andrew dinsdale

I played Irvine two weeks ago with a former captain and really enjoyed it. Course conditions were excellent, especially considering the baking summer wed had and the greens especially were rolling quick and true.It was a very consistent golf course with not too many weak holes if any. It had maybe one or two long par fours too many but its short par 4s were exceptional. The highlight was probably holes 4, 6, 13 and 17 and i thought the 18th was a great finishing hole primed for match play. Its a lovely course to play when in Ayreshire and id certainly add it on a say 3 round weekend as a cheaper round to compliment one of the big courses in the area. As a side note I played Prestwick the same day and although very different courses I think I actually preferred Irvine ever so slightly. Especially when accounting for the difference in greens fees. Also the greens were quicker at Irvine on the day. Id like to give it 4.5 as I had such a perfect experience at the course but its just lacked that rolling links turf and views of the sea to give it a bit of visual x-factor. Really good course though and will definitely be returning.

I played the course last week on a weekend trip to the golfing haven that is Ayrshire. We had been told of its quirkiness and deep roots within the game of golf and in particular the Open championship and so we decided to make this course our high tariff green fee for the trip. On arrival we were given an excellent greeting. I loved the chipping and putting areas and although lacking other facilities ie a warm up area or dare i say a driving range, I do love when they have a chipping greens by the clubhouse and you can just amble on before your tee time and spend 10 minutes getting your eye in and this was a perfect example of a lovely one in excellent condition. The starter was a nice touch and gave the tee shot real gravitas. To which I duly responded by topping my 4 iron into the rough directly in front of the tee. The first hole I really liked. After laying up (a second time) the short shot to the green with the train track now forcing its way into view was just what I think Scottish links golf is all about and especially golf in this region. It was exactly what the doctor ordered after the long drive and I was massively enthused for the following 17 holes. However and hold on to your hats golf traditionalists and Prestwick GC enthusiasts… I just didn’t get it from there on in. Dont get me wrong its by certainly no means a bad golf course. Most of the holes are good decent golf holes. The conditioning, bunkers, greens, tee boxes, test, are all that of a top 50 in the Uk golf course but its just the layout and routing and oddness of certain holes that I just didnt understand. It started on hole 3 which is one of the poorest and badly designed holes i’ve ever played. It almost doesn’t know what it wants to be. And not only does it not make sense it wastes two huge bunkers that are not in play and dont come into play on any other hole either (I presume were in play at some point in the courses history) and you just bypass them and then turn directly to the right and hit a shot which feels like its onto a different hole. Baffling?… we had to ask other golfers what to do as none of our four-ball had played the course before, and even with the starters advice ringing in our ears we just weren’t sure… odd design 4 was a hole i liked and then 5 were back into the world or lunacy. Hole 5 is a long Par 3 with a huge mound/hill halfway obscuring all vision. There were markers attached to the top showing you your line and a watcher as well to give you the thumbs up or down in my case. One of my pet hates is blind Par 3s and this is the blindest of any I’ve ever played. I did enjoy it and its extreme novelty but it wouldn’t be something I’d look forward to if I was say a member or returning for a second round. The stretch of holes from 6 to 14 were good but not overly spectacular. My pick would be the 10th and 11th. 15th was ridiculous and not in a good way. In calm conditions none of our group escaped without losing a ball and it was only myself who scored with a second ball par. Its an almost impossible tee shot with no visual aids. About a 15 yard fairway to aim for and some of the worst rough on the course on both sides. To make matters worse theres a gigantic bunker that is blind from the tee on the said fairway and hoovers up any balls that go within its vicinity. Its possibly the hardest hole Ive played if not certainly top 5. Trying to imagine that tee shot in say a 20mph crosswind almost stopped me from getting any sleep that night. Its beyond belief that hole and also S.I. 10. To play it again id probably go 5 iron 5 iron and to me thats bad design in that a hole would force me to do that. 16 is a nice short par 4 birdie chance with a very linksy green… good fun. But 17 for me is the signature hole. A good drive will leave an uphill approach over a large mound and massive bunker. Its a tough long hole that can easily ruin a person’s scorecard. The second shot although similar to the 5th feels a little more do or die and requires your best to be in with a chance of a par. I liked it and wouldn’t change it but to have two holes like this is one too many in my opinion. The review feels a little critical but like I say I did enjoy the round. Its obviously a treat as is any top 100 Uk golf course. Its not a bad golf course and I certainly wouldn’t put anyone off. 12 or 13 of the holes are solid enough and enjoyable but overall it failed to meet expectation. I do find it difficult in some or my reviews to be more upbeat when you’ve just paid £220 for a round and are expecting great things. At that price I feel like you should be blown away and it never happened for me. I thought this was tailor made for my tastes. My current favourite course is North Berwick and its quirkiness and historical nature are the things I enjoyed the most, but its the design of Prestwick and the use of its terrain that left me bewildered. For all its undulations, banks and hills I don’t think at any point you shoot downwards to a lower level. Its almost obtuse in its design. The dandruff and elbow patch brigade aren’t going to like this but I think it needs messers Ebert, Doak or the like to come in and redesign it and utilise this excellent piece of land to maximise its potential. Obviously that would never happen and I’m sure the course is thriving and loved by its many members and visitors but to rank the course above Silloth, Portstewart, Hillside, Hollinwell to name a few doesn’t seem right to me. I think closer to the back end of the too 100 is more fitting. But go see yourself, it just left playing partner and I abit bewildered.

I played in early October and got a mild benign day. It was my first time playing North Berwick and I was hugely excited. Many pros and amateurs say the West Links is one of their favourite courses and I was intrigued to say the least. The arrival couldn’t be any friendlier, the sign adorning the entrance ‘visitors are members for a day’ put me instantly at ease as it can be a little daunting playing prestigious courses. The food in the restaurant was exceptional, a truly special place to eat and the service is 5 star. Theres a definite feel of St Andrews but on a slightly smaller scale. Its another of those golf clubs that seem like a town is built around it. I loved its history and I couldn’t rate the off the course experience any higher. On to the starters hut, the meet and greet was again top draw adding that extra special touch. They have a warm up net right on the tee and a lovely putting green which was the same speed as the course on the day. The 1st hole is a gentle iron off the tee to a double fairway so is a nice way to settle the nerves especially with other golfers watching. The second shot was a 7 iron for me to an amazing green setting set above you, this was the first amazing green layout but certainly not the last. If the 1st was an easy starter the 2nd hole is menacingly difficult. Over 400 yards with the beach to your right with many walkers and beach goers within range of a loose shot. I ended up playing my second from the beach to the delight of myself, my group and local dog walkers who stopped to watch me thin my second shot back onto the fairway. The middle section is probably the weakest run of holes but there still isn’t a bad hole in that run. 6 and 7 I enjoyed with the stream right before the green offering yet more quirk. 8 and 9 are possibly the two poorest holes but both offer good chances of birdie, 8 especially. As you turn back for home the holes become tougher and with the wind now in our faces the back 9 played a lot harder than the front. Hole 13 was one of my favourite holes i’ve played on any course. With the stonewall dissecting the green and fairway at an odd angle, a decent drive left a daunting 8 iron to a very slim and tight green. It was as fun as golf gets and a dream 18 hole for traditionalists. The last 5 holes really put a smile on your face. Theres more stonewalls, a crazy green with a huge dip running through the middle, the famously copied Redan par 3 and 14th and 17th holes which have sea behind the greens. Then to finish the 18th drivable par 4 with no protection to the parked cars all down the right. Its pure golf heaven and utterly bonkers. I have to say I absolutely loved it. For me its what golf is all about. Its not too difficult (from the yellows) for average golfers, and not too long. The course is just world class and so consistent with not a poor hole within the 18. To surmise i’ve now played around 20 of the top 100 in Uk and I and numerous other courses around the world and being honest if I had one round to play I would pick North Berwick every time. My favourite of all courses. I just cant see me playing a better one.

