Josh P

A perfect way to finish off the morning I spent at Walton Heath, Reigate Heath is a 9 hole course set on a brilliantly sandy site. You can tell the quality of the land as you drive in towards the windmill, and see the heather and natural bunkering on the 9th hole.Different to Sweetens Cove in USA where the large greens mean that they can have 2 different flags for each hole, Reigate Heath has a more traditional option to try and provide 18 ‘holes’. There are two sets of tee boxes for each hole, and although I only played off one set, you could see the difference in tees would mean that a second 9 would make the holes play at pretty different angles. The second hole is fun test. A par 4 with a large batch of heather as a cross hazard, on the day I was there, 2 7 irons was the play. This is followed by an uphill par 3 with an interesting green where you don’t want to leave yourself a downhill putt. All of the greens ran quick and have interest- my favourite being the 8th.Elevation throughout makes you think and puts doubt in your mind as to whether you have the right club, and there is also some quirk in the course. The 7th tee shot hits over the 6th green, which is something different, but makes sure all the property is utilized!The club is extremely welcoming, and if doing a heathland trip, I would strongly recommend spending the hour and a half to have a lovely walk round this sandiest of inland sites.

Set on a sandy site with lots of heather and deep bunkers, the Old course at Walton Heath reminded me of Ganton in being as close as possible to a links playing experience with not actually being on the coast. Herbert Fowler wasn’t messing around after his cricket career, when he spent two years on horseback scouting the site for some great holes.It’s another example of a brilliant heathland club, with two courses and a great clubhouse. The putting green (with a full 18 hole routing!) is outstanding, and the pro shop is on a par with Tara Iti in my opinion for being the best stocked.The opener is controversial, and although a quirky start, the par 3 doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the course for me, set on a different part of the property and having no real interest to it. Having said that, when you cross the road the course reveals itself with great views of both courses as the holes intertwine. It’s obvious from this point onwards that you are playing a historic course with lots of subtle strategy. A favourite hole early on is the strong par 4 5th, with a heather lined centre bunker to be avoided at all costs. The greens are great- reminiscent of Royal Ashdown Forest in often sloping away from the player to add a bit of extra challenge. I loved the run of holes 11-14, a slightly downhill well bunkered par 3, followed by a dog leg right par 4, and two back to back par 5s that are very different in character. The closing stretch is also great, with the bunkering on 16 being particularly impressive. It’s a sign of the strength of the course that when James Braid become club professional here, he felt that there weren’t any changes required to Fowlers original layout.

The second course I visited on the heathland leg of my trip, The Berkshire is one hell of a place to play golf. Out of every course I visited over the last 6 weeks, this place would be very high on the list for places most desirable to be a member of- with two strong 18 hole courses, and a vibe that was very welcoming. It was also great to see many dogs on the course!The Red has 6 par 3s, 6 4s and 6 5s, which in turn leads to a fun golf course with plenty of those holes playing as half pars. The opener, a short par 5, sets out what the golfer should expect over the round. There was lots of width off the tee throughout which transpires to a course that is extremely playable. In line with a lot of the top courses around this area, the layout is such that strategy is a key part of any round, for example the short par 4 6th asks a player how much of the dogleg they want to cut off with their tee shot. Most readers will agree with me that a long par 3 can often not be their favourite type of hole. It is a testament to the class of this course that my two favourite holes were par 3s of over 180 yards. The 10th is similar to the 16th at Royal Porthrush, Calamity, and then the 16th plays every inch of its 205 yards, as its uphill. Both of these greens are shaped subtly, which is the case on pretty much all every green. I hope to get back at some point soon and see the Blue course, as if it’s anything close to the Reds standard then it is an absolute must play, even in this regions esteemed company.

Beautiful on the eye and intriguing from start to finish, Swinley Forest is a heathland masterpiece. Only a Par 69, but played off the back tees this is a real challenge, with long irons called for into a lot of greens, and shot shaping required. Off the tee, there is a lot of strategy called for with centreline bunkers on the 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th holes, and angle of approach being key throughout. The greens are the real highlight of Swinley- lots of great contouring and fun run off areas. One of my favourite stretch of holes came early from 2-5. The 2nd, a downhill blind tee shot with a green sloping away from the player, followed by a bunker less par 4 with a tiered green. The 4th is a redan template, which is followed by the par 5 5th which tee shot is played downhill, urging the player to take on as much of the well bunkered fairway as possible. I feel like this is the type of course with such variety in holes that you could play endlessly without getting bored! Without knowing what it was like before, it also seems that Ponts restoration work has bedded in very nicely. The course is a leisurely stroll through the forest, with nice flora and heather. Eventually, the 18th takes you back up to the magnificent clubhouse, a great setting.One of the most private clubs in England, any golfer knows they are lucky when they get to experience Harry Colts ‘least bad golf course’.

An interesting site for a golf course, Brancepeth is a Harry Colt design not far from Durham in the North East of England. As with Garforth, Brancepeth has lots of rumpled fairways (but the odd flat spot to aim for). The 1st gets you thinking straight away, with lots of options off the tee, and if not going for the short par 4 in one off the tee, position is key in the layup. The real standout holes are Brancepeths version of ‘amen corner’- 8-9-10. Right next to the castle that gives the course its name, there’s a huge ravine which these holes play over and back. The 8th is a par 4 with a carry over the ravine, but the 9th and 10th are back to back tough par 3s, both fairly long with small targets to hit. Despite the challenge, these are both memorable and fun tee shots. Another stand out hole is the short par 4 14th, where again placing yourself in a good position of the tee is key. The 14th has an interesting, undulating green, something which is evident throughout the course and provides intrigue throughout. Brancepeth is a hilly site and a hard walk but still a place that features a lot of fun shots. I’ve played a lot at Edgbaston GC which is also a Colt design and seeing the renovation there from Frank Pont, it would be great to see him do some of his work here. Either way, Brancepeth Castle is worth a visit.

Alastair Mackenzies input is evident all over his native Yorkshire. Garforth is a parkland layout that was built by the good doctor. The course is characterized by lots of doglegs, forcing players to either shape the ball or choose how aggressive they want to be with their line from the tee. Another characteristic is the rumpled fairways meaning that you can get lots of different stances, even with a tee shot that finds the fairway.The course has some quirk, there is the bush and brook that acts as a cross hazard on the par 5 2nd and par 4 11th. The 6th is a par 4 with a blind tee shot followed by a downhill approach to an interesting green. Another standout is the monstrous 15th, a 443 yard par 4 that also plays uphill, and with a brook in front of the green. The green is a hard target to hit, made even more so by the reality that most players will have fairway woods or long irons in their hands. Despite the challenge it is a fun shot to try and pull off. There are some interesting features at Garforth, and some good bones, and in my opinion with some restoration work this wouldn’t be far off the standard of nearby Sand Moor or Headingley.

Another member of the Mackenzie designs in and around Leeds, Bingley St. Ives is unique in that it has a mixture of holes, some parkland, some moorland and even some heathland. The opening parkland holes are thought provoking, including the 1st, a very driveable par 4, and the longer par 5 2nd with bunkers in play on the fairways and around the green. One of my favourite holes in this section was the 5th; a bunker less par 4 which doesn’t seem to offer much interest from the tee, but you realise when you get to the green, that angles strongly away from the player, that positioning is key.The moorland holes are the most open of the course, but also seem to be much tighter than the parkland holes, which doesn’t make sense in terms of playability. The dogleg 11th is a strong dog leg left, where players can choose how much of the heather to cut off with their tee shot.The heathland holes visually are like something you would expect to see in Surrey or at West Sussex, but again the fairways are extremely narrow, almost like they’ve tried to cram in as many holes as possible onto this piece of the property.All in all, there are some fun holes here, and the greens ran fast and true meaning their subtle slopes were in play.

A course perhaps well known for its uniqueness in having 22 holes, meaning there are up to 5 (!) different layouts possible, Seaton Carew goes under the radar as a links course, perhaps because of its remote location in the North East of England. Like Royal Birkdale on the opposite coast, or Paraparaumu Beach on the other side of the world, there are no ocean views on the course, but you are well aware of your proximity to the sea, with the firm and true links playing surface, with fresh sea air a constant.You are faced with challenge from the start, with no less than 9 deep bunkers surrounding the par 3 3rd ‘Doctor’. Alastair MacKenzie had a big impact in the design of this course and in general, you can see a lot of his design principals, such as on the 10th ‘Lagoon’ hole that features a split fairway. If a player takes on the wider left side of the fairway they are then faced with a blind approach shot with a green sloping away from them, but if they take on the tighter right side they are faced with a more straightforward 2nd shot. In general, the tee shots are fairly straightforward, I hit driver on every par 4 and 5 (although I did have an uncharacteristically still day), and most of the challenge is in the approach shots. This makes the course very playable, but also tough as a small greenside miss can leave a very tricky up and down- the 17th ‘Snag’ is a perfect example of this.The greens are interesting, very large and with interesting contours. Being a good lag putter would be an absolutely crucial skill to have here, and hitting a green in regulation doesn’t always mean a straight forward par. My favourite green site was the ‘Crocodile’ 11th, which is punchbowly but the actual green has so many undulations. The finish is strong, with buckthorn in play on the right side of the fairways, and I was told they are hopeful of plans to cut some of this back. It is an exciting time for the club in general- they have recently also hired a new head greenkeeper, whose previous role was at Royal St Georges, preparing the course for the next Open Championship.As mentioned I got a beautiful still, (mostly) sunny day, and would enjoy another visit with wind to see the course bare its teeth. I would encourage anyone to take a visit to Seaton Carew, the hospitality and welcome from everyone at the club was outstanding. I also think the members can count themselves very lucky- not only do they have a top-class links, but a course that provides endless variety with the different pin positions, and even routings available.

Any course that is consistently ranked in world top 100 lists is always going to increase your own expectation levels going into your first round there. This was certainly the case at Woodhall Spa- for somewhere in England I hadn’t heard a great deal about what made the Hotchkin course so good, or seen lots of photos of special holes. Woodhall Spa completely met my expectations, and some. Driving in through the Lincolnshire countryside you wouldn’t expect there to be an expanse of sand that gives the course it’s firm playing characteristics, and makes the many large deep bunkers sustainable. It’s a very flat piece of land, but the bunkering is so spot on that it makes the course extremely memorable. Every shot has to be considered strategically- off the tee there is always decisions to be made, and certain misses round the green can signal complete death for a golfer’s scorecard. You start to realise the subtlety going on early in your round, for example the 3rd is a blind tee shot, but wiley golfers will realise that they had a glimpse of the 3rd fairway from the 2nd green. The course plays very firm and the bunkers are basically cut into the side of greens, and although I haven’t experienced Melbourne Sandbelt golf yet, I would expect this to be the UKs closest version to it. An example of the trouble always lurking is on the short par 4 4th, where I hit Driver into a greenside bunker, but was never making less than a bogey because of being so out of place. The 5th is a downhill par 3 with the green sloping away from you, making it very hard to hold the green. Every hole is great in its own right, but I particularly enjoyed the closing stretch. 15 has a epic green, and forces players to lay up because of heather and bunkering crossing the fairway short of the green. 17 is a brilliant short par 4, where the closer the player gets to certain fairway bunkers, the better angle they will have to the green (I hit 7 iron off this par 4 tee!). The 18th has 23 bunkers on it alone, and can play as a relatively short par 5 if bunkers are missed due to the firm terrain, but as with the rest of the course, it only takes a slight mistake for the player to be massively punished. I can’t help but feel the Hotchkin course doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves with its location being slightly out the way from other golfing hotspots, but it is well worth a visit if you ever get the chance, and with the twilight rate being offered, it is also brilliant value.

