The Belfry – In The Footsteps Of Heroes

Being invited to play the Belfry was one of those defining moments in golf when you think ‘at last following in the footsteps of the greats’! What is it about nostalgia that won’t let us let go of the past? All golfers want to play on courses where the greats of golf have graced the fairways, Faldo, Trevino, Ballesteros, to see if they can better their superiors. I know Lefty has a keen interest in the coming Ryder Cup as he watches to see if the modern day heroes can match his score on the 9th at Celtic manor, and, we know at the office it is going to be a most miserable time for us all if they don’t. Goodness only knows what will happen if they don’t get a birdie.

On arrival at the Belfry after a relatively easy 45-minute journey from Derby, we were greeted in the foyer by two gentlemen who offered help with our luggage, a great start to our celebrity status. Whilst checking in Lefty and Newby were given a twin room and the very nice lady gave me a suite. I wonder who she thought I was?

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Once settled in we made our way to the bar to meet Gary Silcock the PGA Director of Golf. He filled us in on our itinerary for the next two days. Day 1 The Brabazon, and day 2 the PGA course. We would be playing the Brabazon with Gary and the PGA with Matt one of their professionals. It has to be said at the outset that both of these guys are exceptional golfers and, to be honest, had us a little worried. Our relief came quickly as they both told us that they had ‘not played for a couple of months’. However they both shot under par rounds. I am thinking of having a two-month lay off too! It may have the same effect.

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The Belfry complex has everything a golfer could need from the obvious three golf courses, restaurants, and hotel facilities and of course it’s the home of the PGA National Golf Academy complete with its training schools and equipment shops. The practice chipping areas even have bunkers to try your hand at escaping from. Specialised fitting centres ensure that from starter to Pro you get the right advice on purchasing golf clubs that suit your style, height etc. I particularly enjoyed this area as one of the Pro’s Matt took me in for a brief lesson. This came about after playing alongside him on the PGA course and he said ‘After the round I will give you a few tips to help you knock about 8 shots off your round’. What was this secret way? He changed my grip and after a few practice shots the ball started going straight. I must say may hands and arms felt a little ‘deformed’ but the ball was going straighter and further than before. It’s amazing how a relatively simple thing like club grip can become sloppy and you forget how you should hold the club and start to form bad habits. I suppose I was comfortable with the grip and stuck with it. It also emphasises how important golf lessons are and that we are never too old to learn. Walking along the corridors past the respective Ryder cup changing rooms emphasised how much we love our golfing history. Sometimes you can just smell the sweat of those golfing legends as they came off from a victorious round. Everything is correct at The Belfry from first entering the 550 acre complex to standing on the first tee. Buggy instructions came first then the starter told us the rules for the day, the pin positions and that some work was taking place on the Brabazon Course. The Brabazon overview. If you have played this course you will no doubt be aware of its obvious quality – manicured fairways, undulating greens, extremely hard to escape from and superbly shaped bunkers and of course the mature and some recently planted trees. Whatever your handicap this is a good place to test where you are as a golfer.

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At 7196 yards The Brabazon is a grueller with a Par 72. You need a handicap of 24 and under to be able to play on this. Newby was OK at 18 and Lefty and myself just crept in with 23. The course was designed by Dave Thomas and Peter Allis. Sticking avidly to the fairways is the only way for a safe round, but who as a 23 handicapper does this? Not many I expect and so wayward shots cost dearly here.

On the first tee I felt quite intimidated with the Pro’s and starter watching and of course I fluffed my tee shot. 100 yards the best I could manage. Gary hit his about 2 miles, well it seemed like it to me. I had to hit three shots to catch him up. I narrowly missed the bunkers on the right of the fairway and hacked my way to the green. How embarrassing, but I was feeling the pressure like no other time on a golf course. I was a bag of nerves and yet I was partnering Gary (smart move eh!). Of course we won and, with my advice and the odd tip Gary had a good round!

Nasty trees to the right on the second were carefully avoided and to my relief I got away well only to hit a poor fairway shot and then a beauty onto the green where my normal two putt failed me and I three putted for a six with nerves still jangling. Gary was great and kept encouraging me along whilst telling me his history in golf, basically all over the world, and I was fascinated by the wealth of experience he has in the golf industry. I am sure his name will crop up many times in years to come. The shape of the bunker on the second is spread like a spider. Enter at your peril. The third hole features a lake to the left which none of us visited and Newby came of with a Bogey. He was settling in well but none of us were playing to our strengths.

Water everywhere on the 5th, right and left plus bunkers guarding the green make this a real feature hole and one to play with great care. That’s the beauty here, some holes you can have a go at and others need more thought than usual. After the 9th we enjoyed a bit of light rain, which freshened things up and in the halfway house, it was time for a coffee and reflection on how things had gone.

