Home course choice for 2009/10

[Cernunnos]

Well having tried Lichfield G&CC for a few months over the winter & unfortunatley not really being able to make the best use of it due mainly to colds, knee injury, distance to get to work from the course & their daft rule about building up teetimes to 4 balls whether you want that or not.

The course was great, did get a bit soft underfoot in placesbut not bad in general. If I lived a bit closer & had a group of people I was well in with who I could rely upon to play there with me on a regular basis I'd continue there with no qualms at all.

But with the uncertainty of the current econimic climate & convinience of play being my main concerns I've a few options I think.

1. Continue with the offpeak membership at Branston (9 hole I also have, which gives me access to the main course at £18 a round that includes weekends too. (£175)

2. Push the boat out & go for full membership of Branston, get my handicap again, though this meanquite a bit of expense, but as its less than 2 miles away I would actually use the facilities (£810 + £250 reduced joining fee for 5 day Golf & Health & fitness membership)

3. Get a season Ticket for the municiple courses at Derby. Allestree & Sinfin. For a 5 day season ticket this is currently £285 but due for an increase. This gets me access to both courses, though neither course allows access before 7-30 in the morning. Of course club membership is an extra £90 I believe. Love Allestree, for a shortcourse it plays quite long. Sinfin is Okayish but its right in the city.

4. Gold membership at The Craythorne. Not my favorite course by any standards but @ £442 plus £50 admin fee gets me a 5 day membership of the club & a congu handicap. Main advantage is its about the same distance as Branston & being on the doorstep.

5. Uttoxeter. a five day membership is £450,no joining fee at all. Very laid back attitude there. Club house dated, but so friendly in a sleepy way. Its a similar distance as Lichfield is, but at least its on the sureshot & I like the course

6. Rely upon Mates & 2for1 vouchers & pay & play wherever, though doubt I'd get much golf in. Though I can pay & play Allestree & sinfin for £12.

& option 7. Continue with Lichfield & renew there & give it a concerted go, no matter what my reservations are.

of course I could do option 8. Re-Join at The Brailsford up between Derby & Ashbourne, was friendly there & I could play when I wanted.

There are other courses locally I could choose, like Breedon, but these are the most likely.

Any thoughts ?

 

[mansell]

is stone (staffs) too far for you

 

[Cernunnos]

is stone (staffs) too far for you

As somewhere to regularly play it is too far. So couldn't consider it as a membership option.

Though every now & again, no its not to far for an additional course to play at from time to time. So certainly wouldn't be adverse to trying the course out

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Have you played Ashbourne - I'm a member there now after playing Kedleston in my youth.

 

[DCB]

Stone in Staffs, Used to go there many moons ago on training courses. Frequented a pub called The Galleon.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

3. Get a season Ticket for the municiple courses at Derby. Allestree & Sinfin. For a 5 day season ticket this is currently £285 but due for an increase. This gets me access to both courses, though neither course allows access before 7-30 in the morning. Of course club membership is an extra £90 I believe. Love Allestree, for a shortcourse it plays quite long. Sinfin is Okayish but its right in the city.

If Allestree was private it'd be the best course in Derbyshire - but unfortunately as a muni' it gets knackered, takes over 5 hours for a round and you get people walking dogs in the middle of fairways & greens.

Other options around Derby are Mickleover (think I heard they were after more members?), Burton, or how about a season ticket at the Belfry?

 

[Cernunnos]

No not played Ashbourne. Might have a look if I can find the entrance way again... rofl.

Must admit its a track I've wanted to try out for a while.

 

[Cernunnos]

3. Get a season Ticket for the municiple courses at Derby. Allestree & Sinfin. For a 5 day season ticket this is currently £285 but due for an increase. This gets me access to both courses, though neither course allows access before 7-30 in the morning. Of course club membership is an extra £90 I believe. Love Allestree, for a shortcourse it plays quite long. Sinfin is Okayish but its right in the city.

If Allestree was private it'd be the best course in Derbyshire - but unfortunately as a muni' it gets knackered, takes over 5 hours for a round and you get people walking dogs in the middle of fairways & greens.

Other options around Derby are Mickleover (think I heard they were after more members?), Burton, or how about a season ticket at the Belfry?

I'll agree if Allestree were private it'd be the best course in Derbyshire, especiallly the potential the clubhouse has.

