complex” fulfils all the requirements of the tired golfer: Changing rooms are generously sized (with great showers), the Bar offers a good selection of liquid refreshment, and the kitchens serve well prepared provender. Be in no doubt – this is a fine course, requiring straight hitting, correct club selection and good course management. Much practice required before I return here then! Catering report by Robert W. Pear
Most members arrived at around 8.0
a.m. and were welcomed with a bacon sandwich and hot coffee.The staff seemed
very competant and hospitable. Gordon Galloway was dissappointed not to be
served ,however, by this time it was 9.30 a.m. and his tee off time was
9.40a.m.! Graham Adams was also delayed in heavy traffic and therefore didn't
get his usual breakfast.
Graham Bilsland had a short wait for his omelette (he is such a good egg) and chips , and attempted to sell his chips to dip into our gravy dishes! Dessert arrived, apple and rhubarb crumble and custard . Good wholesome grub which left most dishes clean. All except for that rebel Adrian Marchant who left his sweet and was rightly penalised by not receiving his "2s" money , the captain could have made him stand in the corner instead.
The coffee was served promptly
,and everyone agreed that the organisation and service at Fulford Heath was
first class ,especially following the debacle at our last outing at Market
Drayton . Whilst this was not the most filling of meals , it was hot and
delicious .
They say that enough is as good as
a feast (well the Lander Brothers do!) and this was totally acceptable to the
majority of "athletes " in the room. By the way, I asked Gordon Galloway ( or
should that be Calloway ) what he would like from the bar, he responded " a
black sheep please " and there's me thinking this was reserved for the Welsh !
Great Barr Golf Club
Hesketh Golf Club
Hill Valley Golf & Country Club
Horsley Lodge Golf Club
Ingestre
Park Golf Club
For
anyone deciding on a day’s golf in September it is really a matter of taking
potluck with the weather: it’s generally either raining, blowing a gale or, as
we had, a gloriously sunny day with blue skies. Having missed the previous three
Society days I was really looking forward to getting in harness again, and on a
course I had previously heard only good reports of.
The
course itself is of 6352yds (white tees) and Par 70. All holes are named, (The
Hall, Chase View, Shugborough, etc) lending a charm to the proceedings, and
features 4 par 3’s.
The
6th (The Haywoods) is 169yds(Yellow tees), with the green well below
the teeing area. The green slopes steeply upwards from the front leaving a
tricky downhill putt if you over club.
The
13th (Churchfield) is “only” 142yds (Yellow tees) yet plays much
longer as this time the landing area is well above the tee, and the green is a
2-tiered affair. With the pin on the upper (back) tier this leads to difficult
selection of what club to use. (On our day this was one of the nearest the pin
holes. Nobody got to within about 12 feet!)
Stroke
Index 1 is the 459yd (Yellow tees) par 4 7th (Wren’s Church). All
fairways are bounded by multitudes of mature trees (of great variety) and this
hole is no exception. Any errant drives to the left will be collected by the
foliage, and even though it is a fairly wide fairway, slices and pushed shots
will be collected on the right. Your 2nd shot begins the climb to a
blind green, your only indication of where it is being a marker post set at the
top of the hill. A tough hole indeed.
Big
hitters will enjoy the par 5’s: at 528yds (Yellow tees), the 9th (Chetwynd)
and the 18th (Kingston Hill, 506yds off Yellow tees) both are just
reachable in two shots.
The
greens throughout can be very tricky, with slopes leading to subtle borrows and
a couple of greens given the upturned saucer treatment, testing your putting
skills on every hole.
Green-keeping
staff were much in evidence during our visit, and preparation for next season is
obviously underway: many of the greens had been hollow-tined (yet on only 3 or 4
did it affect the roll of the ball) and one fairway (12th?) had been
sand-seeded to improve drainage. With many Rabbits and Squirrels scampering
about, an already pretty course was made very easy on the eye, and left an
impression on your correspondent of what lucky people the members of this club
must be – to play such a lovely course as this is, and on a regular basis,
must be a real joy!
