fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Course options round here are just so limited, partly because there was nothing here 30 years ago so the majority of the courses are quite immature.
Course Ive been at for the last 6 years has been good but currently in poor condition and Im sort of tempted by a change of scenery, just struggling to find a better option!
On the plus side for my current course is that its 15 minutes drive round the lanes to get there, practise facilities are ok (grass range and chipping green), decent crowd of lads and they try and keep the course open as much as possible. Until this year they have been continually improving the course (or trying too), also get reciprocals with 20+ other courses (albeit none that local)
On the down side, its on clay so really struggles when wet. The size of membership has grown greatly (partly due to bierton and mentmore closing) meaning its far busier than it used to be which has also led to slow play becoming a big problem (the group that teed off in front of us took 4hrs 40 for a 3 ball medal this morning!)
Recently they've been cutting all the short grass areas even when all but flooded so we have many muddy and bare patches as well as large chunks of GUR (and plenty more that should be). And whilst theyve been cutting the fairways to within an inch of their life the rough is now up to waist high, almost impossible to find a ball in and if you do good luck trying to move it more than 10 yards! Add in rock hard greens and its not the greatest of playing experiences currently.
So what are my options:
Woburn - too expensive and am told a long waiting list currently
Aspley Guise - course is short and fiddly for my tastes albeit usually in good condition, journey a bit of a nightmare especially with M1 link road roadworks currently
Abbey Hill - public course too busy especially at weekends and not the greatest of layouts
Windmill Hill - poor course in poor condition
Wavendon - open field of a course alongside the M1 link road
Millbrook - ok layout but gets very wet in winter and have to get across the M1 junction to get there which can make the journey a killer
3 Locks - shortish course and couldnt see myself being a member there
Buckingham - another quite short fiddly course, struggles greatly when wet (seems to be closed more than any other course)
Further afield:
Leighton Buzzard - am told its in fabulous condition but find the course too short and fiddly, couldnt see myself playing there week in week out
Collingtree Park - a possible, not been there for a while, think they are losing some holes due to more construction? Journey dependent on the M1 not being a nightmare
Whittlebury Park - another Ive not played for a few years but 27 holes and an ok layout, not sure its good enough to justify the longer journey though
Bedford courses - a few better course options but none that standout that Id want to do the 30min+ journey each way each time
So no real standout alternatives, do I just put up with the current poor condition, try and play as much "away" golf for the rest of this year and hope things improve next year? If nothing else feels better getting that off my chest!
Course Ive been at for the last 6 years has been good but currently in poor condition and Im sort of tempted by a change of scenery, just struggling to find a better option!
On the plus side for my current course is that its 15 minutes drive round the lanes to get there, practise facilities are ok (grass range and chipping green), decent crowd of lads and they try and keep the course open as much as possible. Until this year they have been continually improving the course (or trying too), also get reciprocals with 20+ other courses (albeit none that local)
On the down side, its on clay so really struggles when wet. The size of membership has grown greatly (partly due to bierton and mentmore closing) meaning its far busier than it used to be which has also led to slow play becoming a big problem (the group that teed off in front of us took 4hrs 40 for a 3 ball medal this morning!)
Recently they've been cutting all the short grass areas even when all but flooded so we have many muddy and bare patches as well as large chunks of GUR (and plenty more that should be). And whilst theyve been cutting the fairways to within an inch of their life the rough is now up to waist high, almost impossible to find a ball in and if you do good luck trying to move it more than 10 yards! Add in rock hard greens and its not the greatest of playing experiences currently.
So what are my options:
Woburn - too expensive and am told a long waiting list currently
Aspley Guise - course is short and fiddly for my tastes albeit usually in good condition, journey a bit of a nightmare especially with M1 link road roadworks currently
Abbey Hill - public course too busy especially at weekends and not the greatest of layouts
Windmill Hill - poor course in poor condition
Wavendon - open field of a course alongside the M1 link road
Millbrook - ok layout but gets very wet in winter and have to get across the M1 junction to get there which can make the journey a killer
3 Locks - shortish course and couldnt see myself being a member there
Buckingham - another quite short fiddly course, struggles greatly when wet (seems to be closed more than any other course)
Further afield:
Leighton Buzzard - am told its in fabulous condition but find the course too short and fiddly, couldnt see myself playing there week in week out
Collingtree Park - a possible, not been there for a while, think they are losing some holes due to more construction? Journey dependent on the M1 not being a nightmare
Whittlebury Park - another Ive not played for a few years but 27 holes and an ok layout, not sure its good enough to justify the longer journey though
Bedford courses - a few better course options but none that standout that Id want to do the 30min+ journey each way each time
So no real standout alternatives, do I just put up with the current poor condition, try and play as much "away" golf for the rest of this year and hope things improve next year? If nothing else feels better getting that off my chest!
