Moving To North Manchester

[tjgreenway]

First off, new to the forums, so a quick hello to all! A quick bit of background before I get going (I'll try not to be too long winded, promise!); I'm from the UK, but currently spending a year living abroad with the fiancee, she's from Australia so came out here last September to meet the family, see how the other half live etc. We're moving back together in late September, with the North Manchester area our preferred destination. This could change, but is highly unlikely due to family ties so I've been doing a bit of looking around to see what's what on the golf circuit in the area and was hoping for some advice from any other fellow golfers who know the area.

Now, I'm fairly new to the game - picked up my first clubs in January on a four week beginner's course but because of work and other nonsense getting in the way, have only really been playing/practicing consistently since early March, so I'm a newbie to the game. I did join my first golf course over here a few weeks ago, though, on a membership until September, so at the moment I'm at the point where I'm practicing as much as I can, have a few lessons booked in for a couple of week's time and am aiming to have a handicap/be playing a bit of competition golf by the time I head home. I'll certainly be starting off on a high handicap the way things are going at the moment, but hopefully with some tuition and practice I can start to get that down pretty quickly.

So, all sorted over here for the time being, but I'm starting to look now for a club in the north Manchester area for when I get back and was hoping to get some opinions. The main things I'm looking for :

• A nice course, that's generally playable in winter seeing as I'll be moving back ready for the colder months
• Not too pricey. Because of visa restrictions etc we'll be living off one modest income when we move back, so I can't afford anything ridiculously expensive. That said, I'm 26 so age specific memberships appeal, looking to keep it below $600 for the first year or two at least
• Decent practice facilities would be a massive draw. Being new to the game, practice practice practice us going to be the key going forward, so somewhere with good facilities as well as being out on course would be awesome
• Midweek comps would be a massive plus as I work in hospitality so weekends tend to be busy working
• Location wise, looking to be within a half hour drive, the less the better, from the Failsworth sort of area
• Also, somewhere that's friendly and welcoming to new members and is open to new-ish-comers to the game who are looking to push on and improve as quickly as possible

I've had a look online and drawn up a bit of a shortlist but any other suggestions as well as advice on these would be awesome. Obviously once I'm back in the UK I'll be contacting clubs directly and be able to get out for a few rounds before committing but any advice in the meantime would be great.

Withington Golf Club seems like a good option, being about half an hour away with what looks like decent practice facilities, midweek comps and very reasonably priced in my age bracket. Probably a bit further out than some options but if the course is up to scratch looks a top option.

North Manchester GC is close by, seems very friendly and inviting and is in the right sort of price range, but couldn't find any information with regards practice facilities etc.

Brookdale is another that would be fairly close and just about in the right price range, but again, not sure of practice facilities etc.

I've read some good things about Stand GC as well, and noticed that Pike Fold isn't too far away : any thoughts on these two would be appreciated, too, as they both fall in the right sort of price category.

Manchester GC would be lovely with all the facilities they have, but may be stretching it a bit for the first couple of years at least.


Well, that's turned into a more long winded first post than I anticipated, so I'll leave it there for now, but any opinions/suggestions would be greatly appreciated


edit : also, I have no idea how easy or difficult it would be to gain membership to any of these clubs, with not knowing any members and moving over from abroad etc. I'll be very disappointed if by the time I move I don't have a handicap over here and be playing to a reasonable standard for a high handicapper at least in competition, but don't know if I'll have problems translating that from here to there as far as the clubs go

 

[Doh]

Welcome to the forum,yes lots of courses to choose from my vote would go to North Manchester. Great course I think there is at least one member on here.
Stand is a good course not sure about facilities there. Brookdale has to many internal OOB for me.

 

[Odvan]

Welcome to the forum TJ.

I can only offer opinion on Stand (member) and Pike Fold. I haven't played the other courses you mention but I'm sure there'll be a few people along over the weekend who have, to advise accordingly.

Pike Fold isn't a course you want to join if you want winter golf and is easily the weaker of the two. I can't really give you any hard n fast information on their practise facilities but it's drainage is poor.

Stand is the only course in Bury/Whitefield that is playable all year round. I think it closed in Jan or Feb for about 2 days due to snow but that's been about it. There are 3 roll ups every week but they're not qualifiers. Some of the monthly medals are played on a Friday due to club majors on those weekends. The comps are often full from 7am right through to 5pm, a healthy membership and participation.

Re practise facilities, they're reasonable. Aside from the practise green, chipping green and 2 x nets there are serveral areas dotted around the course that you can practise the full bag from.

I joined there as a new member this year solo, so have been entering comps etc and thus far haven't come across any plebs although I'm sure there are some!

If you do settle on Failsworth, there maybe better options for you closer to home but in the event you do want a look around, don't hesitate to yell.

 

[louise_a]

A cheap opion to start with would be Heaton Park, its a municipal course, so pay and play, membership of the attached golf club is pretty cheap if you want competitions, although I don't know the frequency. The course is a good challenge but I don't know about the practice facilities.

Regarding some of the private members courses around there.

North Manchester is a nice course, as is Denton, I wasn't too struck on Brookvale

Blackley is a fairly flat course so not too difficult, Crompton & Royton is a lovely little course.

There are lots to chose from.

I like Whitefield, Stand is decent

 

[karlcole]

Hi mate were specifically in north manchester are you moving too? I'm in bolton loads of good courses around manchester you'll be fine.

EDIT just seen your looking at failsworth. My golf club is only 20 mins away and has all your requirements plus cheaper membership based on age increments. I'm at deane golf club in bolton

 

[Foliage Finder]

Welcome! I'm in the North Manchester area as well, there's quite a few of us on here. Adding to what louise said about the municipals, Marland Park is also decent, bit short but there's a couple of tests. Like yourself, I'm new to the game and I'm still learning, and when I joined here the general consensus was that Stand was one of the better clubs around the area I'm at currently (Prestwich).

I can also speak from experience by saying that Bowlee Park range is a fairly priced option for any range practice should you join a club where the practice facilities aren't exactly as you would like. The pro I have lessons with there (Steve) works wonders with my game each time I see him and his lessons are reasonably priced considering use of the GC2 monitor is included (£23/half hour lesson). Never been personally but good things were also said re: Chilli Dip range near Bolton.

If you ever fancy a game, drop a PM!

 

[mteam]

Add Walmersley Gc to your short list best course I've played recently

 

[pbrown7582]

Welcome to the madhouse enjoy! there always plenty going on in the NW get stuck in once you get back.

 

[tjgreenway]

Thanks all for the warm welcomes, and thanks for the advice and recommendations. Walmersley has definitely been added to the shortlist, seems to tick a few boxes, looks a lovely course. Denton was one I'd looked into a while ago and forgotten about as well, so I'll check that out, cheers! Bit of a twist over the last few days, we may not end up in Manchester after all, but we won't be far away so at the very least these are all courses that I'll be able to play once I'm back over

Can't wait now, feels a bit like I'm stuck in limbo over here - already eyeing up new clubs for when I get back over (using a horrible $200 starter set at the moment that do nothing for me) and mentally I've already booked myself in for a club fitting at Manchester GC, looks like an amazing facility they have there