Playing Mill Ride, near Ascot Friday, any tips

[PhilTheFragger]

As per the title
Got a society day at Mill Ride tomorrow, been on the website and it looks like a half decent course.

Who's played it and any tips

Cheers

 

[MendieGK]

As per the title
Got a society day at Mill Ride tomorrow, been on the website and it looks like a half decent course.

Who's played it and any tips

Cheers

I really enjoy it there and play there mens open every year.

I've always played it off the Blues but dont imagine its particularly long off the yellows.

Its pretty open,

the 10th is a terrible golf hole which is a shame, dont really need a driver, as you'll be laying up short of the pond anyway i'd imagine.

 

[Foxholer]

I used to be a member there. A few blind or semi-blind tee-shots but pretty good course and greens normally pretty good.

Buy a Strokesaver! The 1st is probably the friendliest starting hole I know - unless seriously left! Even very right is fine, but yell Fore as you could well be on 18th Fairway (not a bad line in!).

But the blind/tricky tee shots are...
2 - Dogleg left (slight) Aim to just avoid the bunker as there's water waiting left! (a 5 works here as SI1!)
4. Aim left half of fairway as anything middle or right will run into right rough. Playing it as a Par 5 is no bad thing!
5. Hardest hole on the course imo.Play it as a Par 5 and it's easy! Either take the water on the left on or lay up short with a Rescue - which commits to playing it as a Par 5 but takes almost all the danger out of play! Stay away from the right rough (there's a ditch and OB there too) as it's very tough to advance from there! If you are not on the fairway with a comfortable distance, lay up as there's water left and the hole narrows considerably!
6 - Don't play the Par 3 8th by mistake! Either smash the driver past/over the trees on the left or hit a rescue straight down the middle. This is the (kidney shaped with hump) green that caused the non-compliant LR about only using a Putter!
7.. Dogleg right. Aim at the gap between the bunkers - but be short of then and past the single trees on either side of the fairway (left is better than right). The green is mostly flatter than it looks! Dont overshoot it though!!
9. Dogleg left. Play it as a Par 5! Aim left side of fairway as it slopes to right. you probably still won't be able to see the pin for your 2nd! Aim 2nd left of pin (but not too much) - another sloping fairway and tough rough.
10. Straight. Blind Tee shot. Left side is best imo, but the gap in the trees is where the hole goes. Don't even think about trying to go over the water unless tee shot is within 15 yards or so of the trees! (in which case, right side is actually better!)! Play to 20 yards from the water as second, then take 1-2 extra clubs for the slope on your 3rd! A much hated hole, but I don't mind it! It's just that you 'play your 3rd shot 2nd').
11. Take more club - as air over water reduces usual distance! But don't be long or you will be in the trees at the back as the ground past is normally very hard!
12. Straight. Up over the hill, so blind 2nd too! Go check where pin is. though you could have don that from the 10th Tee!
13. Serpentine-ish. Middle or slightly right works best. 2nd is the challenge. Don't use the slope to bounce the ball into the green, as that won't happen!
14. Dogleg right. Middle works! Stay out of the trees! If you can't see the green, play it as Par 5 as lots of danger! Be careful of players coming down the 15th! as you can't see them! Also check where pin is on 16 (visible to your left from the tee).
16. Dogleg left. Stay right - just short of the Bunbker is fine. Though Adam Scott apparently just smashed it over the big tree on the left onto the green! Trickiest green - if middle or back!
17. Dogleg left. Play it as Par 5!! Short of left bunker; Fairway or right rough; Green! Being greedy will mean lost (in water or trees) ball.
18. Straightish. Stay out of THAT bunker! If too close to the hill, 2nd shot can be tricky or mean 3rd is very long (and it's over water!)! Go check best line for it - it's probably further left than you expect!

Wow! That's all the holes bar the Par 3s!