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The tenth had a few workers on the fairway but no one seemed to worry as we teed up. Dilemma here. Do we go for the green or lay up before the water? Big hitters like Gary and Newby are sure to have a go and they did. Lefty and I were cautious and narrowly missing the workers I laid up before the water and chipped over it to the back of the green. Chip on, two putts and hey presto a 5. Miracles do happen for me at times. Gary now gave me some tips on my swing. Apparently my knees were wrong but, ‘Don’t change anything today’ he said ‘as it could spoil your round’! The 12th is a great Par 3 179 off Yellows but it is imperative to get over the water. We all did thankfully and Newby got his Par at last Sadly Lefty and I got 5’s. As we approached the 18th we realised how much this course takes out of you and can now appreciate how fit golfers are who have to play the course for three days in a row. It was 3 o’ clock and I was ready for bed! Lunch in the clubhouse was followed by a post-mortem with Gary and then off to change. Day 2 The PGA National Course This was my favourite because I played much better (it couldn’t be worse). We had Matt for company today who said Gary ‘was a better golfer than him’. Thanks Gary. This is more a links course and hundreds of trees have been removed and re planted onto the Brabazon course to give the PGA a very open feel. Again this is a long course at 7036 yards with a Par 72. I scored 110, however Matt said that this wasn’t bad for the first time. 38 over against a man who shot 2 under, a difference of 40 shots. Matt was my partner for the round against Lefty and Newby. I can choose partners better than clubs. Matt’s shots seemed to stay in the air for hours. The 7th hole was my favourite as I hit the green beautifully, avoiding water and bunkers leaving me with a downhill putt of about 15 feet and I should have walked off with a par but I missed by an inch and had to settle for a bogey. Never mind I was starting to play. At this point Matt said my grip was wrong and hence the promise I mentioned earlier. I won’t describe every hole here, as I am sure you would like to play it yourself but I will leave you with the 14th, a dogleg right. A wayward long tee shot and you will be caught by a vertical bunker then a drive to the green will ensure that the deep bunker to the left of it will swallow you up. I say this because if it happened to me I am sure it will happen to you.

Our two days golf was a treat to savour. Yes we followed in the footsteps of golfing greats and yes we played nothing like them but hey why do we play golf if not to try to emulate those Trojans of the past and seek a little glory in the making ourselves.

Gleneagles – Delivers On All Levels!

Four years ago we were invited down to play the 2010 course at Celtic Manor just two months prior to the Ryder Cup, and to be honest, it was one of the best all round golf experiences I’ve ever had, from arriving at the overwhelming grand hotel through to the distinguished but slightly daunting 2010 course, there was little to match it. Four years later it’s Gleneagles turn to host the prestigious event, and Lefty and myself were again invited down to see how they would handle the golf event of the year.

The Ryder Cup is not just a golf competition, it’s far far more, the travelling  1,000 plus media representatives along with the 250,000+ spectators, the players and their far from small entourage  require a small town with an infrastructure more akin to city than a golf resort. And don’t forget the small matter of a TV audience in excess of 500 million across 183 countries. Step in to Gleneagles.

With its awe-inspiring 5 star hotel, 5 courses and activities including Equestrian School, Gundog School, Falconry Centre, Off-road Driving Centre and much more, it certainly ticks all the boxes of the kind of resort the Ryder Cup needs. If you check out Gleneagles on Google Maps you’ll get an idea of the shear magnitude of the complex.

So on a brisk May morning (4.00am to be exact!) we set out on the mother of all 1 day golf trips, a 5 1/2 hour drive up to Scotland, 18 holes of golf on the PGA Centenary Course, followed by a 5 1/2 hour drive home! Golfing County Golfer style!

Upon arrival, you instantly realise why it has been chosen and why the G8 summit was held here a few years ago. From being greeted at the hotel, to the start on the first hole, it’s  5 star service. We however had an hour to spare before we played, so naturally we sat down for a pint first in the main club house that services the 5 courses.

After a burger and a pint (we let Spence pick up the tab….. ouch!) we stocked up on balls and headed to the changing rooms where, as described by one of the shop assistants, “there is obviously the sauna”, obviously, like all courses!

After a quick swing on the driving range we stood on the 1st ready to sample the course soon to be graced by the games best players, well nearly. It was in May that we played, a full 4 months prior to the Ryder Cup so the course, although laid out ready, still needed a lot of work to get it competition ready. The first 5 holes in particular will look totally different by September, to what we saw.

The course, as with the 2010 course,  is nothing short of a monster, for a 18 handicapper like myself it’s a real beast, even off the yellows. The layout and the setting however were nothing short of spectacular, with the rolling Scottish hills in the background and undulating fairways, it’s  just plain beautiful, very little I’ve played compares to it.

