Lives
Durham, England
Handicap
20-24
Age
65+
Gender
Male
Skill
Intermediate
Plays
Once a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.6
3.6
Total 18 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

18 Reviews
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
8
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
15
Not Recommended Courses
3
Helpful Votes Count
0
Not Helpful Votes Count
0
First Review
08/14/2020
Last Review
02/27/2024

Reviews Map

Reviews

3.6
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Overall Rating
Course Difficulty
First time playing this course
Recommended
Review has
3.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

Work urgently required at Slaley

Usually the course is usually well worth a visit and is very challenging. However, our experience wasn't the best as the course is currently very muddy to the extent that we couldn't locate the ball on some occasions even in the middle of the fairway. Remedial drainage work and restoration of walking routes is required urgently to get the course back to acceptable condition - the 4th, 8th and 16th holes are especially in need of attention. In general the wider facilities at Slaley are being allowed to deteriorate with the road into the hotel having fallen into very poor condition, Green fee should be reduced to circa £10 mid-week to £15 weekend to reflect the current conditions with £32 being the maximum summer rate.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Dinsdale Spa Golf Club

Played On 09/09/2023
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

Frustrating day at Dinsdale

Course and especially the off course facilities are very good. However, our visit was extremely frustrating due to poor condition of the greens (recently hollow tined and heavily sanded) but especially frustrating due to the abysmal pace of play - we were on the 1st 10 minutes ahead of our allotted time but had to wait circa 30 minutes for the backlog of late parties to tee off - we were subsequently stood waiting on every hole along with 2 other groups who were equally unhappy - on the last hole 3 groups were stood waiting to tee off! In summary our round took just under 5 hours to complete which is unacceptable and resulted in us not having time to visit the bar for food & drinks after the round. Unfortunately this sort of thing will deter our group and probably others from booking the course again which is a shame. Why the 11th hole is currently out of play was a mystery to everyone (it has now been under refurbishment for well over a year).

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Crook Golf Club

Played On 08/31/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Tough golf course!

Course was in good condition but is very hilly and includes some blind tee and approach shots. It is completely true that if you can play well at Crook you can play anywhere! Facilities are very good now and even include a small par 3 course on the side of the hill. Views out across the course are breath taking and so are the hills! Only negative during our visit was variability of green speed and some muddy fairways on the back nine - maintenance was in progress during our round with some greens running silly fast (to the point where it was not possible to get approach shots and chip shots to stop on the green) and some running much slower at medium speed which resulted in some frustration for our group.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Good course but needs some maintenance

Good course with some interesting holes / some generic holes - will be easy for the long hitters but not so easy for us mere mortals - well worth a visit with some good scenery and wildlife on show in the wetlands around the park. Rating would have been 5 stars but for some very slow play over the first 9 holes that frustrated our group and the group behind us. Also the tee boxes and aprons / greens weren't in great condition - some of the aprons need re-seeding to sort out bare patches (a temporary ban on buggies might help restore some of the grass) and the greens need some attention to get rid of pock marks and worm casts which made putting a bit of a lottery. Distance pegs that appear to have been buried in small pits on some of the tee boxes are odd and are a nuisance in some instances.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Centurion Park Golf Club

Played On 08/06/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Wet weather
Walked

Use it before we lose it!

Course was in good condition considering all of the recent rainfall - interesting layout with some good holes especially on the back nine. Sadly the local authority has deliberately allowed the wider Centurion Park facility to deteriorate in order to justify building houses on one of the last green spaces in the area (early works have already started to the detriment of the 16th & 17th holes). The course as it currently exists is due to close in late 2023 which is a real shame. Allegedly the course is due to re-open circa 2025/26 but a lot of people doubt that will happen. I sincerely hope that the local authority looks after the welfare of the staff that have worked so hard to keep the course going over the years. RIP Centurion Park.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate

Seaham Golf Club

Played On 07/28/2023
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Good course spoiled by bad etiquette

First I would like to make it clear that the course is currently in good condition, is a very interesting layout and well worth a visit if you are in the area. However, unfortunately several aspects took the shine off the experience during our visit: 1) at the beginning and the end of our round golf buggies were inconsiderately parked on the footpath blocking access and egress to and from the 1st tee and 18th green respectively 2) the intermediate rough had been left to long to the extent that it hampered play and spoiled the game, 3) the immediate locality outside of the course isn't the best - there were youths riding motor bikes around the course perimeter during our visit and youths hiding in the bushes at the far end of the course. The club has done it's best to secure the perimeter but I would seriously recommend that you keep your equipment close by at all times and make sure that your car is fully locked with windows shut and valuables well out of sight.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate

Eyemouth Golf Club

Played On 06/19/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Good course but in need of investment

Eyemouth has a very interesting and challenging layout and the course was in generally very good condition for our round with the exception of some greens that looked good but weren't running true or at consistent speed. However, I'm guessing that this might have been partly due to heavy rain the night before we played. The 6th hole is especially challenging if the wind is against you - if you are new to the game and not 100% confident there is no shame in going from the red tee box to limit the jeopardy. The main thing that lets the course down is the condition of the club house - it has excellent views and great potential but is desperately in need of significant investment to bring it back into good order. Perhaps the local authority can put their hand in their pocket to assist?