Home of Lee Westwood, Worksop is in esteemed company being nearby to Holinwell and Lindrick to name just a few. The 1st and 2nd play up and back, a theme that is repeated often with sets of holes playing alongside each other but just the reverse. The course is extremely tree lined, and this often makes it very narrow, forcing players to shape the balls into fairways, especially on one of the many dogleg holes. There are even trees in play in terms of the strategic element of holes, such as on the par 5 6th, and the par 4 13th.The greens are the real strength of Worksop, with them normally beong quite long and narrow, with interesting slopes. The 4th features a great 3 tier green, which reminded me of the 15th green at Ganton. The aforementioned 13th has a blind tee shot that is hard enough, without considering the tree in the middle of the fairway, but 16 has a lot more sensible blind tee shot that is more open than you would think. The 18th is a par 3 finishing next to the clubhouse, which is a pleasant finish to the round.

Known as the members course at The Warwickshire, partnering the Kings Course, the Earls is an American style parkland layout. Most holes are tree lined, for example the long and tight, tough 7th hole.There are a couple of interesting greens, such as the par 5 4th green, which slants from back to front. Overall this hole in a monster, measuring 630 yards from the tips and playing slightly uphill.The back 9 features a lot more water, and the downhill approach to the par 4 12th is a fun shot, but doesn’t leave much error. The par 4 15th features another approach shot over water. As with the Kings, there are some fun golf holes, but a lot of tedious golf in-between.

Around the world, especially in the USA, Alastair MacKenzie courses are held in the highest regard and incredibly sought after. In Yorkshire, home of the good doctor for a long period early on in his life, there are lots of MacKenzie courses to choose from. One example of this is Shipley, near BradfordI’m sure it now plays different to how originally intended, with lots of trees meaning tight fairways, but there are interesting features throughout. The 2nd is a sharp dogleg to the right, which sets the tone for the course. The 4th and 5th are played alongside each other and have rumpled fairways that you might expect to see on a links course. The 7th was a favourite hole, a downhill par 3 with a stream on the left on the green. This is followed by another par 3, an example of MacKenzie not worrying about back to back par 3s on the routing. The routing is unique, as the front 9 also has 4 par 5s. The 9th is one of these, and has an interesting bowl green. The greens are well bunkered throughout, they don’t look threatening but after you keep finding yourselves in them you gain more of an appreciation for their placement. The 13th is a short par 3, which makes the most of the acreage as it plays straight across the 12th fairway, something you wouldn’t expect to be built nowadays. The 16th is a short par 4 where missing the green can lead to a big score, and the par 3 17th has some slopey run off areas round the greens. The greens are good in general, but perhaps not as undulating as other MacKenzie designs round Yorkshire.

Seacroft is a rugged true links, set back from the sea by a marsh, meaning no real sea views. When I played the fairways were extremely burnt out, but I don’t judge courses on their condition, and even if I did, this firmness made the course play extremely fun with crazy bounces.Early on there were quite a few greens on plateaus, such as 2, 3 and 4, and throughout the course there are very well-placed fairway bunkers. There’s variety of narrowness and width from the tee, meaning sometimes iron is the play. Some of the bunkers are big, blow out style bunkers that wouldn’t look out of place at Royal St Georges or Barnbougle. The par 4 7th is a great hole, with players having two options. If they play down the left side of the fairway then they have a clear view of the flag for their approach, but a tough angle into the green. Alternatively, players can drive up the right side of the fairway, meaning a blind approach, but a much better angle into the green. There’s interesting contours throughout the set of greens, meaning knowing which side of the green to hit (or miss!) is key. The par 5 11th is another strong hole, with brilliant pot bunkers placed in the centreline of the fairway. I noticed several championship tees put way back, which could add even more bite to this links. For me this course has big vibes of being perhaps England’s version of Paraparaumu Beach.

Next door to Alwoodley and Moortown, Sand Moor is another Yorkshire MacKenzie design, that deserves its place in the neighbourhood. The layout is over hilly terrain with lots of interesting holes. Early on, players are faced with lots of doglegs such as the 2nd, 3rd and 6th. The approach to the 3rd is played steeply downhill, and reminded me of the shot into the 4th at Lindrick. For me, the course is characterised by two main things. Firstly, the shapes and features that you would expect to see on a MacKenzie design, but also the large quantity of bunkers. Particuarly prevalent on the par 3s, any members here should be well versed getting out of sand traps. The 13th hole is my favourite here, measuring just 336 yards and played downhill, but with OB long of the green, iron is the play off the tee. Players must also consider where to play their tee shot to give themselves the best angle. Although any out of bounds is never a welcome addition to a course, I think with it playing just over the back of the green it does add a strategic interest. You only have to look at the 5th at Royal Portrush for a great example of this. Although not top of peoples agendas on a Leeds golf trip, Sand Moor would provide a great foil for it’s two more high profile neighbours. It’s also great to see the work the club has put in to the course over recent years, including tree removal and a new bunkering style.

Set in the North Midlands- legend has it that the 4th green (more on that later) once had the borders of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derby all running through it. It is a Ryder Cup host, having hosted the 1957 edition, and is a solid heath/moorland layout. There’s interesting bunkering and green complexes throughout, such as the 2nd green which is slanted from back to front. The 4th was my favourite hole here, a short par 5, where taking driver off the tee can bring in trouble in the form of bunkers and a bottlenecking fairway. It is the approach shot that makes this hole though, with the green set just behind a massively steep slope which means that run up shots will normally reach the green. There’s also a small open rock face on this slope (not too dissimilar to something you would expect to see at Arrowtown in New Zealand), meaning that you could get a very unlucky bounce. Next to the green in this hollow, is the 5th tee which offers a blind tee shot.The 12th is a hole that can cause controversy. It’s over the road from the 11th, and has is the only hole at Lindrick with no bunkers. On first viewing, I thought that this hole was disappointing, and just didn’t seem in keeping with the rest of the course. However, on the second round of the day I felt I could understand the intricacies and angles better and enjoyed it much more. You only have to look at the brilliant Royal Ashdown Forest to see that bunkering isn’t everything. 15-16 was a good stretch. The short and blind par 4 15th has a hard approach shot with the green sloping away from you, and you do not want to be left on the 16th with your approach as you will end up in the quarry. A nice feature with the quarry was that it is completely playable out of there, there’s even steps to get you in and out. The 18th is a tough par 3, and it’s fun to have a different style of finishing hole. Overall, I would have Lindrick somewhere in the middle of its not too distant neighbours, Sherwood Forest and Holinwell.

Set on a wild moorland site, Halifax is mostly a James Braid design, with alterations from Alastair MacKenzie. This course really is something different, with characteristics including small sloping greens (and sloping fairways), and lots of decisions to be made off the tee, a lot of the time due to river valleys running through holes.The moorland conditions mean that generally the course plays fast and firm, and is playable all year round. With the course being high up, wind is always prevalent here. Golfers know they are about to have a unique round ahead of them from the very first hole. The fairway is shared with the 18th ala The Old Course, but it’s the second shot that is intriguing. It plays as a long par 4 or short par 5, and the approach is played with out of bounds on the left, and a ravine with heather on the far side on the right. The first 16 holes mainly work their way up hill, and a highlight of these is the 12th. It’s a short par 4 or long par 3, and the green site isn’t too different to the 14th at Cruden Bay, sitting in a bowl, albeit with more undulations. Lots of the greens here have sharp run off areas, and they are a great example of how green speeds don’t have to be quick, it’s just the shaping has to be interesting for a fun round. If some of these greens were 12-13 on the stimp they would basically be un-puttable! The 17th is a massive ‘drop hole’ par 3, and its always fun to watch your ball in the air wondering if you have selected the right club. Overall, the value for money here is some of the very best in the country, and I would recommend a visit to anyone in or passing through the area.

A pleasant, well-conditioned parkland layout, the first 7 holes play alongside the River Wharfe, and the rest of the holes are mostly tree lined. The 2nd and 3rd holes are both par 3s which provides a different style of start to what you would normally expect, and indeed there is only one par 4 in the first 6 holes. The first hole where you turn back for home, the 8th, was a favourite hole, a dog leg right, which goes around trees and has a downhill approach shot. There are some fun par 3s on the back, the downhill 13th and the uphill 15th.One thing I did notice was a large practice area, that at the moment is basically a glorified field cut down for players to practice. I feel the club could utilise the area and maybe even create a short par 3 course like you see being built at resorts such as Bandon or Pinehurst in America. It’s a nice spot for a round but there’s not that many interesting holes, and in my opinion players would be better off exploring somewhere like Halifax GC for a fraction of the price.

Not far from Scarborough on the North East coast of England, Ganton is a classic layout, brutally tough, but also has lots of fun features. It reminds me of an inland Carnoustie (but without the barry burn), in that the bunkers are extremely strategically placed (also very deep), and the rough can be very long. That’s all without mentioning the abundance of gorse!However, it is mostly quite playable with different options from the tee and ways to run the ball up to greens. It can be narrow at times so I think this course is at its best when the rough is cut back to give players lots of different options. It gets off to a tough start, that leads into the fun, shortish par 4 3rd. The 6th has a great centreline bunker (common here), and the 10th is an epic par 3, quite short but with lots of teeth.11 & 16 have enormous centreline bunkers, and 16 in particular is very intimidating, but if players are playing from the appropriate tees it really shouldn’t be in play. The two finishing holes are a challenging finish. To continue the comparision, the 17th here reminds me of 16 at Carnoustie, a long, brutal par 3, that needs at least a hybrid or fairway wood. 18 dog legs left towards the clubhouse and the not widely mentioned putting green. This putting green is reminiscent of the Himalayas at St Andrews, and although not quite as undulating, it is extremely long and you could spend a long time on here trying lots of different putts. The clubhouse is full of history, and altogether it’s a great golfing experience that players will have here.