Overall the course did beat us though, by the time you stand looking up the 470 yard uphill 18th we felt like we’ d played 36 holes not just 18.

One of the out standing holes is the 8th, down hill and swinging left, with 4 huge bunkers on the corner waiting to catch you. How this hole is played will be hugely down to the player and the match they’re playing in. With a big drive they might be able to reach the green, but get it wrong and you’re in a lot of trouble! Certainly one to look out for. As is the 9th, a par 5 reachable in 2 if you’re brave! With water running down the right of the fairway,  their first will have to be big and the second the same! Cutting over the water, it’ll be a brave man that has a go, and there‘s a lot of them in both camps.

I’m sure that  by September the course will have changed a lot, and with the addition of 50,000 spectators it’ll change again, but to play the course that will host the Ryder Cup, the first time in Scotland for 40 years and the first time ever in its current format, was a huge privilege and an experience I’ll never forget. Gleneagles clearly has what it takes to host the event, now we just sit and wait until September for one of sports greatest spectacles.

The Shire London

I generally hold the opinion that with so many good courses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, I don’t feel the need to travel far to play, with the exception of playing outstanding courses. So when the shout came from Lefty ‘We’re playing next Monday at a course called ‘The Shire’ in London’ my heart sank. Firstly, my memory of London was a place built nearly entirely out of concrete, where you have to strain to see anything green (not a huge fan of the place!) and secondly, the M1 south bound on a Monday morning, great! However, finding out that it’s a Seve Ballesteros designed course changed everything!

Braced for the traffic, Lefty, the Yorkshire Terrier and I set out at 7am with the obligatory McDonald’s cappuccino to a course rated as one of the biggest challenges south of the Watford Gap!

The course itself is only 2 junctions round the M25 and took a little over 2hr 15mins to get to from junction 28 of the M1. Against all odds we avoided any traffic too, so were able to play a few shots in the driving range and the practice green before we tee’d off which must be a first for County Golfer!

As soon as you arrive, it’s obvious it’s a new course; the pro shop, lockers and bar are all super modern and it felt more like being at a nice city bar than a golf club. But that wasn’t what we were there for, we were there to see what the maestro Seve had left for us to enjoy!

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6 par 3s, 6 par 4s and 6 par5s! That’s definitely a first for me and gives you an insight into the uniqueness of this course, the 14 holes encountering water tell you it’s going to be tough too. An opening par 3, always a nice, gentle start to a round…..Wrong! At 154 yards it’s not the longest, but with water in front, to the right, behind and some to the left too, you have 2 options: 1: hit the green or 2: get lucky (no singing!) any other option and you’re in the water!

By the time we’d played the 2nd hole and all lost a ball, we realised that you can’t attack this course in the usual way; when you’re playing with friends and having a little competition between you, the testosterone starts flowing and you feel like you have to take everything on. If you do that here it will kill you! I’m never one for listening much to advice, I’m way too stubborn for that sort of thing on a golf course, which is one reason why I’ll never play off a low handicap (there are many more of course!) but the advice on the course planner was invaluable. Seve designed it and talks you though it too in the planner. ‘An iron down the hill over the water to a landing area leaving you a low iron, over water again, back up the hill onto a green surrounded by bunkers.’ Every hole really makes you think and plan your golf, at no point do you just aim to hit down the fairway as far as you can. You’re always planning ahead for the next shot or two.

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The 6th is a great example of this, the fairway bends left with OOB down the left, water all down the right and a bunker right on your line to the left of the fairway at 230 yards! Try and go over it? There’s a dyke at 261yards too so that’s not possible either. So it’s either a perfectly placed drive or an iron leaving a 165+ yard shot into the green. The whole course is beautifully manicured and you feel like you’re playing a course in the condition it would be in prior to holding an open. I would love to play this course again, knowing now how to tackle it and despite it being a 2hr drive I definitely still will. It’s well worth a visit, though as far as being a member…… I’ll probably leave that for those with a more accurate iron game.

The grand finale and the course’s signature hole is the 18th. It verges on the sublime and the outrageous! It’s very hard to describe, so rather than try I’ll let Seve have the last word: ‘A spectacular finishing hole that can easily ruin a good round. A drive to the start of the plateau will leave you with a good view of the green, which is surrounded by the ‘S’ lake. This hole takes no prisoners.’

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Machrihanish Golf Club

Lets a’ gang tae Scootlund ‘n’ speil golf.

Translated – let’s go to Scotland and play golf.

Yes it’s that time of year when the County Golfer team steps outside the East Midlands to play somewhere in Scotland. Last year you read and saw on our facebook page that we played at St Andrews which we fully enjoyed. The only problem is the bar was high. Where do you go to play after that experience?

