Pay and play time

[Smiffy]

If I was still living nr Eastbourne I would regularly play Seaford Head - possibly one of the most interesting P&Ps around. Smiffy will know it.

Seaford Head! Know it quite well, played down there quite a bit when I first started out. Used to get a bit wet during the winter, and the holes "up top" could get a bit testing if the wind got up! That's some drive off the 18th isn't it?

As a layout, I much prefer the other Seaford track (Blatchington) but of course this isn't P&P.

The best pay and play course around this area has got to be Tilgate Forest in Crawley. If you catch it at the right time of year, and don't get stuck behind 4 players who are on their first visit to a proper golf course, it's a great place to play. Usually in very good condition with some cracking holes and superb tree lined fairways. There are a couple of "Mickey Mouse" doglegs in the mix, but generally a good knock round for the money.
And they have a really well stocked pro shop and a decent driving range. Food isn't too bad either.
Rob

 

[OldWindy]

Yeah, I heard the other Seaford course was worth a look but these were the days without £££ and very little golfing ability so the P&P was a wiser choice. After a while, I got a bit better and got guested around Willingdon and the Royal in Eastbourne. You would also know Cooden Beach, coming from Bexhill; this was my first really windy course. Ah, that's my fill of nostalgia for a while.

 

[Smiffy]

Yeah, I heard the other Seaford course was worth a look but these were the days without £££ and very little golfing ability so the P&P was a wiser choice. After a while, I got a bit better and got guested around Willingdon and the Royal in Eastbourne. You would also know Cooden Beach, coming from Bexhill; this was my first really windy course. Ah, that's my fill of nostalgia for a while.

Played them all over the years.
Willingdon isn't too bad, bid of crisscrossing with some fairways though.
The Royal is a nice course, much nice than the Downs, but I still enjoy a knock around the latter now and again. Very friendly club, cheap green fees and the food is good afterwards.
Cooden...that is my other local course, and I was tempted to join there but Highwoods won out because of the "fairways" membership mentioned above.
Cooden is a really nice course except when it's windy! On a nice summers evening I can think of nowhere nicer to play.
Have you played Highwoods OldWindy?

 

[OldWindy]

Not played Highwoods, no. Looks a nice track though. You did well there on the fairways scheme.

 

[Smiffy]

Not played Highwoods, no. Looks a nice track though. You did well there on the fairways scheme.

It's the only way I can afford to join a "proper" club nowadays.
Full membership is something like about £900.00 PLUS an £850.00 joining fee. Way out of my league.
I just hope they don't drop the offer before April because I understand some of the "older" members don't agree with it 100%.....

 

[OldWindy]

Not played Highwoods, no. Looks a nice track though. You did well there on the fairways scheme.

It's the only way I can afford to join a "proper" club nowadays.
Full membership is something like about £900.00 PLUS an £850.00 joining fee. Way out of my league.
I just hope they don't drop the offer before April because I understand some of the "older" members don't agree with it 100%.....

You could always move to the arse end of nowhere and play a top 100 club for less than £500.

www.aberdoveygolf.co.uk

 

[Smiffy]

That looks bloody gorgeous

 

[Mawgan]

Thanks for the comments on page 2, MWJ and MVP. I need to play some trial rounds at these clubs but walked some holes at Kings Hill yesterday after using their excellent grass practice areas, and the fairways were in great nick (not based on clay like so many other local tracks). I'd be interested to know how 'brash & flash' plays - is that as in 'all the kit - no idea...?'

Smiffy - in my ever receding youf, I was a junior member at Royal Eastbourne and Highwoods. Have to say I preferred the former (great post-round tea cakes and snooker) but your deal at Highwoods sounds v. impressive. Too sensible to be real!

At least not yet belonging to a club does give the opportunity to try out different tracks which is fun in itself, but I really want to settle onto a course, learn its tricks and get my h/c sorted, preferably downwards.

 

[Smiffy]

Smiffy - in my ever receding youf, I was a junior member at Royal Eastbourne and Highwoods. Have to say I preferred the former (great post-round tea cakes and snooker) but your deal at Highwoods sounds v. impressive. Too sensible to be real!

I quite like "The Royal" but Highwoods is right on my doorstep, and as you say....with the deal they are offering I'd be silly not to join to be honest.
I remember the last time I played at Eastbourne, we were about 3 or 4 holes behind a couple of lady members. One of them was using a powerkaddy, and on one of the holes (can't remember which one but it was a par 4 on the back 9 just before the longish par 3 you'll most probably remember the hole if you were a member) she parked her PK up by the side of the green but forgot to switch it off. As she was about to putt, the bloody thing took off straight across the green and literally flew into a bunker spilling her clubs everywhere. Laughed? You bet.....