Kedleston Park Golf Club
Kibworth
Golf Club 24 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 8/10 Condition of course: 8/10 Catering/Service: 7/10 Overall experience: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10 Would you like to return: 96% YES / 4% NO Some comments received were: 'Great course' 'Food portions too small'
Kilworth Springs Golf Club
Kirby Muxloe Golf Club
Leek Golf Club Date of visit: April 2003 (report supplied by Graham Adams)
Ever
fancied going for a holiday roaming the foothills of the Himalayas? If so then
the course at Leek could provide you with a training ground to prepare your body
for the rigors of at least the lower slopes. Indeed, it may even be easier to
play a round of golf in the foothills of Mount Everest: on icy mornings you may
need crampons to negotiate the steeply sloping car park! Of the 18 holes at this
venue, only one or two can be called flat. The rest are to varying degrees
either uphill or down, and when exposed at the higher altitudes this can mean
that a biting wind can eat into your bones as well.
This is not, however, to the course’s detriment. Without exception, every hole
presents as well as only a mature moorland course can, and each poses demanding
technical problems. Irrespective of whether the tee is higher than the green or
vice-versa, there is danger to be found on all 18. It is undoubtedly a course
where precision wins over power.
April 2nd, 2003
saw the Society visit Leek and the venue provided for the usual enjoyable day.
The wind blew hard off the Pennines causing problems for all with regard to club
selection, and more for those whose control of the ball was limited. Yet the
weather remained fine. When out of the wind the sun shone warmly and much
changing of sweaters, etc was required.
A
tight entrance to the 3rd green (on top of a hill, of course) makes
for an interesting approach shot. Following this, the 4th is a lovely
155yd par 3 from an elevated tee position to a plateau green surrounded by
bunkers.
The
8th and 10th (a par 4 and par 5) are both noteworthy
because of their fast sloping greens: leave yourself a downhill put (as I did!)
and a tap on the ball will see it sailing yards past if you miss the hole.
Taking the steep, uphill path after completing the 12th, look to your
right: most of the course can be seen spreading out below you in a magnificent
panorama, for it is here that we reach the highest point, at around 600ft
elevation. (Though it seems more.)
After the climb, the 13th is a daunting par 3. At 178yds to the pin,
most of this is a carry over the ravine that falls away to your left, where you
can look down onto the roofs of the nearby factory! An elevated green on the 13th
naturally leads to the high tee of the 14th, requiring a near 200yd
carry over scrub and bracken to reach a fairway set far below, guarded by the
inevitable bunker.
The Leicestershire Golf Club
Lilleshall Hall Golf Club
Llandudno (Maesdu) Golf Club
Longcliffe Golf Club
Luffenham Heath Golf Club
The Manor (Kingstone) Golf Club
Market Drayton Golf Club
Such was the impression this
course made on me I sat down prior to composing this report and tried to
remember the courses I have played. In the few years since I sliced my first
ball off the tee at the local Municipal I reckon I've played something like
two-dozen. Not many, I grant you, but as each new course presents me with
different problems to overcome and teaches me more about this game of ours, so
it also gives an appreciation of how "complete" the design of a particular
course is and, in writing my reports, I can compare the latest to previous
tracks. Market Drayton can be instantly placed high up within my personal top 5.