It all started when MPS Aviation offered us the use of their plane (Beech King Air turboprop for all you plane geeks out there). Which got me thinking. ‘Last year it took us 8 hours to drive up to St Andrews so this could be great’.

Where could we fly where there is an Airport next to the golf course? The answer – Machrihanish Dunes, Argyll, Scotland where the runway is one of the largest in Europe. It was designed to accommodate the Space Shuttle in case it had to land somewhere else other than America! Now all it had to accommodate is yours truly; ‘Lefty’, Newby, Randall and the Yorkshire Terrier.

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Adam takes up the story:
We arrived at Gamston airport with a departure time of around 8am but this was delayed as we had to wait for the fog to lift. So we went to see the private plane that we were going to fly up in and what a surprise we got! As you can see in the pictures, it’s a nice piece of kit seating up to 7, boasting cream leather seats with tables that let you keep on working (or in our case play cards) whilst in the air. Cruising at 250mph, depending on departure points you would be able to reach all major UK golf courses within one hour and most of continental Europe in just three. Adrian our pilot gave us coffee and croissants to enjoy while we waited for him to get the plane ready. The four of us plus the pilot boarded the plane with our luggage and four sets of golf clubs and we were up and away by 10am in MPS Aviation’s Beech King Air. With ‘Lefty’ sitting in the co pilot’s position we were naturally a bit worried but trusted Adrian not to let him take control! After taking some great shots from inside the aircraft, a little over an hour later we arrived at Campbeltown airfield ready for our first round at Machrihanish Dunes GC. Had we driven, it would have taken 8 hours so it was a no brainer really; flying up in style in one of the smoothest plane journeys I have ever been on was far more preferable!

Lefty continues:
When we got to the Airport we were greeted by customs, the fire response team, the airport mechanic and passport control or, as the locals call him, John! John had opened the airport for our arrival. Leaving the airport we were greeted by Mike, who loaded our bags and golf clubs on the Mac Dunes mini bus and drove us straight to the course.

Now a little about Machrihanish Dunes: When I tell people I have played here they invariably say, ‘oh this is on my wish list of courses to play’ and I’m not surprised. It’s an 18 hole links course of untouched beauty which winds its way 7,175 yards effortlessly to and fro along the shore line. The routing, as well as the positioning of its tees and greens, was dictated by the lay of the land – and the presence of several endangered species of flora and fauna. Machrihanish Dunes is the only course ever created on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and unlike Mr Trump, who moved in and changed the landscape of the dunes on his course, Machrihanish laid the course within the dunes without touching them. In fact the greens are the only bit of the course that was landscaped so this leaves a course that is unique in that it was not designed but found amongst the dunes.

This makes it like no other you have played. After coffee and biscuits in the temporary clubhouse we were shown to the 1st, a short par 3 to get you warmed up.

Adam:
The course was opened in 2009 but you find that hard to believe as it feels as though it’s been there for years. This isn’t just down to the sea spray and the scenery, but the fact that every hole has something to offer. The greens had recently been hollow tined so were a little woolly and unfortunately the signature hole, the 14th, was out of action due to the bad weather over the last few weeks. Nevertheless this was a great experience with blind tee shots over mounds, hills and bumps then approach shots on undulating fairways with pot bunkers awaiting you both on the fairways and around the slopey greens. The only fault I could find was that there was a lot of walking between holes and not enough sign posts telling you where the next tee was.

Lefty:
We all managed to get away clean and got a couple of pars. Not a bad start and it looked like we were on for a good round. Maybe a bit premature though, as we realised this was a temporary first hole. So when we stood on the second, looking out into the wilderness of the dunes with the Atlantic sea in the background, we could see that we were going to have to produce our best golf shots.

The 2nd is a short par 4 being only 292yrds. As in all links golf you have to keep it on the fairway or else you will be in a world of trouble. So the driver is not the best option as you need to keep the ball down to the left of the fairway with your second shot placed on top of the dune, (yes I said dune) giving you a shot into the green, which undulates like the waves of the Atlantic. None of us got pars, in fact we were humbled straightaway, as we paid dearly for accuracy.

The 3rd hole is a little beauty; a 148yrd par3. A partially blind tee shot onto a large green. You can see the flag waving in the fresh Scottish wind; this brings a whole other element to the game as well. My advice here is to put back the club you think you need and pick up an extra club to get the distance, it was a real joy when I saw my ball hit the green.

The 4th is a 369yrds. You will find, along with most of the holes on the dunes, that you are trying to aim at a well placed post in the middle of the fairway as it raises up before you, hiding the view from the green. Just one bunker on this hole but don’t be fooled, you can lose a shot on this hole by being too far away from the flag on the green, as it’s 45 yrds from front to back. If you have a range finder in your bag this would save you some dropped shots.