I played Fulford in early September and had a fantastic mornings golf. The course although completely flat was top drawer, with no real weak holes. Personal favourites were holes 13 and 17. What I was really impressed by was the conditioning of the course especially the greens which rolled perfectly… they were in such good condition! The course is vast and no holes ever intertwined or ran along side each other. There was a peacefulness and remoteness to the course and its surroundings that I loved and barring crossing over a main road you felt a distance to the outside world. On all of the holes you are playing through the trees which makes the course very pleasing on the eye. Most fairways have bunkers tapering the fairway at around 220-250 yards (yellow tees) so plotting your way around the course and being accurate with the driver is of paramount importance. There were quite a lot of choices from each tee and I liked that the tee shots really made you think. Holes 12 and 16 were short tight par 4s easy to lay up with an iron but highly rewarding if you hit driver. The three par 3s were where the course was weakest, they were all a little similar with the 10th being the favourite as the green and surrounding bunkers were superb. The course had four brilliant par 5s and all offered a chance of birdie but you could also easily come unstuck with devilish bunkering adorning each shot on the hole. Overall Fulford exceeded my expectations and was enjoyed by my father who normally dislikes flatter courses. It is a course with an excellent layout, perfect conditioning, great history and set in idyllic surroundings. Fulford is certainly one to tick off when visiting Yorkshire and worthy of its 5th in the county position. I will definitely be back.

I played Ganton on 7/9/21 from the yellow tees. First up I absolutely loved the historic feel of the clubhouse and surroundings. Straight away you felt you could be in a period drama playing with hickory shafts, long socks and smoking a pipe.Onto the course the first 5 holes allow you to ease your way in to the course… id say they are some of the easiest of the 18. Holes 6 and 7 though are brutally tough. 6 being one of the most difficult par 4s I’ve ever played. If you can avoid going in a bunker and finish with your original ball you’ve have done well. The 9th was a tight but gettable par 5 if you dared to take driver and the 10th a nice short par 3 slightly downhill. The best hole for me was the 16th. On the tee ignore the mammoth bunker that covers the whole fairway and hit a solid drive, which if straight enough will be rewarded with a huge 50 yard kick down to around 140 yards in where a small slim green is guarded by a thin deep bunker. A really good hole which has the courses only substantial elevation change. Hated the far too long 17th but really enjoyed strong 18th to finish. On the whole though I have to say myself and playing partner were thoroughly disappointed. Its fair to say we completely didn’t get it.Disclaimer: I know people on here love this course and a lot of the negative reviews of Ganton are defended vociferously but I will always be honest and hopefully fair. I feel I have to say why I found it disappointing from my perspective. I do this without wanting upset or cause any offence and having played many top courses in the Uk and Ireland I feel I am about qualified to critique this with good background knowledge and experience. My main issue is that the surface of the greens were of poor quality and slow. They were the slowest id putted on all year. They were a little fluffy and putts really had to be hit rather than stroked from anywhere outside 20 feet. We had played in the morning at Fulford which was 30 miles away and the contrast was astounding. We couldn’t have played such excellent greens followed by such poor ones. Worse than my modest home course and almost dare I say it municipal like in tempo. There was also some weird white possibly paint blobs around a couple of the holes, one was in line with one of my putts and although not a big deal I thought it odd for such an esteemed golf course. For the price of the green fee and its standing they weren’t anywhere near good enough and hugely disappointing. The bunkers were completely OTT also, too many and too demanding. They sucked the fun out of the round. In a decent wind avoiding them was almost impossible for all but the elite golfer. At St Andrews from my experience the fairway bunkers are varied, some are friendly, some give you a small chance at the green and some are so monstrous they come with a name like hell or coffin. Deciding which ones to aim away from and which ones to take on are part of the challenge and fun. Here every bunker is of the same ilk, created to add at least a shot on to the card or worse ruin it. This created a distain for them and rather challenging you to hit an aggressive shot, maybe landing just short of the green or maybe even get to the green they forced you to hit out 10 or 15 yards. They also weren’t particularly sandy and again in comparison to Fulford the sand was again not of the same standard . Overall it just wasn’t our cup of tea and I can see now why it gets such mixed reviews. It isn’t a lot of fun and it was too much of a test for the mid handicappers in the group. I felt disconnected with the course having played North Berwick the week before (which we all loved). For anyone who has played there knows of its quirkiness, the story of the course, the challenge, undulations, the fun, its romantic golf at its best and Ganton is the complete opposite in almost every way. Its more about challenge and accuracy and you really have to grind to get a score here. Ganton feels like a scratch golfers course and you can certainly see why it hosts big amateur events and qualifiers. A course perfectly suited to separate the wheat from the chaff. I wanted to love it but sadly I didn’t. When you play these top 100 golf courses though you always have the top level conditioning to fall back on and this is where I struggle with Ganton. For its price and prestige the conditioning didn’t warrant the asking price and had we paid full price (we paid for a twilight ticket) I would have asked for a partial refund. Instead we jumped in our car and headed for home aloof to what all the fuss is about?

