The “new” 18-hole course at Hull Golf Club, designed by James Braid, dates to 1925 and its opening was marked by an exhibition match between the architect, J.H. Taylor, Charles Whitcombe and Arthur Havers.
The “new” 18-hole course at Hull Golf Club, designed by James Braid, dates to 1925 and its opening was marked by an exhibition match between the architect, J.H. Taylor, Charles Whitcombe and Arthur Havers.
3.5
A visit to Hull GC in Kirk Ella, west of Hull, was my final stop in completing the Yorkshire Top 45, as ranked on this website.
The club is celebrating its centenary in its current location having moved from a site closer to Hull City Centre in 1925.
The club was busy on my arrival with a Club Captains Day in progress and plenty of youngster's practicing their putting drills on the large putting green adjacent to the grade 2 listed clubhouse.
And putting skills you will need as the greens are the real winners of this Braid designed course. Ever so subtle breaks see your putts veer considerably off what you thought was a well calculated line.
The course is parkland and when designed would have been considerably more open than it is now. The tree lined fairways are pleasant enough without being particularly standout. I do feel that the course and some sight lines would be improved with some tree removal. The club have engaged Ken Moodie and has a Masterplan to work to which will not doubt improve the courses appearance and strategic challenge. A recent example of work carried is removal of trees on the dog leg of the 11th, replaced by 2 bunkers - provides a better sight line and approach for the shorter hitters amongst us, yet punishment for the longer hitters failing to nail the corner.
On the day that I played, the wind was the prevailing wind and as I marked my card, I noted the wind direction. There are only 2 occasions in the round where you play successive holes in the same wimd direction - holes 4 and 5 the wind is with you on both and holes 13 and 14 where the wind is against you on both. Otherwise the routing constantly changes direction so the wind is forever a factor you have to take in. A good example being the opening 4 holes - hole 1 into the wind, hole 2 a cross wind off the right, hole 3 a cross wind off the left and hole 4, wind behind.
This constant change in direction is particularly born out on the par 3s where each of the 4 shorter holes face different directions, a Braid trademark.
The opening stretch has the word 'tight, written down on my scorecard. Whilst measuring 6235 yards off the White tees, the focus for one's game should be accuracy over brute strength. The word 'tight' also appeared against holes 6, 10 and 17 but at no stage do you really have an 'open the shoulders' holes - perhaps the 5th and 12th.
The opening holes play within the middle of the course and whilst pleasant, do.not have significant architectural merits with exception of the greensites which are class. A false front on the 1st is also repeated on the 2nd and the 3rd and the greensite at the 1st par 3 4th is exceptional. A cross bunker some 10 yards short of the hole, a banked green approach and subtle breaks right feeds any shots not quite making the top level of the putting surface feed into a bunker right. The 5th green has a very subtle left to right break which bamboozled me, even when I had a couple of practice putts after completing the hole.
The next stretch of holes 6 - 10 play round the perimeter. This is where, over time the course has been compromised. Roads and housing now hem the course in. The tee positions now encourage play away from the housing or obstacles changed to encourage play a certain way. On 6, bunkers placed out to the right are to encourage a shot more to the left away from the road, but a solitary large tree on the left hand side some 120 yards off the tee doesn't help this strategy with a left sided tee position. Unless you can play a draw. Personally I would remove this tree, allowing a more straight hole or use the right hand side of the tee box, or even extend the tee box right as there is room for this. The 7th has pines planted right to push golfers left and the 9th similarly, although this is a sweeping dog leg right and a fine hole in its own right the 10th has a large hedge/trees encroaching from the right, again all planned to keep you away the perimeter. I couldn't help but feel that the holes felt compromised although it is a difficult balancing act for the club who cannot afford for golfers to keep spraying golf balls into people's gardens! In this stretch the par 3 8th is very good, playing 138 yards to an almost infinity greens surrounded by bunkers.
The 9th for me was the standout hole on this front 9 along with the 4th. A sweeping Dog Leg Right, playing downhill and into a green that slopes right to left. At 463 yards a strong par 4 hole and worthy of its SI1 rating.
The 10th is short and driveable, being only 268 yards long, but a pond front right potentially makes that a fools shot. Easy hole to play down to and chip on for a birdie chances and a good balance to the tough 9th that comes before it.
The course is a gentle walk, playing up and down from a central higher ground. Holes 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 18 occupy this higher land with the other holes generally play downhill away from or uphill back to this higher point. Hole 11 plays back up hill and with where new bunkering has been installed.
On the bunkering, there is a mix of styles - for example we have links pot bunkers on the 15th (more of that later) and the course would benefit from a more consistent approach to bunkering style in my view.
The 12th is a good par 5. It sweeps up and over and then downhill, a left to right shape, with the green sat down hill on your approach. With the fairway running into the green at same level, challenge is holding the green as the shaping will try and feed your ball off to the left hand side. Another good par 3 follows, this time uphill into the wind. Take enough club, it will play 1 club longer and a large green awaits. The 14th is a dog leg par 4, skirted by OOB down the left hand side. Again due to housing. It forces a shot out right, to the top of the hill before playing slightly downhill hill, across a valley to a green that slopes back to front. It's a good green complex. The 15th again is influenced by housing down the left hand side and with the wind coming off the right, this sweeping Dog leg right requires a fade to avoid trouble. The club has added to pot bunkers on a mound that runs across the fairway some 100 yards short of the green. This makes the longer hitters think and stops them reaching for driver, which could result in a ball in someone's garden. For shorter hitters this isn't an issue, leaving a wedge approach over these bunkers to the green.
The closing stretch is good. The 16th is the longest par 3 at 175 yards, but there are plenty of bunkers short and an extra club is required given the cross headwind. I managed a birdie here using my 4 hybrid i to the green. The 17th is another strong par 4 - 435 yards long (one of 5 over 400 yards) and into a cross wind off the left, played its yardage as the 2nd shot is also uphill. Another good green with a dip in the fairway just short of it. And finally the 18th, a wind behind, but still 453 yard par 4. Great views across Hull city centre and towards the docks, it's a good testing finishing hole, with the magnificent clubhouse sat behind the green.
In summary, this is a pleasant walk through tree lined rumpled fairways with the real high point being on reaching the greens which were excellent and varied, all having subtle breaks and differing styles and shapes. The back 9 offers more variety as a whole given the more undulating ground upon which it is laid out and a strong finish brings the round to a fitting conclusion. I highlighted holes 4, 9 , 11 and 15 as the best holes.
I think with a bit more tree removal in some areas the sight lines will improve although the compactness of the course and housing and roads around the perimeter will make this a challenge and does compromise someone the holes in my view.
But a day out here to Hull GC and the higher ranked Hessle which is nearby, is certainly worth the effort and you'll be given a friendly welcome and an enjoyable round to boot
Andy Cocker
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Overall rating
3.5
Overall rating
3.5
