Princes Risborough is a small nine hole course, but by no means a pitch & putt one, tees and fairways were in good condition and the greens were superb.
Overall this is a very good nine hole course, the clubhouse facilities could be improved upon but I must say that the staff and members were very friendly and a credit to the course.
Friday, 5 November 2004
Friday, 10 September 2004
Old Thorns Golf Club - Hampshire
Old Thorns is a well managed golf course and I'm sure Peter Alliss is proud to be President. The course starts with a good par 4 dogleg that can leave you with a blind approach to the green. The 2nd is also a dogleg but thankfully is a par 5, the big hitters may reach this in two but a birdie can just as easily be obtained with a well placed chip on in three.
Friday, 3 September 2004
Weston Turville Golf Club - Buckinghamshire
Weston Turville is pleasant but surprisingly flat, considering it is set in the Chiltern Hills, the course was in great condition and you could not fault the fairways, tees or greens.
The course is quite open in places with the back nine being a little less intersting than the front, the flat land makes for easy walking but it also means that things can get a little difficult if the wind picks up.
The course is quite open in places with the back nine being a little less intersting than the front, the flat land makes for easy walking but it also means that things can get a little difficult if the wind picks up.
Friday, 9 July 2004
Little Chalfont Golf Club - Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Little Chalfont is a medium length tree-lined nine hole course that is not too bad considering the winter conditions that I played in. Set on quite hilly ground the course has some interesting holes that are difficult to reach at times, the fairways were cut a little long but it was understandable for the time of year.
Lavendar Park Golf Club - Ascot, Berkshire
Lavendar Park is a nice little practice course for beginners or maybe younger golfers, you will not need a full set when playing here but it certainly gives your short game a good work out.
The tee areas are mats but the greens are well kept and there is even a water hazard on two of the holes. The clubhouse facilities are quite good and they even have a snooker room on a lower level if you fancy a game after the golf.
The tee areas are mats but the greens are well kept and there is even a water hazard on two of the holes. The clubhouse facilities are quite good and they even have a snooker room on a lower level if you fancy a game after the golf.
Friday, 11 June 2004
Chobham Golf Club - Surrey
A very nice course with a good mixture of holes, we do like courses where you just can't stand on the tee of every par 4 and whack your favourite wood down the fairway. On this course you have to choose your club wisely.
Friday, 4 June 2004
Redbourn Golf Club - Herftordshire
Redbourn is a very nice looking parkland course with the river Ver coming into play on a few of the holes.
The course is very well designed, the bunkers on nearly all the holes come into play from the tee, so you do not stand there thinking I'll never reach that bunker or I'll hit it straight over that one. Another example of the design of the course is the 10th, there are no bunkers in the fairway reachable from the tee but there is a step in the fairway just where your ball will land.
There are some good doglegs on the course and the fairways and greens were superb apart from the 13th, where the tee area and fairway had probably seen better days. The clubhouse and it's facilities were great and we quite enjoyed our day.
The course is very well designed, the bunkers on nearly all the holes come into play from the tee, so you do not stand there thinking I'll never reach that bunker or I'll hit it straight over that one. Another example of the design of the course is the 10th, there are no bunkers in the fairway reachable from the tee but there is a step in the fairway just where your ball will land.
There are some good doglegs on the course and the fairways and greens were superb apart from the 13th, where the tee area and fairway had probably seen better days. The clubhouse and it's facilities were great and we quite enjoyed our day.
Friday, 14 May 2004
Sudbury Golf Club - Middlesex
Sudbury used to be Acton Golf Club, founded in 1896 but was moved to it's present location in 1920. This course has to have one of the hardest starts to a round ever, three par 4's of 400 plus yards with the second being uphill! If you get to the first par 3 and you are not over par then you must be striking the ball well.
The fairways and tee areas are in great shape while the greens are very good too, a lot of the holes have raised approaches to the greens so club selection is vital, no more so than the 9th, get your selection wrong and your ball could end up in the bar!
Overall the course has seven par 4's over 400 yards although the one par 5 is quite short but with strategically placed bunkers.
The course is by no means flat and you will want that drink at the 19th when you have finished, the clubhouse and facilities looked great with just one criticism. When you have had a four hour round in the sun and come back all hot and sweaty the last thing you want is a 'push button' shower with no temperature control.
Come on Sudbury invest in some nice showers.
The fairways and tee areas are in great shape while the greens are very good too, a lot of the holes have raised approaches to the greens so club selection is vital, no more so than the 9th, get your selection wrong and your ball could end up in the bar!
Overall the course has seven par 4's over 400 yards although the one par 5 is quite short but with strategically placed bunkers.
The course is by no means flat and you will want that drink at the 19th when you have finished, the clubhouse and facilities looked great with just one criticism. When you have had a four hour round in the sun and come back all hot and sweaty the last thing you want is a 'push button' shower with no temperature control.
