# Royal St Georges



## Swingalot (Feb 29, 2012)

As the title suggests, I had the great fortune to play on this iconic course earlier in the Year and decided to give my thoughts on the day, course and whole experience.

The first thing that struck me as I drove down the narrow, short approach road to the clubhouse was how understated the whole thing was. There was no 'meet and greet' man to meet you at the entrance or a flash modern lit road with a huge sign at the entrance, but more a gentle drive past a small sign down into a tiny car park area. As I wondered across from the car park the clubhouse building was in excellent condition and looked of course like an old building, but again I was surpised at the scale of it. It was no bigger than any 'average' golf clubhouse! After spending a short time checking out the well stocked golf shop and being served by the most well spoken staff member I have ever come across we wandered across for breakfast in the clubhouse. Walking through the doors you started to get a real feel for the history of the place, with the great names up on the hounour boards and some really great pictures and paintings of recent (and not for recent) Open championships.

After a very decent buffet breakfast (4 sausages was a little excessive, but I had a long walk ahead of me) we got changed and made our way towards the 1st tee. We were playing as 2 x 4 balls and as we walked across some 20 minutes before our tee time it was then that it struck us that we were the only golfers at the golf course. In fact, as it transpired, we were the only golfers to play the course all day! Not only was I on a freebie round at the home of 14 Open Championships, but the guy footing the bill had hired out the whole golf course! In fact, the light rain and the members reluctance to play on Tuesday mornings were the reason we had the course to ourself, but I like to convince myself that the former was true.

Onto the 1st tee and my first dissapoiintment, no starter and a pretty undramaitc 1st hole. A faily straight par 4 ahead of us, into the rain. Anyway off we went and very soon the course started to make an impact (forgot to say, this was only my 2nd ever round on a Links course!!). The greens and course were in fantasitic condition and pretty soon I was learning the hard way all about links golf. I hit the green in 2 on the 2nd hole and watched as it came to settle 4ft from the hole, only then to start moving and moving and moving and moving until it had rolled off the green, down a slope and around 40 yards from the hole. Remind me what people like about links golf?!

In all seriousness, it was great fun and a real joy to be out on such a course. My highlight holes were all of the par 3's, the par 5's and perhaps my fav hole was the dogleg 5th, which I walked off with a little birdie. For those who have never played a links course, the biggest thing I noticed was despite what you see on the TV and even from watching the Open from the crowd, you really don't appreciate how much contour change there is on the fairways and greens until your actually trying to steer that little white dot around the place. The greens were all over the place and you very rarely get a flat lie on the fairways. 

If I was to be really picky about the course, the dissapointing holes were the first and last, and in fact the last was propably the biggest dissapointment. Very straight and relatively simple par 4, with no dramatic finish and in fact finishing someway from the clubhouse itself (I'm sure it is a little different with 10000 fans packed into temporary stands, but all we had as interested oberservers were seagulls).

How did I play, well not bad at all actually. Despite it being wet for the first 9 holes we did not have too much wind and I walked away with 33 points which I was chuffed with. Yes a couple of dings, but also a birdie and a handfull of pars and may I add we did go off the white tees (the champsionship tees were a little bit out of our league!!!) 

Overall, a great experience. You can smell the history of the place and I felt very fortunate to be playing the course. The staff in the clubhouse, bar, shop and changing rooms were all polite and helpfull but without being too OTT and it was a lovely feeling to 'tick the course off the list'.


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## ADB (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for the review, not often you get a Championship course to yourself! How would you rate the condition of the fairways/bunkers/greens?


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## GeneralStore (Feb 29, 2012)

Nice write up, thanks


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## PNWokingham (Feb 29, 2012)

This place definitely has the X factor - a very special ambience, and the best showers ever at a golf club! Great course. The only thing I would say is that I like other lower-ranked links courses almost the same.


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## RichardC (Feb 29, 2012)

After playing Princes late last year, I so wanted to go over the boundary fence and play one hole at Royal St Georges. 

It looked fantastic.


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## Swingalot (Feb 29, 2012)

snaphookwedge said:



			Thanks for the review, not often you get a Championship course to yourself! How would you rate the condition of the fairways/bunkers/greens?
		
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Yes we were very lucky in that respect. The forecast was shocking for the whole of the SE the day we played and we did start in a drizzle of rain, but then after 9 holes it cleared and the sun came out.  When I spoke to friends in London who knew I was playing that day, they all laughed and thought I must have got drenched as the weather elsewhere was shocking, but we must have had a lucky break with the rain! Also, I think they only open up to 4 ball visitors on a Tuesday morning, so the members all avoid it like the plague.

As for conditions, the bunkers and greens were as good as they can get. The only thing against the bunkers was how hard it was to get out of the buggers! You know your in trouble when you enter a bunker via a flight of stairs!!!!!!

The fairways were what I would guess you get with links courses. Very short, tight lies, but almost faultless. Certainly no need to 'pick and place'


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## MashieNiblick (Mar 1, 2012)

Swingalot said:



			As for conditions, the bunkers and greens were as good as they can get. The only thing against the bunkers was how hard it was to get out of the buggers! You know your in trouble when you enter a bunker via a flight of stairs!!!!!!
		
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Hope you didn't go in this one







Played there a few years back (my God just checked and it was 1991!) and loved it. Definately the hardest test of golf I have ever faced. 

Found the club very accommodating and nowhere near as stuffy as I expected. Played on a weekday in October and virtually had the place to myself.

Also watched the Open there when Norman won.

Agree that without the stands etc the course looks very different than it does for the Open but it is awesome to be be able to play the same fairways and greens as the greats. What other sport gives you that opportunity.


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## Piece (Mar 4, 2012)

Great review :thup:

I've played there and totally agree with unassuming nature of the entrance, clubhouse and course. The course itself is fantastic and certainly is not flat as last year's Open gave the impression it was. I love holes 3, 4 and 5.

And I had the best golf lunch meal there. Simply stunning.


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## Foxholer (Mar 4, 2012)

Played it (36 holes) a couple of times and really enjoyed it both days.

Surprisingly accommodating for the reports of stuffiness I'd heard. First time there, I actually stayed in the Dormy House which is excellent value and a great experience. Honesty book for the large selection of drinks available and wonderful to open the curtains and see only Golf Course!

Certainly comes in my top 4 courses (others also being venues for The Open).

Agree about the Lunch being the best (followed be Berkshire & Muirfield, then Woburn & Swinley)


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## pendodave (Mar 13, 2012)

Played this yesterday.

Agree with all the above.

Particularly the lack of other golfers. Literally and metaphorically millionaires golf. 

In fact, we could have just wandered on and played. Noone was particularly interested in seeing our booking forms, just polite and helpful when showing us where to go and then leaving us to it. 

It was particularly pleasing to hit 10 foot putts on the right line and see them track without random deviation straight into the cup....playing here regularly would improve my putting stats by about 3 of 4 per round.


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