We played there on friday, got round in just over 3 & a 1/2 hours. Could certainly have taken less time.

Greens were Okay. Infact for this time of year they were firm & releitively quick considering they were not highly manicured.

As for dog walkers I've seen them walking straight across Branston & you can pay a fortune for membership there.

Burton(Bretby) not played there, know some people who are members, but I can't warrent the joining fee.

I've played Mickleover numerous times with a mate who used to be a member & its a nice enough course, but I really don't rate it, especially for what they charge for membership.

I actually e-mailed Kedlestone to see what their rates were & nearly fell off the chair when I read the fees. Shame. Same as with Drayton near Tamworth. (I rate James Braid as a designer.)

I've in the past enquired at Breadsall Priory, where they have two courses & even though its a little further than I'd like to drive I did find a membership that would suit, where you play the moorland in Summer & the Priory in Winter.

If I were closer to The Belfry it'd be a no-brainer & I'd take out a season ticket on the PGA without thinking.

 

[DCB]

Cernunnos,

I think this is your area, but if not my appologies. Whats the course/club on the South side of Ashby like ? Just curious.

 

[Cernunnos]

Cernunnos,

I think this is your area, but if not my appologies. Whats the course/club on the South side of Ashby like ? Just curious.

Ah you mean Willesley Park. Now that would be really convinient for work. The unfortunate thing is for me, its just way too far out of my budget range to be a member there.

And I think for that reason I've not played there. I believe its something like £30 a round,which I certainly would consider paying to try out a course I were really interested in joining & in this case if it were (a lot)less expensive I might consider it. no matter who the designer were

I got as far as the proshop one day & the course does look rather nice from the car park. If I'd had more time on the day I popped in I'd probably have tried it.

tbh I'd been waiting for a round of golf with a workmate who was a member there, who now has gone to Australia....

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I actually e-mailed Kedlestone to see what their rates were & nearly fell off the chair when I read the fees. Shame. Same as with Drayton near Tamworth. (I rate James Braid as a designer.)

I left (along with most other juniors) because when your junior membership ended you had to pay another (large) fee to join as a full member, as well as the costly annual sub's.
It's a good course but not a nice club to be a member of!

 

[Cernunnos]

Gil_Emmott I was reading through the history of Ashbourne golf club & noticed some holes were designed by the Great man himself (James Braid) Are they still in existence, or did the plowing up during the war obliterate them ?

Just curious, as although the membership fees are a little more than I'd like to pay I might consider it either this year or sometime in the future.

I'd certainly like to play a round there sometime. I might pop up for a round sometime this week in my pre Celtic Manor build up.

 

[Cernunnos]

Don't forget to vote, as so far Allestree & sinfin are leading followed closely by Uttoxeter.

 

[GB72]

Am interested to hear what decision you reach on this. I am currently researching courses in the area as I will be moving over that way as soon as I sell my house (getting some interest at last). Had a look at Branston the other weekend and am tempted (2 minutes from my office) but think a 7 day membership may be a bit pricey as I have no real interest in the other facilities)

 

[Cernunnos]

That's the thing about golf clubs that include health & fitness in their membership, the clubs do fail to understand a good proportion of golfers are really only interested in the golf. I wont say most golfers, as there are also a fair proportion who are members at Branston at least, that are also well into the health & fitness side of things.

I know for instance I would use the pool & possibly some of the gym equipment to improve my core muscles. Thing is If a health & fitness facility was not involved then I probably wouldn't join a health & fitness club as a seperate outlay.

So on that front it does make it quite expensive but if you campare to other local clubs of a similar stature. Burton Golf Club
http://www.burtonontrentgolfclub.co.uk/

http://www.burtonontrentgolfclub.co.uk/membership_fees.htm

£690, but you do need to come up with £1200 as a joining fee.

Whittington Heath
http://www.whittingtonheathgc.co.uk/html/index.asp
This again is a high price & large joining fee. But I've got to play this yet & its a bit pricy for my pocket at the moment

Same goes for Willesley Park
http://www.willesleypark.com/
One I'd like to play but too much additional initial outlay

Up in Derby there is Mickleover which to be honest I don't rate & is I'm told about £700 & there is a joining fee. And I really wouldn't include in the same grouping.

Further away...

I Quite like Morley Hayes, but again too far for me, they have a monthly season ticket. Odd situation really, but can be played with 2for1 vouchers for a tenner. & barely minutes away from this are the two courses at Breadsall Priory.