One of the best courses, best experiences or both? As a person mad on golf I have waited far too long to visit St Andrews. The town of St Andrews is like mecca to golfers a right of passage and I could not wait to arrive and see what the town and course has to offer. I haven’t visited anywhere like it, where golf it as the heart of everything that is there. From the bars, museum, countless shops and even the hotels, the place is a golfers dream and goes above and beyond expectations. The course does have some detractors and I was interested to see what I would make of S Andrews the home of golf.On the day the weather was as good as it gets. We played in scorching hot conditions with barely a breath of wind. I found that without its defences the course wasn’t overly difficult nor particularly long. I shot 5 over my playing handicap on my first time round, mainly due to a bit of a struggle on the greens. The greens were magnificent by the way and even with a caddy I just found them ever so difficult to play on. More experience of links golf and more times around the old course would certainly have given me a better chance to shoot my handicap. I must say the first tee is superb, a real experience… and utter theatre. Depending on your tee time hoards of people can be sat watching you swing away and its possibly the most enjoyable/nerve wracking first tee in golf. The only comfort being that the fairway is about 100 yards wide. I was so pumped up I managed to hit my driver flush straight into the swilcan burn. I tried to take a bit off and swing easy. I suppose thats a lesson for us all. I enjoyed the 7th hole a short par 4 where iron or 3 wood off the tee works best. Once safely in position a devilish approach awaited with a very difficult green sat upon a steep plateau. The 11th was also a nice par 3 with the Eden estuary in the background, and where the member we were paired with had a hole in one. Well done Scott if you’re reading. I loved the lay of the land , the way the fairways were full of lumps and bumps. You never quite knew what would happen and I got a few lovely hops to avoid bunkers but also some horrendous ones that were gobbled up. The bunkers were by far the best and toughest i’ve ever seen in golf. Not many courses have named bunkers but the Old course has many. The coffins or hell to name but a few and all have stories attached. It certainly created real drama in the round and playing in different winds must really bring different bunkers into play. You get the feeling that no round would ever be the same and I really enjoyed that aspect. Mid round I was really starting to enjoy the tee shots. My main weakness in my game is with the driver, but around St Andrews such problems are negated by aiming into safe spots or left on most tees and playing other fairways. As is well known left is right and right is s***e and that played perfect for my game giving me a higher level of confidence than usual when branding the big stick. I managed to drive two of the par 4s and although we had perfect conditions i’m not an overly long hitter. I thoroughly enjoyed the course as it gave every golfer a fighting chance of playing well. It didn’t beat you up. If you could avoid the really bad rough and gorse by aiming well away from them then you’d avoid punishment There is a point in the round where my memory is a little vague. Even with the yardage book out in front of me I cant quite remember some of the holes specifically. I think this is because the holes have a similar landscape. From the tee especially there are visual similarities on many of the holes. In general its very different to the other top rated courses Ive played. Its more understated and lacks that real wow factor that a lot of other courses have. Its missing in my opinion some stand out holes especially in the middle of the round where each hole feels a little similar to the next. I found the round very enjoyable though for many other reasons. As you’re going round you chat with other golfers who might be on your fairway or maybe you’re on theirs. Members asking if its your first time playing. Course stewards giving sage advice and even the server at the halfway house asking how you’re round is going. Theres just something in the air at St Andrews. Something you cant put your finger on, or even try to explain. But everyone has a smile on their face. The home stretch is where the course bares its teeth with 15 and 16 were very strong demanding holes. As you get closer to the town the excitement builds knowing of course what is to come. Hole 16 surprised me I thought it was an excellent hole with out of bounds to the right, thick rough left and bunkers covering the lay up short. It forced the driver and hitting towards the hotel there is no better backdrop. Once safely away its not too difficult but it serves as a good warm up for whats to come and asks the golfer to stand up and he counted on the tee. The famed 17th… the road hole at St Andrews is what every golfer wants to play. Not a lot can be said that hasn’t been said before but for me its the best hole i’ve ever played. With a mild right to left wind. I hit a good drive to around 185 yards from the green on the left hand side of the fairway. I then tried to hit a lefty fade using the wind with 4 iron to the back left pin. Which was nestled right behind the road hole bunker. I smoked the iron announcing as it was fading back from the right edge of the green “thats gotta be close?” to which my caddie said “bunker” the ball landed 10 yards to the right scurried left, toilet bowled round the bunker and dropped in. At first a wave of disappointment came over me but whilst walking to my ball I realised that i’ve never been happier to be in the sand, or life in general. I nearly chipped in and then left my par putt agonisingly on the edge of the hole. I couldn’t have played it any better and made a bogey 5. It’s certainly one of the more challenging holes. As a side note I would advise hiring a caddy. Im not a wealthy individual but they are such good value for money and really added to the experience. As a first timer as well I cant stress how valuable their knowledge was. Every hole you needed to know where to hit the ball off the tee, where not to land, which bunkers to miss and which parts of the green to hit and then how to read the greens. If you are playing the course for the first time i’m not sure how you could navigate the course without disaster. My caddy saved me easily 5/6 shots and if you asked him he’d probably rightly say a few more than that. How to sum up the Old course? Id say that it just puts a smile on your face. I mean who wants to play a course that is overly difficult or long and end up with your game in tatters. Although the website asks us to mark the course and forget about all other aspects. I think that on this occasion St Andrews and the experience plays such a massive role in the round. It is just golfing heaven. I was having the time of my life and how can you not enjoy playing the home of golf when you are almost at euphoria over every shot. Ok the course in most parts isn’t overly special. If you like the finer details then each hole has different ways to play it and that is certainly a boon. I think even going round the Old course fifty times you’d never have the same shot twice and thus course knowledge and experience counts for everything.The course granted does disappoint slightly at times and if i’m completely honest I found parts of the course baffling, but it is impossible not to fall in love with the place and the golfing atmosphere. Its golf as it was originally designed, its a little madcap at times but the parts that didn’t hit the mark fade away once you are walking down the 18th fairway, looking around and experiencing the walk of past champions. Every golfer must visit and once you have you will want to come again and again and again.

I played in the Sherwood Forest Open for the first time recently and had a blast. I loved the walk to the first tee and the panoramic view of the course. I thought that everything about the place oozed class. The member announcing us on the first tee was a lovely touch and the practice facilities were some of the best i've experienced. The course was fantastic. A very pretty setting for golf with fairways flanked by whispy straw creating an orangey hew across the course. My favourites were the par 3 4th; firing downhill towards the clubhouse requiring pin point accuracy and the par 4 18th; a strong finishing hole with a spectacular vista from the tee. Our group noted how consistent the course was with no real poor holes with the architecture using the lay of the land to perfection with many a fairway shot having to clear deep drops before the green. There are also some lovely downhill drives creating different options from the tee and barely a blind shot considering the vastly rolling landscape. The course condition was fantastic and more than a match for the top Uk and Ireland courses. Rough, tees and fairways were top grade and the beautiful fringed bunkers were also as you'd expect from a course of this calibre. On to the greens… they were the fastest i've ever experienced with rumours circling the course of 13.2 on the stimp meter I can honestly say i've never putted on anything thats come close to the speed of Sherwood Forest and I was recently at St Andrews. Leaving myself 3/4 minutes on the practice putting green my first 10 foot effort went 25 feet past the hole and after a bit of head scratching and a little more practice I managed to get to grips before heading out. My one and only critique about the course is that its too hard for the average golfer. Granted I played from the white tees but the yellow tees still had 5 400 yard+ par 4s. Basically its an absolute brute of a course. The fairways also were so tight that in places they were the width of a large green. This was reflected in a Nett 70 (one under) winning the day. Absolute madness!… especially as the weather couldn't have been better. I also played with a 1 handicapper who shot 17 over par. My point is that its probably a little on the wrong side of difficult and could do with easing a little in places to allow for more all round enjoyment. However let that not detract from what I consider an astounding Heathland course in a quintessentially English setting. I haven't played that many top 100 Uk and Ireland courses but if Sherwood Forest doesn't quite make the list then I’ve got a hell of a lot to look forward to.