The 5th, a par4 295yrds, will tempt the big hitters to go for the green but be aware… Newby and Randall can both hit so decided to go for it. Randall just made it but Newby disappeared into one of the two bunkers waiting to catch anyone who hits too short.

Those who have played links courses before know that bunkers on links courses are almost impossible to get out off in one shot.The depth of them wrecks many a score card.

As you walk onto the 6th you start to see the real beauty of the course, with the sea to your left and an empty beach as far as the eye can see. You will love this hole as it’s a short par4, 314yrds to the green with the famous marker post resurfacing showing you the way to go. You need to negotiate your drive over a dune. We all managed to get away cleanly with Newby just missing the post. He could not have got it closer if he’d tried! Unfortunately he was not as successful with his second shot, failing to get up to this elevated green, guarded by formidable bunkers. By this time he was getting better at getting out of them.

Now we come to our first 458yrds par 5. The fairway narrows at about 182 yrds so ‘sally gunnels’ will not help you here. A large dune sits to the right of you half way up the fairway so again you don’t want to be behind it.

There is a fairway bunker about 116yrds from the green to catch your second shot, so keep down the left if you can. It can be difficult though, as if there is a gale blowing off the Atlantic, you would probably have to hit your ball at the sea and hope it lands back on the fairway!

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Now on to the hardest hole on the course. This is the starter’s favourite hole on the course and I can see why. It’s 348yrd par 4. The famous marker pole is back showing the line. This truly is a blind tee shot. What you don’t see is that on the other side, the fairway slopes away and ends abruptly. If you’re a long hitter you would be better using your 3 wood. Your second shot is over wetland up to a hidden elevated green. It’s a real beauty this hole and caught us all out! We walked off with double bogies but after reading the course planner it says ‘a par is a very good score here!’

The 3 holes that follow each other at the most southerly end of the golf course are the 13th, 14th and 15th and they are 3 crackers. The 13th is a 223yrd par 4. You would think with it being only 223yrds that you could walk away with a birdie or even an eagle. Don’t be fooled. There is a cross marker showing you where the green is, but my word if you miss, say good bye to your ball. I must point out that the green is great to aim at. After you have negotiated this you are then faced with a peach of a hole; the 129yrd par 3, but be aware, if the wind is up get out your driver. It’s an elevated green with two bunkers to catch you, one on the left and one on the front bank of the green. When you make it to the green just stop for a minute and take in the view as you’ll say to yourself ‘this is why I love links golf’.

This hole is followed with another par 3. This is short at only 98yrds. Get the right club and judge the wind and you should walk off with a par. You do need to hit the green in one, as anything short will land you in trouble. Fortunately we all managed to walk off with pars.

On finishing the par 5 17th, 513yrds, we were absolutely exhausted. We had run out of haggis, lawn sausage and my hip flask had almost run dry which caused mass panic amongst the boys. Consequently we were glad to see the 18th, a gentle 359 par 4. Considering how shattered we were you could not wipe the smile off our faces as we putted out with the sun starting to set, casting an orange glow across the golf course. We all stood there and agreed that we had just played somewhere special – an absolute gem of a links course. We got back to the temporary club house and were met by Mike. He loaded our bags back on the mini bus and took us to the Mac Dunes’ owned Royal Hotel in Campbeltown. The rooms were massive with a bed big enough for your clubs and your caddy. They also own Ugadale Hotel and Cottages which is right next to Machrihanish Golf Club.

The hotel has been renovated to a very high standard. After we had showered and changed we once again got back on the mini bus which took us to the old club house bar and restaurant. The food was excellent and the whiskey even better. I recommend you try the local whiskey ‘Springbank’.

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Adam:
After over a 5 hour round which included a sandwich at the clubhouse and a brief break after 9 holes we returned to our hotel which was a very luxurious stay, the one night we were there was not really enough but that is all we had time for unfortunately. After a well earned pint in the bar and a very nice meal at the Ugadale hotel (I highly recommend the yellow curry with chicken) we sat down to watch the Man United vs. Real Madrid game which left Ali (Newby) in tears.

After a good night’s sleep and a Scottish cooked breakfast I was ready to play our second round at Machrihanish Golf Club. Being a bit stiff after the previous round the conditions had changed and were a lot worse as we were about to tee off in a very cold gale force wind. The first tee, as you will be able to see on the County Golfer website, is one to behold and especially with the wind blowing into your face it’s not one for the faint hearted. I got over the sea/beach ok as did Newby and Lefty, just! However, Mark (Yorkshire terrier) was not so successful and ended up playing more than one shot from off the beach!