The West Course at East Sussex National is a brutal test of golf. From the tee, it’s extremely tight and narrow, so make sure you have plenty of balls. This claustrophobia means the player is left with no options but to hit the shot required from the tee. From the start the course dictates to you how you must play it, the opener is a sharp dog leg left where the player must position themselves perfect to even have a shot into the green. The greens are tough, and at times (such as the long well bunkered par 5 2nd), are extremely small even with a lot of trouble from tee to green. This is not true of the short par 3 16th postage stamp style hole, which is a lot of fun to try and hold a small green with only a wedge in hand. There are also bigger greens throughout the 18 holes.A personal favourite here is the 10th hole, a dog leg to the right, with water guarding the green. Even without the water, the green is narrow, and so distance control is crucial, and the two-tiered green means some interesting putts. The par 5 12th has two brooks, which does give the player the option of some risk/reward golf, and the green is hard to hit with even just a wedge left in hand.Overall, this isn’t my favourite style of golf- a hard slog which is narrow off the tee, but when the conditioning is good I can imagine the greens would offer some interest.

I will caveat this review with saying this resort style golf isn’t my cup of tea, but the East Course does a good job at making the golf more interesting. The 1st sets the standard in what to expect from the rest of the course. The fairway offers width and options, but depending on the days pin location a top player would strategically position themselves in the appropriate side of the fairway. The approach is where the challenge is set- a approach over water to a shallow green. This theme of placement from tee followed by second shot challenge is on offer throughout. However, this doesn’t mean being a good driver isn’t crucial here, there are plenty of holes where length from the tee is an advantage, such as the uphill, into the wind 440 yard par 4 16th. Some standout holes for me include the visually intimidating well bunkered 3rd, the long par 3 4th with no bunkers, and the short but challenging par 4 6th. A characteristic of this golf course throughout is the idea of delayed penalty- just because you are in the fairway doesn’t mean you are in a good position.The par 12th has a large tree short left of the green (I’m not really a fan of using a tree as a hazard), but considering the length and width on offer on this par 4 I think it actually is an interesting feature. I’m sure people would say the ‘signature holes’ are the 16th and 17th holes which have lots of water, but I think the green is what makes the 16th hole great, choosing a line and committing to it is key. There is risk-reward on offer on most holes, but going for the par 5 10th in two could offer plenty of trouble, and the centreline bunker on the also par 5 14th means strategy is key. All in all, a lot more to this course that meets the eye, meaning that it was a pleasant surprise.

A completely true links in the North East of England, Cleveland is an enjoyable seaside course, that goes under the radar. The course gets off to a quirky start, with a par 3 played from next to the clubhouse, which takes you out to a view of the whole course. I think on further visits the course would play very different depending on the wind, but on this day we had the wind behind us for the first 4 holes, before making the first turn back to the clubhouse. Pot bunkers are prevalent around greens, for example the 2nd and 3rd have bunkers guarding the green which brings strategy in off the tee to offer the best angles. I really enjoyed the par 3 6th- a short hole with an undulating green and a big pot bunker short right. The 8th tee shot is tough- potentially reminiscent of Carnoustie with burns in play on the fairway. The 10th is another short par 3 with a ‘death’ bunker.A slight criticism of the course would be that most holes are fairly straight and there aren’t many hazards in the fairways, for example bunkers, but the 12th bucks this trend. It doglegs right with fairway bunkers forcing the player to make a decision off the tee. The 14th is another good dog leg. I also really enjoyed the closing run of 15-18. The 15th is a long par 3 with a big forced carry, but this challenge is offsetted by the green being bunkerless, and the 16th green is a upturned sorcer that can make holding it tricky. The 18th is a strong par 5 finisher, with a cool green site next t the clubhouse.To conclude, Cleveland doesn’t compare to some of the countries best links in its layout, but that’s not to say it’s not worth a visit if you enjoy links golf. A fun experience playing a understated seaside course with all the features you would come to expect from the most enjoyable style of golf.

I have sought out lots of MacKenzie courses over the last few months, and I make no apology for this! Cavendish is a MacKenzie design that goes under the radar, but is worth a visit for anyone who enjoys the good doctors courses, especially with its setting in the beautiful Peak District.As you would imagine for a course in this area, the terrain is hilly, and the fairways and greens continue this sloped theme. There are a couple of short par 4s to ease you into the round, and by the time you get to the 2nd green you know have an enjoyable round ahead of you.It’s a par 68 but plays a lot harder, another gentle reminder that par doesn’t really matter! There’s a great run of holes from the 8-11, played around and over a brook. My favourite green was the par 3 13th that had lots of slope which meant being out of position could bring in a big number. The par 4 16th was also a memorable hole, reminiscent of 17 at Portrush, played downhill. I've seen Cavendish ranked highly in a publications 'fun' list, and rightly so- for me fun in the most important aspect of any course.

Just like nearby Royal Ashdown Forest, Piltdown is bunkerless. It is just over 6000 yards long, but make no mistake, Piltdown is by absolutely no means an easy course. It’s a par 68, and it uses a combination of interesting undulations both on fairways and greens, and lots of heather, as its main defences.The heather is often used as a cross hazard, meaning there are island fairways not unlike something you would expect to see at Pine Valley. There’s a wide variety of holes in shape and length, meaning you will often use every club in the bag. It’s also on a fairly windy site, meaning that holes can play differently from day to day.Some of the long par 4s are particularly strong, such as the par 4 3rd which dog legs massively to the right, and the approach shot is extremely uphill. In most conditions this would require two well struck fairway woods. The stand out hole for me is the long par 3, 4th. There is an abundance of heather short of the green, meaning that a lay up would be a genuine consideration. I think players would take 3 (maybe even 4) on this hole all day long. Despite it being difficult I think this hole is a fun challenge which is a key feature of Piltdown. For me on this hole, the par is irrelevant and just attempting the different shots is what makes it a fun experience. No doubting on this hole, as there is the option of laying up it makes going for it even harder, because inevitably in your mind there is a small bit of doubt!The 18th is also rare in that it is a par 3 finisher, seen at courses such as Pasatiempo. Fun is also a key feature round the greens, there are some interesting complexes, and the ground game is very much in play due to the lack of bunkers. Overall, it’s a fun course that also provides challenge, and I very much would look forward to another round here.

This place is a bunker-less masterpiece, and the course asks tough questions consistently. It’s extremely fun and strategic, and that is not all that it has in common with its namesake in St. Andrews, with the 1st & 18th fairways having a shared portion. The second shines a light in how the course defends itself, with a riveted face short of the green. Heather is used as a cross hazard often, such as on the short 3rd, and also the 13th, this makes holes play longer than they are. There are a great set of par 3s here, starting with the 6th. This is a short hole, with a generous green, but if you miss it you are in a lot of trouble. The 7th has a ‘cape’ tee shot where players can choose as much as they want to cut off, and a subtly breaking green, another feature often seen here. A favourite hole was definitely the 8th, a shortish par 5 with a brilliant green, very similar to the ‘bathtub’ green at Cruden Bay. The greens throughout are outstanding, I enjoyed the 15th, which slopes away from the player, an often-unused design feature. I don’t often enjoy a long walk from a green to the next tee, but I will make an exception here, the walk from the 13th to 14th tee is a beauty, providing respite from the challenge of the course, as you walk through the forest.The ground game is very much in play here, particularly the approach shots into the par 5 10th and long par 3 11th. All in all, Royal Ashdown is worth a visit, not for the novelty of no bunkers but for the course being a properly fun and interesting layout.

Set in the beautiful setting of the Cowdray estate, I didn’t know much, if anything about this course going into my round here. It was a pleasant surprise, with some interesting design features and strong variety adding to the location.This is evident right from the 1st, where the trench-style grass hollow around a large proportion of the green is something I haven’t experienced anywhere else. In general, the greens are great, with lots of little run offs and tiers that add intrigue. This is definitely true for me with the stand out part of the property being the shared green between the 8th and 16th holes. It’s large, something you would expect to see at the Old Course, but for me that is a lazy comparison. The crazy, fun undulations in this green make it seem like something you would more expect to see at a place like Tara Iti or Sweetens Cove, rather than in the Sussex countryside. The course is of a large scale, but it still blends in well with the natural surroundings. Another stand out hole for me was the extremely short par 3 11th. The bunker short of the green is certainly visually intimidating, meaning that despite the length this hole packs enough punch. In general, from tee to green there is not loads of strategy required, and I found the routing of 17-18 disappointing as it just feels like playing a par 3 away from the next tee doesn’t make sense, whereas the rest of the course flows nicely. All in all, it’s still a pleasant, interesting golfing experience, in a nice setting.

The Addington is an interesting and quirky lay out, with something unusual right from the start, with the par 3 opener reminiscent of how a course such as Arrowtown in New Zealand starts. Another reason for its quirkiness is the amount of blind shots throughout! The 6th is a strong par 4, with a ravine short of the green, and its followed by an innocuously hard par 3. On the back, the par 5 12th is a cracker, requiring players to lay up off the tee or face playing their 2nd in either heather or a lie that could be on humps or in hollows. The par 3 13th with a big carry is also a memorable hole.All in all this course contains a lot of features that you wouldn’t really see on modern courses, which in my opinion makes it worth checking out. It’s also exciting to hear that Clayton, DeVries and Pont are going to be working on a renovation.

One of my favourite inland courses, Woking is a lovely heathland track just southwest of London. The opener is a classic ‘gentle hadnshake’ from the course easing you into your round. The 3rd has an extremely fun but tough approach that I enjoyed. The 4th is probably the most famous hole here, fully showcasing the strategy that this course requires, with a centreline bunker leaving the player with some decisions to make. I also think the level of challenge here is another defining quality. The 9th for example, is a tough, long par 4, but it’s bunker less, meaning its playable, and a sign of a course that knows when to push or not with its design. The 14th plays right up to the clubhouse, and similar to the 18th at Blackwell it’s only natural for the player to have nightmares about thinning a wedge through a window! The closing stretch of 16-18 is also strong, and leaves you wanting more. Overall, an enjoyable, interesting place for a walk.

Just North of London, this course at The Grove hotel is a previous host of the British Masters. The conditioning is amazing at this resort course, and can have particularly quick greens. However, despite it being a lovely spot, for a round, no real holes can be described as particularly memorable here. I would encourage players to keep an eye out on the 9th fairway for the plaque dedicated to Tiger Woods feats here during a previous World Golf Championship. All in all, this is my least favourite Kyle Phillips design that I’ve played, but is still not a bad spot for a day out.

