Goring & Streatley - Berkshire - England

Wow. Played here today for first time in a Seniors Open having read previous reviews. Course number 417 played for me.

What a marvellous course and in superb condition.

Luckily I saw the obvious quality of the practice putting green before teeing off and had a few putts..... it was quicker than my kitchen floor !!

Heard that green keepers have won an award - they clearly deserve it.

A gentle starting short par 4 first....and then you have a very steep climb up he next three holes. Fortunately it flattens out a lot after that. Several excellent holes, stunning views from the 15th fairway and the 17th you travel all the way back down to 2nd tee level on your second shot.

Tees, fairways and especially the greens - which were lightning quick and true - are all excellent. Everything about G&S oozes quality. Staff pleasant and helpful, food good, beer good. And as if that is not enough..... you really have to try the gin & tonic ice cream at the halfway hut !!

I get my kicks from playing new courses....but will definitely look out for future opens here. Well worth a visit for anyone.

Goring & Streatley has a reputation for good greens and this was certainly borne out the couple of times I have played it (the last in 2017). Clubhouse and opening hole are at the bottom of the hill and you then rise up the fairly steep hill to the 5th tee. From then on most of the holes are on reasonably level land and although they are pleasant enough and in nice countryside there is nothing outstanding and I can't recall any memorable holes. I think from hole 14 onwards it is fairly uninspiring with the 17th being a hole I distinctly dislike; this is steep downhill par 5 which basically gets you back down the hill to the 18th tee and I find the shot to the green (especially in hard conditions) a bit of a nonsense. My favourite hole would be the 2nd, a steeply uphill par 4 nicely framed in a sort of valley.

Having not played at Goring and Streatley for 5 years I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the course, particularly the greens which were exceptional, both true and quick. Some tricky flag positions made positional play onto the green imperative to avoid some impossible putts.