Greens are mainly pretty large (8 is narrow) and pretty evenly sloped (or even pretty flat!). 1 is a bit roly-poly, 16 can be nasty and 3 (which triggered the change to Hole in 1 prizes, as a Ferrari was won there once) runs away (towards right if viewed from tee) more than it looks. Flags indicate pin position - Front (red), Middle (Green), Rear (Blue).

Hope you enjoy it! Food is normally pretty good. Showers used to be great, but changing room small. It has been through 3 owners since I left. Latest are an investment group who seem to be improving the quality. Last time I played it (a few weeks ago and I may [play it again Monday), the greens were absolutely top notch - for the first time in several years!! Seemed to be plenty of Greenies about too. They have completed some footing work for new clubhouse, but I believe that's simply to retain Planning permission! Pro shop is pretty tiny, but does the job.

Oh...Forgot to mention...9th, 10th, 12th (and even 13) can be dangerous places as a result of wayward shots! So yell Fore if you carve one towards an adjoining hole (left on 9, left or right on 10 and 12, left on 13 and even right on 11)! Same applies to Left or Right on 1 and Right on 18!

 

[Stuey01]

That's 5 or 6 par 4s you are suggesting to play as a par 5.
A) where's the fun in that?
B) sounds like a rubbish course.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Personally, I'd go just down the road a bit and play Wokefield Park, much warmer at this time of year









Sorry

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Thanks Foxy, thats really useful.

No need for a strokesaver now

 

[Foxholer]

That's 5 or 6 par 4s you are suggesting to play as a par 5.
A) where's the fun in that?
B) sounds like a rubbish course.

Check out Fragger's Handicap!

Btw. You need a marker as you can't count!

 

[Piece]

Personally, I'd go just down the road a bit and play Wokefield Park, much warmer at this time of year









Sorry

Ooohh, I see what you did there Gordon...!

 

[Stuey01]

Check out Fragger's Handicap!

Btw. You need a marker as you can't count!

4
5
9
14
17
That's 5 you explicitly say to play as a par 5.
Your assertion that a 5 works on the 2nd could be interpreted similarly, hence 5 or 6.

 

[MendieGK]

4
5
9
14
17
That's 5 you explicitly say to play as a par 5.
Your assertion that a 5 works on the 2nd could be interpreted similarly, hence 5 or 6.

5 is a par 5.....

How can you say it sounds like a rubbish course from someone giving a strategy for the holes (which they've clearly taken some time to do).

strange.

 

[User20205]

take your wellies, it gets wet.

I used to play there a lot, its a decent course in the summer. it looked a but tired last time I played it, it was up for sale, but hopefully they've had an injection of cash from somewhere.

Agreed, all the par 5 10th is missing is a windmill & a clowns mouth!!!

 

[Foxholer]

That's 5 or 6 par 4s you are suggesting to play as a par 5.
A) where's the fun in that?
B) sounds like a rubbish course.

4
5
9
14
17
That's 5 you explicitly say to play as a par 5.
Your assertion that a 5 works on the 2nd could be interpreted similarly, hence 5 or 6.

Only 'explicitly' said to play 9 and 17 as 5s! And to Fragger a 18/19-capper!

When you've re-read my post, I'll accept your apology!

@MengieGK
5 is a Par 4 off the Yellows, which is the presumed tees. It's a 5 off the Back tees. There I, like many that don't hit 250+, lay up short of the water, then hit 3W/Rescue, taking almost all the danger out of play. Otherwise, Driver off the tee brings danger into play for all 3 shots!

 

[Stuey01]

5 is a par 5.....

How can you say it sounds like a rubbish course from someone giving a strategy for the holes (which they've clearly taken some time to do).

strange.

Point taken, fair enough, and I have heard elsewhere that it is a decent track.

On the face of it having that many par 4s that are recommended to be played as a par 5 seems odd, that's all.

 

[MendieGK]

Only 'explicitly' said to 9 and 17 as 5s!

When you've re-read my post, I'll accept your apology!

@MengieGK
5 is a Par 4 off the Yellows, which is the presumed tees. It's a 5 off the Back tees. There I, like many that don't hit 250+, lay up short of the water, then hit 3W/Rescue, taking almost all the danger out of play. Otherwise, Driver off the tee brings danger into play for all 3 shots!