A real classic heathland course just north of Leeds, Alwoodley has Dr. Mackenzies touches present throughout. The way the 1st tee is directly in front of the clubhouse is a intimate start. The 2nd is a short par 4 where the green is hidden if you go for it, but the safer lay up means no blind shot. The 3rd has an interesting two tiered green, and then the 5th gives players lots of options off the tee, but is always a hard approach shot. It just seems the interesting features keep coming throughout. The 8th could be my favourite hole here, even despite it not suiting my natural ball flight as it dog legs left, there is lots of subtle strategy. The 10th is another good long 4/short 5, and asks all sorts of questions to the player. The 11th is a particularly picturesque par 3, but it’s the sloping green that makes this hole so interesting. This leaves the brilliant 15-18 closing stretch. 17 in particular has a blind approach to a green with a steep drop off the back, and the quirk of this hole in particular reminds me of somewhere like Cruden Bay. The 18th is a classic British strong par 4 closer, and shows some of the courses teeth and its championship pedigree. Some bunkers have recently been renovated on this hole so I look forward to hopefully seeing them soon. An absolute English gem.

Not far from Holinwell and in a beautiful part of the country, Sherwood Forest has all the ingredients to be a top golf course. There’s a lot of heather, and good use of interesting elevation, but it’s mainly playable.The par 3s are what stuck out to me here, all interesting holes, and the 7th in particular. For me, due to its style of bunkering and also having two greens it’s reminiscent of golf in Japan, and in particular the 10th on the Fuji Course at Kawana. Another favourite hole was the long, tough par 4 17th.I went into my round here with high expectations, due to its top 100 in England rating and being spoken about in the same breath as Holinwell. For me it didn’t reach these high hopes, but is nevertheless a nice place for a round.

A short and quirky track in the Midlands, this course is at its best when fast and firm, as brings a lot of the hazards into play. Strategy is often prevalent off the tee, whether that’s avoiding the fairway bunkers or deciding how much to cut off of the many dog legs. It’s quite a narrow course, but the mostly large greens offer generous targets for the high handicapper, and the low handicapper must hit certain spots on the green to score well.The 9th and 10th were standout holes for me, a short par 4 with a treacherous green followed by a fun par 3. 18 also sticks in the memory, with a cross hazard running across the fairway and then another guarding the last green, meaning decisions have to be made depending on the state of your match.

MacKenzie's first solo design, and home of the 1929 Ryder Cup, Moortown is a fun, well-designed Moorland lay out. The opener gets you interested straight away, with width on offer but bunkers always seeming to be in places where you want to hit it. The 5th is s short par 4 that dog legs left massively, players can go for the green but it can bring in all sorts of trouble. The 9 is the opposite, a dog leg right, albeit a longer hole that has a fun approach that encourages a run up shot. The 10th, ‘Gibraltar’, is the most famous hole here. With a crazy, large three-tiered green and deep bunkers surrounding, this hole is always lots of fun to play. Some argue that the routing from 11-14 can become slightly disjointed to the rest of the course, playing just forwards and backwards up a hill, and I can understand where they are coming from. The 12th, aptly named ‘Long’ is a brutal par 5. Having said that I enjoy the 13th and the approach into the par 4 14th is always a fun shot. The finishing hole is a strong par 4, similar to a lot of courses in the UK that have ‘championship’ pedigree, bringing you back to the clubhouse. I would strongly recommend a visit here to anyone who is near the area.

A classic golf course by Simpson & Fowler, this course goes slightly under the radar in English golf. I’ve been lucky enough to play here on multiple occasions, and always find a new feature or experience something different that I haven’t seen before- which to me is always the mark of a great course. The green sites are interesting, and it is a real thinking players course. It gets off to an interesting start, with a semi blind 1st tee shot, and the 3rd gets players to make a decision off the tee by having a burn like feature across the fairway. The 5th is the first of the great short par 4s here, and it does not pay to be on the wrong side of the hole. In fact 5-8 is a brilliant stretch, the 6th is an extremely well bunkered par 3 with a small green, the 7th a short par 4 that becomes blind if players try and drive the green, and the 8th a par 5 that can be reached in 2, but has OB if you go long. The 10th is strongly bunkered- cross bunkers force players to go right if they can’t carry them, and the green is also well protected. I believe the 11th is one of the holes to recently go through a renovation by Frank Pont and his IVGD team, and it will be interesting to see the changes they have made. The 12th has unique bunkers, with most of the right side of the fairway having a set of extremely narrow in width but long in length sand traps. The 13th is a par 3 that is rumoured to be Bobby Jones inspiration for the 12th at Augusta (though I don’t see it myself!). 14 is a strong, tough, but fun par 4, and 17 and 18 are two great finishing holes. The 18th green is set just in front of the clubhouse, which means the main focus for a player is not thinning a wedge through a window!Overall a great golf club, and for me I’d have it right up there as one of the best courses in the Midlands.

The 2nd of 3 courses at the Celtic Manor resort, the Montgomerie has a different character than the Twenty Ten. Although water is still present in areas, there is nowhere near as much aqua as the other course. It’s a parkland layout, with loads of elevation, coupled with long green to tee walks meaning that it wouldn’t really be a pleasant walk. Where this course compares strong to the Twenty Ten is some of the subtlety, with more strategy needing to be deciphered here than it being laid out obviously in front of you.The 3rd is a stand out hole, a par 5 that has an extremely downhill approach shot. This is followed by the 4th, an uphill par 3 which for me is the courses best short hole. On the back, the most memorable hole for me was the 10th, a shortish par 4 where players need to be clear on the strategy.Overall this is a mostly forgettable course, and I would encourage players who are keen to play interesting courses to venture further into Wales to Porthcawl & Pennard.

Host and built especially for the 2010 Ryder Cup, this course is built on farmland not too dissimilar to that of The Belfry, albeit with more elevation. As you would expect for a course built specifically for a Ryder Cup, the scale here is large, and the main design consideration was to challenge the worlds best golfers.This is done with two main things- distance and water. The course plays a staggering 7,493 yards from the tips, and there is water everywhere. Therefore playing from the correct tees is crucial to having an enjoyable round. With it being designed for pros, there are lots of forced carries which could definitely see an amateur player come unstuck. Also, despite all this winter there aren’t any particular memorable holes that I find myself thinking back on months later.The course claims to have 6 signature holes, and whether this is true or not, the following are hoels that I enjoyed. The par 4 5th had a nice approach shot, with a stream short of the green (used a lot here). Following this, the 6th is a cape style par 4 which means there is a strategic, risk/reward tee shot. Aside from the course, the general facilities here are top notch, with lockers engraved with players from the 2010 Ryder Cup, and the brilliant halfway house. Straight after the halfway house, there is a good par 3 with a slopey green and some pot bunkers.The last is a good matchplay hole, similar to 18th at The Belfry, forcing players to decide whether to lay up or try and reach the green in 2. Overall, I would say the architect probably did a good job of building a course suitable to hold a modern Ryder Cup, but that doesn’t mean it’s a course I would want to play every day.

No doubt one of the craziest golf courses that I’ve played, Antraxt is in Camp De Mar, Mallorca. The course seems to be extreme at all times. There is massive elevation throughout. Myself and my playing partner decided to walk, to save a few Euros, and, because we generally enjoy walking. We also decided to play off the back tees. These two mistakes cost us throughout the round!At times, trekking back 50-100m up steep hills, I was amazed they even let walkers on the course. Having said that- the long walks make for some interesting tee shots. Every hole seems to have some sort of intrigue, which leaves for a lot of holes that stick in your mind. I realised this course was like nothing I had seen before, when playing the 609 metre (!!) par 5 6th. Not only does it play something like 660 yards- it’s uphill with a tight fairway, played into the prevailing wind, with a narrow fairway, water and lots of bunkers! Absolute carnage, it could be the hardest hole I’ve ever played. The 7th has a wall guarding the green (although built a lot later than North Berwick’s). The 8th is an outrageous tee shot played downhill, and from the tips the ‘shoot’ to hit the ball through the trees must have been 10-20 yards wide! However, there is some respite after this hole, with an excellent halfway house. Not what I expected golfing in Spain, but as it’s in a part of the island that has a big German population, there was an outstanding Bratwurst hot dog and a beer to take the edge of the course. The theme of the course is continued on the back with lots of massively downhill tee shots, and then finally an 18th hole with loads of water. At times, there is just no logic for the layout of the course, especially the width and length in places. Having said that, it was an extremely fun round, and would recommend this course to anyone just for something completely different. Even with the difficulty, it rewards a player who thinks their way around. Just don’t even think about walking.

In Gran Canaria, with a hefty green fee that must take advantage of holiday makers with little understanding of the area, this place is not worth seeing. Flat, uninspiring holes (and also poor conditioning). There are a few semi-interesting holes towards the end, but this doesn’t make up for the rest of the routing.

Pretty much smack bang in the middle of England, the Belfry is a pleasant resort course that has hosted the Ryder Cup four times. It is built on farming land, that can get wet and boggy if it rains, and so is potentially not the most suitable location for some great golf. However, water is used throughout to try and generate interest in the holes, none more so than on the 10th and 18th. If players are playing from the correct tees, these can be great risk reward holes. The 10th was made famous by Seve, who took on the water guarding the front of the green on the short par 4. This hole set up nicely for me, as I normally play a fade (slice!). Players who draw the ball are more rewarded on the 18th, a hole that at first dog legs sharply left, and then the 2nd is played over a big lake to a massive three tiered green. This is a very tough par 4, that leaves people with the option of going for the heroic carry with their second. Apart from these two holes that can be interesting to play them in different ways, the layout can be quite bland and repetitive. It’s nice to try the shots the pros have hit once, but I feel this course would get quite samey quite quickly. I would encourage players to go and explore nearby courses such as Blackwell, Edgbaston or Little Aston before venturing here.

Full of quirk, charm and ridiculous amounts of fun- North Berwick is a special course. A pretty much classic out and back links, the quirk is on display from the start, with a fairway shared between the 1st and 18th, reminiscent of The Old Course. The approach shot on the 1st is blind, and although in theory this should be an easier opener, it really isn’t!The 2nd tee shot is memorable, as you tee off over the beach, and with the beach on the right it is very much in play for slicers. The 2nd & 3rd also introduce playing over a wall, something that becomes more prominent later in the round. 6 is a quirky par 3, followed by the par 4 7th. If you leave yourself a short approach you will have a downhill lie as you try and feather a wedge over a burn, this is an example of the strategy present throughout this masterpiece. 9 is a par 5 with a tricky centreline bunker and undulating green. The par 4 13th ‘Pit’ is probably North Berwick’s most famous hole. The aforementioned wall runs in-between the fairway and the green, making players really think and is something you don’t really see at many other places! 14 is aplty named ‘Perfection’ and 15th is said to be the most copied hole in the world, ‘Redan’. Along with the 13th, 16th is my other favourite hole here. It has a crazy, ‘Biarritz’ style green, which you could spend hours putting on. The 18th plays back to town and the clubhouse, and although it has a massive fairway, you do not want to go right as you may hit your car in the car park- again very similar to The Old Course. I’ve said before that The Old Course is my favourite course, but I really wouldn’t have North Berwick that far behind, and so for me there’s no doubt about its rating.

