Frilford Heath Golf Club (Green)

The legendary J.H. Taylor designed the original course at Frilford Golf Club and this layout, the Red course, was subsequently modified by the club professional J.H. Turner. Not content with altering that course, Turner also established another 9-hole layout on an attractive tract of land nearby that was covered in gorse and heather. In the late 1960s, C. K. Cotton and associate Frank Pennink remodelled this nine and added another, forming the 18-hole Green course.

The modern day course extends to just over 6,000 yards, which is short by many standards. The only par five on the card is played at the right doglegged 495-yard 1st hole and there are four par threes, nicely spread out at holes 2, 6, 10 and 17, to give a par of 69. The loop from the 5th to the 13th occupies a separate part of the property, adding to the wonderful feeling of seclusion when playing those particular holes, in amongst the gorse and the birch trees.

Feature holes include a couple of short pars at the right dog legged 9th and the 291-yard closing hole, where a closing birdie might be possible. Indeed, such a boost at the end of the round might just be necessary as the preceding trio of par fours (stroke index 6, 8 and 2) measure in excess of 400 yards, providing something of a nasty “sting in the tail” for the unwary on the Green course.