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Alnwick Castle Golf Club

Played On 06/04/2023
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

Work still in progress at Alnwick

Overall Alnwick GC is a good course with an interesting layout , excellent new facilities and is full of potential. However, sadly during our visit most of the putting greens and some of the aprons were heavily degraded in places to the extent that significant remedial attention is required which may involve stripping the existing top soil and re-seeding from scratch. Course management need to get the matter in hand urgently as the condition of the course is currently eclipsed by most others in the area. Note for visitors: the 8th and 9th holes include a severe incline which could be a problem for anyone with mobility difficulties.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Prudhoe Golf Club - Main Course

Played On 05/26/2023
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Slow at Prudhoe

Positives: good, interesting layout with some challenging holes and well kept greens. Negatives: some players (members?) are pushing in by going straight from the first green onto the seventh tee box which is backing the course up badly and spoiling things for people that are trying to play the course properly - also intermediate rough maintenance is poor with grass cuttings piled up around the course resulting in difficulty locating balls that are just off the fairway - my ball even got mowed whilst on the fairway by the man in the grass cutting tractor! Course management needs to have a review of what is going on as the current situation will deter visitors from booking which is a shame.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate

Hobson Golf Club

Played On 12/22/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Walked

Winter golf at Hobson

Only a few days prior to our game the course was frozen solid under a covering of snow and yet the green keeping staff managed to have most tees and all permanent greens in play only three days after reopening which speaks volumes about the amount of effort that is currently going into course maintenance and puts some other nearby so-called "prestige" courses to shame - top marks to all the staff at Hobson - keep up the good work!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Hobson Golf Club

Played On 09/04/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Walked

Hobson wet but good

Course in great condition and a pleasure to play. Greens probably best in area and much better than some so-called "superior" courses that we have played this year. Could not believe that there weren't more people on the course - very quiet for such a good quality venue. If anyone from Hobson is reading this it might be a good idea to open up access to the booking diary more for visitors - e.g. stop blocking out long periods of time for members that obviously aren't interested in playing - this would undoubtedly result in more income for the club.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

South Moor Golf Club

Played On 08/30/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Tough but good course!

Good course in excellent condition with the exception of bunkers that urgently need more sand in them to allow players to get under the ball properly. Challenging layout that requires accuracy from tee to green due to some quite severe slopes and very punishing rough – it’s very easy to loose balls even from shots that appear to be “down the middle” off the tee. Putting is also tough due to sloping greens that can make achieving par difficult. Recent imposition of some quite severe speed humps on Middles Road by the local council is a nuisance – hopefully it won’t put to many people off coming to the course.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Hobson Golf Club

Played On 07/22/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Hobson 22/07/2022

Course was in very good condition for our round [greens especially good] and pro shop / club house / driving range are all top notch. Rating would have been 5 stars except for slow play by two 4 ball groups who teed off 40 & 30 mins respectively ahead of us but were caught up by the 2 ball ahead of us on the 2nd hole and by our group on the 3rd hole. The group ahead of us went home at the half way point [probably due to shear frustration!] - our group persevered but it took us the thick end of 4 hours to get round a course that usually takes just over 3 hours to complete. If anyone at Hobson reads this I suggest that a marshal is put out on the course at busy times [maybe on the 4th or 5th tee box?] to give people a polite hurry up.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Brancepeth Castle Golf Club

Played On 04/25/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

Tough par 3’s at Brancepeth

Course in good pre-summer condition – greens slightly inconsistent but will doubtless improve shortly when the better weather arrives. The course is challenging and fun to play but not one for beginners or those trying to get back into the game after a long lay-off. The course includes a quite steep ravine running across some holes – there are a couple of 200 yard par 3’s which are especially tough if you aren’t 100% accurate off the tee – if you come up short or miss the green it knocks the wind out of your sails and can easily result in one or two dropped shots and associated penalties. In most instances the yellow amateur tees are almost the same yardage as the white medal tees which adds an additional challenge for the casual player.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Blyth Golf Club

Played On 12/18/2020
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Blyth compressed

Course was in reasonable condition for the time of year with winter tees, a few winter greens and bunkers undergoing maintenance. Sadly the course now occupies circa 85% of its former area due to sacrificing some of the holes and practise area to new housing. The club have done their best to fit 18 holes into the reduced footprint but the exercise hasn’t been entirely successful with yardage now reduced to 5,700 off the amateur tees. Personally I wouldn’t want to pay anything more than £20 to play the course during the summer season with £15 [as charged] being about right for winter golf.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate

Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club

Played On 10/07/2020
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Windy Dunstanburgh

Very windy for our round at Dunstanburgh which made play difficult but we still enjoyed the round at this very scenic and interesting golf course. Negative aspects - greens had been heavily spiked which made putting a bit of a lottery and the course shares it's car park and cafeteria with walkers and other visitors - there are no specific facilities for golfers and the car park is to small which results in difficulties at busy times with inconsiderate drivers double parking and blocking people in - the club needs to give consideration to purchasing some additional land for parking and improving facilities.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Hunley 02/09/2020

We played the Morgans Course [6,794 yards] – enjoyed it but it’s a tough test for the average amateur player with some blind approach shots into relatively small raised & undulating greens – very difficult to post a good score. Semi-rough is punishing and if you are unlucky enough to hit into the full rough you might as well forget it as the chances of finding the ball are almost nil. Sea views out to the East over the cliffs are very picturesque but the course is a bit hilly and exposed to the wind.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Seaham Golf Club

Played On 08/13/2020
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Walked

Seaham 13/08/2020

Ball thieves operate at this course – our party had balls stolen from the fairway on two separate occasions. Course condition wasn’t good – grass cuttings were left near to and on several greens. Semi-rough [just of fairways and greens] was long and clumpy making play difficult. All player facilities were shut during our visit. I remember the Seaham course from days gone by - the club needs to have a re-think about how to get back to how things should be and how to keep unwanted visitors off the course.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
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