No doubting one of not only the best courses, but also best golfing experiences in the world. I played 72 holes during my 2 days here, and (especially in these times) seem to constantly find myself day dreaming back to this spot north of Auckland. The accommodation is the best and most luxurious I’ve ever stayed in, the service outstanding and the food is on another level. Not to get too carried away for a golf course review; but the sliders/tacos at the halfway hut and the oyster tempura in the evening is some of the best food I’ve ever eaten!The layout is spectacular, I’m going to be disciplined here and resist the temptation to go into every hole, but just to name a few on the front 9, I loved the bunker in the middle of the 2nd green, and the punchbowl green on the 3rd leaves you with one of the most enjoyable approach shots you will ever play. There are lots of short 4s throughout, including 4, and 7. The 7th green is even smaller than the 7th green at Barnbougle Dunes, and the 8th that follows is a fun, long par 4. On the back, the great holes keep coming. I really enjoyed the 12th, a blind tee shot with a longish second into a green with lots of run up options. 15 & 17 would be great par 3s even if they weren’t in the beautiful, postcard setting that they are, and I think 18 is a brilliant finisher, it could even be my favourite hole (with the other 17!). It’s a par 5 with a fun green to go for in 2, but if you get it wrong you can get yourself in lots of trouble.All in all, the combination of an amazing sand based course in a beautiful beachside setting, coupled with brilliant hole layouts means this is truly a special place. It’s easy to walk, with greens flowing into tees, the fairways are wide and with the sandy waste areas it’s hard to lose a ball, meaning that fun is at a premium throughout. I think this place is only going to get rated higher as more people experience Tara Iti.

With strong architectural pedigree, having had MacKenzie redesigning the course and Colt consulting on bunkers, Headingley is a fun layout. This is evident from the 1st, with the second half of the fairway being extremely downhill, meaning that sometimes you can hit driver into the ditch guarding the green, even with it being around 370 yards from the tee! In the picture, you can see where my tee shot ended up one round. The property is quite hilly, which although there are good green to tee transitions, this can make it a hard walk sometimes. There are some great raised greens such as the 2nd, which means a slight miss can mean a hard recovery. The 7th and 8th both have heather in play, but are still enjoyable holes. The 11th is an extremely strategic par 4, with a ditch crossing the fairway at around 250 yards. In general, it is important to really think your way round this course. The short par 4 16th is another good hole- a blind tee shot with a green that can be driven, but only a small miss can be extremely punished. All the par 3s here can be challenging, as the 17th is, but it’s probably the courses signature hole, with a forced carry to a well-guarded green. All in all, Headingley goes a bit under the radar in English golf, but is a great opportunity to see some of the game’s best architects work, while providing great value.

Like Forest of Arden, the Marquess course on the Woburn Estate is a previous host of the British Masters. It is fairly similar to the Dukes course, albeit with wider fairways and more water hazards. The greens can be fairly slopey, but the green speeds here are sensible enough that this doesn’t cause too much of a problem.The best hole on the front 9 is the risk rewards par 5 7th. This actually has a split fairway, with some trees in the middle. The right hand side is a riskier tee shot and only leaves a heroic carry to the green, but is the shortest route. This is compared with the left side which is a lot safer, and a lot easier to lay up on. On the back, the 12th was my favourite hole, a short par 4, with an almost island fairway, but also a driveable green. All in all, it’s a pleasant layout and a nice part of the world for a round of golf.

Along with Muirfield and Royal St Georges, Carnoustie is right up there as one of the toughest golf courses I’ve played. It’s long, the ‘Barry Burn’ snakes throughout the whole course and the rough can be thick. Having said all of the above, I really enjoyed my round here, the layout is great, and you can feel the history throughout the course. The bunkers are really well placed off the tee to make players think, therefore presenting a variety of options. The greens are surrounding areas are great, meaning run up shots are always possible, but need to be well judged due to the slopes. On the front, I loved the short 3rd, and the 6th is brilliant. ‘Hogans Alley’ gives players the option to hit driver on this par 5, but knowing that it gives them a particularly small landing area. Coming home, another par 5, ‘Spectacles’ is famous for its cross bunkers. This means if players are going for the green in 2, or even just laying up, serious considerations must be made. The finishing stretch of 16-18 is as hard as I’ve played anywhere, but still seems to keep enjoyment levels high. The par 3 16th has a small slopey green, made even harder by the fact it is a 235 yard hole from the yellows. The aforementioned burn runs in and out of the 17th and 18th fairways, and the 18th in particular is a great hole. It’s fun to see if you can make a better hash of it that Jean Van De Velde! I wouldn’t say that courses as hard as this are normally much fun, but it’s the balance between challenge and enjoyment that makes Carnoustie so great. Just don’t worry about your score!

In a part of the world where there is no drought of well conditioned courses, it’s the design of Yas Links that sets it apart. Set on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, nearby to the F1 track, Kyle Phillips work here is straight out of the top drawer. As with Kingsbarns, the mounding work here makes it look, play and feel, like a genuine links. Most holes have an strategic element to them, and the player is confronted with this from the start on a medium length par 4. The 3rd is the first hole that makes full use of the coastline, dog legging to the left. I really enjoyed the options on the risk reward par 5 7th that is extremely well bunkered. The 8th is a one shotter that plays over the water, as do all of the remaining par 3s. 9 is a classic cape hole, where players chose how much of the corner to cut off. On the back, I love the double green that the 12th and 15th share. Not only is the green massive, there are lots of different ledges and shelves and so taking note of the pin positions is key. A great example of how fun the greens are here is the shortest hole on the course, the par 3 13th. Despite being the shortest, it is definitely not the easiest, with a crazy green with lots of different run off areas. The finishing three holes are probably the signature holes here- all involving water and offering the player exhilarating shots. For me, this is the best course in the UAE by some distance.

It is no doubt a massive shame that due to the current circumstances the course also known as Sandwich won’t be hosting this years Open Championship, but it’s time will hopefully come next year.This is quite unique for an Open rota course in that there are many blind shots. The first major one of these is the 4th, in which players have to play over the massive Sahara bunker. There are some good opening short par 4s, especially the 2nd and 5th, that dog leg left and offer the player many different options. The 6th, Maiden, is a great par 3. The 10th has a great ‘infinity green’ and going long here is simply not an option. I would also strongly recommend the halfway house for a sausage just to the left of the 12th green. There is a particularly tough run of holes from 14-16 but nothing you wouldn’t expect from an rota course, and it’s fun to take on the challenge here. All in all Royal St Georges has an incredibly strong character, made by its blind shots and also its great green complexes. I had a great day here last year- 36 holes of foursomes with a hell of a lunch in-between, just try not to spill gravy down yourself like I did! A brilliant golfing experience.

Some of the best practice facilities I have seen at a course- with European Tour players regularly here tuning up their games. The course has relatively wide fairways mostly lined with houses, and greens that run quick and are elevated. Despite the condition, there weren’t many memorable holes here and even unlike other UAE courses there aren’t many that come immediately to mind. The 7th and 15th are played around water, and I enjoyed the 12th green setting, but nothing else for me stood out.

In the Hunter Valley, 3 hours from Sydney, The Vintage is a Greg Norman design set in the Northern wine regions of NSW. There is lots of water here, and the bunkers are filled with white sand. It is a pretty part of the world, and there are some interesting golf holes. The 1st and 2nd are a good start, a short 4 with water short of the green followed by a longer par 4 which doglegs right, and a green sloping back to front. The 7th could well be the signature hole, a par 5 played adjacent to a vineyard. There’s a lot more water in play on the back, and the two finishing holes are a well bunkered par 3 and a strong par 4 played back towards the clubhouse. It would be a long walk round here, and so buggies are normally used.

This course has previously hosted professional events such as the British Masters & English Open, and to this day still hosts the European Senior Masters. It is a resort style course, but still has some interesting holes. It would be lazy to compare it to the nearby Belfrys Brabazon course but for me this is probably the most similar course I have played to it. In general there are big greens, dog legs, and lots of water. On the front 9, I enjoyed the double green that 3 and 6 shares. On the back, it’s nice to see the deer running around, something not seen at every course. Some of my favourites holes on this 9 include the par 3 15th that has an interesting green, the short par 4 16th, and although there isn’t much in it apart from the long carry, I think the 18th is a strong finishing hole.

Just outside Leeds, in an area packed with good golf, and in the city which was also home of Alastair McKenzie, Moor Allerton is a 27 club built by Robert Trent Jones Jr. Built on a hilly piece of property, there is a lot of elevation which can sometimes mean it is a tiring walk. There are good holes and variety throughout. I enjoy the strategy on the short par 4s, especially the 4th & 6th. In general the greens here can be tricky, with different tiers and not many straight putts, which can make players really have to think there way round. Other stand out holes include the dogleg right 16th, which has my favourite shot on the course on it. Played from a slightly down hill like, players normally have a low iron/wedge into a back to front sloped green, while carrying a barranca. The barranca makes you think that short is not good, but in reality if you go past the hole you are also in a lot of trouble! In my opinion 1-18 are the best holes, but the 27th hole finisher is also memorable, a par 5 where players can choose to go for it in 2 but can put themselves in a lot of danger. A nice track all round, that rewards the thinking golfer.

A championship course having hosted the European Open on two different occasions. This course offers a good variety of holes, and if players are playing from the correct tees can be a fun course with good strategy throughout. Water and thick rough are the primary hazards on this course, especially on the par 5 5th that has water short and right of the green. In general, the greens are fairly flat with most of the trouble being from tee to green. 8 is another par 5, this time with a tree protecting the entrance to the green. The 11th is a beautiful downhill par 3, that is vaguely reminiscent of the downhill 13th at Holinwell , and 18 plays back towards the clubhouse with an elevated green. A pleasant place for a round, and could be a real challenge from the tips.

