Hull and back !!?!?!?

[Barney]

Does anyone play/live in Hull or surrounding areas. I am a member of a club (I wont say which one just yet !)but want to move due to the following....

1) Restricted tee times.

2) Serious lack of ground staff + The club have no membership cap and are extremely busy at all times = Poorly maintained course.

3) Expensive membership fees.(Dont mind paying if the above are in order)

Was hoping for some local advice on which course to join!.

Thanks.

 

[Macster]

I'm just west of Hull, and while I arent a fan of the City as such, I could say the same of most cities I've been to.

Best Courses in the area are Brough, 7miles west of Hull, and Hull Golf Club, which is based in Kirkella, West Hull too.

Brough is a tight Css 69, lovely parkland course, very tight, accuracy paramount, 5 par 3's only 1 par 5. You earn your score here.
Drains very well, and in great condition, altho could always be improved.
Greens good, but could be quicker, something being worked on I think.
Membership easier than it used to be apparently, but there will be a 'joining fee' too, but dont know it currently.

Hull - again a lovely parkland course, Css 72 I think, and in superb condition, fantstic greens this year, very slick. Not as tight as Brough, more adjoining fairways, meaning you can get away perhaps with more errant tee shots.

Both very nice courses, and both will cost you around £850/year to be a member. Both lovely Old Clubhouses too - both 100yrs oldish.

However, for that, apart from Medal Days, you have the place to yourself, and can walk onto the tee at will, pretty much.

Other good courses in the area - Hornsea - about 30miles away on East Coast. Very good - and in superb condition I understand.

Ganstead - East Hull. Long apparently, - never played here. Big membership, so tee could be a problem too.

Cottingham - a Good new course, good condition, and it has a Driving range & Gym too, BUT, big membership so getting onto the Tee will be a problem too.

Ask away.......

 

[Barney]

Im a member of Cottingham and yes I do have a real problem getting onto the tee.
I have played at Cave Castle and found it a very friendly club and I am just slightly too far away from making Forest Pines my regular haunt as I find it superb.
I must admit I prefer the more modern types of golf club as although I have never had any problems I am not too much of an old traditionalist where I may be reprimanded for having lines on my socks or having my phone switched on in the bar afterwards

 

[viscount17]

I may be reprimanded for having my phone switched on in the bar afterwards

I should think so too,

semaphore was perfectly good enough for Nelson!

 

[Macster]

Phone on the Bar ???? You must be joking.......tut tut. I like the old values of Older Clubs, appropriate dress code etc etc, it keeps the standards high and the football shirts off the course .

Plus, newer courses usually mean lower fees, hence more members, hence more players, hence booked up tees and busy courses,....
It all fits together. No point in paying less if it means you play less as a result.

Forest Pines is lovely, but very 'corporate', and from what I hear, has lots of events on where the Tee is booked up a lot of the day, so I dont think it is perhaps too easy on the members .
Lovely course though.

 

[Barney]

I do agree with all that you say Chris.
At the end of the day its the course that matters.
I have just had a bad experience with Kirkella golf club when a female member(who could not even hit the ball further than 30 yards) came over and threatened to have us thrown off the course as one of my friends,who was playing in tailored shorts had a thin red line on the top of his socks.
This woman had a hundred and one things wrong with her swing that she should have worried about more than my friends socks and I could not believe she could be so abrupt and rude with us.
I still wonder to this day how we bit our tongues but we did. It ruined our round and one silly woman has made me now think I will never return which is a great shame as the course is great.
I too dont want yobs smashing balls left,right and centre in football shirts and maybe this silly woman has given me the wrong impression of such upper class golf clubs.
Maybe I need to try again at these clubs until I find one that suits me and I suit it.
Thanks for replying anyway.

 

[Herbie]

If you are willing to cross the river you will find Elsham/The Grange Messingham/Normanby hall/Holme Hall/Forrest pines(expensive but not a bad course)I could list more but they should keep you going lol.

There are many I could list across the river, I find it laughable that Hull is seemingly so expensive and limited,then again maybe the lack of courses is the problem.