After playing the Old and Castle courses the two previous days our last round was at the famed New course. I was again excited for my round and determined to do well having heard rumours that the New is a little easier than some of the other courses at St Andrews. I found the course to be just that and I scored well on the day. The New certainly gives you a chance and for me this is the most playable course at St Andrews. The course condition as you'd expect was outstanding and with the sun blaring down we got to see the course at its finest. It is very flat barring a couple of holes but its the strategy and finer points that are the attraction. The New requires you to plot your routes and take care with the angle in which you approach the pins. The bunkers are placed expertly and almost always challenge every tee shot. The greens are firm and fast and were a pleasure to putt on. Comparing it to the Old course (if thats at all fair) I found the fairways less undulating, with fewer odd bounces and hanging lies, and the greens although difficult were slightly easier to putt on. The bunkers were not as cavernous or quite as punishing and in general it lacked the exceptional touches that the old has. The opening hole has a lovely setting with a large putting green and modern clubhouse beside it. Once away the course is another out and back with a couple of holes playing alongside an expanse of water. Holes 9 and 10 were the highlights. Hole 9 being a tough par 3 to a raised green and hole 10 a long blind tee shot to a sunken fairway between dunes. Two very pretty holes. Barring those two there wasn't a great deal to shout about with most of the holes tough to remember. I think like many of the reviews you become a little under-awed and there are parts of the round where course is almost mundane. I enjoyed the round but I do have to echo that if it were not situated in St Andrews then i'm not sure it would feature in the Uk and Ireland top 100. All in all the New course fell a little bit below expectation but I still had a great time. If I came again I wouldn't choose to play the New over the Castle or Jubilee but it is still good value for money and a good golf course overall. Just for me not an exceptional one.

On my second day of my first trip to St Andrews we were to play the castle course. I hadn't done a great deal of research and so was massively surprised when we arrived to see a clifftop course with a real holiday vibe. The clubhouse was very modern and stylish and the welcome was of the first class. After a delicious Scottish breakfast we took to the range which is included in the green fee. Balls were stacked awaiting us in pyramid form, a real classy touch. There was a starter on the first tee and we also encountered 2 more assistants on the course who around the 6th hole told the group in front that we would be playing through on the next tee. Service is of the highest order especially for the mid range price of the green fee. Opening up what really stands out is the rolling fairways, deep white sanded bunkers and beautiful coastline views. I especially liked the stroke index 1 par 5 5th, and the coastal holes 7 to 9. The greens we struggled on and the balls rejected any shot that wasn't perfectly struck and aimed. Basically if you struck an iron shot to 10/15 feet you'd be ok , but anything short or slightly pushed/pulled often left you putting from 30/40 feet away, sometimes off the green with little to no chance of getting the putt close. The back 9 has a more inland feel but its at hole 17 right on the cliff edge where the stand out signature hole awaits. A long par 3 over a deep ravine with the pin situated on the right barely 10 yards from the cliff. The safest shot is to the left with the slopes carrying the shot back to the centre of the green. The 18th is also very dramatic and an excellent finishing hole with the view of the plateau green sitting amidst a blue sea background. The castle course is a bit of an enigma. After about 3 holes I was thinking that this could be one of my favourite courses and after the 5th I was sure it was. By about hole 11 my attitude had changed and I had become frustrated with the greens and their ridiculous design. What started as quirky fun quickly became a frustrating drag. At times they are impossible, proven when my playing partner decided to have a second go at a long putt. He then putted the ball on the opposite line to the first and it ended up touching his first putt. He repeated this with 3 more balls and 3 different lines and paces and all 5 putts ended in the same position. Its a complete head-scratcher. My playing partner and I loved the layout and challenge that the course put up. The views are stunning and most holes took advantage of its picture perfect setting. I would definitely play here again when visiting St Andrews and we still had loads of fun and great memories. You also get the feeling that larger groups would enjoy the castle course and although difficult at times it does offer something for all abilities. However I do put a high value on the state of the greens when grading the course. I have tried but have found it difficult to look past its monumentally flawed greens. They linger long after the round which is such a shame because I truly believe that this is a top 50 Uk and Ireland course. The greens have not too distantly been altered to address some issues and hopefully they will try again. I would suggest a reworking.

Scarcroft is a lovely little golf club set amidst some of Yorkshires finest moorland courses. The course is a parkland layout with rolling fairways and holes flanked by tall trees. The design feels very Alistair Mckenzie but was actually created by his younger, and less renowned brother Charles. Theres certainly a lot of similarities between Moor Allerton and nearby Alwoodley.The warm up facilities were very good and our group really liked the short game area and pristine nets located adjacent to the 1st tee, although the practice putting green was very poor and I did expect higher quality for the green fee and region in which it resides. The course is quite tight from the tee and most shots require pin point accuracy. The greens are small in size so the premium is on hitting straight shots. If you’re a little bit wayward the course will punish you and I made all my bad scores on holes where I hit a poor tee shot. Scarcroft was very consistent, I enjoyed the opening stretch and there are only a few weak holes within the 18. Hole 14 was the stand out hole, a great risk reward par 5 with longer hitters having the chance to go for glory in two clearing a large lake below the raised green. Many of the par 4s were good holes also and many very pretty. The last three holes I wasn’t as keen on, they were too short with the last hole being just too easy playing more like a long par 4 than and par 5, still enjoyable but not challenging enough for better golfers. My big disappointment though was the condition of the course. This didn’t reflect the green fee and of its standing as 19th best in such a competitive region. The greens were very poor. I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt (for covid) but they were so poor that I don’t think excuses can be made. The fairways were also below standard and I cant recall playing a course with such a good design but with the conditioning of an average municipal. It took a little of the shine off a great day at a course we all thoroughly enjoyed, but for me greens rank highly in my judgement and because of that I don’t think id return. If living locally I might give it a second chance as I did really like the course and hopefully they can improve these issues in the near future.

I was interested to find out whether the course would match the quality of its historical landmarks having previously sailed around Bamburgh Castle and the nearby Farne Islands...the course certainly didn’t disappoint. The scenery and spectacular views are unrivalled especially for the modest green fee. The sea and estuary frame most of the front 9 and a few holes on the back half also. There’s also a giant cliff that sits dead centre of the course that you play alongside and then across later in the round. I kept my phone close to hand, taking multiple pictures during the day. It really is a special place to play golf. Bamburgh Castle Golf Club is madcap, romantic, often quirky and at times a little insane. It features cliff top holes, six par 3’s, a quarry, large ravines, a few drivable par 4s and many memorable moments. Our group had a good mixture of handicaps and we all thoroughly enjoyed the course. Two broke 80 for the first time and so if it’s challenging golf you seek Bamburgh certainly plays easier than standard and is not that challenging. It has so many good holes, personal favourites were holes 1-4 along the coast, 8-10 inland and 15-17 a mixture of both. Many partial links courses have strong holes by the coast but suffer when you go inland. This was not the case at Bamburgh with some of the stronger holes inland including the signature 8th hole. On arrival we received an excellent welcome from the club and the condition was top notch for December considering the recent weather. The greens were a little furry in places but we’re still quick and i’m sure would be pristine come spring/summer. What the course lacks is yards. It’s a meagre 5604(white)/5271 (yellow) yards par 68 with many of the longer par 4 holes playing downhill. There are far too many short par 4s and elite golfers would overpower the course. I didn’t like the 14th hole at all. The green slopes front to back with a large hill behind. All our group hit the ball up the ‘back stop’ and it rolled down close to the hole. It was the oddest shaped green and weirdest pin position i’ve come across. It felt a little like ‘crazy golf’. Another of the par 3s the 6th home was too testing. It was the longest i’ve played. Playing 220 from my watch into the wind from the yellow tees and with the green at least 100 feet above you my usual 260 yard drive came up 10 yards short. This is the first par 3 stroke index 1 i’ve come across and the first i’ve not been able to reach. It was too long and difficult and I think it’s unfair if a 6 handicap can’t get there with a driver. I’m nitpicking a little as on the whole Bamburgh has many great holes and the views are spectacular. It does lack the finer details that higher rated courses have. The bunkering isn’t of the high quality of a Goswick or Dunstanburgh and the greens are a little flat and dull. I think for me it just lacks a little in condition and design to make it into a top 100 golf course, however It’s so memorable and I can still picture each hole vividly.I would say the course is especially good for mid to high handicappers, societies and golf trips as it’s not too punishing, great fun and has knockout vistas. I would play this over many of the courses i’ve given a higher rating to because it’s wow factor and the enjoyment of the golf. There are a lot of courses nearby and they all have their merits, but if you’re only planning to play one and looking for the best aesthetically then Bamburgh must be your first choice.

