mikee247
Challenge Tour Pro
4 of us won a days play at an auction some time ago. I have played the course a couple of times and in the past I have found it to be well, offereing lots of potential but slightly average in delivery. The venue has 3 courses all very well laid out in theory with the red being the flag ship track.
We arrived in the car park with quite frankly next to zero optimism of playing any golf at all. It was lashing it down and had been all night before.
After a warm welcome in the bar and a swift coffee we popped into the Pro shop to discuss our options. Helpful and useful information like there was a society due out at 12.30 and as we had a free run before if we decided to brave the elements and therefore we headed for the tee. Firstly however we loaded up with freshly made sarnies from the bar and then proceeded to test our Gortex and wind proof umbrellas! I need new shoes again these leak!! Yet to find a pair that dont! Anyway I digress...
After and interesting first tee off and I deciding that perhaps I should have explored the local beer menu more the weather broke fortunately and I got down to trying to play some golf and catch up after a blob and 2 balls on 1!
Its a well designed and set up track with plenty to keep all types of players interested. Short par 4's and interesting picturesque par 3's The 9th stands out. The par 5's are doable on a good day (2nd) so the big forum boys on here
should easily be able devour a couple of them. That said the longer par 4's into the wind made even the beefiest of drivers feel quite humbled on this day! The course was immaculate throughout with the greens playing very quick, true and offering a superb genuine roll each time. Very consistent but undulating and very tricky to read. A really good challenge. I'm lucky to play at a course which has excellent greens all year round and I was very impressed with these in fact they are better. West Hill's were good last week yes, these were better and one of the best this year. Its was well manicured and very tidy everywhere which made it feel special and enjoyable. It probably helped there was a regional pro comp earlier in the week but I'm not complaining. The course should have been waterlogged in theory but held a stud very well and drained with no problem at all.
What impressed me however was that they have made a real effort to put a decent venue together here. Good practice facilities, parking, changing rooms, nice helpful pro shop etc. The members were grumpy when we were trying to order sarnies etc so maybe a little stuffiness remains but hey it was rainy and I understand the attitude towards visitors sometimes from nice clubs.
The food and drink in the bar is not only great value it offers loads of choice with "mini portions" available etc to golfer who has not yet reached starvation point! The lads had a tasty lamb, chorizio and something pie (Im in training) which was splendid value at £6. There are more expensive options yes and a restaurant to eat it if you wish. A bowl of chips was £1.65! You cant go wrong.
The whole thing left me feeling replete, oozing positive thoughts and restored in my faith about golf in the UK. Some of the bigger hotel and chain resorts could learn a big lesson from these guys set ups like this! I normally leave these type of places asking for a kiss... because I like a gentle snog normally when I'm getting rightly shafted!
Frilford does cost a few bob to join as a member and with a hefty joining fee to boot but with this type of service and value, plus the standard of courses available, I bet the members are reasonably content. I would be and in fact would join myself if it were a 20 miles closer... My golf partner is already looking into joining when he retires! A man could loose himself here in a world of golfing and food Nirvana and never need to return home ever again!!
From a golfing point of view, the four of us loved it and we are fussy buggers. Scores ranged from 25 upwards in a pretty tough wind and we played a doubles stableford comp. 2 quid for front back and match. I personally played reasonably ok without actually managing to drive it well scoring 34 points and a couple of quid to the good My highlight of the day apart from the decent local ale and ceap chips was a 233 yard rescue 4 to 2 foot on 11 after duffing my drive......slight wind behind of course but I gripped down....yes I made it before you ask!!
Next is the weekend boys trip (18 of us) to Hanbury Manor for two rounds and night (lets see how much a pint and food is there!!) and then off to the "Mecca" which is St Georges Hill in a couple of weeks. I've wanted to play here for a long time and it could be free again! Been a pretty damn good Autumn already! :thup:
We arrived in the car park with quite frankly next to zero optimism of playing any golf at all. It was lashing it down and had been all night before.
After a warm welcome in the bar and a swift coffee we popped into the Pro shop to discuss our options. Helpful and useful information like there was a society due out at 12.30 and as we had a free run before if we decided to brave the elements and therefore we headed for the tee. Firstly however we loaded up with freshly made sarnies from the bar and then proceeded to test our Gortex and wind proof umbrellas! I need new shoes again these leak!! Yet to find a pair that dont! Anyway I digress...
After and interesting first tee off and I deciding that perhaps I should have explored the local beer menu more the weather broke fortunately and I got down to trying to play some golf and catch up after a blob and 2 balls on 1!
Its a well designed and set up track with plenty to keep all types of players interested. Short par 4's and interesting picturesque par 3's The 9th stands out. The par 5's are doable on a good day (2nd) so the big forum boys on here
should easily be able devour a couple of them. That said the longer par 4's into the wind made even the beefiest of drivers feel quite humbled on this day! The course was immaculate throughout with the greens playing very quick, true and offering a superb genuine roll each time. Very consistent but undulating and very tricky to read. A really good challenge. I'm lucky to play at a course which has excellent greens all year round and I was very impressed with these in fact they are better. West Hill's were good last week yes, these were better and one of the best this year. Its was well manicured and very tidy everywhere which made it feel special and enjoyable. It probably helped there was a regional pro comp earlier in the week but I'm not complaining. The course should have been waterlogged in theory but held a stud very well and drained with no problem at all. What impressed me however was that they have made a real effort to put a decent venue together here. Good practice facilities, parking, changing rooms, nice helpful pro shop etc. The members were grumpy when we were trying to order sarnies etc so maybe a little stuffiness remains but hey it was rainy and I understand the attitude towards visitors sometimes from nice clubs.
The food and drink in the bar is not only great value it offers loads of choice with "mini portions" available etc to golfer who has not yet reached starvation point! The lads had a tasty lamb, chorizio and something pie (Im in training
) which was splendid value at £6. There are more expensive options yes and a restaurant to eat it if you wish. A bowl of chips was £1.65! You cant go wrong.The whole thing left me feeling replete, oozing positive thoughts and restored in my faith about golf in the UK. Some of the bigger hotel and chain resorts could learn a big lesson from these guys set ups like this!
I normally leave these type of places asking for a kiss... because I like a gentle snog normally when I'm getting rightly shafted! Frilford does cost a few bob to join as a member and with a hefty joining fee to boot but with this type of service and value, plus the standard of courses available, I bet the members are reasonably content. I would be and in fact would join myself if it were a 20 miles closer... My golf partner is already looking into joining when he retires! A man could loose himself here in a world of golfing and food Nirvana and never need to return home ever again!!
From a golfing point of view, the four of us loved it and we are fussy buggers. Scores ranged from 25 upwards in a pretty tough wind and we played a doubles stableford comp. 2 quid for front back and match. I personally played reasonably ok without actually managing to drive it well
scoring 34 points and a couple of quid to the good My highlight of the day apart from the decent local ale and ceap chips was a 233 yard rescue 4 to 2 foot on 11 after duffing my drive......slight wind behind of course but I gripped down....yes I made it before you ask!! Next is the weekend boys trip (18 of us) to Hanbury Manor for two rounds and night (lets see how much a pint and food is there!!) and then off to the "Mecca" which is St Georges Hill in a couple of weeks. I've wanted to play here for a long time and it could be free again! Been a pretty damn good Autumn already! :thup:
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