Played here on Saturday and Sunday and have very mixed opinions.
I chose to drive over late on Friday as I didn't fancy a 3hr+ drive then play, especially being the holder of our Sunday Morning Crew shield that I won playing at Machynys Golf Club just before Christmas in some tough conditions.
I stayed 2 nights at a hotel called the Links Country Park just outside of Cromer in West Runton, which was very nice with excellent rooms, service & food.
Arrived at Royal Cromer Saturday morning to meet up with everyone for a lunchtime tee start.
Very small car park, I had to park in the church 50 yards up the road which they've obviously got an agreement with.
Clubhouse was OK, a few rooms tucked away but the main room was modern and spacious with a friendly service and nice food (franchised|), the locker room was a bit of a trek downstairs, no doubt getting you prepared for the hilly terrain!
We had a dry day, a tad windy which ramped up as you got to certain more exposed areas of the course, so accuracy was essential with all shots not just the driver, so to only lose 1 ball on day one I was relatively pleased, but I recorded a poor score ( as did everyone) on this practice day in readiness for the main event on Sunday.
The day (Saturday) was very hazy, you couldn't see out to sea and the course looked very dull, I just wasn't getting the 'links experience' from it and was struggling to understand the love that I've read about so much for this course, it came across more as a heathland course on the sea front!
Only one stand out hole for me being the par 3 from an elated tee surrounded by bunkers, very much like a certain hole at Wallasey.
There were quite a few blind shots, but the thing I disliked most, was, there was so many elevated blind greens, and if you hadn't played the course before, I felt penalized for what were good shots that pitched onto the green only to roll off up or down the back of banks at the back of the greens, especially as the greens were so fast & slick, easily at a stimp of 12 if not more!
With the round completed everyone got back to hotel to book-in, although I was already checked in from staying the night before so I had more time to get ready for our venture into town to eat and consume large volumes of beer whilst chasing the blue rinse brigade around the side streets.
A few beers in the hotel bar and we got the train down to Cromer, the station being a 5 minute walk was ideal, and for £2 return was a steal.
We then headed for the recommended Red Lion pub, where I enjoyed my starter and pudding but I battled with my Rib-eye steak, which wasn't good, and nor was many of the others in our group who had steak also. Lots of beer and wine flowed but no sooner had we finished and handed over £500+, they wanted us out! The meal (and steak) in my hotel was far superior and cost less!
We then headed to The Wellington, a live band in situ, lots of young fillies and plenty of beer being consumed by us all, although I felt a little old in here (yes I am), but then a Madness tune was played and I put all the young locals to shame bouncing around like an old man on steroids and on a mission!
Back for the last train at midnight and straight into the hotel bar until 1.30 (clocks forward 2.30) for more beers!
Up for a decent breakfast where there were quite a few soar heads.
Managed to get into the car park on Sunday, a quick warm up on the practice putting green to focus the eyes and then tee'd off first only to lose 2 balls immediately, 1 off the tee and the other with my 2nd (4th) shot taking the corner on, which I failed to do!
It was much sunnier on Sunday and the course looked very different, the colours were more vibrant and views were excellent, what a stark difference to the day before!
I then steadied the ship and started scoring OK, that 1st tee blob cost me a decent score on the turn and then I started the back 9 really well and thought that a low 30's could see me retain the trophy, I shouldn't have had such thoughts mid-round, a silly blob on 16 and then backed it up on 17 did for me, and yet I didn't do a lot wrong on those holes, a bad bounce to the left on 16 off the tee which I couldn't recover from and I rolled off the back of the green after pitching 8ft short of the pin on the par 3 17th with only a wedge, so that was me done for, but I finished off with a decent finish on the 18th on the green in 2 but 3 putted.
I, and a few others found the terrain quite testing at times, so much so that most got buggies on the day 2, but I still carried both days, but my calves were solid after the first round and I'm still knackered today!
The trophy was won with 32 points, that speaks volumes when there was 4 Cat 1's in our group of 13 whom all bar 1, scored mid-to-high 20's, no doubt you get used to approaching those blind greens but they were the difference as its a very drive-able course.
Conclusion:
Didn't enjoy day 1 but could see how some would like it when playing it like we did on Sunday (day 2) in the brighter sunshine, although much windier and a different test to the day before, it was much nicer on the eye, although I still didn't feel I was on a links, other than seeing the sea a lot more!
Still didn't like the blind elevated greens though, they just didn't reward a good drive and approach into the green.
Thought the etiquette from some members out on the course was very poor, so many were loud and talking/shouting when they were on a neighboring tee or greens which were at times very close together.
Wouldn't want to play in the height of the summer/holiday season with so many noisy ramblers walking around and close to some tee's.
Lots of crossing walkways when going green to tee, had to wait for players to take their approach shots before walking around greens.
Did I enjoy the 2-days, yes of course, it was a nice outing in good company, although it doesn't help when you don't like the 3hr+ drive over to that neck of the woods.
Based on all of the above, would I rush back to play it again, no.