Matlock Golf Club
Maxstoke Park
27 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 7/10 Condition of course: 6/10 Catering/Service: 9/10 Overall experience: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10 Would you like to return: 96% YES / 4% NO Some comments received were: 'A good winter course' 'Return, but only in the Summer' 'Was a bit muddy'
Melton Mowbray Golf Club
Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club To the north of Minehead lies the Bristol Channel, and spectacular views across the Bridgewater Bay of South Wales. At the eastern end of the town a compact golf course, the oldest in Somerset (dating back to 1882) is laid out on the narrow strip of land between the sea and the road running parallel to the local railway line. Whereas its situation is that of a Links course, right next to the sea, there are some holes that have the characteristics of those found on Parkland courses. Laid out in the 9-out, 9-back form, it features a practice green at the back of the 18th and a practice chipping area to the right of the 1st tee. Following the short par 4 1st, (237yds off Yellow tees) the 2nd (354yds, par 4) returns with the 1st fairway on its right. The first hole of any real interest is the par 3 4th, 206yds over marshy ground bounded by a loop in the dyke that runs along the length of the course. This hole plays inland, at right angles to the beach, and the green is the first that displays signs of behaving in a parkland-type manner, being noticeably slower. The 5th is the first of the par 5’s, at 475yds, and is a slight left-to-right dogleg running along the extreme inland boundary of the course, as do the remainder of the holes to the turn. Best hole on the front 9 is the last, a par 4, of 397yds, and S.I. 1. Requiring a good drive to the centre of the fairway, your 2nd has to negotiate a ditch crossing the fairway about 100yds out, and a bunker guarding the approach to the green. OOB runs the length of this hole along the right-hand side and there are a further 2 bunkers on the right edge of the green. Another slow, parklandesque green is the 10th. Of varying lengths (according to pin position) it is carded as either 132yds or 148yds off yellow tees. The approach is through an avenue of trees and should your tee-shot find the front of the green then it is all-uphill to the hole from there. Mounting the 11th teeing area by the old Pillbox is the third and last par 5, again at 475 yds. From here the course changes character as most of the back nine runs parallel to the beach and the onshore breeze / wind, the only real exceptions being the 13th &14th. Obviously, us “Slicers” need to beware as anything wild off the tee finds the ball OOB on the beach. However, considering their proximity to the beach, and the elements, these closing holes are, according to the S.I. tables, the easier 9. The par 3 14th plays longer than its 127yds by virtue of the fact that if the wind is blowing, then your tee-shot is invariably into it. Squeezed between the 3rd and 15th tees, this hole has a raised green protected by three bunkers just off the front edge making distance control imperative. The final par 3 is the 18th (197yds). This hole is tucked tightly against the raised bank of the dune structure at the back of the beach, and your tee-shot must be either faded in or held straight, flying close to this natural barrier. The spacious, comfortable and well appointed clubhouse has a bar area overlooking this last green, together with an eating area where food from a Carvery can be enjoyed. This was only the third Links course I have played, and I obviously haven’t got to grips with them yet, as I found this course less than satisfying or interesting. Perhaps this also had something to do with the fact that after four rounds over the previous two days I felt a little jaded, and nor did I play particularly well. I can, however, understand the comments of my Society colleagues more experienced in this type of golf who opined on what a good course this was. The greens, whether of Links or Parkland variety, were particularly good with only the variable speed to catch out the unwary. Of greater concern (to me) was that on a couple of holes on the back 9 you have to aim your tee-shot over the previously played green (the 15th tee / 14th green particularly) – surely not the safest of design features! Overall, I would need to replay this course when in a more positive frame of mind to gain a better impression of it.
Morley Hayes
Nefyn
& District Golf Club
"This is the most beautiful course I have ever played" the website for Nefyn and District Golf Club claims most visitors state after playing this course! This is a bold statement for any club to make. We visited this course on our June 2002 weekend away when England was playing Denmark in the World Cup (more of that later). It was a sunny June day with clear skies and little wind (thankfully). We played the "Old Course" which is a Par 70/71, measures 6138 yards, with a SSS of 71. The first 10 holes of the course are shared between both courses. The first hole is a fairly straightforward downhill hole. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes however follow each other along the side of the steep cliffs that makes driving fairly nerve racking. The 5th hole, a tricky par 3, has a spectacular tee jutting over the sea, which gives fantastic views. The route back to the clubhouse from the 6th to the 10th has great views of the surrounding scenery and was fairly undemanding on the day we played. However I would presume any wind would make change their nature.