This was my favourite course even though the weather was a lot worse. I enjoyed the layout and you can see that it is more mature than the Dunes course. Again, like the dunes there were a lot of blind tee shots and hidden bunkers, with undulating fairways and slopey greens – it really was a good test of golf. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t finish my round but it was that cold I was seizing up by the hole and I ended up tearing some abdominal muscles on the 15th tee which meant I had to walk in.

Not long after the round we realised that we had missed calls and voicemails from Adrian the pilot who needed us to try and leave earlier than expected due to adverse weather conditions back in Gamston. After a frantic drive to get to Campbeltown airfield we were taken once again by a staff member to the airfield and it was my turn this time to sit in the Co Pilot’s seat! What an experience that was, it’s not every day that you get to fly a private plane! And yes, we did manage to get back to Gamston in time before the weather got any worse.The funny thing was it took me longer to get back from Gamston to Mickleover than it did from Campbeltown to Gamston! I would highly recommend MPS Aviation as the company to fly with, it’s a lot more affordable than you think and with no charge for carrying your golf clubs on board their plane why not contact them today to see about flying you and your friends up to play golf at some of the best golf courses in the UK. Playing in Scotland was a great experience and I would recommend you book a package. Fly up and stay over in either The Royal or The Ugadale hotel at Campbeltown so you can play both Machrihanish Dunes and Machrihanish Golf Course as they are two excellent links courses.I can’t wait for our next trip, sorry I can’t tell you where yet but keep your eyes peeled for an update later this year, you will be intrigued if it comes off!!

Lefty:
The courses, hotels and restaurant are owned by Southworth Developments, an American company in Boston and you can tell; the service was second to none. I can honestly say I did not open a door for myself for the whole two days I was there. I got a shock when I got back. I stood outside our office for two hours before someone opened the door for me. We would like to thank MPS aviation and Cindy from Southworth Developments for their help arranging this trip. I recommend you take up the offer in County Golfer Magazine and arrange a trip you will thoroughly enjoy.

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Golfing In Kent – A Golfer’s Paradise

The county of Kent’s rich tradition and history of golf, dates back to over a century ago. The ‘Garden of England’ is home to over 100 courses which boast magnificent views of the county’s picturesque landscape, whilst its coastal courses offer dramatic, panoramic seascapes over the English Channel and the celebrated white chalk cliffs of Kent. Natural clusters of golf courses can be found around Kent’s main towns, all set against a backdrop of rich and varied culture, buildings of historic interest, bustling seaside towns and magnificent, inspiring gardens.

As the oldest county in England, Kent boasts a plethora of visitor attractions from the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral, founded in AD 597, to Dover Castle where you can experience life from Roman times to World War II. Other historic castles include Hever, Deal, Walmer and Rochester, whilst the stunning gardens at Sissinghurst are world-famous. Kent’s coastline is ideal for walking and cycling. Featuring seaside towns like Broadstairs, Charles Dickens’ favourite resort, and Margate, home to the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery. Testament to the quality of the golf courses in Kent, the county has over the years hosted 17 British Open Championships, 1894 at Royal St George’s, marking the first time that the Major had been played outside Scotland.

Recognised as one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, The Open Championship has since returned to Royal St George’s 13 times. Now it was time for The County Golfer team, Newby, Spence and the Yorkshire Terrier (who for the benefit of this article will be known as YT) and myself Lefty to stay and play Royal St George’s rated the Number 1 golf course in England. Next stop at Tudor Park Marriot Hotel to play their course, designed by Donald Steel and set in more than 200 acres of ancient deer parkland.

DAY 1:

DERBYSHIRE TO ROYAL St GEORGE

A 5am start on a rainy Tuesday in March for our 4 hour journey from Derbyshire.  Tee off time was 11am so plenty of time to arrive early and have a good look around. You reach RSG by driving through an industrial estate and then majestically into the very picturesque village of Sandwich, down a country road from which a brown sign points you in the direction of a private drive. No big billboards or flags flapping, the whole entrance is very understated. Who needs big signs and flags when you’re the number one golf course in England!

After falling out of our tightly packed car we headed all suited and booted to the clubhouse. At the front door we found a sign saying “Non members please ring for attention”  I rang it twice thinking that it didn’t work, it does, so don’t ring twice! The secretary came and said “You do not need to wear a jacket and tie until after 11am”. I could feel eyes burning in my back as I had made the lads wear them for 4 hours in the car! The first thing that hits you in the clubhouse is the smell of polished mahogany, always a sign of a prestigious clubhouse. As well as the history, golfing memorabilia hangs on the walls and in glass cabinets. Everywhere you look there’s a story to tell. The large changing rooms have some of the best showers I have seen, complete with plenty of towels all neatly stacked.

The clubhouse retains much of its original charm and ambiance, with portraits of past captains lining the corridors, to give you a feeling of stepping back in time.  You could imagine Ian Fleming sitting there while dreaming up the classic match between Goldfinger and James Bond. This is the course where it took place in his book. The Pro shop is as you would expect well stocked, and has plenty of RSG merchandise.  A nice touch, I thought, is that they give away complementary tees.

