Shooter McPowick
Head Pro
It was quite the year for me, one that will most likely never be repeated. I did full write ups on the top100 website and Facebook groups with photographs. I’ll sum these up in a couple of words or I’ll be here all night…
Rye - The holes that interact with the dunes are fabulous, sadly there’s many very average ones.
Brockenhurst - some cracking par 3’s. I played in March and was a bit wet but greens were very fast.
Woodhall Spa - long! The bunkers are great architecturally but for heavens sake drive the bricks out of them. Ruined my 54* vokey.
Broadstone - exceptional condition with some really outstanding holes. 1&18 are lacklustre.
New Zealand - I don’t understand the hype, charming place and the Conan- Doyle locker is close to my heart but so many holes felt and played very similar.
Sherwood Forest - really don’t like the holes switchbacking over the valley but there’s some absolute corkers. Unfortunately too many average holes with many feeling very parklandy for what’s termed a heathland course.
West Sussex - phenomenal, attention to detail is crisp, great layout and a great variety. In my top 5 for the year
Hillside - Speechless! Gobsmacked, my #1 course of the year. Barely a blade of grass out of place and the best back 9 in the UK
Beau Desert - underrated, some of the best greens I played on all year and a good variety.
Coxmoor - another very underrated course. Should be top 100 England easy. Great bunkering great risk reward.
Hollinwell - it’s good don’t get me wrong but I don’t see how it ranks so highly. Some great holes but some weak ones too.
Ferndown - greens were running at around 12, insanely good greens but my god I was not used to them
Very good layout great risk reward.
Worplesdon - best of the W’s in my opinion. 1-3 feel a little out of place as they feel parklandy but the rest are incredible.
Swinley Forest - controversial I know but over rated. A 50/50 mix of great and average heathland holes.
St George’s hill - It’s very good don’t get me wrong but sits a bit high in the rankings I feel. Perhaps it’s not as photogenic as it is playable, perhaps I was spoilt this year. Nothing really wrong with it but perhaps I was expecting too much.
Royal Birkdale - I thought Hillside was better, very long walk from 14 to the new 15th. Brutal if you’re out of position.
Liphook - underrated, seriously good with great variety. Fun but a great test with fantastic greens.
Camberley Heath - another I feel is underrated, some absolutely brilliant holes just a few weak ones. Excellent conditioning.
The Berkshire Red - this course was in the best condition of all the courses I played, including Sunningdale. 666 is brilliant, sounds quirky but you don’t notice it. Flows flawlessly.
The Berkshire Blue. The weaker of the 2 but some excellent golf holes that I’d rank higher than some of the ones on Red. Not a blade of grass out of place. Kudos.
Ipswich (Purdis) - felt raw, bunkers are positioned well but they’re a little scrappy. Excellent for its location but less refined than the Surrey heathlands.
St Anne’s Old links - true raw links golf, not as many dunes as many surrounding courses but still excellent. 9th was my favourite par 3 of the year.
Enville Highgate - very good condition with 1 or 2 brilliant holes, unfortunately too many weaker ones.
Stoneham - I’ve never been so out of breath. It’s hilly and you feel it - maybe I’m unfit…. Great green complexes offering a variety of options with the wedges. Great fun!
JCB - can’t believe it’s only 6 years old, feels like it been there half a century. A bit too crazy for me in places but a whole lot of fun. Bunkers were particularly good.
Princes Dunes/Shore/Himalayas - felt very flat, I think RSG got all the dunes. HIMS was the best 9 in my opinion Dunes / Shore very “samey”
Wallasey - An unexpected gem. So many great holes, the grass pathways are better than some fairways I’ve played from this year. A couple of weaker holes but they’re working on that…
East Berkshire - surprised by how well this played, a bit tight in places where it felt compact but fantastic greens and green complexes.
Tandridge - another hilly one and I found it a bit disappointing. I can’t fathom how this makes the top 100 and Coxmoor doesn’t? Plays well but condition wasn’t the best.
Sunningdale Old - you’ll laugh at this but disappointing par 3’s. 5-12 sublime.
