The Arden course is head and shoulders above it's sister course, the Aylesford Course, but a golf break playing both whilst staying in the hotel is a nice treat and with good practice facilities and coaching on hand, it's worth adding this Hotel and Country Club to your weekend away/society roster.

As many other reviewers have all pointed out, the back 9 on the Arden outshines the front, although holes 6 - 9 for me are worthy of note, as each presented a different strategic and visual challenge, something which I appreciated after a more pedestrian start to the course.

I've never been a big fan of water, as the sole reason for a hole to become challenging or as a reason to bring more visual interest to what may otherwise be a bland hole, however over the years and perhaps as I have played them better, I've grown to get on with them, if not actually like them. Here at the Arden, the 8th and the much vaunted 18th are the better water holes, although the 18th should not prove be an issue providing you hit your chosen club well as the water is quite a lot shy of the green.

The back 9 is a step up and wends through more mature and ancient trees, less open, mix of heathland/parkland in feel than the front, and the last 2 holes are good to finish the round. Again, never a big fan of par 3 finishers, but I seem to have increasingly played them this year, this hole sets up a great finish in any close match.

Overall, I'm glad I played here and whilst the Aylesford is not at the same level, I wouldn't deem it awful, it's just not at the same standard, but as a 2 round/1 night stay over the combination works well.