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Our round.

We were supposed to tee off in front of the Caddy Master Alan but, as there was gale force wind and driving rain, he wasn’t daft, he was in the pro shop keeping warm! He pointed to the first tee and shouted “keep it down the left of the fairway but not too far” I think he said that, or it could have been “You’re  all mad!”

The 1st – Par 4, 399Yrds

With the rain stinging my eyes I thought “just hit it straight and hope for the best” which seemed to work. The fairway gave the illusion of being flat. It wasn’t.  As Spence was taking his second shot all I could see was the top of his head! The bunkers on this hole sweep across the front of the green and, as you know, on links courses most bunkers need a ladder to get in and out of. The greens were running true and in good condition but this didn’t stop us all walking away with a six. Spence and myself were taking on Newby and YT so the banter, like the rain, was relentless.

3rd – Par 3 180Yrds

This is the only par 3 on an Open Championship course without a bunker, but it doesn’t make it any easier, as statistically it’s  one of the most tricky Open holes, the difficulty being the two tiered green which, was fast even on the day we played, so you can imagine it on a hot, dry, summers day. Needless to say no one got a par, the best was a 5, 1 up to Newby and YT.

4th – 415Yrds Par 4

One of the great championship holes, the fourth, is an intimidating prospect.  A towering bunker, perhaps the tallest in Britain, faces you off the tee. The shot is to the left of this and even then it’s a long way to the green, which is a dog leg left, with various pot hole bunkers to catch you out. No wonder it’s stroke index 1. I found every hazard! Spence tried to hold off Newby but the best he could card was a 7 to Newbys 6. Two up to them.

5th – 406Yrds Par 4

This is my favourite hole on the course, as the elevated tee gives the first sight of the sea. It took ages to work out the dogleg left because we couldn’t see the flag.  It’s a straight drive, then a shot between two mounds onto a hidden green. I got a par but unfortunately so did YT.

6th – 142yrd par 3

The Maiden, named after the shape of the towering dunes surrounding it. The long two-tiered green can be a real card wrecker, but first you have to reach it! Not one of us hit the green because the headwind was so strong the ball was almost coming back to where we teed off. Spence managed to land at the front of the green and get a well deserved par, so it was back to one up to them.

At this point we took shelter in a thatched roof hut to check the score and to get out of the wind.  Newby, who was marking the card, had to admit that even the scorecard had given up and was starting to disintegrate in the wet.

More sips of whisky from my hip flask and we were away again. You now find the first of two par fives. “Time to pull one back” said Spence.  For this hole you need a big drive, which gives you a chance of an Eagle, as the hole turns slightly left. If you’re brave you can go for the green. All of the eagles achieved during open championships at RSG are made here. We gave it a go, but the best we could manage was a par. YT did, so three up to them.

YT  for some reason seemed to like the conditions and he went on to win the next hole, 4 up and they were pulling away.

After the 9th you start making your way back to the sea dunes proudly shaping the fairways as you go. The wind and rain started to ease allowing Spence, who is a fair weather golfer, to start playing. He produced the shot of the day on the 13th hole a par 4 420 yards long.

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This fairway is dotted with pot bunkers and you need to be accurate with your driver. Spence’s drive was massive, he still had a shot of about 160 yards to the green with a couple of pot bunkers protecting it, left and right. I was on the edge of the green for 3 and up to this point I had been carrying Spence, which I kept letting him know. This is what probably fueled his second shot, as he hit it as sweet as a nut. It sailed majestically through the air onto the green and in the hole for an Eagle! What a shot, I tried to convince Newby and YT that, that, has to be worth at least three points but they were having none of it. Spence on the other hand, didn’t care what anyone thought, as he had just got an Eagle on the 13th at Royal St Georges. He’s still smiling as you read this article.

14th – 507 yrds par 5

A long straight hole with OOB all the way down the right.  I laughed at the lads and said at last a Lefty hole, then hit my drive straight onto Prince’s adjacent fairway! Needless to say it was OOB.

15th – 435yrd par 4

Stroke index one warning! Standing on the tee you wonder why it’s stroke index 1. Well, it’s the clever placement of the bunkers  – 5 waiting for you midway up the fairway. If you drive over these you still need a long iron to hit the green, which, yes you’ve guessed it, is protected by 3 pothole bunkers that stand guard at the front. I got a bogey on this hole and walked off like I had got a birdie, it was tough.

