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Having checked in with quite literally the rudest person I have ever come across in a pro shop I knew I was in for a bad day. The website is not updated so there is no current course information. I was told that it was carry only despite dozens of people with carts and the four ball behind us all pushing carts. I have a bad shoulder and struggle carrying but when I mentioned this I was just met with a bad tempered grunt by the young lady starter. The course only had 11 holes open and when I said I had paid full price, she just said that it was down to GolfNow and it was basically tough. She then looked like she was trying to resolve it on her phone for me but had in actual fact just gone back to playing on her telephone. After standing there for a good 4 - 5 minutes, I asked if I was done and she just grunted at me again. Not sure what she thought I was standing there for? Honestly it really isn’t the money, I was happy to pay full price but this was genuinely the most unwelcoming person I have ever encountered in my golf career.
I had always wanted to play here. My brother was a member in the 90’s and even had his wedding there. It used to be a proper, old fashioned, quality course but sadly it seems to be in severe decline. The club house is tired and the course didn’t seem in great shape. Perhaps I am being a little unfair and it might be great in summer but in winter £30 for 11 holes, all with temporary greens, very little signage showing which holes are open and the grumpiest staff I’ve ever met on a golf course don’t add up to a particularly good deal, especially on a course I was so excited to play.

First impressions were very good. Really friendly staff who let me use the members changing room as they don’t have a visitor’s locker room. Nice little chipping and putting green to practice too. The course seems well maintained too, lot of sand on the greens but the fairways are 1st rate. Unfortunately the thing that ruined it was the scourge of slow play. Going out before me were a 2 ball, then 2 x 3 balls who all appeared to know each other. They weren’t teeing off on time and despite giving them their full time allocation and half of mine, I still caught up with them by the time 2nd tee. I’ll preface this with the fact that I play off 20, hadn’t played for 2 months and had a brand new set of irons that I was having difficulty with. That gives you an idea how slow they were. Refused several times to wave me through and were so rude as to be marking their cards while still on the green. I eventually jumped from the 5th to the 7th which made things a little better but I had run out of time to complete my 18. Clubs in general really need to do more to combat this.
I am conflicted, I did enjoy the course but having paid full price for the 18 holes and managing 6 holes, I am really disappointed. This was a Tuesday lunchtime.
For me, clubs really need to put a senior member or secretary in a buggy to keep an eye on big groups to ensure that if they are playing slow, then they allow players through.