Interest for a Forum Meet at Thornbury in Bristol?

[The_LHC]

I can't do weekend's in Bristol unfortunately (I work there but live quite a way away) but I can recommend Thornbury, great value course (I think we used to pay 14 quid for 18 holes in the summer evenings), not the longest but I used to enjoy it immensely. Apart from the 13th, bloody hate that hole, especially when the wind's blowing (it's almost always into a headwind). One of my exceptionally rare eagles was had at Thornbury, on the 7th, chipped in with my second shot. Actually I think that might be my only eagle, I can't remember any others.

Would be interesting to play it now I'm hitting the driver vaguely straight...

Haha! The 13th is evil.

Oh good, glad it's not just me!

And you "chipped" in on your 2nd on the 7th? You must be a member of the 300 club eh?

I was between the two bunkers on the right of the green (one bunker is greenside, the other is further to the right, I was in the rough between them), tried to land the chip/pitch on the top of the greenside bunker and run it down the side, the flag was at the bottom of the slope (hidden from view), landed it right where I wanted it, ball disappeared from view behind the bunker and I thought no more of it. My 3 partners hit their shots to the green, all finding the dancefloor, I walk up expecting to find 4 balls on the green, can only find 3, spend a few minutes on the far side of the green searching in the rough thinking my ball had shot across the green, only for one of my partners to call me back after looking in the cup. Strangely deflating as I never saw it go in.

I expect I snapped hook my tee shot on the 8th into the trees!

Does half the first green disappear underwater when it rains too much still?

If you fancy 9 holes after work one night in the summer, give me a shout. I'm only 20 minutes away.

Yeah, I want to get out a bit more this summer, colleague in the office keeps on at me about playing, it's a bit awkward unless I stay up in Bristol but I'm sure I can sort something out.

 

[The_LHC]

I am interested, especially if it is midweek as I am in Bristol 1-2 times a month with work (Airbus and GKN at Filton are my biggest customer).

I work for Airbus at Filton, what do you supply?

 

[Aztecs27]

I was between the two bunkers on the right of the green (one bunker is greenside, the other is further to the right, I was in the rough between them), tried to land the chip/pitch on the top of the greenside bunker and run it down the side, the flag was at the bottom of the slope (hidden from view), landed it right where I wanted it, ball disappeared from view behind the bunker and I thought no more of it. My 3 partners hit their shots to the green, all finding the dancefloor, I walk up expecting to find 4 balls on the green, can only find 3, spend a few minutes on the far side of the green searching in the rough thinking my ball had shot across the green, only for one of my partners to call me back after looking in the cup. Strangely deflating as I never saw it go in.

I expect I snapped hook my tee shot on the 8th into the trees!

Does half the first green disappear underwater when it rains too much still?

Not had any problems with the 1st green since I've been there (last 6 months).

 

[The_LHC]

As I said to LHC, once we get the evening's back, we'll have to get 9 or 18 sorted for after work if you're staying down! It's only 10 mins from the Aztec Hotel. Another nice track even closer to Aztec West is Woodlands Golf Club. I think twilight golf is cheaper at Thornbury though.

If it is it's only by a quid or two, Woodlands is pretty good now, although it is still quite short, actually thinking about it I've eagled a par 4 there as well, nearly holed in one apparently, it was two inches away (I can't remember the hole number, they keep changing them! It's a short par 4 with an extreme dogleg so you can go straight at the green with a blind shot with a 4 iron), or so the bloke on the green who tapped it in for me reckoned (I thought he'd walked off the green, so I played, he hadn't, they really need a bell on that hole!). Those are definitely the only eagles I've had. I have missed and eagle putt from less than 2 feet though. Raging...

(I get my name from the American Football team I played for - the Bristol Aztecs)

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[The_LHC]

Does half the first green disappear underwater when it rains too much still?

Not had any problems with the 1st green since I've been there (last 6 months).

Oh, it hasn't rained anything like enough to do that again in the last 6 months.

 

[Aztecs27]

As I said to LHC, once we get the evening's back, we'll have to get 9 or 18 sorted for after work if you're staying down! It's only 10 mins from the Aztec Hotel. Another nice track even closer to Aztec West is Woodlands Golf Club. I think twilight golf is cheaper at Thornbury though.