On arrival you are greeted with an old twee clubhouse, land wrapped by yellow whispy grass and rolling pastel green fairways. With only the passing trains to remind you of urban life a feeling of isolation surrounds you as you prepare for your round. As tranquil and bohemian a setting as you can play golf in. On the day we played the rough was cut back and there was barely a breath of wind, the course however still held a stern test for even the lowest handicappers in our group. Stand out holes were the 2nd, 6th, 7th, 12th and 14th with some stunning views of the sea on many of the back nine holes. The course has fantastic topography throughout from elevated tees to rolling fairway and was thoroughly enjoyed by all 10 of our group. Conditions wise it was of the highest standard. The speed of the greens were electric for the time of year and some of the more undulating putting surfaces were very tricky. Major kudos to the green staff. The course is very charming and exquisitely pretty. It’s a stern test and has a mixture of doglegs and elevations. Goswick rightly sits as the best course in Northumberland and is definitely a top 100 golf course in England. However I do take umbrage with other reviews saying it should be a top 100 Uk. It isn’t anywhere near that for me. The par 3s are a little bit of a mixed bag and it lacks the wow factor of some of the 5 ball reviews i’ve given. However I don’t want this to detract from what is a lovely links course in a fabulous setting and one that i’m excited to come back and play again. Nobody who plays Goswick leaves unhappy no matter what the score.

The Glen golf course in North Berwick certainly should not be overlooked on a trip to play some of Lothians finest. Nestled within a hotbed of some of Scotland’s greatest links courses the Glen cannot rival these courses for design but does surpass for scenery and the spectacular views. Barring the badly designed first hole (the worst hole i’ve played at a top 100 course) the course is played from high ground with sumptuous vistas of the North Sea and Bass Rock. Although not as testing as its neighbours it offers players a chance to score well, with many holes having wide fairways and not too penal rough. Playing in late October the course overall was in good condition showing only a few signs of wear. Greens were quick and had subtle undulations and bunkers were nice if a little friendlier than I’d expected. The stand out was the thirteenth and rightly described as the signature hole. It’s a world class short par 3 with the sea in play and nowhere to bail out. I noted that a bad shot could see you playing your second from the adjacent beach, which wouldn’t be too disastrous as it was one of the most beautiful scenic holes i’ve had the pleasure of playing. Overall the Glen isn’t going to challenge your Gullanes, NB’s or Muirfields. Its just not as well designed, nor is it difficult enough for better golfers. It doesn’t have the history, course conditioning or gravitas that these courses have in abundance. For me though it is one of the most enjoyable places to play. Perfect for travelling parties and societies looking to add a cheaper round to a golf trip. A round at the Glen would certainly compliment rounds at its more heralded neighbours. Sometimes absurd (hole 18), sometimes mediocre, but in many parts as good as anywhere in the UK. I think I have to rate the course in the 4.5 ball category. It’s a 4 ball course but it is laid out in a 6 ball setting. Yes it comes up short in quality of design but for visual appeal and enjoyment it’s as good as any.

I had the pleasure of playing Seaton Carew in mid October. We had a very warm welcome from the club shop assistant who kindly moved our tee time forward so we would not have any issues with the fading light. I must admit previously I had overlooked Seaton Carew on many occasions due to the understated look of the clubhouse, putting green and car park. Taking my golf more seriously and now playing better courses it was imperative I play this top 100 in England track. I played the Bishop layout (one of 5 different 18’s at the course). The course is a classic links out and back usually playing into the wind out and with wind behind on the back. It is imperative to start well and the opening stretch is where most of your chances will occur. With none of the opening par 4s playing over 400 yards the difficulty mainly lies in finding the fairway and negotiating the often strong winds. A major highlight are the greens at SCGC. They are mostly narrow, long (a lot of the greens can have a 2/3 club difference), flanked by dastardly pot hole bunkers, undulating and devilish in nature. Two putts is never a given and there are several areas on every green that will ensure a treacherous end to the hole. The condition of the course is also worth noting. Considering the recent bout of wet weather and it being October ‘up north’ the greens and fairways were exceptional and bunkers were also of the highest quality. It really felt like summer golf with the firm bounces and run on the fairway. Utterly remarkable for this time of year. To the course, holes 1-6 were just about good but from hole 7 onwards the course comes into its own. Fairways become smaller and more undulating and the rough more perilous. From here on in it is necessity to hit fairways and you certainly feel the demand standing on each tee. In the middle section my favourites were ‘Mashie’ a knee trembling par 3, ‘Gare’ a beautiful but extremely tight par 4 playing towards the sea and ‘Beach’ with the buckthorn running along the whole of the right hand side. All great holes. The pinnacle though at SCGC is the final three holes. With ‘snag’ being the courses acme. From the tee thick rough and large buckthorn await you down the right and large dunes to the left. A frightening view. The danger is not over with the approach requiring a mid iron into the tiniest of greens, surrounded by the deepest bunkers on the course. Many a card will have been ruined coming home and you will struggle to find a tougher and more testing end to a round of golf. Overall this is a high quality links and by far the best course in the Durham Tees valley area. The only downsides are that the ugly industrial skyline dominates a lot of the holes and there are no views of the nearby sea. Its not quite in the upper echelon of courses in GB & I as it’s comes up short visually and has an average opening stretch of holes. However it’s certainly one of the best in England. Easily worthy of an overnight stay. Its fun, demanding, memorable, great value and in excellent condition all year long. Seaton Carew I apologise for my ignorance I will not be ignoring you any longer.

