Looking for a course Swindon Area

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Group of four of us are looking for a course to play in Swindon area this month. My mate who is organising things also wants to use it as a recce for a club to join. So it's kind of a two-parter. Good course to play AND good club to be a member of. Most important though is that we want a good day's golf. Where do we live to travel for the day? Warwick, Farnham, Sherston (outside Malmesbury) and immediate Swindon area.

 

[Robobum]

Group of four of us are looking for a course to play in Swindon area this month. My mate who is organising things also wants to use it as a recce for a club to join. So it's kind of a two-parter. Good course to play AND good club to be a member of. Most important though is that we want a good day's golf. Where do we live to travel for the day? Warwick, Farnham, Sherston (outside Malmesbury) and immediate Swindon area.

Swindon is the arse end of the world when it comes to golf courses nearby!! Not a great choice at all

I'm a member @ Marlborough. Good test, in good nick. Not too long but has small tricky greens.

To be honest, I wouldn't bust a gut to play anywhere else within 10miles.

Bowood is about 20mins from Swindon and is about as good as it gets round here!! Manor house @ castle coombe also, but the condition has gone downhill a lot lately.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Swindon is the arse end of the world when it comes to golf courses nearby!! Not a great choice at all

I'm a member @ Marlborough. Good test, in good nick. Not too long but has small tricky greens.

To be honest, I wouldn't bust a gut to play anywhere else within 10miles.

Bowood is about 20mins from Swindon and is about as good as it gets round here!! Manor house @ castle coombe also, but the condition has gone downhill a lot lately.

We've all played Marlborough in the past so he knows your track. I've played it quite a lot as my company used to play society days there against the Army Air Corps and Royal Artillery and do enjoy it (love your spaceship on top of hill clubhouse coming from M4 direction ;-) Not played Bowood or Castle Coombe. Hmmm. I've played High Post in the past - but many years ago - too remote?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Update - this just in from my buddy

'Now just outside Royal Wootton Bassett. Not sure on the travelling bit, it will be the balance between good club, good course and travel. The Wiltshire is close, but people have left and gone further afield, e.g. Marlborough, as it is not run for the members. I have not played Cirencester, this looks like a traditional members club, though is a bit of a trip. Basset Down is a fairly new 9 hole course with driving range and aspirations to expand to 18 hole. Bowood is on the limits of travel, good for occasional games. There is of course the municipal Broome Manor (reasonable quality course), which has a members club associated, which organises competitions/handicaps'

 

[HotDogAssassin]

To those who know - What's Ogbourne Downs like? http://www.ogbournedowns.co.uk/

 

[Swinger]

To those who know - What's Ogbourne Downs like? http://www.ogbournedowns.co.uk/

No thanks!!!!!!

One of the many bad tracks in Wiltshire!! Not sure what happened but when golf was discovered in this county some crazy guy decided that we should put a good number of courses on the sides of hills.


I personally would have to go with Bowood or Castle Coombe. Although not played either this year I have played them alot over previous years and found them very good.

A bit closer you have Wrag Barn which supposed to be ok but never played it.
Broome Manor is pretty nice but is a muni so can get a shade overlooked at times, can be very wet at times too.


I would agree with the comment about the Wiltshire being not run for the members but the two above clubs are fairly heavy into corporate and society days too. Much better courses in my humble opinion though.

Wrag Barn is supposed to be ok but never played it.
Broome Manor is pretty nice but is a muni so can get a shade overlooked at times, can be very wet at times too.

 

[Snelly]

Some pals of mine just got back from a break at Castle Coombe and said it was brilliant and in great condition. I would go there if i was in your shoes.

 

[Achilles]

Another fan of Castle Combe and Bowood here. Both very nice tracks.

I'm a member at Cirencester and obviously really like it (though it doesn't like me at the moment!). Not overly long but the rough this year has made it a bit more testing, but guess that applies to most places after all the rain we've had!

Cotswold Hills is well worth a go but from your locations it sounds like it may be a bit too far out for you.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Another fan of Castle Combe and Bowood here. Both very nice tracks.

