Robobum
Money List Winner
I played at Centurion a few weeks ago with a voucher I won from the H4H auction. It was a day I was very much looking forward to after reading the feedback from guys who have played there.
The visit was tinged with some sadness as it was only a week or so after our friend was taken from us far too early – I spoke with a few of the staff there and they all spoke so fondly of Rick and were gutted that one of their original members wasn’t going to be there to see the wonderful new clubhouse open.
First off the welcome you get is fantastic – a guy came and grabbed our bags and showed us to one of the best locker rooms you’re going to see. Chucked on the gear and waltzed up to the first tee to make our way round off the back tees on a glorious afternoon.
The first hole is an absolute gem – the drive probably being a touch easier of the back tee as the bunkers on the corner are only then in reach for a bomber at 300+ yds. Like a number of holes, despite the yardage, it doesn’t play that long – it looks a daunting start @ 490 par 4!!! The tall pines frame the hole and could be mistaken for Woburn or the likes very easily.
The next two holes are also framed by these pines, the third being a difficult driving hole as it needs a straight 250yd shot to get a view of the green round the right handed dogleg. It also gives you the first of quite a few greens where prior knowledge of it’s shape would be a help. Like a number of others on the course, you can’t see the bottom of the pin (or the green!) whilst stood over your approach.
The 4th starts you out into more open ground with a shortish par 5 – again the landing area is obscured from view and full of bunkers!!
A quick trip back into the trees on a short par 3 before the place really opens up for the bulk of the remaining holes. The 6th is a beast of a par 4 off the backs and also into the wind, OB up the left guards what looks like a water hazard anyway. Found it rather strange, and a bit too penal, not to have it as a hazard to keep play going - another obscured green.
The 7th is a gentle dogleg par 4, a bit of a breather hole before you climb a mound to the 8th tee. This hole reminded me a lot of the 12th hole at Trump Aberdeen – elevated tee down & up to a steeply rising fairway framed both side by big mounds (not dunes this time). The grass on all the mounding had turned burnt yellow to add to that comparison too. Another hidden green to play up to.
Finish the front 9 with a cracking downhill par 5 where picking the line off the tee is paramount to stay out of the water at the bottom of the hill.
The new halfway house being built is the same size as a number of clubhouses I’ve been in and sits in a cracking spot between the 8th and 10th holes. A late afternoon beer here in the sun will be a perfect spot.
The 10th is a carbon copy of the 8th back up the hill to an obscure horizon green (again), followed by a lengthy par 3 along the hill top.
The 12th vies with the 8th as the best hole on the course IMO. A strong par 4 all downhill to a green set back across a large pond nestle into some large mounding.
13th is a lovely par 5 up the hill again from an elevated tee. Picking the carry line off the tee is the real challenge to stay out of the massive bunkers down the right before playing up to a sneaky green. A cracking long par 3 back thru the trees sets you up for the finish as you wind back to the clubhouse.
The 15th is probably the weakest hole on the course, sweeping left and then up to another green which is not visible. Back on yourself for the long par 16th, a really strong hole with a great view for you 2nd shot downhill to the big green.
17th is the shortest hole on the course and then head up to the clubhouse with a par 5 to finish alongside the huge pond right next to the green.
I enjoyed the day a lot. Do I think it’s flawless, absolutely not. Not yet anyway.
It’s a good club, the service is excellent. But, for me, the course has a long way to go before I’d mark it down as a must play. All the mounding is full of rocks, stones and pebbles everywhere – the grass is also sparse there so wedge damage is pretty likely. Where the grass was sparse on the mounds, it was also full of large weeds instead, which doesn’t make the appearance great.
The greens didn’t look great at all either, they putted well enough (all be it a bit slow) but they were very heavily scarred by foot scuffs and repaired pitchmarks. I think that these are pure bent grasses which would explain them marking up towards the end of the day.
A very good course in the making and I’d think a few alterations will come to a few holes over time to make it very special as it matures more and more
The visit was tinged with some sadness as it was only a week or so after our friend was taken from us far too early – I spoke with a few of the staff there and they all spoke so fondly of Rick and were gutted that one of their original members wasn’t going to be there to see the wonderful new clubhouse open.
First off the welcome you get is fantastic – a guy came and grabbed our bags and showed us to one of the best locker rooms you’re going to see. Chucked on the gear and waltzed up to the first tee to make our way round off the back tees on a glorious afternoon.
The first hole is an absolute gem – the drive probably being a touch easier of the back tee as the bunkers on the corner are only then in reach for a bomber at 300+ yds. Like a number of holes, despite the yardage, it doesn’t play that long – it looks a daunting start @ 490 par 4!!! The tall pines frame the hole and could be mistaken for Woburn or the likes very easily.
The next two holes are also framed by these pines, the third being a difficult driving hole as it needs a straight 250yd shot to get a view of the green round the right handed dogleg. It also gives you the first of quite a few greens where prior knowledge of it’s shape would be a help. Like a number of others on the course, you can’t see the bottom of the pin (or the green!) whilst stood over your approach.
The 4th starts you out into more open ground with a shortish par 5 – again the landing area is obscured from view and full of bunkers!!
A quick trip back into the trees on a short par 3 before the place really opens up for the bulk of the remaining holes. The 6th is a beast of a par 4 off the backs and also into the wind, OB up the left guards what looks like a water hazard anyway. Found it rather strange, and a bit too penal, not to have it as a hazard to keep play going - another obscured green.
The 7th is a gentle dogleg par 4, a bit of a breather hole before you climb a mound to the 8th tee. This hole reminded me a lot of the 12th hole at Trump Aberdeen – elevated tee down & up to a steeply rising fairway framed both side by big mounds (not dunes this time). The grass on all the mounding had turned burnt yellow to add to that comparison too. Another hidden green to play up to.
Finish the front 9 with a cracking downhill par 5 where picking the line off the tee is paramount to stay out of the water at the bottom of the hill.
The new halfway house being built is the same size as a number of clubhouses I’ve been in and sits in a cracking spot between the 8th and 10th holes. A late afternoon beer here in the sun will be a perfect spot.
The 10th is a carbon copy of the 8th back up the hill to an obscure horizon green (again), followed by a lengthy par 3 along the hill top.
The 12th vies with the 8th as the best hole on the course IMO. A strong par 4 all downhill to a green set back across a large pond nestle into some large mounding.
13th is a lovely par 5 up the hill again from an elevated tee. Picking the carry line off the tee is the real challenge to stay out of the massive bunkers down the right before playing up to a sneaky green. A cracking long par 3 back thru the trees sets you up for the finish as you wind back to the clubhouse.
The 15th is probably the weakest hole on the course, sweeping left and then up to another green which is not visible. Back on yourself for the long par 16th, a really strong hole with a great view for you 2nd shot downhill to the big green.
17th is the shortest hole on the course and then head up to the clubhouse with a par 5 to finish alongside the huge pond right next to the green.
I enjoyed the day a lot. Do I think it’s flawless, absolutely not. Not yet anyway.
It’s a good club, the service is excellent. But, for me, the course has a long way to go before I’d mark it down as a must play. All the mounding is full of rocks, stones and pebbles everywhere – the grass is also sparse there so wedge damage is pretty likely. Where the grass was sparse on the mounds, it was also full of large weeds instead, which doesn’t make the appearance great.
The greens didn’t look great at all either, they putted well enough (all be it a bit slow) but they were very heavily scarred by foot scuffs and repaired pitchmarks. I think that these are pure bent grasses which would explain them marking up towards the end of the day.
A very good course in the making and I’d think a few alterations will come to a few holes over time to make it very special as it matures more and more
