Hempstead Forest Golf Club - Cranbrook, Kent.

[Golfmmad]

Anybody played there?

Going there on Thursday, checked out their web-site and looks like every hole is tree lined! Is it as tight as it looks?

Any heads up will be appreciated. :thup:

 

[Oddsocks]

One of our branches has a corp membership there, meant to be pretty nice!

 

[ADB]

Played there a few years back and really enjoyed it. Tree lined on most holes but very playable and the course was in great nick. Used to always close on a Monday for course maintenance, not sur if this still happens. Enjoy your day, I hope you like it - I thought it was a bit of a hidden gem.

 

[Golfmmad]

Thanks guys

I've never seen it mentioned on here before and also not passed it on my travels.

Hidden gem eh?

I'm really looking forward to it now. :thup:

 

[Leftie]

checked out their web-site and looks like every hole is tree lined!

Never played it (not what you wanted to hear) but I think that the clue might be in the title :mmm:



:ears:

Have a good one though :thup:

 

[Golfmmad]

[QUOTE



:ears:

Have a good one though :thup:[/QUOTE]

Thanks Roger, I will, I will!

:thup:

 

[chrisd]

I played there a few years back. Yes, it's very tree lined, the story goes that when the course was built they put in loads of trees expecting a high failure rate and almost all grew. Tight, with super greens is how I recall it.

Enjoy it!

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I've heard good things - let us know how you get on, might give it a go myself.

 

[Smiffy]

Front nine is VERY tight. If the course is running fast then UNFAIRLY tight! Even a good drive down the middle (what's one of those then?) can find you under the trees. Back 9 opens up a bit but there are couple of fair carries off a couple of the tees. 18th green has got to be one of the most unfair there is anywhere. Wicked slope and if you are left of it, good luck chipping or putting down it!
Greens are wickedly fast sometimes.
I personally don't like it.

 

[Golfmmad]

Oh bugger, wasn't going to come on here this morning!

Tight fairways, wicked slopes, fast greens - what more can a high handicapper want??

Still, I do like a challenge. :thup:

And Smiffy - :ears:

 

[Golfmmad]

Well I played it last Thursday with 2 of my Brothers and thoroughly enjoyed it.
And yes it's tough! As Smiffy says, front 9 very tight and back opens up - a bit

The whole course was in super condition and greens were not too fast but tricky to read.
Two stand out holes for me were the 14th and 15th. On 14, I hit a lovely 3 wood to 230yds but unfortunately landed in a divot, managed to hit 7 iron 50yds short of green then wedge pin high on top level of green, only for it to run back down, putted back up but not hard enough and it rolled back again :angry: Ended up with a 7. But a great hole!

15t has the longest carry and took 3off the tee as I didn't quite connect with first drive, but smashed the next well over. With the elevated tee and long carry makes this an intimidating but challenging hole.

I didn't score very well but that wasn't the point of the day as much as spending quality time with my brothers.

A couple of irritating points though, one of my Brothers is Captain of the club he plays at, and usually has privileges of not having to pay at other courses. When this was mentioned in the pro shop the guy said "No, not here as we are a Golf and Country Club, not a Golf Club". Ok not a problem we said, and at only £20 per round not worth worrying about.
I am surprised though, as he made a big thing about "Country Club", and nowhere at the golf course or anything stated on their website does it say anything about it being a Country Club.
We also wanted a lunch after, rather than a breakfast before we started. But the kitchen closed at 3pm and we finished at 3.30 - I suppose partly our fault for not checking beforehand. They did have a lovely Victoria Sponge which we demolished rather smartly!

Overall an enjoyable day and I'd certainly like to go back and play it again.

And I too would call it a "Hidden Gem".

:thup: