Monty_Brown
Tour Rookie
I had a chance to play Ipswich GC at Purdis Heath for the second time this year and thought I’d give it a write up as it’s an absolute gem and well worth a trip for anyone that can get there.
This is a classic heathland course, designed by James Braid in the 1920s I think. Set out as two circles of 9, in a similar way to Muirfield.
Went round the 9-hole practice course in the morning and I have to say that even that was a cracker… tremendous smooth greens and a nice mix of par 3s over water and some shortish par 4s. A really good way to kick off a society day or just warm up for the main course.
Bearing in mind the time of year, the main course was in great condition. Lovely tight fairways, with no hint of boggyness. This is great natural terrain for a golf course.
The course is cut through undulating terrain, with a good mix of holes gently up and down hill. As a setting it’s lovely… really mature trees, lots of heather and every hole seems to have a tree-lined backdrop.
Greens are awesome. Smooth, quick and holding. Fairly generous targets but well defended with some interesting ridges and hollows. Two putts are always hard earned.
Given the time of year when green staff get nervous about too much foot traffic, the pins were pretty far back, so we got a full feel for how the course can play.
I won’t go into a hole by hole description, but would just say that there are no duff holes here…. All have character. We played off the whites and on softish fairway with little run, it was driver mid iron on most par 4s which came in at 400+ yards. A really enjoyable way to play the game, rather than trying to boom drives and flick in wedges as at loads of other courses.
As plenty of people have said before, if this was in Surrey, you’d be looking at three figure green fees. I’d say it’s worth a drive for anyone in the south east to enjoy a proper old school heathland course. Highly recommended.
This is a classic heathland course, designed by James Braid in the 1920s I think. Set out as two circles of 9, in a similar way to Muirfield.
Went round the 9-hole practice course in the morning and I have to say that even that was a cracker… tremendous smooth greens and a nice mix of par 3s over water and some shortish par 4s. A really good way to kick off a society day or just warm up for the main course.
Bearing in mind the time of year, the main course was in great condition. Lovely tight fairways, with no hint of boggyness. This is great natural terrain for a golf course.
The course is cut through undulating terrain, with a good mix of holes gently up and down hill. As a setting it’s lovely… really mature trees, lots of heather and every hole seems to have a tree-lined backdrop.
Greens are awesome. Smooth, quick and holding. Fairly generous targets but well defended with some interesting ridges and hollows. Two putts are always hard earned.
Given the time of year when green staff get nervous about too much foot traffic, the pins were pretty far back, so we got a full feel for how the course can play.
I won’t go into a hole by hole description, but would just say that there are no duff holes here…. All have character. We played off the whites and on softish fairway with little run, it was driver mid iron on most par 4s which came in at 400+ yards. A really enjoyable way to play the game, rather than trying to boom drives and flick in wedges as at loads of other courses.
As plenty of people have said before, if this was in Surrey, you’d be looking at three figure green fees. I’d say it’s worth a drive for anyone in the south east to enjoy a proper old school heathland course. Highly recommended.