Thats a tough hole as a par 4 then, as you cant really miss anywhere!!

 

[Foxholer]

Thats a tough hole as a par 4 then, as you cant really miss anywhere!!

As I stated - toughest on the course imo (though 17 runs it close!). I believe it would be 'better' to swap the tees around - playing Yellows as Par 5 off back tee and Whites off the current forward one (40 yards or so shorter) as a Par 4. Still about 440, so 2nd shot about 170-190 into a narrow green with water left hard up against the green!

Either that or make it a Par 5 off the Yellows - though the SSS would then be Par-2 (which, I think, was the reason it was made a Par 4!)!

As for the criticism of 10, that is indeed considered a daft hole by many members! Though the last Club Champs I played, a FC hit Driver 5W onto the green - the 5W was from the 12th fairway (over the trees surrounding the 12th Tee)!!! Oh, he then 3-stabbed!

 

[User20205]

As I stated - toughest on the course imo (though 17 runs it close!). I believe it would be 'better' to swap the tees around - playing Yellows as Par 5 off back tee and Whites off the current forward one (40 yards or so shorter) as a Par 4. Still about 440, so 2nd shot about 170-190 into a narrow green with water left hard up against the green!

Either that or make it a Par 5 off the Yellows - though the SSS would then be Par-2 (which, I think, was the reason it was made a Par 4!)!

As for the criticism of 10, that is indeed considered a daft hole by many members! Though the last Club Champs I played, a FC hit Driver 5W onto the green - the 5W was from the 12th fairway (over the trees surrounding the 12th Tee)!!! Oh, he then 3-stabbed!

17th in a great hole. I never really felt that way about the 4th, it's a really tough 2nd shot in.

I always liked the 9th in the summer, 18th is also a great matchplay hole, short enough, from the yellows anyway, to reach in two, but really easy to find the water

 

[MendieGK]

As I stated - toughest on the course imo (though 17 runs it close!). I believe it would be 'better' to swap the tees around - playing Yellows as Par 5 off back tee and Whites off the current forward one (40 yards or so shorter) as a Par 4. Still about 440, so 2nd shot about 170-190 into a narrow green with water left hard up against the green!

Either that or make it a Par 5 off the Yellows - though the SSS would then be Par-2 (which, I think, was the reason it was made a Par 4!)!

As for the criticism of 10, that is indeed considered a daft hole by many members! Though the last Club Champs I played, a FC hit Driver 5W onto the green - the 5W was from the 12th fairway (over the trees surrounding the 12th Tee)!!! Oh, he then 3-stabbed!

I hit 3wood 5iron 2 years ago, but the ball was running miles down the hill.

I just don't think its fair to make the 'average' length hitter have to play a chip down to the pond and then have 160 uphill left.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Not my favourite course TBH. 10 is a stupid hole but other than that it's OK. Can get very wet this time of year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Apparently the greens are in excellent condition according to the members I've asked today and a lot of cash has been invested improving the drainage which over the winter has been an issue. Not a concern as a one off visitor but if I was considering joining (and I get regular email offers) then the number of owners over the last few years would be worrying. Also, whenever I've played, including weekends, there never seems to be too many people utilising the bar and clubhouse.

That aside it's a tricky course even off the yellows but a pretty pleasant one. I think a man of Phil's shot making prowess won't have too many problems.....providing he packs a good few balls. Can be tight in places

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Well that was a waste of time

Didnt play that badly, but lost 4, thats four, FOUR balls that went slightly off the fairway into the leaf litter and simply vanished
My 3 ball lost 7 balls like that and spend a good 30 minutes looking for ones we eventually found.

Liked the course, but it was well boggy in places and really not a winter course in terms of drainage, the greens were really good and the bunkers nice n fluffy.
Rain, Hail and high winds didnt help either.

I printed Foxys hole by hole account but it blew away into a lake on the 3rd
Soz Foxy