The back eight flows around the
peninsular which surrounds Porth Dinllaen bay and gives dramatic views of both
the surrounding bay and cliffs. This is the old part of the course and as all
the foibles of courses that were planned because of the complexities of the
terrain. There are many blind shots with lots of local knowledge needed for the
fairways and greens. The 11th is a short par four which as a short flat fairway
which rises to a small green on the top of a little hill. The 12th hole is a
blind drive onto a sloping fairway and then requires a mid to long iron over the
public footpath to an undulating green. The drive on the 13th hole is over the
sea and is probably best played with an iron off the tee unless you wish to be
brave (or foolish) and "go for it" across the cliffs. When I played the second
time I did just that and managed to get a par after finding my ball 100 yards
below the fairway down the side of the cliffs! The 14th is a shortish par three
which is tricky to club even in calm conditions. The 15th is a difficult drive
alongside the cliff tops but fortunately is short. The 17th is an interesting
par 5 with a tight fairway. When we had finished for the day many of us felt that this was one of the best courses that we had played. The greens were great and the course was an extremely interesting challenge. When playing the last 8 holes of the “old course” one sensed the history of this part of the course. I am told that one has to be sceptical of information on the World Wide Web however in this case I have to agree that this is (one of) the most beautiful courses I have played!
Newcastle-under-Lyme Golf Club
North Shore Hotel & Golf Course
North Wales Golf Club
North Worcestershire Golf Club
Notts (Hollinwell) Golf Club
25 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 9/10 Condition of course: 7/10 Catering/Service: 7/10 Overall experience: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10 Would you like to return: 96% YES / 4% NO Some comments received were: 'Course fantastic but poor catering' 'Better to play later in the year off proper tee positions and when the greens are good'
Oakmere Park Golf Club
Ormskirk Golf Club
Patshull Park Golf & Country Club
Penn Golf Club
Porthmadog Golf Club
Purley Chase Golf Club
Redditch Golf Club
Royal Cromer Golf Club
Royal North Devon (Westward Ho!) “To win an Open a player must be comfortable with playing golf on what much of the time – especially for an American – doesn’t look or feel like a golf course at all.” J. Nicklaus I stood in the car park: So this, then, was a Links course! I surveyed the scene with a mixture of dread and anticipatory exhilaration. I’d heard and read tales of how the wind, blowing straight off the sea over these unprotected and unsheltered links courses, could be strong enough to wreck the game of even top pro’s. Here, today, the flagsticks were having trouble staying upright such was the power of the “sea breeze” – what chance my limited game? RND, the oldest Links course south of Hadrian’s Wall, is laid out on the Northham Burrows, to the north west of the town of Bideford, North Devon. Golf has been played here since 1864, however it took its present form in 1908 when the original “Old” Tom Morris design was updated by Herbert Fowler, arranging the selection of holes into their current form. The 6424yds (Yellow tees), par 72 course left behind has, apparently, remained unchanged almost ever since. The view from the 1st tee sees the famous Pebble ridge to the left, without which, it is said, the Atlantic would probably flood the course! The right-hand side of the fairway is bounded by a drainage ditch next to a road to the north end of the beach. This ditch cuts across the fairway just short of a green 31yds deep and bounded, like all the others, by a wire fence. These are designed to keep the flocks of grazing sheep (and the local herd of horses) off the greens! After negotiating another couple of fairways so flat that they wouldn’t look out of place in a Billiard Table factory, the 4th offers something a little different. Here we have “Cape”, 344yds (yellow tees). The unique thing about this hole is not that it presents the first real sight of any gradient on the course, but the bunker you face off the tee. Reputed to be the widest bunker in the world, it is a huge affair, approaching 100yds wide (with a “finger” extending towards you from its middle) and easily 25 feet to the top of its near-vertical, sleepered face. On our morning round of foursomes I managed to put my partner in here, and his tactic for getting out was to hit his sand-wedge very hard and hope that the rising ball would cannon off the face! He