I'm a member at Cirencester and obviously really like it (though it doesn't like me at the moment!). Not overly long but the rough this year has made it a bit more testing, but guess that applies to most places after all the rain we've had!

Cotswold Hills is well worth a go but from your locations it sounds like it may be a bit too far out for you.

Thanks @Achilles - bit far - we all used to live in Bristol so know South Gloucestershire well. Don't think I've played Cotswold Hills, but have played Cotswold Edge, Lilley Brook, Chipping Sodbury, Minchinhampton and Painswick around there

 

[macca64]

Burford's nice about 20m outside swindon

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

@macca64 - thanks - Burford GC does look nice.

 

[macca64]

@macca64 - thanks - Burford GC does look nice.

just a note,IF your thinking about playing it,the greens have just been done,so not for a couple of weeks would be my advice mate,

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Frilford Heath if it is not too far. A bit snobby though
Bowood is the best of the rest + Burford
Pass on Oggy, Broome's too busy, Marlborough is ok-ish

 

[SocketRocket]

Off subject but I see one of you lives in Sherston. My wife came from Luckington, just down the road. I have drank many a pint in the Carpenters and the Rattlebone.

I agree that Castle Coombe is good although a bit hilly. I have played the Wiltshire at Royal Wootton Bassett which was a little uninspiring but they have a Hotel. Cotswold Hills is a fair course but a bit of a drive from Swindon.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks for thoughts all - we're thinking late September and my buddy organising the day is thinking Wrag Barn, Bowood or Cirencester. I guess the question 'which do you play for a once or twice-a-year get together' - is a different one from 'which one would you look to join'?

@SocketRocket - my mate used to live in Luckington - beside the ford.

 

[drutz]

Bowood was reviewed in another golfing magazine and they gave it a round thumbs up.

 

[woody69]

As someone else in the thread has said, the amount of "decent" courses in Swindon is pretty low... For what is is worth here are my opinions on the courses I have played:

1. Bassett Down - Currently only 9 holes, with planning permission to extend to 18 and being built. Cheap, cheerful, but quite short
2. Broome Manor - Municipal course. Very busy, some OK holes but not that great.
3. The Wiltshire - Currently in terrible condition but fairly challenging. Very poor when we've had a lot of rain. Course aimed at hotel guests IMO
4. Bowood - Suffers a bit in the wet and gets very busy at weekends with hotel guests. Record for my longest ever round there of just shy of 6 hours. Some nice holes though and a decent challenge
5. Castle Coombe - Love this place but just a bit out of the way. Some amazing holes but a little pricey for membership IMO
6. Carswell Golf Club - Just off the A420 and was a member here for a year. Pretty good club and nice course, but use temp greens over winter quite extensively which put me off
7. Ogbourne - I really like this course with it's undulating fairways and tough greens. The 14th and 15th are magnificent holes and worth playing just for those. Not sure on the club
8. Marlborough - Perhaps it was just me, but I didn't like Marlborough. Didn't feel particularly welcome there. Like the front 9, but the back seemed like a completely different course. Not for me.
9. West Berkshire (just off J14 of M4) again a bit further out, but really like this course. Pretty tough with it's narrow tree lined fairways. Club house is a bit "1970" though!

If I was joining a club for me it would be either Ogbourne or West Berks. For a once or twice a year meet up I'd go for Bowood or Castle Coombe.

 

[SocketRocket]

@SocketRocket - my mate used to live in Luckington - beside the ford.

Ah! That will be Brookend. So he will be an 'Old Royal Ship' lounge lizard.

 

[Rooter]

I play at west berks a fair bit (few mates are members) and i can say they are very good with visitors, green fees are reasonable, you can play on weekends after 1pm ish. The back 9 can get slow though, allow at least 4 1/2 hours for a round.. its a long old course and par 73. Oh and play off the whites too! the 5th is 600yrds!

 

[daymond]

Swings....etc. If you'r after just one or two rounds per year with your mates I would go for Bowood. I'm playing it tomorow at 3pm for free but that does not cloud my judgement! I manage three or four rounds a year and we play a senior's match against them as well.