If it is it's only by a quid or two, Woodlands is pretty good now, although it is still quite short, actually thinking about it I've eagled a par 4 there as well, nearly holed in one apparently, it was two inches away (I can't remember the hole number, they keep changing them! It's a short par 4 with an extreme dogleg so you can go straight at the green with a blind shot with a 4 iron), or so the bloke on the green who tapped it in for me reckoned (I thought he'd walked off the green, so I played, he hadn't, they really need a bell on that hole!). Those are definitely the only eagles I've had. I have missed and eagle putt from less than 2 feet though. Raging...

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Yea, they don't do a twilight rate at Woodlands it's just a flat £14 on weekdays and £16 at weekends.

It is short, but they've actually built some new tee boxes to make some of the holes longer (not the one you're on about though)...They should be ready for this summer.

I enjoy both Thornbury and Woodlands but I wold say Thornbury is slightly better kept and Woodlands don't have any membership openings, so I can't join there. I can't fault £350 for a years membership at Thornbury though!

 

[The_LHC]

As I said to LHC, once we get the evening's back, we'll have to get 9 or 18 sorted for after work if you're staying down! It's only 10 mins from the Aztec Hotel. Another nice track even closer to Aztec West is Woodlands Golf Club. I think twilight golf is cheaper at Thornbury though.

If it is it's only by a quid or two, Woodlands is pretty good now, although it is still quite short,

Yea, they don't do a twilight rate at Woodlands it's just a flat £14 on weekdays and £16 at weekends.

It is short, but they've actually built some new tee boxes to make some of the holes longer (not the one you're on about though)...They should be ready for this summer.

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Oh, the ones up the sides of the hill? The par 3 over the lake and then the "par 5" that you can cut the corner on? I've driven the green there! Crazy. Still ended up with a birdie though, three putted, great...

I enjoy both Thornbury and Woodlands but I wold say Thornbury is slightly better kept

Most of Woodlands has barely bedded in though, Thornbury is the better course regardless.

and Woodlands don't have any membership openings, so I can't join there. I can't fault £350 for a years membership at Thornbury though!

For that price I'd join Thornbury as well!

 

[Aztecs27]

I know! It pays to be young(er than 30)

And yes, the new tee boxes up the sides of the hill.

 

[The_LHC]

I know! It pays to be young(er than 30)

Oh right, a land sadly lost to me now...

And yes, the new tee boxes up the sides of the hill.

Cool, that would be interesting to try out, although I've still never played the "other" course.

And I still think they should put a cable car up to the 17th tee...

 

[Snelly]

I am interested, especially if it is midweek as I am in Bristol 1-2 times a month with work (Airbus and GKN at Filton are my biggest customer).

I work for Airbus at Filton, what do you supply?

Supply chain software.

 

[jammydodger]

Bit too far for me although we had a national Fire Brigade event in Bristol last year. We played at The Bristol golf Club though , just across from Cribbs Shopping center.

 

[Aztecs27]

Cool, that would be interesting to try out, although I've still never played the "other" course.

And I still think they should put a cable car up to the 17th tee...

You're not missing much, it's very underwhelming compared to the "Signature".

And yes, the walk up to the 17th is killer...which is why we normally get a buggy!

 

[The_LHC]

I am interested, especially if it is midweek as I am in Bristol 1-2 times a month with work (Airbus and GKN at Filton are my biggest customer).

I work for Airbus at Filton, what do you supply?

Supply chain software.

Ah, interesting, I wonder if we have any mutual acquaintances, I'm with HP providing IT support?

 

[The_LHC]

Cool, that would be interesting to try out, although I've still never played the "other" course.

And I still think they should put a cable car up to the 17th tee...

You're not missing much, it's very underwhelming compared to the "Signature".

Ah ok, I'll try it sometime, nice to play as many courses as possible.

And yes, the walk up to the 17th is killer...which is why we normally get a buggy!

You lazy... I thought you were supposed to be young!

 

[Aztecs27]

 

[The_LHC]

Bit too far for me although we had a national Fire Brigade event in Bristol last year. We played at The Bristol golf Club though , just across from Cribbs Shopping center.

Now there's a course I really don't get on with, for the amount it costs it isn't good enough. I think it's mainly the 10th I don't like, it's almost impossible to hold the fairway, so regardless of how good a tee shot you hit you under up in the 6 inch rough on the left behind a tree. A lot of the rough seems far too penal far too close to the fairway, if I miss a fairway by less than a foot I don't expect to be left with no shot or, more often, to not even find the ball, which is how it's often been set up when I've played there (has been a few years now though).