managed it too, but left me a shot with the ball only 9 inches from the edge, and a stance that left me teetering on the edge of the precipice, with my right foot atop one of the sleepers! Having played the par 3 5th (136yds) to a green well above the teeing ground, the tee of the 6th (397yds) offers a spectacular sight of the Bristol Channel. Or at least it would have if the skies had been clearer! The high wind was accompanied by skies as grey as on any November day. Luckily though, we only suffered the occasional light shower. From here until the 16th, the land is not quite so flat, with the course rising and falling with the undulating coastal dune structure. On this part of the course you will also find the fairways bounded by giant sea rushes, flora so hardy that they have been known to spear a golf ball landing on them! Go off line into a patch of this and your ball, though perhaps occasionally visible, is rarely recoverable without risk of personal injury. The 13th is probably one of the shortest par 5’s on the planet, but with good reason. The 423yd hole almost always plays directly into the prevailing wind. A seasoned Links player will have learned the techniques necessary to tackle a hole such as this; not so your correspondent, who was glad to escape the green with a hard won 7 on our afternoon round. An equal dilemma for the links novice is club selection: Our Society Captain played the 136yd 5th, into the wind, with a full 5 iron (and won Nearest the pin), yet flew the green on the downwind 184yd 8th with a 9 iron! If the 13th played hard, I found the last par 5, the 546yd 17th almost impossible! Again playing directly into the wind, it was all I could do to advance the ball. Here the road has to be re-crossed when playing the ball (finally!) to the green from the fairway. Typically, this green has only a couple of bunkers: There is little need of sand on this course, as the terrain, the rushes and the wind, (if present) make it difficult enough, and with greens as large as those here, it is an unfortunate golfer who finds a greenside bunker. The Clubhouse provides a welcome area of calm following the rigours of the course. Here one can wander about viewing vintage clubs and balls displayed in the Edwardian splendour of the comfortable seating area, or take up position on the veranda and look through the powerful binoculars at those still battling their way up the 18th. It may not have been the Open, but as the Golden Bear (my golfing hero) said, compared to my previous experience of Golf Courses, RND didn’t look or feel like a Golf Course at all. For me it had been more about survival this day. I hadn’t won either of my matches (nor had I performed particularly creditably), but I had survived, just, and no one was happier to recover to the Clubhouse Bar than I, there to contemplate on what a baptism of fire I had endured. I had undoubtedly learned an awful lot at RND this day: how to adjust technique to suit the prevailing conditions (yeah, really!) or to play shots to the middle of the green, as they would invariably go bounding over the back fringe! (Too little, too late) If Links Golf is such an acquired taste, I need more time to acquire it.
Royal Norwich Golf Club
Royal St. David's Golf Club
Sandwell Park Golf Club
Emerging bruised and battered from the previous days efforts at Royal North Devon, bright sunshine (and lighter winds, thankfully) greeted us as we arrived at Saunton Golf Club. Immediately apparent was that here was a course with much more contour than its near neighbour, with a stiff climb to the Starters Hut by the 1st tee, for here the holes are fitted between the dunes, some of which provide formidable barriers to your ball either from the tee or to the green. At 5741yds, par 70 off Yellow Tees, the East Course is not particularly long by modern standards (editor's note: off the white tees, which the marshall suggested we play, the course is somewhat of a different challenge being a 6,427 yard par 71 - don't ask about the championship blue tees!), but the club is making efforts to adjust this to take account of the advances in technology: (Our Starter informed us that the 2nd has recently been lengthened by 70yds, and so the yardage book was wrong on that hole.) The original course was laid out in 1897, and redesigned in 1919 by (as at RND) Herbert Fowler. It is a true Championship Course, with the 1997 British Boys Championship held here being won by one Sergio Garcia. It will also host the 2006 British Seniors Championship. If RND was something of a course removed from my previous experience, here I immediately felt more at home. Being a Links Course the greens were still lightning