Anyone played at The Grove?

[Snelly]

Hi,

I have had an invite from one of my customers to play at The Grove next Tuesday. Has anyone played there?

I will accept the invite as I need to go to see my VIP customer but I am not particulary excited about playing this course as I prefer traditional old courses rather than newer venues with a spa and so on. For example, I don't like The Belfry, The Oxfordshire, The Bucks or East Sussex National and my perception is that The Grove fits into this bracket.

Is my opinion of the place wrong? I am sure I will still enjoy it but wondered if anyone had played there recently...

Any feedback appreciated.

Cheers,


Snelly.

 

[Alex1975]

Its a beautiful venue that you will see in alot of films. The club house is stunning and the course is very well looked after. However as nice as it is, it does back on to the Slough Trading estate.

Its a parkland course but I dont know if its old or new school as I have not played any of the old school courses.

I am sure you will have a lovely day, its also very expensive.

 

[SyR]

I walked the course during the world golf comp there a few years back. It's a nice course which I'd say is comparable to East Sussex National's West Course. The condition and the facilities seem to be very good.

 

[Ethan]

Its a beautiful venue that you will see in alot of films. The club house is stunning and the course is very well looked after. However as nice as it is, it does back on to the Slough Trading estate.

Its a parkland course but I dont know if its old or new school as I have not played any of the old school courses.

I am sure you will have a lovely day, its also very expensive.

I think you are thinking of Stoke Park.

The Grove is a nice course with very good facilities. It will certainly benefit from a few decaes of growth in the trees that have been planted which will give the holes a lot of definition. But it is still a pretty good course right now, and better than The Belfry any day of the week. I would happily head up for a game.

 

[Alex1975]

Its a beautiful venue that you will see in alot of films. The club house is stunning and the course is very well looked after. However as nice as it is, it does back on to the Slough Trading estate.

Its a parkland course but I dont know if its old or new school as I have not played any of the old school courses.

I am sure you will have a lovely day, its also very expensive.

I think you are thinking of Stoke Park.

The Grove is a nice course with very good facilities. It will certainly benefit from a few decaes of growth in the trees that have been planted which will give the holes a lot of definition. But it is still a pretty good course right now, and better than The Belfry any day of the week. I would happily head up for a game.

Oh I am, no idea how I got that mixed up

 

[Deleted member 1418]

It's a cracking course and it's always in immaculate condition - you'll enjoy it.

 

[EZprophet]

I played there in April for the first time and while the course was in immaculate condition, I didn't think it was great.

The greens were fast and true and overall it was probably the best conditioned course I've played in England (especially considereing the state of all the other courses in the area at the time) but that was by far the best thing about the place.

There was a temporary green on the 1st which I always find annoying (especially when you are paying that kind of money and they don't tell you before you book...) which wasn't a great start but it wasn't that which I didn't like, for me it was just a bit bland.

The par 3's were all absolutely brilliant holes but apart from them, none of the holes stand out in my mind as particularly interesting or memorable.

I know that it can't have been great because I played well that day and shot a 75, and I usually automatically love all courses I play well on!

I think the main thing that stopped me liking it was the price. When you compare it to other courses that you can play for that money it just isn't even in the same league.

Judging by your taste in courses I reckon you probably won't love it, but you'll still enjoy playing it because I think any course in that good of condition is fun to play.

 

[USER1999]

I have played it about six times. It is always in good Knick (mainly as it is always empty, with more greens staff than players). It is a beast off the black tees too. SI one is the third, and is a cracker. I really like it, but it is way too over priced. Some very good holes, some a bit bland.

It may not hit your all time favourite list, but I think you would enjoy it.

 

[jasondransfieldgolf]

I was lucky enough to play the course 6 months before the course opened and I remember the greens was just amazing. The highlight of the round being a 2 on the par 4. I thought the course had lots of potential. I would definitely go out play it if you have chance.

 

[fundy]

As others have said, its nice and in good nick but will never be a great course, is very much aimed at the corporate market, that said, it tends to fulfill that aim pretty well (its nicer than the Oxfordshire and Belfry imo)

 

[Snelly]

Thanks for all the replies.

I am looking forward to it more than I was after your posts!

I will post a review next week.

Cheers,


Snelly.

 

[EZprophet]

Snelly, did you play here in the end?

Interested to hear your thoughts on the course.

 

[Snelly]

Hi,

Yes I did play at the Grove last week. I went with low expectations and I have to say that they were surpassed with ease. I enjoyed it and I thought the course was very good.

The condition of the course was superb and I thought that the layout was excellent. The standout holes for me were the 3rd and 5th. Excellent par 4's. The par 3's were all good too. The greens were quick and true when putting and the fairways were like carpets. The clubhouse was lovely too and had great drinks service from very pretty staff!

On the downside, the prices were stupid. A pint of fresh orange and soda water was £7 and that is over the odds anywhere, never mind in a field near Watford! In addition, the food wasn't great as we had a kind of rolling lunch that was poorly managed by the restaurant staff. It also has a new money feel to it that I don't particularly like but it is a brand new course so it's difficult for them to position the place as a rival to Sunningdale! The fact that it isn't a "club" per se makes it a little too corporate for me though.

Negatives about the course? The greens would not hold anything. I hit several good shots at pins and ended up miles through the green every time. Fine and to be expected on a links course but at a target golf venue like this? In addition, the course has 3 or 4 weak holes that let the flow of the round down a little. 9th, 10th and 14th spring to mind as examples.

In summary then, the Grove exceeded my expectations hugely and I was impressed. As a course, I think it is the equal of somewhere like Loch Lomond (without the pretty views of course) and surpasses the Brabazon and similar courses (Oxfordshire, Arden, Bucks etc) too.

Lastly, I find it bizarre that it is ranked 30 in England. This puts it ahead of the following courses: Ferndown, Broadstone, Woburn Dukes and Duchess, Southport, Worplesdon, Woking, Berkshire Blue and Liphook to name just a few. All these courses in my opinion, are a cut above the Grove. To say that it is in the same bracket as Worplesdon or the Berks particularly is laughable. That isn't the Grove's fault though but I thought it was worth mentioning.

I would like to play there again which is a sign of how I felt about it. A good course, in lovely condition with a special occasion feel to it. Recommended but there are much better courses to play in England without the price tag or footballer's wife feel that the Grove has.

Cheers,


Snelly.

 

[Snelly]

Forgot to mention that I played like an idiot and this may have swayed my opinion somewhat! If I play there again and shoot a decent score, I am sure it will be even better!

 

[EZprophet]

Good to hear that it exceeded expectations.

Good review aswell, I pretty much agree with you about the course but I think my main problem with the place is the price. If the green fee was £40 I would probably be hailing it as the best course in England, but when you are paying that sort of money for a round, I guess you expect it to be world class.

Goes to show how much expectations can affect ones view on something!