I sent an E-mail to Drayton Park down near Tamworth a James Braid designed course & the reply made me balk. So much so that it makes Branston seem very good value indeed.

I think if I could guarentee being a member for 4 years or more then Burton Golf Club at Bretby on the A511 would be tempting. Just bare in mind the two bridges over the trent do become bottlenecks for the town.

We then get onto courses of better value.

There is the Craythorne, but again its not a course I'd rate (7 day membership £615 & if you stay a member for 3 years any joining fee is waved)& can get quite bogey in places. That said, so does Lichfield G&CC.

Branston does flood from time to time, but always seems to drain well, very well.

Uttoxeter isn't immune from getting soft underfoot, though better than most. Lots of changes in elevation over some of the course, but fun to play. No joining fee & Membership is £585. On paper probably one of the best deals around too. Greens can be either the best in the county or one of the worst, depending upon the conditions.

Of course if you want really cheap then a 7 day membership can be found at Breedon Priory (£460). Interesting layout spoilt by poor management. i.e. little & very compacted sand in bunkers you can putt out of. Tee boxes that could do with some serious work on to get them any where near level. & worst of all It only needs to cloud over & the course gets damp, very damp. Played there last month with a mate using the last of his membership up & my black shoes looked as if they were brown. That said a lot of work seems to be going on there with improvements to the course, so who knows what's in the pipeline..

Then there is the Brailsford. 12 holes some with alternate tee off points to give 18 holes £485 for a 7 day membership. But with a £200 joining fee. Nice friendly club, bit of a clique, but where doesn't have have a bit of that going on these days. There are another 6 holes planed, but little sign of them actually being built. Pity really, as this has great potential as a course.

There are others I've tried & what I like or don't like as courses are not necessarily what others would conclude.

Other considerations are where you find your new home. Especially important with Burton as to either which side of the River or which side of the A38 you are going to be.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Gil_Emmott I was reading through the history of Ashbourne golf club & noticed some holes were designed by the Great man himself (James Braid) Are they still in existence, or did the plowing up during the war obliterate them ?

The course used to be 9 holes then ten years ago it was changed to 18. There are 5 of the original holes left, but I'm not sure if they are the James Braid ones.

 

[Parmo]

I am going for the Municipal season ticket this year, costs £370 for 7/365 and there are rumours that its going to cover all 5 municipal courses in Leeds (fingers crossed).

 

[RICHARD3879]

Hi cerrunos,i too live in burton and after reading your choices i would have to say that i would choose burton golf club,i know its expensive but the course is the best in the area by far..played morley on sunday for first time and enjoyed it,the course was in good condition and if you can play for a tenner in the week its an absolute bargain.anyway good to meet another local guy,so anytime you fancy a game just give me a shout....

 

[Cernunnos]

Not Played Burton(/Bretby) Golf course, but know of its reputation & there are one or two people from work who play there. However due to financial issues, that is out of the question for the forseable future unless they offer a joining deal for Town residents.

I think My ideal choice is Still Branston, as its easy to get to for me. but again finances do not currently stretch that far. Looked recently at The Gold (5 day) membership at the Craythorne & to be honest the limitations of the deal was prohibitive, the better choice would have been Uttoxeter, but just that bit further to go, but a course I love playing.

Essentially my hands are esentially tied this year.

The main choice I see for myself is to make use of the 2fore1 offers at Morley Hayes & re-join as a 9 hole member at branston for practice, giving me reduced fees onto the main course when finances allow. Or Getting a season ticket for Allestree & Sinfin Combined on a 5 day for £290. At the moment even that is a painful sum to find, but cheaper than the other alternatives. I could also re-join The Brailsford,(though this time as a 5 day member) but with little sign of the final six holes being built I see little point.

My final desision will be made when I return from My Parents after a break away. You never know the numbers may come in on Saturday Or I might find a better paid occupation. (Pigs might fly)

So its either Part with £175 I don't have knowing I'll pay for additional golf as & when at 2 excellent local courses (Branston & Morley Hayes) for an additional £10 or £18 a round. Or £290 for the year & say that's it, perhaps with the odd round at Morley & limit myself that way. The Membership at Allestree btw is another £95 on top of the £290. & a 7 day ticket is £370, with the £95 on top this would mean £465.

I hate being brassic...!