fast with tricky borrows to boot, but overall it resembled more the type of course I knew. Following the 393yd par 4 1st (Gullpit), the 2nd is a par 5 of 480yds (Lobb). The 5th (Tiddler) is, at 110yds, the shortest hole on the course, yet looks quite demanding off the tee. The green is anything but flat, and falls away steeply to left, right and the front, making it difficult to get the ball close. The 8th (Sandhill, 308yds, par 4) sees you standing on the tee with no view whatsoever of the fairway, as all you can see is the huge grassy dune in front of you. If you can draw the ball then you may attempt to aim the ball to the right of this (as I did on our afternoon round – but then, I can’t draw the ball!) otherwise you are required to go over the obstacle, getting your ball high and risking the effects the wind can have on its flight. Your 2nd to the green is through one of the tightest approaches I have ever seen, with a gap between the dunes of mere feet. After exiting the raised green of the 10th it is but a short step to my favourite hole of the whole course. (but only so because I hit my best shot in ages here!) The 11th (Field, 306yds, par 4) is a left-to-right dogleg with requiring a 200yd shot to the corner of the angle. From here to the green it is relatively straightforward apart from a bunker in the centre of the fairway to be negotiated. The par 3 13th (“Saddle”, 136yds) is a cracking hole: from the tee the land falls away before rising again to the green, and you must carry the ball almost all the way to that green to avoid a lengthy hunt in the foliage between. The green falls away down a steep bank to the right, whilst a deep bunker protects the left side. The 392yd par 4 14th is called “Narrows”, and rightfully so, as the fairway narrows dramatically 150yds from the green, calling for a very accurate approach. “Fowler” (the 16th, 362yds, par 4) bears the name of the architect and is another blind tee shot. Trust the marker pole here, as the fairway beyond is quite generous. Right hand side of the fairway is to be preferred though, as the twisting, raised green is tucked away on the left at the end of the hole. On our afternoon round here, one of the best “live” putts I have ever seen, a twisting, turning down-hiller of about 30 feet deservedly won the hole for our opponents. The 18th (“Isaac’s Slopes” 353yds, par 4) is as good a closing hole as I’ve ever played. From an elevated tee there are obstacles to be negotiated on either side of the landing area, with 5 pot bunkers on the left edge of the fairway and a huge dune covered with deep rough on the right edge. From here the hole rises to a green, overlooked by the Clubhouse, with as many borrows as any other on this wonderful course. The previously mentioned Clubhouse is quite a modern edifice, combining changing rooms, a bar (with seating providing the view over the 18th green) and a well-appointed eating area serving food from an extensive menu (The large, well-stocked pro-shop is set apart from this building). During the last 2 years turning out at BUNGS events I have been blessed in playing some lovely courses, but this is without a doubt the best course I have ever had the good fortune to play, and by a country mile. My comment to a member during a chat in the changing rooms summed up my feelings, when I said that he was a “Lucky, lucky man!”
Seacroft Golf Club
Seedy Mill Golf Club
Sheringham Golf Club
Shifnal
Golf Club 34 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 9/10 Condition of course: 9/10 Catering/Service: 9/10 Overall experience: 9/10 Value for money: 9/10 Would you like to return: 100% YES / 0% NO Some comments received were: 'A brilliant day at a fantastic place' 'Excellent' 'Wonderful' 'Superb' 'Best course we've played this year' 'Bunkers could have been in better condition'
The Shropshire
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Stratford-on-Avon
Golf Club 18 players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 9/10 Condition of course: 8/10 Catering/Service: 8/10 Overall experience: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10 Would you like to return: 63% YES / 37% NO Some comments received were: 'Experience spoilt by stuffy/petty members' 'Golf good - members idiots'
Sutton Coldfield Golf Club Date of visit: April 2004 (report supplied by Graham Adams)
Variety, as they say, is the spice of life, and as a BUNGS member I have in the last 18 months been lucky to visit a number of courses whose style and type have left me either accepting of my lack of ability (very few) or inspired me to go and practice harder and more often. Sutton Coldfield definitely falls into the latter category.
