The Dukes course was my first experience of golf at Woburn and what an introduction it was. This course, and in particular the early and latter parts of the round, was exactly the experience I imagined it would be. The fairways are isolated tranquil avenues wandering through the established forest and that creates a feeling of solitude and peacefulness. Enjoying slightly firmer turf than the Marquess course, we played the Dukes at the perfect time of year (Spring) and we found the course to be in absolutely wonderful fettle; possibly one of the best conditioned courses I have played so early in the season in England.

The opening run is quite something with a number of the headline acts coming in quick succession. The opener is a relatively short par 5 but the jeopardy of the hole resides in the deceptively tight tee shot. To the left, OB lurks and to the right, the contours mean the undergrowth is closer than it appears. Quite possibly the most famous hole on the course, the severely downhill short par 3 3rd has a back to front sloping green and is as fun as it is deceptively difficult. Playing just 134 yards, this shot is all about distance and spin control. Anything long and you could be signing for a double bogey or worse. Conversely, any shot coming in spinning or short will undoubtedly follow the contours all the way down to the front edge leaving a testing two putt.

Then on to the 4th, an absolutely breathtaking par 4. The hole plays uphill sweeping to the left and lies in lower ground with thick forest lining the banks on both sides. The amphitheatrical nature of this hole is quite special and it is hard to truly do it justice with words alone. All I can say it is a wow moment as memorable as any I can remember on an inland course in the UK.

The holes continue in characterful fashion with a theme of tree lined tee shots and a reward for accurate approach play. The opening nine is short in yards but long in potential for mishap and nowhere is that more evident than the 7th. The SI1 par 4 blends a mixture of elements to mean that it is a true half par hole where 5 will often be a good score. The tee shot is reasonably tight with death and destruction down the left. You then play to a large two tiered green surrounded by bunkering that is sufficient punishment to cost you at least one shot.

The run 8-11 could be deemed the plainer part of the course where a couple of holes wander across a flatter and slightly more open piece of ground. That relative lack of interest is reflected in the higher stroke indexes through this run; my advice would be take advantage of the respite. The treacherous run for home begins on the 13th, possibly the most exacting challenge on the course in my opinion. The tee shot needs to be accurate in both length and line where anything other than perfect leaves you an elevated level of difficulty on an approach shot that is already one of the hardest on the course. That approach (if played from position A) is played from circa 180 yards out with a severe depression short and right of the green. Anything weak and right will incur a severe penalty.