With perfect weather for our day at Silloth we were very excited for the two rounds ahead. We played on the 1st of October on the summer all day package, which consists of breakfast, lunch, two course dinner and two rounds if golf. The cost was £89! The reception from Simon the pro, the knowledgeable staff and members were as good as i've experienced. The food was the best course food i’ve eaten. There really cannot be a better value golf course in the Uk and Ireland. The course is a mixture of a links landscape but with the heather and gorse of a moorland/heathland style course. The pot bunkers across the course are all small but devilishly deep and must be avoided at all costs. Stunning views of the Irish Sea and nearby Scotland are visible on many of the holes as is the industrial buildings that embody Silloth. The round opens up with a stunning straight par 4 with a blind shot second having to hit over a hill to the green that sinks down into a bowl. The second hole was my favourite tee shot of the day requiring either an accurate iron down to the largest part of the fairway or a driver to get closer to the green on more of a risky line. Holes 3 and 4 were very strong par 4s with the green on 3 being just above you and leaving a stunningly beautiful shot in. The green on 4 miss it at you peril as both sides run off into deep gully’s where you can find yourself hitting back and forth if you haven’t got a good flop shot in your armoury. Hole 5 is the most picturesque. A short par 5 from the yellow tees, downwind and although S.I. 4 on the card played the easiest hole for our trio. After a great par 3 6th and two solid par 4s the par 3 9th ‘postage stamp’ for me was the courses signature hole. At only 120 yards long with the sea in the background and the green below a solid wedge shot to a small green is required avoiding three front bunkers that are some of the toughest on the course. A really fun hole and one you’d look forward to on each visit. The 10th is one of the courses weaker holes with another blind shot to the green. At the 11th you reach the end of the stretch and immediately turn back into the wind. The holes on the back on the main have slightly wider fairways, are a tad longer and require a greater test of your skills. The 12th par 3 was a long tight testing tee shot where with stronger winds could require many golfers to call for the driver. The 13th was the hardest hole. From the tee it read 450yards par 5 downwind and we thought this must be a mistake, however after doing the easiest part of putting a drive or 3 wood onto the fairway the second shot required pin point precision through a feathery gorse opening to a tiny fairway that was tightly flanked by thick rough and heather. The third shot to the green was so difficult that you never really felt in control even from inside 50 yards and miss the green to left or right and you’d have just as tough a shot from the run off area. It perhaps felt slightly unfair rather than testing and a hole you can easily come unstuck on even with good shots. The next another par 5 was another solid test that defied its stroke index. Hole 16 was a very long hole even into the slight breeze we played it in needing two hefty strokes. Hole 17 brought in the neighbouring houses right as does hole 18 which was a long slog back to the clubhouse. The houses on the right hand side I personally didn’t mind although some are in disrepair. I thought it epitomised Silloth as a quirky local course. However they do have a major problem with balls being hit into the houses as there is no protection and they are alarmingly easy for any level of golfer to hit towards. Gratefully the green fee covers the insurance for such a misdemeanour. Overall we loved the course. Nearly all the par fours left you pondering which club to use from the tee and the par 3s as a package were as good as it gets. As a negative the greens sadly had just been seeded and tined as is the time of the year and were very difficult to putt on. There were far too many blind shots. For visitors who haven’t experienced the course you do spend a lot of time running up a hill to see the green and back down to your ball as most of the blind shots are from the fairways. Condition wise it didn’t match up to some of my local links courses or to other 5 ball reviews i’ve given. Fairways were a little scrappy and had a lot of divots. There was also some bare parts in the rough that looked a little worse for wear. I’m between 4 and a half and a 5 ball rating and i'm going to opt for the latter. I’ll give Silloth the benefit of the doubt conditions wise as the beautiful course layout should not be given any less than 5 balls. Get in your car and go you will not be disappointed.

I arrived at Alwoodley with mixed expectations given that it was my first foray into heathland golf and also that it was Mackenzies first go at course design. I needn’t have worried. The day was magnificent. The course, facilities and greeting from members and staff were of the highest quality, and whilst the course layout felt like it hadn't changed since creation everything else felt modern and up to date. My main memory will be the arrival to the first tee. Unparalleled pressure awaits as up to 50 members and guests are sat in a cauldron behind the first tee, heckle at the ready. The clubhouse was also excellent. I especially liked it’s modern design and it’s use of light coloured wood, I presume to match the colours on the course. After playing the first hole you get a feel for the strategy needed to play well here. Staying out of the rough and especially the purple heather is paramount. The course requires you to plot your way around the and at times shape shots to avoid run outs and hazards. It’s certainly requires a lot of plotting your way around and the requirements can be too much for mid to high handicappers. You’ve got to bring your best golf to the course to survive and the demand can and did overwhelm my golf game on the day. It is one of the hardest courses i’ve played and not one for the faint hearted. I thought the stand outs were holes 7,9,10,17 and 18. All of which had spectacular views and design. The condition was of the very highest standard that i’ve been fortunate to play. I’d played Turnberry two days before and I thought that Alwoodley was in just as good if not maybe even slightly better condition (sorry Donald).My only gripe on the day were with holes 4 and 5. The fourth was too difficult off the yellow tees for all but the lowest handicap golfer and hole 5 fairway didn’t allow shots onto it. All our group who hit the fairway ended up in thick rough down the right hand side due to the severity of the slope and it felt unfair and must be something the management are looking to change. All in all Alwoodley is a perfect destination for premium golf. It’s picturesque, is of high difficulty, has a world class course and is very well priced (in my opinion). If you’re looking to play the best courses in Yorkshire Alwoodley has got to be in the equation. A true hidden gem.

First can I say I wasn’t impressed with the stuffy and rude reception we received when arriving at the pro shop. It wasn’t needed and set a sour tone for the day. Also the fairway and tee conditions for July were quite poor for the stature and reputation that comes with a former Ryder Cup venue. The fairways on the front 9 were thread bare, cracked in places, very dry and lacked grass. Having played Alwoodley the day before and with it being in immaculate condition i’m not sure there’s can be any excuses, especially with the £10 difference in summer green fee. On to the course rating. Firstly the driving range was exquisite. Free range balls included in your ticket and probably the the most scenic practice facility i’ve seen. It was stunning, a huge positive and perfectly situated next to the first tee. The first hole is a standard par 5 and a relatively easy start. I felt holes 2-10 were the strongest stretch of the course with holes 5 and 7 being my personal favourites. Holes 11-14 I felt were a little weaker, however still interesting and certainly a good test. 15 and 16 were strong requiring strategic drives and 17 a short par 3 probably the weakest of the par 3s on the course. 18 is an excellent finishing hole requiring a long drive avoiding the many bunkers down the right leaving a mid to long iron firing straight at the original clubhouse where seated guests can enjoy (and heckle) final shots of the day. A great finishing hole befitting the course. We stayed and had an excellent meal in the bar and debated on where the course rates within the uk and the region. We agreed that it was an enjoyable, fair test for all handicaps. There was no real signature hole but there wasn’t a weak hole either. The condition of greens and bunkers were top notch. For me the rolling land, gorse and picturesque nature of the course highlighted its rightful place as one of Yorkshire’s finest.