Sunningdale New 1 & 18 just seem to be on a bad part of the estate, very ordinary holes. 4-6 are from golfing heaven. Rated too highly in my opinion.
Rye - The holes that interact with the dunes are fabulous, sadly there’s many very average ones.
Brockenhurst - some cracking par 3’s. I played in March and was a bit wet but greens were very fast.
Woodhall Spa - long! The bunkers are great architecturally but for heavens sake drive the bricks out of them. Ruined my 54* vokey.
Broadstone - exceptional condition with some really outstanding holes. 1&18 are lacklustre.
New Zealand - I don’t understand the hype, charming place and the Conan- Doyle locker is close to my heart but so many holes felt and played very similar.
Sherwood Forest - really don’t like the holes switchbacking over the valley but there’s some absolute corkers. Unfortunately too many average holes with many feeling very parklandy for what’s termed a heathland course.
West Sussex - phenomenal, attention to detail is crisp, great layout and a great variety. In my top 5 for the year
Hillside - Speechless! Gobsmacked, my #1 course of the year. Barely a blade of grass out of place and the best back 9 in the UK
Beau Desert - underrated, some of the best greens I played on all year and a good variety.
Coxmoor - another very underrated course. Should be top 100 England easy. Great bunkering great risk reward.
Hollinwell - it’s good don’t get me wrong but I don’t see how it ranks so highly. Some great holes but some weak ones too.
Ferndown - greens were running at around 12, insanely good greens but my god I was not used to them
Very good layout great risk reward. Worplesdon - best of the W’s in my opinion. 1-3 feel a little out of place as they feel parklandy but the rest are incredible.
Swinley Forest - controversial I know but over rated. A 50/50 mix of great and average heathland holes.
St George’s hill - It’s very good don’t get me wrong but sits a bit high in the rankings I feel. Perhaps it’s not as photogenic as it is playable, perhaps I was spoilt this year. Nothing really wrong with it but perhaps I was expecting too much.
Royal Birkdale - I thought Hillside was better, very long walk from 14 to the new 15th. Brutal if you’re out of position.
Liphook - underrated, seriously good with great variety. Fun but a great test with fantastic greens.
Camberley Heath - another I feel is underrated, some absolutely brilliant holes just a few weak ones. Excellent conditioning.
The Berkshire Red - this course was in the best condition of all the courses I played, including Sunningdale. 666 is brilliant, sounds quirky but you don’t notice it. Flows flawlessly.
The Berkshire Blue. The weaker of the 2 but some excellent golf holes that I’d rank higher than some of the ones on Red. Not a blade of grass out of place. Kudos.
Ipswich (Purdis) - felt raw, bunkers are positioned well but they’re a little scrappy. Excellent for its location but less refined than the Surrey heathlands.
St Anne’s Old links - true raw links golf, not as many dunes as many surrounding courses but still excellent. 9th was my favourite par 3 of the year.
Enville Highgate - very good condition with 1 or 2 brilliant holes, unfortunately too many weaker ones.
Stoneham - I’ve never been so out of breath. It’s hilly and you feel it - maybe I’m unfit…. Great green complexes offering a variety of options with the wedges. Great fun!
JCB - can’t believe it’s only 6 years old, feels like it been there half a century. A bit too crazy for me in places but a whole lot of fun. Bunkers were particularly good.
Princes Dunes/Shore/Himalayas - felt very flat, I think RSG got all the dunes. HIMS was the best 9 in my opinion Dunes / Shore very “samey”
Wallasey - An unexpected gem. So many great holes, the grass pathways are better than some fairways I’ve played from this year. A couple of weaker holes but they’re working on that…
East Berkshire - surprised by how well this played, a bit tight in places where it felt compact but fantastic greens and green complexes.
Tandridge - another hilly one and I found it a bit disappointing. I can’t fathom how this makes the top 100 and Coxmoor doesn’t? Plays well but condition wasn’t the best.
Sunningdale Old - you’ll laugh at this but disappointing par 3’s. 5-12 sublime.
Sunningdale New 1 & 18 just seem to be on a bad part of the estate, very ordinary holes. 4-6 are from golfing heaven. Rated too highly in my opinion.