Whoever built this modern addition to the St. Andrews Links Trust's collection was always going to be under extreme pressure, and this course is controversial and can completely divide opinion. For example, I’ve spoken to many people who would have it right up there as one of their favourite courses, and you only have to compare this to Tom Doaks ‘0’ score given in The Confidential Guide.For me, it’s somewhere in the middle. I may be a ‘soft marker’, but it would take a lot for me to not enjoy a round of golf, as I definitely abide by "a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day in the office". However, in general this course is fun, there is mostly width and strategy, and there aren’t many flat putts.Where I think this course can come undone is the contours are just sometimes too strong, and seem out of place for the difficulty of a hole. For example, readers will be aware of my affinity for short par 4s or short par 3s that have really interesting greens. For example 6 at Kingsbarns or 7 at Barnbougle. Where they aren’t fun, is when you are hitting 200+ yards into crazy greens, and inevitably have a 20-foot+ putt for par at best. Some of the memorable holes include the 9th and 18th, and I enjoyed David McLay Kidd's ode to The Old Course with the shared double green. The par 3 17th played off the cliff is also a fun shot, but again the length makes it a very hard shot to one of the course's smaller greens.All in all, it is worth a look to see if you do indeed love it or hate it, but for me its somewhere in the middle!<a href="/news-item/review-of-the-month-april-2020-st-andrews-castle">Review of the month April 2020</a>

One of the first and also most successful of courses built in the ‘modern links’ category, Kingsbarns is an absolute beauty, and has views of the North Sea from virtually every hole. There is strategic design throughout, and the course was so well contructed that players would think the course has been there for hundreds of years. There are memorable holes throughout, starting with the par 5 3rd that plays along the sea, and has deep bunkers to the right of the green. I actually witnessed one of my playing partners putt into the bunker on this hole. The short par 6th is one of my favourite holes in the world, the green is long, narrow and multi tiered. I would recommend having a look at Michael Phelps (yes the swimmer) 50 yard putt holed here during the annual Dunhill Pro Am that graces these links. The 8th also has an interesting green, a short par 3 that slopes massively from right to left, but a short pot bunker on the right hand side of the green makes sure you can’t bail out too far. On the back, 12 & 15 take most of the plaudits and rightly so. Both played along (or over to the sea) and rocky beaches, they are remarkable. The 12th in particular, with its risk/reward design as a par 5. 18 is a strong finish, with a wedge played to a slopey green, from a downhill lie and over a burn, leaving nerves right up until the end. Kyle Phillips is a personal favourite of mine, and along with Yas Links, these are two of the best modern designs I’ve seen.

A truly unique, cliff top course on the North Island of New Zealand. When I say cliff top, I mean cliff top- the holes that are on the ‘fingers’ of this property can have as much as a 500 foot drop into the Hawkes Bay water. The sheer scale of this place is amazing, and has to be seen, to be believed. Following the long 10 minute plus drive from the properties gates to the clubhouse, you know you are in for a treat. Although it doesn’t have the linksland undulations that people may be expecting, the routing is a work of art, and it’s a true testament to Doaks work here that the inland holes are as good as the cliff top ones. The greens are shaped beautifully, and combining this with the well-placed fairway bunkers means players are always thinking. The 4th is great par 5 with a blind tee shot, that can be reached in 2 if a risky line is taken. It seems every inland hole has a strong strategic element that Doak provides, but it’s the back 9 that players have normally come to see. 12th has a green shaped in which it looks like its an infinity green that backs up on the cliffs themselves. The 13th is probably the first real hole where you can appreciate just how high up you are, a short par 3. 15th is probably the signature hole, a long, tight par 5 with massive drops either side! It is certainly intimidating, and I did manage to hook 2 Titleists into the Pacific Ocean. Something a caddy encouraged us to do was to hit a tee shot from the 16th tee straight out into the ocean. It was onlt then that you realise how high you are, as it seems like the ball stays in the air for what seems like minutes! 18 is a brilliant finisher, the approach into the punchbowl green is one of the most fun shots I’ve played. All in all it is so much more than the views that make this place a must see at some point, with great design to admire too

I went into my round here with little knowledge of the course, having previously played at a nearby course (Maspalomas), and being left disappointed by the quality of its golf. All we knew was the green fee was the same, and so we were keeping our fingers crossed. The course (or what we thought was the course) came into view, and we knew straight away we were in for a more interesting round. We were only more excited when we realised what we had originally seen was just the par 3 course! Every hole is memorable, you can tell that a lot of time and effort went into getting all the small details exactly right. Apparently some of the greensites were built into the cliffs using dynamite! There is an abundance of mostly well-placed water, and great variety between short/long and wide narrow holes. Elevation is also a strong characteristic of this course, with lots of elevated tees. One hole in particular that stands out is the par 3 13th. Built into a side of mountain, if you miss this small green in any direction you are completely dead! Not exactly an easy walk, and at times this course can defy logic, but at the same time this is what can make it a fun experience.

A rare example of a ‘true links’ outside of GB & I. Barnbougle Dunes was the first course built here on the North Coast of Tasmania. Although separated only by a small body of water, there are various differences between this course, and it’s slightly more modern neighbour Lost Farm. It’s a tighter piece of property, in general can play slightly tougher, and the greens are shaped even bolder. There are some fantastic, world class holes that you just want to play over and over. On the front, the 4th and the 7th are examples of this. The 4th is a epic hole, a driveable par 4 with the biggest bunker in the southern hemisphere just short of the green. The fact the surrounding areas of the green can help a ball run up to certain pinnable locations makes it even more tempting! I learnt the hard way this isn’t always the best play, as I got completely stuck in the aforementioned bunker resulting in picking my ball up. The 7th is an extremely short par 3, only 122 yards from the tips, but if you miss anywhere (especially left, right or long), you are pretty much dead. A caddy told me that when he plays he often lays up short on this hole! The great holes continue on the back, and the theme of half par holes continues. The 12th has a small green, and depending on the wind for that day can be quite gettable or absolutely treacherous. The 13th green is reminiscent of an elephants’ graveyard, and sometimes putting away from the hole is the sensible play. As you would expect of a course of this calibre, the finishing stretch is also strong and matches the rest of the course. It was the first Tom Doak course that I played and in the resulting years since first playing it has made me always find a way to play any Doak courses possible. The question players will ask themselves is which course did they prefer between Dunes & Lost Farm? For me- they are too hard to split and so will both receive the same mark.

Set in the beautiful Lake District, Windermere is a short and quirky, fun course. The views are great, and there is enough going on with the course to make the player think. There are lots of short par 4s that give the players different options. This is introduced right from the start, with a blind tee shot over some rock faces, followed by a short downhill approach to the green. The 3rd is a driveable par 4, with a tricky green. The 5th could also be seen as a driveable par 4, but it is a massive dog leg left so if players don’t take on the corner they will still have a full shot into a green that slopes from back to front. As you would expect for a course in this part of the world, there’s lots of elevation change, which can make it hard to gauge what is the correct club to use. This is certainly the case on the back 9. There are some great longer par 3s, and the risk reward par 5 16th. In places this course can be narrow, and there are various O.B on parts of the course. This can make it a challenge, but I guess a course of this length (5,122 Par 67) needs to protect itself. All in all, a good golfing experience, and for me it is a northern hemisphere counterpart of New Zealand’s Arrowtown.

Although well documented throughout social media, Sweetens Cove is an absolute gem. What Rob Collins has done with a piece of property that only has only a couple of feet of natural elevation, and is on a floodplain, is truly remarkable. I actually found the first tee shot frustrating, I felt it didn’t open up the hole and was a tough start, since then this has been changed and it truly shows off Sweetens from the start. The big greens with two pins is unique, and this course contains so much strategy. I really enjoyed the 2nd with not only the centreline bunker, but also the green complex with a bowl at the front. With a big tree just short of the par 5 3rd green, you have to be nailed on with your layup. The next hole, named King is a blind par 3 with an enormous green, which makes the walk to the green fun to see where (or where not your ball is). I could literally go into detail on every hole, which for me is the sign of a great, memorable course. There are some epic short par 4s such as 5, 7 and even 8 with its Biarritz green but the 9th is a beauty. A par 3 with a massive Redan style green, that forces players to decide between going for the pin or using the natural contours to get it close. It messes with your mind (as most the course does), and requires full commitment to your intended shot. All in all, fun is something that is 100% top of my criteria for my ratings. Sweetens has this in abundance. The greens can be crazy and I’ve heard this as a criticism of the course, but for me I think they are unique and are what makes Sweetens, Sweetens. The only criticism is that there aren’t 9 more epic holes, and to be fair, that doesn’t really matter as you can’t get bored of the current 9! I played 54 holes in a day upon my visit here, and the general vibe including the people I met, matched the special course.

A great heathland course, that is more towards the Sussex coast than the Surrey heathland stronghold, West Sussex is a beautiful Par 68. The bunkers are what you would expect, with heather on a lot of the faces. Fairway bunkers always seem to be well placed, and the green complexes mean finding the correct part of the greens are crucial. Not long, and not even particularly tight, this course has enough natural defence (especially the heather!) that means it is by no means a pushover. The first is a ‘easer inner’ par 5 that starts a great stretch of golf, highlighted by the long dogleg style par 3 6th. The hole wraps its way round a pond, but the green site is particularly skinny and has deep bunkers either side. There are great holes throughout, and the layout means that one hole just flows into the next which allows the course to be extremely walkable. Slightly more out of the way than the heathland classics, but well worth a journey.

C.H Alison's work here is spectacular, on the Izu Peninsula about 3 hours by car or train south of Tokyo. Golf in Japan is an experience in itself, and not only is the golfing experience here different to western customs, it is truly world class. Caddies have as many as four bags on there electric trolleys, and I can say from personal experience that they don’t speak much English! The land is beautiful, on one side you have the Pacific Ocean, and on the other the iconic Kawana hotel, or the even more iconic Mt. Fuji itself. The course gets off to a rousing start, with the extremely downhill tee shot played to a green that has the sea as its backdrop. The 2nd is played alongside the ocean, with deep fairway bunkers making the player have to think their way round (which is typical of countless more holes on the course). The 4th and 5th are played up then down a hill, which although the yardages would suggest one is gettable and one isn’t the slope means this certainly isn’t the case. The 7th is a wonder- with two split fairways, as the 9th also has. On the back, the coastline run of 11-15th is phenomenal. With the views as mentioned earlier complemented by some fascinating holes. The 11th is a par 5 which is played towards a lighthouse, and the 12th requires the player to decide if they want to cut some of the corner of the dogleg, but knowing their ball will fall the 50 or so yards into the sea if unsuccessful. The 15th is truly spectacular, with an elevated tee shot that is played completely along the coast. As for the inland holes- the green on the 18th is enjoyable, I had a putt that I thought was relatively flat but luckily my great caddy communicated to me that it was severely down grain- meaning if I had hit at the pace I originally thought necessary it would have gone flying off the green. My only very slight drawback of this course are some extreme walks from green to tee, for example they have to park a buggy between the 4th and 5th tee, to give players the option of avoiding the steep walk. I also experienced a real pace of play problem, probably due to the extreme volume of course traffic on that day. However, for a venue that is rightly consistently on most world top 100 lists, Kawana is accessible, with anyone being afforded access as long as they are residents at the hotel. This in itself is no hardship, watching the sun rise over the course from the Onsen hot pool was a highlight in a day of highlights.

