Longcliffe - Leicestershire & Rutland - England

Tom Williamson, the professional at Notts (Hollinwell), designed the course for Longcliffe Golf Club on two hundred acres of the Garendon Estate in 1905. Nine holes opened for play the following year then the full 18-hole layout was made available shortly after, with Hugh Williamson, Tom’s brother, appointed as the club professional.

Some course reconstruction became necessary when the M1 motorway was built to the west of the property during the 1960s, resulting in the loss of the 8th green, 9th hole and 10th tee. In the early 1980s, Donald Steel carried out some course improvements, adding new tees on the 2nd, 4th, 12th and 16th, as well as remodelling the par three 15th hole.

A number of ponds have been enlarged and trees removed over the years and other smaller changes have been made which, although continually improving the course, have not significantly altered its general character. The 17th was modified in 1994 to tighten the approach (and add a bunker to the left of the green) and the reconstruction of the 1st tee in 2004 with sloping banks of heather certainly surpassed expectations.

A round at Longcliffe starts with a par three at the 179-yard 1st but there are only two other short holes played after that, at the 131-yard 5th and the 163-yard 15th. Feature holes include short par fours at the right doglegged 6th and left doglegged 14th, and there’s also a good chance of ending with a birdie at the 338-yard 18th, rated stroke index 18 on the scorecard.