Back from The Forest Of Arden Aylesford

[G1BB0]

What a cracking little course. Awesome greens and for mid November in extremely good nick all round.

I didnt do the course any justice and must have 3 putted at least 8 times but I loved every minute of it. The practice facilities were great and overall for £20 a head an absolute steal.

I only lost 1 ball in a bloody great ditch

Was quite tricky not knowing the course at all as some holes the hazards are blind.

Highly recommended and can't wait to go back and maybe play the Arden next visit

Been a long day as just back from Frankie & Benny's so bed time beckons

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It was pretty hard when we played it blind too even with the pressure of a GM meet. Which hole had the ditch? Its a long course and for me a lot of the par 4's were too risky to go for in two so I kept laying up to 100 yards and pitching on and making no thrills nett pars. A few of the 5's were definitely worth a punt and the last one (17?) I'd have gone for in two in a roll up from where the drive finished.

The last is quite a challenge and when we played it the flag was all the way over on the very left edge behind the bunker. Not one you could go for. Great course though and sounds like you got it for a real bargain

 

[G1BB0]

was it the Arden you played Homer?

The Aylesford is the shorter one 5800 off the whites. I was almost 2 clubs shorter today with the cold weather and damp air. Was tricky getting the right distance. I would also recommend a GPS as found distance markers a bit sparce

 

[bladeplayer]

Were the pin placements as the starter tol you G1BBO? the day we played the arden with GM the starter & the signs said pin placements were A (i think ) everyone was in C tho .. bit maddening on the long holes .. supose thats a 1 up for DMD users tho , of which i am not ha after about the 4th i just played them as C and got on with it.. did you get good day for it . the day we played it the greens were quick , luckily i got speed of them early & only 3 putted twice , 1 for bogey on a par 3 . 2nd time was from about 15feet on par 5 17th had a go for my eagle & paid the price

 

[HomerJSimpson]

was it the Arden you played Homer?

The Aylesford is the shorter one 5800 off the whites. I was almost 2 clubs shorter today with the cold weather and damp air. Was tricky getting the right distance. I would also recommend a GPS as found distance markers a bit sparce

You're right. Teach me to skim read!

 

[Smiffy]

Got to be honest G1BBO, have played the Aylesford and wasn't that impressed with it. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were forced to play on there despite the fact that we had paid for, and travelled all the way, to play the main course.
Massive great Society day, over 70 players, and a lot of them had travelled a long way to attend the day, some flying over from Ireland. It was about a week or so before the English Open was due to be played there, and because they had encountered a bit of rain on the run up to the event, they closed the Arden course at short notice and booted us all on to the lesser one. We were literally given two days notice of their intention to close it. I phoned the pro prior to travelling up and asked what the Aylesford was like. "A walk in the park" came the response....
After the event, people were livid that the decision had been taken to close the Arden course. From where we were, the course looked in fantastic condition. The Aylesford course itself was in good condition, hardly any water lying around anywhere so why had they closed the main course???? It took the Society quite some time to get money back from the club, they were reluctant to reimburse anything despite the fact that we played the much cheaper course. Certainly put me off attending any other event at a Marriot run hotel.

 

[G1BB0]

the Arden doesnt drain aswell apparently smiffy, have to admit the arden did look 'special' with its bunkering and plenty of water. I can totally understand your viewpoint Smiffy, I think I would be livid aswell. Just wouldnt feel right.

The greens were rapid, totally not used to it and lots of little borrows. Really found us out alrhough I put a 40 footer to 2 feet and putted out for a par

It's made me realise how poor my own courses greens are though, I reckon 1 more season to improve my game then I may look to move to a more challenging course