A downhill par-5 follows at the 8th, boasting plenty of pleasing qualities but also leaving a feeling that it could offer much more to think about in terms of strategy, particularly in the second half of the hole. That strategic lacking is righted spectacularly at the 9th however; an absolutely fabulous par-4 where the diagonal line of bunkers is all consuming from the tee and the placement and angle of the green and green-side hazards favour a ball that is a driven long and ideally on the right half of the short grass. This was by some distance my favourite par-4 on the course, a hole that would not look out of place on any English Top 100 golf course.

The routing is essentially two returning loops but I’ve never played a golf course arranged in this manner that has felt more natural and less contrived than this. The circling of the farmland on the opening nine gives an expansive and peaceful feeling of progression, whilst the back nine takes you up and down the hillside without feeling too arduous, whilst also offering some more knockout views beyond the boundary of the course. A curious feature of Colt’s construction was his decision to build the greens with clay bases. The land here is chalk downland and one can only assume Colt felt that in the era before irrigation systems and watering regimes that the green sites might need a little help to retain water. In the modern day, that seems a rather puzzling decision, but such is the brilliance of these green sites, it would be a brave person who would advocate excavating and changing the structure beneath. That leaves greens that drain a little less freely than the surroundings would have you believe, leaving them a little softer than one might have expected after such a dry spell of weather.

The back nine is the stronger of the two halves; more consistent in overall quality and where the majority of the finest holes reside. The weakest hole on this side would probably be the 14th, where a blind tee shot is played to a cambered fairway, offering an overall feeling that the holes’ lesser traits are a consequence of its position on the course boundary. The counter balance to that one slight lowering of the standard is the magnificence that surrounds it. There is so much to love; the strength of the par-4 10th, the halfpipe downhill adrenaline generators at 15 and 17, the expansive 15th green site alone is worthy of the green fee. However, you will not find me very often speechless, and it was the green site at the par-3 13th hole that left me dumbfounded by its boldness and its brilliance. I have always thought the very best par-3’s measure under 150 yards and display characteristics that strike fear into the golfer lacking conviction. From the tee you can see that the target is an awkward proposition, with front bunkering and a pronounced left shoulder of the green visible. However it is only as you get full sight of all that surrounds the green that you realise the quality of the shot required. The lowest ground is to the left and a miss on that side will leave your ball languishing many metres away from the putting surface, but it is the irregular shape and surrounding contouring on all sides that means only the most accurate of shots will find and remain on the surface. Coupled with the 9th, the 13th is the second hole worthy of visiting Effingham in its own right for those with a particular passion for golf course architecture.

The final par-4 plays back down towards the statuesque and regal former Manor that now acts as the clubhouse, which is a fitting backdrop to the hole that brings this larger than life golf course to a close. In summary, the start of the round is a rather tepid affair punctuated by bright flashes of architectural interest, but it is from the 7th onwards that the sparks begin to fly, leaving you with that familiar feeling on departing a well cared for Colt golf course; an overall sweeping admiration and a longing to get back and test yourself again now that the brilliance and some of the secrets have been partially revealed.