To call Sutton Coldfield well established is an understatement. Although initially founded in 1889, none other than Dr Alistair McKenzie, who later helped to design Augusta National and Royal Melbourne, designed its present layout in 1924. This gives the course a fine pedigree, which the passage of time has not dulled. Laid out within the bounds of Sutton Park it is a course of the Heath land variety, which since it drains extremely well meant that despite the previous night's heavy rainfall it was in perfect condition for our visit for the Enterprise Cup in early April. This was also the first time this year I'd been able to tee up on anything but mats, which was a pleasure in itself.
Having arrived at the Clubhouse
and partaken of coffee and biscuits (but no bacon rolls!) players had to cross
the busy Chester Road (with the aid of a Pelican Crossing) to the area of the
first tee and practice green. A nice touch was that an official starter started
each group - obviously to keep an eye out for any real "Hackers!" (This jovial
Scotsman later commented on the good standard within the Society, so we may be
ok for a return visit!)
All holes are named, with the
first (Icknield, par 4, 297yds) having a "generous" fairway, typical of most of
the course. Also typical was the green: like most of the others it sloped, was
pretty fast and had many subtle "borrows," whilst it also (again typically)
unfortunately still showed the effects of hollow tining. Slightly less typical (of other courses) are "Rowton" (476yds), "Long" (490yds) and "Road" (455yds), a run of three par 5's that together form the 5th, 6th and 7th holes. After the slog of these three, the 9th, "Avenue" is an uphill 140-yard par 3, and even at this time of year, with few leaves on the trees, it is very pretty. As it has an opening between its four protecting Oak trees of only 50 feet, and is also surrounded by five bunkers, accuracy is essential here.
The back nine is, we were
informed, tighter than the front, and a real card wrecker amongst these is the
12th ("Beacon" 416yds, par 4, Index 3). With a ditch and stream 100yds from the
green for longer hitters to be aware of, the green is elevated enough from the
fairway to require at least one extra club to reach.
The 15th ("Fox Earth," 175yds, par
3) is another demanding hole. Again uphill from the tee, you are faced by the
deepest bunker on the course (12ft) on the front left, with another huge bunker
caressing the right side of the green. The green also slopes back to front, with
the slope being more severe the nearer the front you are.
The 18th ("Thornhill", 390yds, par
4) is fine hole. A long carry off the tee is required over ditches, gorse and
heather to a fairway that is always rising - over 40ft from tee to green.
Another twisted piece of manicured grass forms a green with virtually no
straight putts on it.
On many holes around here your
view of the drive is obscured by large Gorse bushes and other encroaching
foliage, and less than a few of your drives also need to carry the heather that
is much in evidence around here. I got the feeling that had we been visiting in
mid-summer, with Mother Nature in all her glory, we would have found this course
a still stiffer test. A final diosyncrasy here is that all greens are ¾
surrounded by a single wire fence, with a small hoop for the purposes of
entrance and exit (presumably by pygmies!) to the green.
Back across the road we enjoyed
the benefits of the comfortable Clubhouse, offering a spacious changing area and
comfortable Bar and Lounge. Whilst the after-match meal was not perhaps up to
the standard of some we have enjoyed, I can recommend the Sultana & Lemon
Cheesecake - lovely!
Despite the fact I'd left
most of what golf game I possess at home, I really enjoyed our visit to Sutton
Coldfield, and would relish a return in the future -perhaps at a time when the
trees, gorse and heather are in full bloom. What is an already very pretty (and
tough) course would then be seen, I think, at it's very best.
Swindon Golf Club
Tadmarton Heath Golf Club Date of visit: October 2003 (report supplied by Graham Adams)
Wolf
in Sheep’s Clothing: something
dangerous that presents itself as friendly.