First and foremost i’m here to critique the course but I do need to state that the hotel, grounds and facilities truly are 5 star. From the welcome at reception, to the decadent suite, to the service in the clubhouse Trump Turnberry is a complete, breathtaking opulent experience. Right to the course. Holes 1 to 3 were steady opening holes. A little similar possibly but nothing to write home about. Hole 4 is where the magic starts a mid range par 3 with a large mound to the right and wasteland, bunkers, beach and thick rough to the left. With an excellent view from the tee you get a sense that only a great shot will leave a putt which makes this a truly exhilarating and demanding golf hole. Hole 5 was an excellent short par 5 with the wind behind and only required two irons to get to the green such was the 10mph tailwind and the firm fairways. A scoring hole Hole 6 seemed like Turnberrys version of the postage stamp. A very short par 3 where you teed off from a raised plinth. A simple shot but on days where the elements are against you could lead to disaster. Hole 7 was another gettable par 5 in two, with the line over the left bunker. Although fraught with danger the rewards were a short iron in for an eagle putt. Take out the driver and rip one down there. A great risk reward hole accompanied by sink hole green side bunkers that seem to hoover up even decent approaches (i’m still bitter)Hole 8 an outstanding par 4. The green being one of the most spectacular views on the course. Watching my partner putt he had the Irish Sea behind whilst he negated a very fast downhill long putt. Postcard worthy Hole 9 is the standout hole. The lighthouse the rocks, the thought of playing this hole from the competition tees make this one of the greatest holes in golf. When they next get an open (hopefully) this hole will be the talk of all the players and media. It has got to be one of the best golf holes in the world. In comparison i’ve played the Vale de Lobo 16th and it’s not even in the same league. The only negative for me is that the yellow and white tees don’t quite have the same risk and difficulty as the black ‘Open championship’ tees. With wind behind it wasn’t that tricky a shot from the yellows/whites and i think they should of made them more alike. Granted i know this would have been difficult. Hole 10 was another short par 5 with a very wide fairway. A wonderful tee box view again hitting slightly down onto a fairway with a few pot bunkers to negate. The second shot is where the difficulty lies and if you can safely clear the large fairway bunker then a mid/short iron running up the green is the best play. The green seems to turn towards the sea and again leaves you with a vista of extreme beauty. Hole 11 is a par 3 again hugging the rocks. Another world class hole that will test a players nerve and skill. The wind was slightly pushing towards the water and so we were thankful of the pin placement on the very right hand side of the green. Majestic. At hole 12 we turned and were going back into the wind. The holes there on in were longer and more testing and lacked a little bit of character compared to the holes along the coast. Some were a little flat and not that memorable. Stand outs were hole 16 with a hidden burn and hole 17 where you had to drive through the mounds either side of the fairway. Two very good inland holes. Hole 18 is an average hole but do take time to go to the right hand side of the fairway to see Tom Watson’s plaque from his famous ‘duel in the sun’ with Jack Nicklaus. The Ailsa course certainly didn’t disappoint but i don’t think it exceeded expectations. On one hand i’d played a stretch of holes that were utterly breathtaking and were some of my all time favourites but on the other I knew of its rating as the 8th best in the world and I couldn’t comprehend that it could be rated better than pebble beach, augusta and portrush to name but a few. I didn’t get the feeling especially in the disparity between the great holes and average ones that it was top 10 in the world. I think maybe that rating is a slightly off the mark. I came expecting to be giving my first ever 6 ball review but it just fell short. But that’s not to take away from its brilliance. I look at 6 balls for perfection and it just fell short. It was the best course i’ve ever played and i’d advise everybody to go play it and see for yourself because it is truly a great golf course.

The Robert the Bruce course is a good sister course to the more prestigious and well known Ailsa. The course is set on beautiful picturesque seaside links with views of the lighthouse and Irish sea on many of the holes.Golfers hoping for a nice easy warm up round before tackling the Ailsa be warned! the course is brutally tough and demands your best golf. On most holes the layout is flat and at times a touch repetitive. You also forget that you’re playing a links course so close to the sea in the early holes, however don’t think it is easy. We found the rough to be so harsh that unless you ran into the fringe you were very unlikely to find your ball. Not only was the rough harsh the course was so tight especially in the weather conditions we faced that it almost became impossible to score even for two single figure handicapper in our group. Holes 1-7 were on mainly flat ground and all had challenging bunkers and required fairway drives. Not overly memorable but solid golf club holes. Holes 8-11 are where you get the 5star experience. The 8th a lovely par 5 birdie chance that whets the appetite for the signature 9th. The 9th hole is a testing drive required to leave you with a mid to long iron over sandy wasteland to the green. There are stunning views of the Irish sea to your left and the hole was certainly one of the top 5 holes even including those on the Ailsa course. A sheer stunning hole. The 10th is a good par 3 hole with nice views from the tee. This hole feels and looks very new and needs a bit or growth and bedding in, but is still a good par 3. The 11th another gettable par 5 requiring a good drive had the lighthouse pretty much as the backdrop for all three shots. My second favourite hole on the course and another stunner. The closing holes i thought were slightly better than the opening ones however even after only a week has passed i’m struggling to remember each one individually. I think that sums up the course. The 3/4 holes in the middle are world class and the rest are good if a little flat and repetitive. The condition of the course was immaculate, bunkers fluffy and the greens quick. I couldn’t rate the course higher in this respect, perfect in all aspects. As a side note the rough was impossible and did take a little of the fun out of the game. We had poor weather and i dread to think what id score on a very bad day. I’m not sure i’ve ever been so worried about playing the main course the next day. The course really chewed us up and spat us out.To summarise it’s definitely worth a round if playing alongside the Ailsa or if your local but not sure id come and stay just for the Robert the Bruce course. It was by a margin the most difficult course i’ve ever played, which was highly unexpected and not really needed. However with plenty of golf balls and your A game it would be impossible not to enjoy the Robert the Bruce layout.

First up you get that feeling of excitement when you arrive and you know it’s going to be a good days golf. The club house is modern overlooks the practice putting green and has an excellent outside sitting area to soak up the days golf in. You also see the stand at the top of the hill for the 18th hole on the ocean course which looks a stunning hole. The first hole starts with the easiest par 5 you’ll ever play. Its around 400 yards and if you can get that first drive into play is a massive birdie opportunity even for higher handicappers. The second too was a very short uninteresting par 3, a very disappointing start to the round. I’m glad to say the course got better and better from there on in with a couple of excellent par 3’s over water and the excellent par 5 11th hole which is as tight and as difficult as they come. The 14th was another fantastic hole which required an accurate shot to the bottom of the hill then an approach a little uphill to a well guarded green. The 16th hole is what everyone talks about. Slightly over 200 yards the hole is magnificent and lives up to expectations. The wind hadn't been a factor on the previous holes but when we got to the 16th tee with the wind in our face the 5mph light breeze got up to 20mph and straight into our faces. So difficult in fact that not one of our 12 made the green. You then instantly go back in land and it’s like the hole is from a different course, a somewhat surreal experience. Those who are expecting a coastal course would be disappointed with only 2 holes with sea views. Having played quite a few courses in the algarve i think it’s the best pick for mid to high handicappers and also large groups. It’s not as difficult as most of the other courses, it’s on the shorter side and isn’t too troublesome for higher handicappers. It also doesn't punish you too badly for errant tee shots, however does require you to put the ball in the right area to score well. From the 8 courses i’ve previously played it’s the only one i will be returning to in 2020 (co-vid permitting). It’s by no means Valderama but is such a fun course to play with friends.

I played the course on the last day of our trip. Having played 4 rounds in strong winds on the north coast it was a nice to play a round on a parkland layout. After having an excellent buffet breakfast at the adjoining hotel we ventured onto the first hole. The course was in excellent condition, quite surprisingly as there had been heavy rain for the previous 3 days. Greens good as were the bunkers, fairways and rough. There were many pretty tree lined holes with clever bunkering and good use of water. If i were to pick out a negative it would be that it was a very flat course and in struggling to remember any insulation at all from my round. The third hole was my pick, having to hit the second shot over a long stretch of water was new to me and really made it stand out when recapping my round. I thought the course didn’t have many weak holes, and finished with a good risk/reward par 5. I’m not sure i’d make a b line for the course next time i travel to Northern Ireland but for anyone who is looking for golf close to the airport then this course won’t let you down. It has a very respectable green fee and an excellent breakfast and would be ideally suited for travelling parties.