It all depends what you want from a golf club....some people just want good golf where others want all the other stuff that clubs offer, even the nonsense stuff and/or snobery. I look for clubs that offer a value for money course and/or membership. In Lincolnshire as a whole I feel there is a lot of value out there but courses like Forrest Pines let the side down a bit, when it was taken over the costs rocketed so I stopped going unless someone else paid. You can get just as good a game at many of the ones Ive listed for far less sheckles, non better than Normanby hall.(havent been for a while but it used to be well kept, municipal and only £11 the last time I played).
A quick bridge crossing and a M/way sprint could put you in touch with Grimsby/Cleethorpes/Tetney/Laceby/Waltham Windmill/Immingham(Fairways neglected in my view as all the cash is spent on the tower of image they call the club house lol)/ around an hour(or just over but does depend what part of Hull you live) youve got Mkt Raisen/Louth/Kenwick Park. If you are gonna spend 3 hrs playing its sometimes worth a little journey to get somewhere you will get a game and get value for money.

 

[Macster]

herb: I agree with you about those courses, Ive loved playing at Elsham and have played Normanby Hall many years ago too.
The trouble is, most of my golf isnt a full round, its a quick 9 or 12 holes and a beer in the bar, so it isnt an option to pay and play other courses for that.
Plus, £5.40 return to cross the damn bridge.......

Barney: You've had a very bad experience mate, and people like that shouldnt be in the club. Period. I know lots that play at Hull and all great fellas, but i'm sure there are those people in a lot of clubs, even Brough, that may occasionally upset people.
Brough used to have a reputation for things like that, but not any more, and its definitely a club run by members for the members. Sure there are a lot of 'money' people i there, but they are no better than all of us, and I'm sure our Handicaps do the talking.

Maybe you should come for a round at Brough and see if its worth the fee's ?
I certainly think it is .

 

[Herbie]

herb: I agree with you about those courses, Ive loved playing at Elsham and have played Normanby Hall many years ago too.
The trouble is, most of my golf isnt a full round, its a quick 9 or 12 holes and a beer in the bar, so it isnt an option to pay and play other courses for that.
Plus, £5.40 return to cross the damn bridge.......

Barney: You've had a very bad experience mate, and people like that shouldnt be in the club. Period. I know lots that play at Hull and all great fellas, but i'm sure there are those people in a lot of clubs, even Brough, that may occasionally upset people.
Brough used to have a reputation for things like that, but not any more, and its definitely a club run by members for the members. Sure there are a lot of 'money' people i there, but they are no better than all of us, and I'm sure our Handicaps do the talking.

Maybe you should come for a round at Brough and see if its worth the fee's ?
I certainly think it is .

I sympathise with the above, I had periods in my life where I wanted to play but due to location/work etc I too could only squeeze in 9 holes now and then.

Brough is one course I always wanted to play and have heard good stuff about it, being born in Swanland I have a link with the area.

 

[time_vans]

Hi from Hull too but a newcomer to golf and have a nomadic golf existance.....
Hessle Golf Club....looks very nice and have a friend who is a member ..may need a joining fee so a tad expensive.
Hainsworth Park, Brandesburton....good all year round course .....my favourite(first place I played)
Cherry Burton ...nice 9 holer and good value...£10 for as many holes as you like after 2.30pm..can get busy when the sun is out on a weekend though.
Burstwick...newish course ..lots of hidden dangers..maturing nicely but always seems to be blowing a gale when I go there !
My work takes me to or past...Hessle,Hull,Brough,Hornsea,Bridlington,Kilnwick Percy,Ganstead.. infact all these courses look fantastic when I'm only there on work related time!!

There is a great deal of choice out there and as yet never had anything but pleasant experiences on the courses, of course we all know there are offensive people out there as in all walks of life but I dont let anyone dictate to me the mood I wish to be in.

 

[Macster]

I forgot about Hessle......in excellent condition and maturing very nicely according to a client of mine yesterday.

This might be the place for you Barney ? A little less formal then Brough/Hull perhaps, but still a damn good test of Golf. And near to where you currently play/live ?