Imagine the
scene: A cloudless, blue, mid-October sky, allowing a still warm sun to shower
its light on the green, brown, red and gold of the assembled arboreal foliage.
Whether you have travelled 8 miles or 80, in these conditions I defy anyone not
to feel light-hearted and relaxed on arrival at this golf club set in the North
Oxfordshire countryside…..
So I arrived
at Tadmarton Heath. Relaxed, happy, almost
stress-free (I’d missed a turn at Banbury Cross which made me late!) and ready
for a fine day of golf. The only difference from the perfect weather I describe
above was the stiff wind blowing from the east. Having climbed imperceptibly
from Banbury, the golf course sits higher than you may otherwise think, and
consequently catches much of the windy weather that sweeps across this part of
the country.
After a quick
cup of tea, and having taken a few turns on the practice putting green, it was
off to the first tee. Feeling confident (I’d recently come off one of my best
ever rounds) I lined up my first – and fired it straight into the fairway
bunker! This unfortunately set the tone for the rest of the day, and resulted in
me having one of my worst golfing experiences for 3 or 4 years. The Wolf in Sheep’s clothing? Well, on first view most of the holes appear to be quite simple: the course is not long (5682 off yellow tees) and most of the fairways are quite wide, with few hazards facing you off the tee. But those bunkers! There are many, mostly deep, and they all seemingly have steep faces placed immediately between your ball and the direction you want to hit it. (Lesson 1: Stay out of the bunkers.) The other major hazard on this course is gorse. If there isn’t a bunker protecting the green then, almost invariably, there is gorse – lots of it!
The green on
the 6th, or at least its surrounds, is worthy of note. Slightly
elevated, with one small bunker at the front left, the ground to the right falls
away steeply. Put your ball in the bunker here and you will be aiming your next
shot back towards the tee, as you will be faced with vertical railway sleepers
between you and the green.
Immediately
following this is the only hole on the course with real contour – the short
(139 yard) 7th. An accurate tee shot is required here, over a ravine
with a stream at the bottom, to a small green with out-of-bounds to the left,
the right and behind, and set tightly against large trees to the right.
Considering the wind, a really testing short hole.
The back nine
has been described elsewhere as being of a different character – rather like a
Mr. Hyde to the front nine’s Dr. Jeykell. As a none-too-subtle introduction to
this we come to the 10th. Only 109 yards from the tee, but all you
can see of your target is the top of the flag – and a sea of gorse!
The 14th,
at 361 yards, is a superb left to right dogleg, where your second has to squeeze
between a hedge on your right and a stand of fir trees on your left to a small
green guarded by more foliage and a bunker. The 18th is another
dogleg, of 423 yards, but this time from right-to-left. A tee shot to the right
of the fairway in excess of 220 yards is required here, otherwise you can be
blocked out by a large Oak tree at the turn.
Thanks to the
long, dry summer the greens were very hard and very fast, yet were true and
played without much of the borrow expected at first sight.
My comments
may be coloured by my experiences on the day, whereas my society colleagues
stated that they thought the course could be approached aggressively – if on
your game. It may be noted however that the record on this par 69 course is only
a 5 under par 64 (recorded in 1994), and my thoughts are that from anyone’s
viewpoint that must have been some round!
The
comfortable and relaxing Cotswold Stone Clubhouse (converted from the Farmhouse
originally on the site apparently) provided a welcome bolthole for me after my
troubles, the well stocked bar being (largely) avoided as I had the drive home
to come. Dinner was another matter, and I am happy to recommend the catering
here to all – truly excellent. As I headed for the car park so the chilly east
wind, which had been increasing all day, gusted again, as if to say, “You’ll
remember your visit here – won’t you!”
Tamworth Golf Club
Trentham Golf Club ?? players gave their ratings of the course, which averaged as follows: Quality of course: 9/10 Condition of course: 9/10 |