Previous host of the British Masters, this course at the Woburn estate is iconic in some English golfing circles. This was the first course at Woburn, and every hole is played in isolation due to the trees (more on those later). It can also play extremely long, and certainly difficulty and challenge is one of the strong characteristics of this track. There are some great holes, such as the downhill 3rd par 3 3rd, with its shallow, wide green. The next is a sweeping uphill dogleg, and for me the opening 6 holes are the best stretch on the course. On the back, the 13th approach is over a large gully, which means leaving the right yardage is crucial. Unfortunately, like many courses built in this era, the course is extremely tree lined, which doesn’t offer many different lines of play or strategy. It’s basically hit it straight, or dead. There’s definitely room for courses like this in the golfing world- but they are just not for me.

An absolute cult classic links course, full of quirk, charm, but above all else fun. Most holes have something unique about them, starting with the 2nd with its mega false front, that can see a shot just short of the green roll back 30-40 yards. The next is a blind, short par 4, that has traffic lights on the tee so you can know when to hit, something not often seen! The 4th is a one shotter along Cruden Water, normally played into prevailing wind. This only plays at 140 yards, but on one of my rounds there, there was extreme winds. They were averaging at 30mph with 50mph gusts, which meant that the only logical choice was to hit driver! 5-7 are the first holes played in the dunes, with the dogleg par 5 6th played over a burn followed by the epic 7th which green is entranced between two massive dunes. The view on the 9th tee is one of the best I’ve seen, leading to the exciting back 9. The real signature holes are 14 and 15, one a par 4 and one a par 3. Both of the greens are hidden on the approach, with the bathtub, punchbowl style green of the 14 something not really seen anywhere else (as with many other aspects of Cruden Bay). 17 has a viking burial ground in the middle of the fairway (as you do), something which I think Coore/Crenshaw tried to recreate on the 7th at Barnbougle Lost Farm. All in all, an extremely fun and special place to play golf, which leaves the player desperate to come back and have another crack.

Occupying some premium real estate in East Lothian right between Muirfield & North Berwick, this is a combination of prime links land, and parkland holes that play between pine trees. There is a good variety of holes, and it is also hard to lose a ball in the pines, but on the last 7 holes that are tree-less, a combination of long rough and tight fairways made for this course to have a slightly split personality. Memorable holes on the front include the 1st, with its centreline bunker that gets you thinking straight away, the par 3 4th, with deep bunkers and elevated green, followed by the 6th with its two-tiered green, a nice feature on a relatively short par 5 that normally plays downwind. On the back, I did enjoy the more ‘true links’ style holes, including the strong par 3 17th and par 5 18th that brings you back to the outstanding clubhouse. All the facilities here are top notch, but to charge more for a green fee than next door North Berwick seems sacrilegious to me!

From the moment, the course comes into view after you drive in from the entrance, you always know you are in for a special day when you come to Holinwell. An old school club that is also very welcoming to a visitor, the whole vibe of the place is great. A heathland track, that normally plays firm and fast in summer, there is great holes throughout the round. Starting with the 2nd, a dogleg left par 4, that first asks you how much you want to take off with the drive, followed by a fun approach into an awesome green site that sits just over, and on the side of a hill. The 4th is a punch you in the face par 4, which is long, well bunkered and has an undulating green. For me this says a lot about what Holinwell is about- extremely tough, but extremely fun. After players tee off on the 8th, there is a chance to drink from the natural spring, the ‘Holy Well’, that gives the club its nickname. 10 is an example of the different ways to play the course, which, despite a tight tee shot, if players lay back they can give themselves more room. The stretch from 11-13 is about a good as a run of holes you will play anywhere, with 11 featuring a S shaped fairway in a valley, 12 a blind tee shot that leads to a green that is best accessed by a low, runner, and the picturesque 13th which is a downhill par 3. The 15th is another great green, which is basically surrounded by rough and heather. Players should know by now, but playing out of this heather aggressively is a real recipe for disaster! 16 and 17 is a short par 4 followed by a short 5, a last chance to salvage something before the strong finishing hole, played right up to the clubhouse. I don’t say this lightly, and really enjoy Royal St Georges, but I think I would have to say Holinwell is my favourite course in England.

As Dubai golf goes, I found Dubai Creek to be an enjoyable course. A tough but in general fair challenge, and a variety of holes. There’s lots of water used as hazards, for example, the par 3 5th has some over the back, and the next tee is actually located on the creek, on a floating tee. Something you don’t see everywhere! The 13th is a risk/reward par 5 with an island green, which depending on your games requires a well thought out approach. There’s water in play on the left on 17 and 18, but you are basically just putting yourself in as much trouble if you bail out right into the bunkers and trees. This isn’t my favourite style of golf in the world, but for what it sets out to do, Dubai Creek does a good job.

A Colt parkland course, set fairly centrally in Birmingham, there are worse places to have a walk. With a number of bunkers recently being renovated to reflect the architects original vision, this course is continually improving itself. Although not long, it is a par 69, which can lead to some challenging holes, indeed there are a number of ‘half par holes’, with the 2nd and 6th coming to mind as par 4.5s, and the 11th and short downhill 16th playing as basically par 3.5s. A couple of the greens have a lot of interest, for example the short par 3 7th, two tiered 9th (personally my favourite hole), the green on the aforementioned 11th, and the two finishing holes. Fairly playable with not many forced carries, and mostly offering width, there are a couple of holes which in this authors opinion could do with some tree removal to increase strategic options. On that subject- I’ve heard a criticism of Edgbaston is that it lacks strategy, but I think there is just enough to keep the player interested. If you are in the midlands area, I would strongly recommend a visit over some of the more well-known local resort courses.

Has to be one of the most beautiful courses in the world, as with Arrowtown, set in the extremely scenic Queenstown. Every hole has something about it, provides good variety, fair challenge, and the player must think there way round. Similar to other courses I have recently reviewed, a disappointment here is that there are some long walks green to tee, and while this is definitely a notable criticism, apart from that, the course is top notch. The second time I played here there were multiple planes taking off and landing overhead, which just added to the dramatic scenery. As is common in the Central Otago area, there are a few rocky areas used as hazards, which definitely makes the player think twice. For example the uphill, dog leg right par 5 5th has one in the middle of the fairway. There are some epic views on the holes adjacent to Lake Wakatipu, and similarly for holes played towards the ‘Remarkables’ mountain range. The 15th, has a stone wall in play for the hole, reminding me of one of my favourite courses in the world, North Berwick. One of the best holes may be the spare par 3, in-between 16 & 17, that was in use for both of my visits. This is a really short hole, with a mental multi-tiered green! All in all not only a stunning spot, but a stimulating golf course.

A true championship links, I was desperate to play Royal Birkdale for a long time after attending the 2017 Open. The fairways and greens are massively framed by the dunes, and there is plenty of risk/reward on option from most tee shots. Some of my favourite holes include the 4th, with the Artisans clubhouse next to it, and the short dog leg right par 4 5th that follows. On the back, there is a great dog leg right par 4 to start proceedings off (10th), and it’s interesting to see just where Spieth hit that wayward drive on the par 5 13th. The par 5 17th has a great green setting right in the dunes. This is followed by the par 4/5 finisher, which ends up in front of the iconic white clubhouse. There are no sea views at this links, and a criticism could be that the routing continually runs through the dunes the same way, meaning there aren’t many uneven stances, but never the less it is an awesome setting to test yourself at an Open rota course.

Just up the coast from Royal Aberdeen, it shares a lot of character with its royal neighbour, such as its true links conditions, toughness, and strong routing. Not many still days here, and with long rough in places, if you don’t bring your A game you can find it a tough day out. The par 4 3rd is the first example of this, a long, massively tight, downhill hole with split fairways, that is an early indication of the strategy to come. 4-9 play along the coast, with the 7th in particular staying strong in my memory, with its S shaped fairway. The 11th is a shorter par 4, with a blind tee shot that creates the trick of making the hole look harder than it potentially plays, and this leads to the par 3 12th with an elevated green. There are a couple more blind shots coming home, but they always seem to be comparable with the width and difficulty of a hole, so a player shouldn’t mind these too much. The player is also left with a decision on the 14th, with a hazard in the middle of the fairway. There is a friendly finish to the round with the gettable par 4 18th, but this is no doubt needed after a tough 4 hours! Having said all that and despite the difficulty, I would recommend this links track if you are visiting its more esteemed neighbours, and it provides great value.

Extremely well bunkered (as you would expect for a course in the desert!), and with holes playing alongside the sea, Saadiyat is a nice spot for golf. There is a massive variety on tees, and so playing from the appropriate tees is crucial for enjoying your round, with the backs maxing out at a massive 7,806 yards. Disappointingly, walking is banned here due to some long green to tee walks, and so buggies is the only option. Sand replaces rough on some of the holes which makes for some interesting strategy, and knowing that you won’t lose your ball even if you miss the fairway is quite pleasing. The layout can get quite repetitive, but a highlight was one of the beachside par 3s on the front 9.

A lovely quaint course just outside of St. Andrews, this is the fifth oldest golf club in the world. In general, this course is short, playing 5,592 from the medal tees, but as a par 69, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a walkover. It gets off to great start, with the downhill 1st starting a great opening stretch as you play along the coast line. This leads to the 5th, both beautiful and daunting, with the drive requiring a big forced carry over the sea. The back 9 includes a drivable par 4 (the 15th) , and finishes with a long par 3 where my partner told me the only play was a ‘three quarter driver’! An extremely fun place for a round, and you can really feel the history on the fairways set old by Old Tom Morris all those years ago. As with the Glen in North Berwick, it does however have some extreme competition being so close to a golfing mecca!

Famous for its clubhouse built like an enormous eagle, this course is one of grand scale. Like a lot of golf in the UAE it is fairly contrived, with a lot of forced carries and water in play. This makes for some fairly interesting strategic decisions, particularly on the 9th and 18th that go back to the aforementioned clubhouse, but in general here the challenge can outweigh the fun. Having said that, similarly for my recent post on El Cameleon, for the average golfer it is always interesting to tee it up where they have seen pros play a lot of golf (Abu Dhabi Championship).

Home to the Mayakoba Golf Classic (don't ask the caddies about Matt Kuchar!). A solid test of golf in a beautiful setting, however I found the golf to not be memorable, with a few exceptions. The par 5 opener has the cave (cenote) bunker on the 1st. Of course I managed to hit it in that bunker- it was certainly an interesting shot getting back out of it! There are also a couple of short par 3s right on the beach, although I question if it wasn't for the setting right on the beach, if they would have been that memorable.