Come on Sudbury invest in some nice showers.
Friday, 7 May 2004
Newbury and Crookham Golf Club - Berkshire
Newbury and Crookham has a history dating back to 1872 (then Newbury and District) but has been rebuilt and amalgamated in 1946 with Crookham Golf Club.
When looking at the yardages on the scorecard you get the impression that, apart from the couple of long par 4's, this course is going to be quite easy. Well you would be wrong, the course is very mature and has some well placed features to hinder your scoring, you need to think carefully around this strategic course with the trees that just seem determined to block your route to the hole.
The tees and fairways of the course were in great condition and the greens were a pleasure to putt on. We were made very welcome by the staff and members we met and had a very enjoyable days golf.
When looking at the yardages on the scorecard you get the impression that, apart from the couple of long par 4's, this course is going to be quite easy. Well you would be wrong, the course is very mature and has some well placed features to hinder your scoring, you need to think carefully around this strategic course with the trees that just seem determined to block your route to the hole.
The tees and fairways of the course were in great condition and the greens were a pleasure to putt on. We were made very welcome by the staff and members we met and had a very enjoyable days golf.
Friday, 16 April 2004
North Middlesex Golf Club - Middlesex
North Middlesex is a nice quiet course considering how close to the centre of London it is, standing on some of the tees, admiring the views with just the noise of the wildlife around you makes you feel as if you are in the middle of the countryside.
The quality of the course was good overall, the tees were great, so were the fairways but the greens looked as though they had seen better days. Holes that stand out are the 2nd, for the sunken green, get your yardage wrong on the approach and you are over the back fence.
The par 5 6th, which really does need three shots to get to the green as the approach is all uphill, the 9th for the seven bunkers around the green. The 10th consists of a tight drive down the fairway, too far right and you can't even see the green, go left and those over hanging trees may just catch your ball. Then comes the approach over the hedge, you really do want to leave your ball below the flag on this green as you can end up putting back off it!
Have to mention the 18th finishing hole over water right in front of the clubhouse, although the water does not really come into play unless you completely fluff your tee shot. The clubhouse looks superb inside and out but we did have to mark the facilities down for the disappointing push button showers with no temperature adjustment.
The quality of the course was good overall, the tees were great, so were the fairways but the greens looked as though they had seen better days. Holes that stand out are the 2nd, for the sunken green, get your yardage wrong on the approach and you are over the back fence.
The par 5 6th, which really does need three shots to get to the green as the approach is all uphill, the 9th for the seven bunkers around the green. The 10th consists of a tight drive down the fairway, too far right and you can't even see the green, go left and those over hanging trees may just catch your ball. Then comes the approach over the hedge, you really do want to leave your ball below the flag on this green as you can end up putting back off it!
Have to mention the 18th finishing hole over water right in front of the clubhouse, although the water does not really come into play unless you completely fluff your tee shot. The clubhouse looks superb inside and out but we did have to mark the facilities down for the disappointing push button showers with no temperature adjustment.
Friday, 23 January 2004
Windlemere Golf Club - Surrey
Nice tree-lined 9 hole course.
This course is a little short but is great for beginners as the greens are quite big for a small course. The greens were in excellent condition and very well maintained for the time of year.
There are a few water hazards on some holes, just in front of the 1st tee and to the right of the 4th are two that spring to mind with the ditch on the 3rd also coming into play, the wind does become a factor at times. On hole 7, 166 yards, we were reaching the green with a 9 iron!
This course is a little short but is great for beginners as the greens are quite big for a small course. The greens were in excellent condition and very well maintained for the time of year.
There are a few water hazards on some holes, just in front of the 1st tee and to the right of the 4th are two that spring to mind with the ditch on the 3rd also coming into play, the wind does become a factor at times. On hole 7, 166 yards, we were reaching the green with a 9 iron!
Friday, 16 January 2004
Northolt Golf Club - Middlesex
Don't come here expecting a supreme conditioned course, Northolt is a good place to come and practice but that is about it.
The fairways are non existent and the tee areas could do with smartening up, but we did play during the winter so perhaps they get better in the summer. You would think looking at this course putting would be a lottery as well, to our surprise the greens were in good condition and certainly rolled well, the green keeper is doing a good job.
One person we met commented that the owner was a miserable b*****d but he and the members we met on the day made us feel very welcome. If you have just taken up golf and need a local place to practice this would be the ideal choice, but be warned we were told it gets very busy on the weekends.
The fairways are non existent and the tee areas could do with smartening up, but we did play during the winter so perhaps they get better in the summer. You would think looking at this course putting would be a lottery as well, to our surprise the greens were in good condition and certainly rolled well, the green keeper is doing a good job.
One person we met commented that the owner was a miserable b*****d but he and the members we met on the day made us feel very welcome. If you have just taken up golf and need a local place to practice this would be the ideal choice, but be warned we were told it gets very busy on the weekends.
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