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Needless to say Newby and YT beat us in the end but, as we made our way down the 18th fairway, the rain stopped and the sun made an appearance. Even though the waterproofs had given up a long time ago a big smile came across our faces. Why? Because we had just played somewhere special. Whilst  the course took a beating that day, at no point did I step in a puddle or on to a squelchy green as it was in excellent condition.  As the sun spread shadows over the course you could see the contours of the fairways and the dunes which stood proudly framing most of the holes.

Back in the clubhouse, sinking a nice pint of Shepherds Neame from a sliver tankard, we all agreed even on a sunny day this course will give you a challenge, it’s a beautiful beast that punishes wayward drives, but rewards a good shot.  It’s a true links course, characterised by humps and swales, dunes and wild rough, fast running fairways and deep bunkers.

This has to be on your “courses to play list,” it’s the number one course in England for a reason.

Our thanks has to go to the club steward David Peregrine for making us feel most welcome, it’s not every day you meet someone in a painting!  Also to the catering staff, who very kindly waited for us to get back into the clubhouse to warm us up with a nice hot beef sandwich.

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DAY 2

TUDOR PARK MARRIOT HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB

We chose to stay at Tudor Park Marriott Hotel which was about an hours drive from Royal St George’s as it’s a great central location to reach other courses and takes an hour off your journey back to the East Midlands. Like most Marriott Hotels you have a spa, gym and more importantly a bar called “The Mezzanine” which we found a relaxing place to continue thawing! The hotel is benefiting from a 5 million pound modernisation programme so it’s a good time to pay a visit to the nice new modern rooms.

Nestling in a 200-acre ancestral deer park, deep in the Garden of England, Tudor Park, a Marriott Hotel & Country Club, offers tranquility and invigoration in equal measure. The Tudor Park Course was designed in 1988 by Donald Steel, one of Britain’s finest course architects. 6085 yards of beautifully varied holes, accompanied by delightful views over this picturesque corner of Kent.

As at many of Steel’s courses, there is an enticing mix of long and short holes, many featuring tight fairways bordered by beautiful, mature pines and other woodland areas. The best of the bunch are arguably the par-3 4th, the par-5 8th and the par-4 16th. But every hole at Tudor Park has its own personality – some friendly and relaxing, some that will test your skill and accuracy.

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In recent years, Tudor Park has hosted prestigious events including the EuroPro Tour on three occasions, the Kent PGA Pro-Am and, in 2010, the English PGA Championship (South) qualifier.

After a first class buffet breakfast I put on my wet waterproofs again and headed to the 1st, the rain at least had stopped. We even had a bit of sunshine but this was false hope.

Spence and myself took on Newby and YT trying to seek some revenge.  At the tee a very friendly starter gave us some tips on the 1st hole. We all teed off well. I say teed off, more of a scuff and roll, not one of us got away clean, to which the starter said with a smile on his face “have a good game lads”.  What I’m sure he would have really liked to say was “have you played golf before?!”

The1st and 2nd holes are wide and forgiving. The 1st to get your eye in sweeps downhill and the 2nd comes back up. Newby and YT won both holes as they came flying out of the traps with 2 pars.

Spence and I had a team talk as we couldn’t let them beat us again. We approached the 3rd hole 300yrd par 4 determined not to lose! On this hole you stand on an elevated tee looking down onto the fairway, which then sweeps left up to an elevated green. Spence hit a massive drive which left him with just a wedge onto the green which he did and sunk it for a birdie, I got a par just to make sure we won the hole. Game on Indeed!

The next hole was a par 3 176yrds, again an elevated tee looking down onto a green with water to the right of the green. Newby hit a sweet shot right onto the middle of the green  and then it happened!  – The weather turned on us with a vengeance as the wind picked up to gale force and the heavens opened but this time not rain but hail, all four of us knelt down on the floor, sheltering as best we could behind our umbrellas. Even the bench blew over.(Go to our Facebook page to see the video) 10 minutes later it still hadn’t rescinded  so we headed back to the clubhouse as Newby’s hand was turning blue. Thoughts of Scott and his team came to mind as Newby said “I’m going for a walk I might be some time”. It was unbelievable and, needless to say the storm shut the course, which was a real shame as the course was just starting to come alive.

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We have been invited back which we will do, but in the meantime make sure you book yourself in, the hotel is in a good central position to stay and reach other golf courses in Kent.

Our visit to Kent was most enjoyable. The county boasts a long tradition of golf, three Open venues,  majestic parkland and inland courses, and clifftop gems like North Foreland, excellent accommodation for golfers and a plethora of off-course attractions such as Dover Castle.

We would like to thank Sinead from Visit Kent and Helen from Heady PR for arranging the trip for us and the hospitality of Royal St George’s and Tudor Park Hotel and Country Club for showing us Kent is not only the “Garden of England” but a fantastic golf destination, and now known for the place Spence got his Eagle!    –  Lefty

www.golfinkent.co.uk