I chose to drive over late on Friday as I didn't fancy a 3hr+ drive then play, especially being the holder of our Sunday Morning Crew shield that I won playing at Machynys Golf Club just before Christmas in some tough conditions.
I stayed 2 nights at a hotel called the Links Country Park just outside of Cromer in West Runton, which was very nice with excellent rooms, service & food.
Arrived at Royal Cromer Saturday morning to meet up with everyone for a lunchtime tee start.
Very small car park, I had to park in the church 50 yards up the road which they've obviously got an agreement with.
Clubhouse was OK, a few rooms tucked away but the main room was modern and spacious with a friendly service and nice food (franchised|), the locker room was a bit of a trek downstairs, no doubt getting you prepared for the hilly terrain!
We had a dry day, a tad windy which ramped up as you got to certain more exposed areas of the course, so accuracy was essential with all shots not just the driver, so to only lose 1 ball on day one I was relatively pleased, but I recorded a poor score ( as did everyone) on this practice day in readiness for the main event on Sunday.
The day (Saturday) was very hazy, you couldn't see out to sea and the course looked very dull, I just wasn't getting the 'links experience' from it and was struggling to understand the love that I've read about so much for this course, it came across more as a heathland course on the sea front!
Only one stand out hole for me being the par 3 from an elated tee surrounded by bunkers, very much like a certain hole at Wallasey.
There were quite a few blind shots, but the thing I disliked most, was, there was so many elevated blind greens, and if you hadn't played the course before, I felt penalized for what were good shots that pitched onto the green only to roll off up or down the back of banks at the back of the greens, especially as the greens were so fast & slick, easily at a stimp of 12 if not more!
With the round completed everyone got back to hotel to book-in, although I was already checked in from staying the night before so I had more time to get ready for our venture into town to eat and consume large volumes of beer whilst chasing the blue rinse brigade around the side streets.
A few beers in the hotel bar and we got the train down to Cromer, the station being a 5 minute walk was ideal, and for £2 return was a steal.
We then headed for the recommended Red Lion pub, where I enjoyed my starter and pudding but I battled with my Rib-eye steak, which wasn't good, and nor was many of the others in our group who had steak also. Lots of beer and wine flowed but no sooner had we finished and handed over £500+, they wanted us out! The meal (and steak) in my hotel was far superior and cost less!
We then headed to The Wellington, a live band in situ, lots of young fillies and plenty of beer being consumed by us all, although I felt a little old in here (yes I am), but then a Madness tune was played and I put all the young locals to shame bouncing around like an old man on steroids and on a mission!
Back for the last train at midnight and straight into the hotel bar until 1.30 (clocks forward 2.30) for more beers!
Up for a decent breakfast where there were quite a few soar heads.
Managed to get into the car park on Sunday, a quick warm up on the practice putting green to focus the eyes and then tee'd off first only to lose 2 balls immediately, 1 off the tee and the other with my 2nd (4th) shot taking the corner on, which I failed to do!
It was much sunnier on Sunday and the course looked very different, the colours were more vibrant and views were excellent, what a stark difference to the day before!
I then steadied the ship and started scoring OK, that 1st tee blob cost me a decent score on the turn and then I started the back 9 really well and thought that a low 30's could see me retain the trophy, I shouldn't have had such thoughts mid-round, a silly blob on 16 and then backed it up on 17 did for me, and yet I didn't do a lot wrong on those holes, a bad bounce to the left on 16 off the tee which I couldn't recover from and I rolled off the back of the green after pitching 8ft short of the pin on the par 3 17th with only a wedge, so that was me done for, but I finished off with a decent finish on the 18th on the green in 2 but 3 putted.
I, and a few others found the terrain quite testing at times, so much so that most got buggies on the day 2, but I still carried both days, but my calves were solid after the first round and I'm still knackered today!
The trophy was won with 32 points, that speaks volumes when there was 4 Cat 1's in our group of 13 whom all bar 1, scored mid-to-high 20's, no doubt you get used to approaching those blind greens but they were the difference as its a very drive-able course.
Conclusion:
Didn't enjoy day 1 but could see how some would like it when playing it like we did on Sunday (day 2) in the brighter sunshine, although much windier and a different test to the day before, it was much nicer on the eye, although I still didn't feel I was on a links, other than seeing the sea a lot more!
Still didn't like the blind elevated greens though, they just didn't reward a good drive and approach into the green.
Thought the etiquette from some members out on the course was very poor, so many were loud and talking/shouting when they were on a neighboring tee or greens which were at times very close together.
Wouldn't want to play in the height of the summer/holiday season with so many noisy ramblers walking around and close to some tee's.
Lots of crossing walkways when going green to tee, had to wait for players to take their approach shots before walking around greens.
Did I enjoy the 2-days, yes of course, it was a nice outing in good company, although it doesn't help when you don't like the 3hr+ drive over to that neck of the woods.
Based on all of the above, would I rush back to play it again, no.
Its a great part of the world all right for summer scoops, not sure I'd be able to swing a club after a session with you boys though!