 

[Aztecs27]

Bit too far for me although we had a national Fire Brigade event in Bristol last year. We played at The Bristol golf Club though , just across from Cribbs Shopping center.

Now there's a course I really don't get on with, for the amount it costs it isn't good enough. I think it's mainly the 10th I don't like, it's almost impossible to hold the fairway, so regardless of how good a tee shot you hit you under up in the 6 inch rough on the left behind a tree. A lot of the rough seems far too penal far too close to the fairway, if I miss a fairway by less than a foot I don't expect to be left with no shot or, more often, to not even find the ball, which is how it's often been set up when I've played there (has been a few years now though).

The Players Club, just down the road off the M4 is a much better course for the money.

 

[The_LHC]

Bit too far for me although we had a national Fire Brigade event in Bristol last year. We played at The Bristol golf Club though , just across from Cribbs Shopping center.

Now there's a course I really don't get on with, for the amount it costs it isn't good enough.

The Players Club, just down the road off the M4 is a much better course for the money.

Hmm, it's a lot more course for the money certainly but again, having played it twice (thrice? maybe) I haven't enjoyed it at all, there's too many holes where you don't have any choice of shot off the tee, namely the 2nd and 3rd, where the doglegs mean the fairway runs out too soon for a driver, so you have to lay up (that green on the 2nd is just daft as well) and the 4th, supposed to be a signature hole but (for me at least, off the yellows) anything more than a 4 iron will run off the end of the fairway and into the lake, so, err, that'll be a 4-iron then. I hate having the choice of club made for you, a good hole will give you options, risk and reward, either play safe and take a steady par or maybe bogey or go for the riskier shot knowing that if it comes off you've got a good chance for birdie and if not, disaster.

The last par 5 is the same (15, I think?), crosses the road and runs around the lake but off the tee a driver is too much as it'll either fly straight through the dogleg and into the rough or it'll land on the road and could go anywhere (I've done both). So I have to lay up, with the tee shot, on a par 5! Where's the fun in that? Plus the front of the green is peppered with a dozen or more bunkers, making going for the green in two almost impossible as you can't land short and run on. It's just weird.

A couple of the par 3s around the lakes are quite nice but other than that I wouldn't go back. I think they were hoping to get a Euro-tour or PGA event there after a few years but just because you've got a par 5 well over 600 yards doesn't make it a Championship course.

 

[Aztecs27]

Bit too far for me although we had a national Fire Brigade event in Bristol last year. We played at The Bristol golf Club though , just across from Cribbs Shopping center.

Now there's a course I really don't get on with, for the amount it costs it isn't good enough.

The Players Club, just down the road off the M4 is a much better course for the money.

Hmm, it's a lot more course for the money certainly but again, having played it twice (thrice? maybe) I haven't enjoyed it at all, there's too many holes where you don't have any choice of shot off the tee, namely the 2nd and 3rd, where the doglegs mean the fairway runs out too soon for a driver, so you have to lay up (that green on the 2nd is just daft as well) and the 4th, supposed to be a signature hole but (for me at least, off the yellows) anything more than a 4 iron will run off the end of the fairway and into the lake, so, err, that'll be a 4-iron then. I hate having the choice of club made for you, a good hole will give you options, risk and reward, either play safe and take a steady par or maybe bogey or go for the riskier shot knowing that if it comes off you've got a good chance for birdie and if not, disaster.

The last par 5 is the same (15, I think?), crosses the road and runs around the lake but off the tee a driver is too much as it'll either fly straight through the dogleg and into the rough or it'll land on the road and could go anywhere (I've done both). So I have to lay up, with the tee shot, on a par 5! Where's the fun in that? Plus the front of the green is peppered with a dozen or more bunkers, making going for the green in two almost impossible as you can't land short and run on. It's just weird.

A couple of the par 3s around the lakes are quite nice but other than that I wouldn't go back. I think they were hoping to get a Euro-tour or PGA event there after a few years but just because you've got a par 5 well over 600 yards doesn't make it a Championship course.

I never said I liked it, but it's certainly better than The Bristol.

I'd much rather play Thornbury or Woodlands though. Both alot shorter, but a better challenge IMO and like you say there are alot of holes that let you choose risk/reward.

 

[Up_Point_1]

This is a good track in North Bristol. Long, but good.

http://www.chippingsodburygolfclub.co.uk/