chrisb993

Couldn't fault my afternoons golf here. When I arrived the pro was out, but left a note and was back at the specified time. The practice green is well kept and there is one bay for hitting the longer stuff in your warmup.

The course was nice and quiet, so wayward drives were less of an issue- but it was much firmer than the last time I was here- dry feet all the way round. The fairways are very well maintained, and the rough is better than some fairways I've played on. A handful of divots on the greens, but that's to be expected late in the day.

The Positives- The staff I saw were very friendly and helpful. The course itself was in decent condition- only. A handful of squelchy parts underfoot, which is good considering the recent weather. The course flows fairly well, is reasonably signed (combined with the map on the back of the scorecard) and there is plenty of variation in the holes. Locals were friendly enough in passing, and the pace of play was around average.

Before I get onto the negatives, full disclosure- I'm a beginner who played badly by my low standards, which definitely affected my mood!

Negatives- Upon arrival there is no indication of where to go. The pro shop is tucked away in a barn type building (though it is nice inside). Fortunately I found a nice lady round the frit of the clubhouse who directed me, but I'd never have found it otherwise.

The main reason I picked this course was the promise of wide fairways- I didn't find this to be the case, considering my limited distance and accuracy off the tee. The rough for me was a little too harsh, even where freshly cut, and I lost a good few balls that should have been findable only a few yards off the fairway.

My biggest bugbear though was the state players left the course in. Some greens were an absolute minefield of pitch marks (though in the whole they played well), and parts of the fairways were full of divots- a better golfer than me would be affected by these.

I've really conflicting opinions about this course.

The good- The fairways and rough were of a good length, and the greens played quite well considering the rain. The bloke in the pro shop was very helpful, and provided a map as it was my first visit. The locals on the course were friendly, helpful and considerate, as were the maintenance staff.

The bad- The fairways were quite squelchy underfoot- just about playable from, but not pleasant. The gorge was a big problem for me. Not only did it claim a fair few balls, but (combined with the tight, criss-cross nature of the course) was a bit of a worry that I'd hit other players, certainly as a beginner.

I'll definitely be back, but it'll be when I'm a bit more confident in my abilities!