I played the strand course in October on another trip to northern ireland and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was a proper irish day with winds between 20 and 30mph and although difficult didn’t ruin our experience. Hole 1 is spectacular, still the best opening hole i’ve played in my lifetime. The starter, the view, the wind off the sea and the difficulty of that opening hit it makes this one of the most challenging and memorable opening shots in world golf. This hole should be held in higher regard as it’s as good as any at nearby Royal Portrush. The second certainly doesn’t let up with a tee shot from high up requiring a 180-200 yard shot through pyramid like dunes onto a landing area below, this hole feels more man made than the first but also can’t be compared to any other hole i’ve played or seen. Its a complete one off, and extremely memorable. The front 9 continues with very strong holes with 7 and 8 big highlights. The greens were the some of the best i’ve ever played, they had a little softness which i didn’t expect for a links course, and so you could hit full high shots in and on that day didn’t require too many pitch and runs or classic links shots. The back 9 is a lot weaker, becoming more open as it goes along. The large dunes and heavy gorse becomes less frequent, and i felt the last two holes were a little limp. From some of the courses i’ve played often after some of a run of weaker holes you get a couple of excellent holes, especially to finish, but this never materialised and so leaves you a little disappointed. To summise the condition of the course was perfect and we had really good fun. It was very challenging and on a very windy day beat me and my partner up a bit. It was well priced and if i was visiting Royal Portrush i’d definitely play the pair as the strands front 9 for me is as good as it’s the nearby Dunluce course. Overall an excellent golf course.

Played the albatross in April of and i was desperate to play the current ryder cup course having known nothing about it previously. I didn’t really know what to expect but on arrival was blown away with the clubhouse and the whole ryder cup experience that was on offer. Before reviewing the course i’d like to say that the set up of the adjoining hotel and facilities makes the club possibly the best resort in europe for a weekend break/short stayover. Although secluded and a little away from a big city it’s the perfect destination for a 1 or 2 night stayover. It has everything you need and feels purpose built and set up for modern golf travellers. The staff were exceptional and made sure nothing was too much bother even opening up the European locker rooms and showing us around. Right the course. Tv really doesn’t do it justice, and i thought it looked great on tv. First hole was the second best opening hole i’ve ever played after portstewart. A tough menacing drive needed firing towards the lake then once finding the fairway a second shot with water in front and left, terrifying. Second no let up , medium par 3 back over the lake to a wide but not very deep green with three large bunkers behind the hole, brutal. If it’s possible to get through those two holes unscathed then the course does let up with the 5th, 6th (only poor hole) and 7th offering good birdie chances. Notable mention to the 7th hole that didn’t look too interesting on tele but if you can get to the top of the hill from the drive leaves an iron shot from up high that sticks long in the memory. Tough par 3 8th was a great hole requiring a well hit longer iron. then the 9th a stunning and especially testing par 5 with a very awkward green that just doesn’t seem to allow golf balls onto it. At the 13th we had made a note to go and see where rory hit the shot where he was teetering over the water and we’re still none the wiser as to how he achieved it. Coming in the 15th returns to the devilish course design requiring not only a drive central and on the short stuff but then asks to hit over the water to an island green. To finish 18 a real treat made easier by it being a par 5 off the yellow tees , allowed for a lay up and one last shot to an island green to finish. Superb!I was and have fallen in love with the course, which was unsuspected as i usually prefer links/classic courses to this man made newly built stadium course, which you could say lacks in history and apart from the homes wasn’t very picturesque, however the course is so magnificently designed and on an amazing piece of land that its lack of soul never really tainted the experience as the course was such fun and such a challenge. It’s a complete modern classsic , set up perfectly for visitors and i’m scheduled to go back to do it all again in september of this year. Can’t wait!quick note to anyone who’s going and playing both courses , avoid paying to play the eagle sister course as we paid around £80 and it was complete garbage barring a few holes. nothing to detract from my review of the albatross just some consumer advice

On arrival you can’t help but be taken aback by the clubhouse and the surrounding course. Weather in the previous week hadn’t been kind but the course didn't show any signs of wear and tear. The fairways were hard and true as were the exceptional greens and the course was quiet for a saturday afternoon in October. We first played the 9 hole Bann course in the morning and we’re blown away (metaphorically) so we were really looking forwards to the afternoons round on the premier 18 mussenden course, however and don’t get me wrong the mussenden is a really good course it just didn’t quite hit my expectations. The course is situated in superb surroundings but i do feel the best views, layout and holes are on the Bann course and should have been incorporated more into the mussenden. Holes 7 and 8 on the mussenden were excellent and tough, but very beautiful holes and hole 18 was a very good hole to finish. What disappointed slightly was that a lot of the holes were just ok nothing special holes that seemed to follow one another and i didn’t overly love the par 3 4th hole that i’d heard such good things about. Whilst myself and my playing partner both enjoyed the round (in which i had my best score of the holiday) I couldn’t help feel that value for money wise it doesn’t quite match some courses i’ve played or some of its close neighbours. To summarise whilst there’s no doubt castlerock is one of the top golf courses in northern ireland i was left feeling like i needed a little more , a couple extra top holes or a real signature stand out hole.A quick note the special warmth we received from the pro, staff and members at castlerock. Without doubt the best we've ever experienced. We stayed in the bar for around two hours after we’d finished and we chatted to every person present. A truly special atmosphere. We will definitely be coming back, but probably just to play the Bann, maybe twice round.

We arrived for the start of our 4 day trip to Northern Ireland with what we thought would be a nice easy ‘dust off the cobwebs’ type 9 holer before tackling the mussenden (main course) in the early afternoon, however what we got was in my opinion a bastion of 9 hole golf courses , which not only rivalled the main course but after much deliberating on our flight home concluded that it was probably the most enjoyable round on our trip, which also included Portrush and Portstewart golf clubs. The Bann course is a 9 hole short course consisting of five par 4’s, three par 3’s and a solitary par 5 , although not long it is extremely tight , and in the wind we faced on the day a take your medicine golf course. YOU MUST! hit the ball where you can see it we were told and generally an iron or hybrid aiming for the largest parts of fairways is advised. The par 3s are mesmerising and the par 5 5th from the tee with the river running down the right hand side was as good as it gets. All the par 4s were strong barring the opening hole (which is the only average hole imo) with my favourite being the 6th where after driving to the top of the hill at around 200 yards a 120 yard shot down to a small green in the center of steep dunes with a pond short left really puts you under pressure, which might equate to why i hit it 20 yards right!The greens were in excellent condition even after a weeks rain and fairways were surprisingly firm and true. Bunkers were also as you would expect from a top course. The rough was punishing and penal mainly forfeiting your chance of birdie, which happened on more than one occasion. A tough test in the 25mph winds we faced but on a good day a really good round for sharpening up your iron play and short shots to the green. Arriving back at the clubhouse and overlooking the first and last hole you be hard pressed not to be wowed by the whole package that the club offers and how we couldn’t help but feel a little jealousy that for the locals this was 27 holes of golfing bliss on their doorstep. At £20 a round i don’t think there’s a better 9 holer in the uk and if i’m back in the area i would make a b-line to come back for the Bann course which i would have to play again. I would go as far to say this is a must play, and some of the best value for money golf i’ve played.Also just to note the friendliest clubhouse we’ve experienced from any of our golfing trips, with members really excited that we’d come to play their course, and who also spent time to talk us through our upcoming rounds at nearby courses.