Known as the ‘links in the sky’ this clifftop links course is widely unknown, something that is changing due to Tom Doaks pick in the Confidential Guide as a ‘Gourmet Choice’ for UK & Ireland. Quirky is the first word I would use to describe Pennard, with sheep and cows roaming the links, and small electric fences protecting the green (that you would think come more into play!). Full of natural small mounds and undulations, coupled with the requirement to shape shots, there isn’t many fairway bunkers required. Every hole has some element of intrigue, but the first hole that specifically comes to mind is the par 4 7th. The tee shot is played between the ruins of a church on the left and a castle on the right, which gives the player a feel of the history of the land. The 10th is a short par 5, played over a valley and back, full of risk and reward. There are some great short 4s, but for the finish, the 16th and 17th par 5s, is where rounds are ultimately made or broken. Both dogleg in different ways, and require extreme thought from the player. In general, the greens are fun, with a lot of slope, but appropriate for the usual green speed. This course has beautiful views, but that aside, there is so much genius on the golf course alone, that this place is worth a long journey to get to.

Part of ‘Scotlands Golf Coast’ just south of North Berwick, Dunbar is in general an out then in links layout, but 1-3 and the closing hole is played in a separate paddock. Opening with back to back par 5s, it ensures the player has to make decisions from the start of their round. A short par 3 follows, hitting towards the sea, and is very photogenic. The player is then treated to holes right on the sea, that bare similarity to some of the holes at Kingsbarns across the Firth of Forth. These holes are bordered on the other side of the land by an old estate wall- the 7th being a good example of a hole that’s played adjacent to this. The 12th and 15th are on the other side, right next to the water. This was an introduction to links golf for the author, something it does a fair job at, but in this particular corner of the world, there is a lot of competition!

One of the oldest clubs in New Zealand, this club is home to former Open winner Sir Bob Charles. Not mentioned straightaway in the best golf in NZ category, this course has some brilliant design features that for me, make it not only a great test of golf, but an extremely fun course. It also goes by the name of Shirley Links, something that is definitely true considering that an array of chip and run shots, or putting from off of the green are sometimes the best short game options at this track. The 1st is a dogleg right par 4, and has a massive double green, shared with the par 4 17th. (The 3rd is a short par 3 with a massive bowl in the green, followed by the par 5 4th which has a mega false front. There’s a large collection of holes over the road (which is crossed a couple of times), on a different paddock. If there was a criticism of this course it would be that sometimes this can lead to long green to tee walks. The 5th is a long par 4 of which the green complex reminds me of the Road Hole from The Old Course, with a pot bunker on the left and big tier in the green. The 13th is a par 4 which has a pot bunker in the middle of the fairway, completely obscured from view on the tee. I think this hole is controversial with some members, but personally, I loved it! There is plenty of interest in the greens, for example on the 7th, 8th, 11th, 15th and 16th holes, they have a lot of slope. The 17th and 18th are both short par 4s, that force players to work out whether to go for broke at the end of their round or try and protect a score, which also means an interesting finish if you are playing a match. Not that this is taken into consideration for the rating, but this course is immaculately conditioned, and outside of Tara Iti it potentially had the quickest greens I played on during my time in New Zealand.

Just up the road from Royal Portrush, but by no means in its shadow having previously hosted an Irish Open. It has one of the most epic tee shots in golf, from an elevated tee playing as a dogleg to a green between massive dunes. This is followed by the great 2nd, a short par 4 played alongside one of the aforementioned dunes. Another memorable hole is the 7th, a dogleg right with a massive crater/run off area short right of the green. I got this course on a particularly windy day, and my playing partner managed to putt off the green into this crater, leaving a 50 yard shot as his next! The 8th is a dog leg left, with a variety of options off the tee, that makes the player think. The back 9 is on land not quite as dramatic, and hence there is less interesting golf, but it’s worth saying that I did enjoy the 16-18 stretch. Overall a great links track, that is definitely worth seeing if you are in the area.

What to say about this place that hasn’t already been said! On reflection, I’ve used the word ‘special’ a lot in previous reviews, but there is no doubting in my mind that 99% of other courses pale into insignificance compared to this place. Filled with lots of intricacies, strategy, and personally most importantly for this reviewer lots of fun. Featuring some iconic holes, such as the 1st and 18th, played over the Swilcan Burn, and away from/back to the heart of St Andrews town. Another iconic hole is the Road Hole 17th, played over The Old Course Hotel (that used to be railway sheds), then asking players to deal with the deep road hole bunker and actual road. Have a look at the video of a playing partner smashing one into the hotel then playing his second 50 yards back from the tee behind the 16th green! However, there are SO many more brilliant holes. Personally, I love the 11th, 12th and 16th, to name but a few. The par 3 11th has been described as ‘the shortest par 5 in golf’, a statement I would tend to agree with, having experienced a complete meltdown on before when trying to avoid the short-left Bobby Jones bunker. I over clubbed, flew the green and ended up playing what can only be described as a game of ping pong for my next 3-4 shots. The 12th has hidden centreline bunkers which demand players not only to think but also to be accurate, accompanied with possibly the most interesting green complex that the course has to offer. The 16th has out of bounds right, but the further left you play off the tee, the harder the second shot comes. Quite simply, with its wide fairways, and 8 massive double greens, there is nowhere else like it! I appreciate this is a long review but I feel like I could go on for hours! Completely forgetting the amazing and well documented history of golf in The Auld Grey Toon to one side, there is no other golf course I would be giving my first perfect score too. If you haven’t been there yet, do what you can to get there ASAP (hopefully once all this current craziness dies down!).

A pretty unique course set just outside tourist destination Queenstown, which alone is a unique place, with both the surrounding ‘Remarkable’ mountain ranges, (which do what they say on the tin), and beautiful Lake Wakatipu. I will caveat this review with saying I got a terrible, rainy day, so much so that the greens were completely flooded and water logged, but it was still interesting to see the bones of an extremely fun course. The course is bunkerless, with rock faces often used as hazards, which are to be avoided! It’s not often I would enjoy a course as tight as this, but with a variety of holes and tiny greens, it is truly one of a kind. Really enjoyed the par 3 opener (something rarely seen), which is closely followed by the 3rd where you see (but hopefully don’t experience) a rock face for the first time. The 7th is played from an elevated tee into an angled fairway, as is the 9th. The 18th involves a pond, and is extremely confusing to decipher the strategy the first time you see it. Overall an extreme test of accurate golf, but with different bounces and shots you won’t see anywhere else, this course offers fantastic venue for a fun place to have a hit.

Often quoted as one of the best front 9s in golf, something that definitely doesn’t let down. From the memorable first tee shot right next to the clubhouse played towards the North Sea packed with oil tankers, followed by the rest of the opening holes played through dunes right next to the beach, it offers plenty of great golf. The postage stamp style 8th is another hole that comes to mind. I also feel the back 9 is underrated, despite not being on as great golfing land as the front. Some strong short 4s with great greens are of interest. There’s also no doubting it is a stern test of golf, having previously held the Scottish Open & Walker Cup. A traditional and prestigious club, but also extremely welcoming, makes for a great day.

The second built course at Barnbougle, done by Coore Crenshaw, is a beauty. Mega wide fairways, lots of angles in play, interesting green complexes that also provide a variety of options around them. I have a great affinity for great short par 4s, something this course definitely has, with 2, 3 and 14 coming to mind. The par 3 4th has stunning views, right on the ocean. I also really enjoyed the par 4 7th, I’m told it’s considered a controversial hole by the locals, with a huge mound in the middle of the fairway, but it has shades of the 17th at Cruden Bay, a course that holds a special place in my heart. As with next doors Barnbougle Dunes, there’s a lot of wildlife in display. There are actually 20 holes here, with two ‘spare’ par 3s. Although I enjoy the concept I could take or leave the extra holes. I’ve been lucky enough to visit this resort twice, and have seen wallabies, lizards and even some snakes, so watch your step! Don’t miss the sports bar post round with its TAB (please gamble responsibly!). Overall an extremely fun golf course!!

The other side of town to the internationally acclaimed North Berwick West Links, The Glen shares similar views out to Bass Rock. Potentially more of a cliff top course than a true links, this course is not to be sniffed at. Enough holes that make you think, which is combined with some strong undulations and bunkering. The 1st & 18th play up (then down) a big slope which opens up the rest of the course. The par 3 13th is reminiscent of the 7th at Pebble Beach, and you can imagine depending on wind it could be anything from a 4 iron to sand wedge. A nice enough course but has a lot of competition in the area, that is perhaps time better spent.

Undoubtedly a special place in the world. From the moment the course comes into view from the road north from Belfast, you know you have a great day ahead of you. Mackenzie & Eberts changes ahead of last years Open are completely unnoticeable, a sign of some great renovation work. For example the 30 yards moved back 2nd green (completely kept to the same specifications), and the new 7th and 8th holes, blend in perfectly, while slightly upping the challenge. The 5th is one of my favourite ever holes, a short dog leg right par 4, with an infinity green with a drop onto the beach behind it, that is also out of bounds. This causes all sorts of strategic decisions! Without trying to mention every hole, some other favourites include the Himalayas 10th, with its fascinating green and surrounds. The Calamity Corner 16th is a tee shot that gets the palms sweaty, probably one of the more early examples of a heroic carry, followed by the 17th, played largely downhill, that can be massively impacted by which way the wind is blowing. An absolute Colt masterpiece. Underrated vibe as a club and friendly clubhouse, would be rude not to have a Guinness at Harbour Bar after too!

Often not mentioned straightaway in the Surrey Heathland conversation but still unmissable if you are in the area. Short par 4s with tricky greens, strategical options throughout and the heathland style bunkering is very easy on the eye. The 1st is a welcome ‘opening handshake’ from the course (similar to Woking). Par 5 3rd is an introduction to the strategy required to have a successful round. 4-5-6 is a strong run of holes, with a long par 4 that doglegs left (tee shot shown on video) sandwiched between two great short 4s. 10 and 18 are also memorable par 4s, with the latter making sure that your round finishes as it starts with a hole that just leaves you wanting more!

Unlike a lot of other links, this course has no sea views at all. However, Alex Russell’s routing offers such a variety of golf holes, that this is truly a wonderful place. Loved the humps and hummocks that can offer a wide range of bounces and lies, but you would do well to walk away feeling like it isn’t a fair track. Favourite holes- par three 5th, with no bunkers but the mega false front, great short four 8th (hit a drive 20 yards short and made double), hard but fair SI 1 13th, picturesque 15th, and the strategic 17th Come to think of it now it’s extremely hard to not name pretty much every hole- the sign of a great walk.

Beautiful course, with sea views from every hole. Can only imagine it would host more and bigger championships if there was more capacity to hold an event as such. Great mixture of holes and a true test. Green complexes very interesting. Favourite holes- the strategic 6th, short 7th, 13th with great centerline coffin bunker on the approach, and strong finishing 18th. Overall a tough course (especially on a windy day as we got it), but a great Colt links layout.