Strangest / Quirkiest Course?

[Bigfoot]

It is a good course, If you take away the race track folk would probably have a much higher opinion of it.

I have not played it but the wee 9 holer at The Kyle's of Lochalsh looks interesting, if it is still there.
Basically a big circular green fairway patch with greens and tees set into the rocky hillside. Wonderful views over to the Skye Bridge. https://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk...lands/218-kyle-of-lochalsh-golf-club-highland Naw it's gone,

Tobermorey is weird, two great big swales run through the 9 holer and you play across and to the tops of them to stand any chance of a decent score.

I've played Tobermory a few times and thoroughly enjoyed it and the views from the top of the course

 

[Bigfoot]

Agree with Bamburgh Castle - but what views!

Not when I played it in the mist

 

[Slime]

For me it has to be Traigh on Scotland's west coast.
It also has the most beautiful views I've ever experienced whilst playing golf.

https://www.traighgolf.co.uk/gallery

 

[jim8flog]

The quirkiest course I have ever played was called the mid Dorset just outside Sturminster Newton so quirky I only ever played there twice despite being able to pay for free. One of the ones built in the boom it did not last that long and closed down.

One par 5 that was totally unreachable in 3 because of a line trees, it was the days before GPS units and you could not work out where to go on couple of holes, no direction marker posts, one hole where you needed to hit to about 200 yards to the only landing area which was the size of half a green followed by another 200 yard shot to the green which if you missed meant you had absolutely no shot. Some fairways were so so soft that after just a little bit of rain that it could mean a lost ball in the middle of the fairway.

 

[LincolnShep]

North Shore near Skeggy is unusual in that it has nine parkland holes and nine links - you're constantly crossing back and forth between two completely different types of landscape.

 

[TheDiablo]

you can also snap hook one onto the cricket pitch from the second at Puttenham... I assume golf goes on during cricket matches!

That's a proper snap hook! ?

The head greenkeeper runs the cricket club - they've got a very good ground for their standard!! Access to some 'spare' resources ?

 

[Golfnut1957]

Galashiels, Ladhope Hill. It's nine holes now but for a long time it was 18 and what an odd 18. The first two were as nondiscript as you could get but then 3 to 8, which were laid out in a valley, were as spectacular as you will find anywhere. I can still remember the sense of anticipation each time I approached the 3rd tee.
It was what came next that made it so odd. Three holes, two par 3s and a par 4 if I remember correctly, they went straight up hill without any deviation at all. No zig zagging or meandering just straight up, nothing was level on that stretch and it was an absolute killer to walk.
At the top were 3 holes which were relatively flat and which had spectacular views of the Borders and then it was all down hill after that, it had to be down as there was no where else left to go.
I haven't been back since they reverted to 9 holes so it is pure speculation that they did away with the holes on the hill, however nothing else would make sense.

 

[SaintHacker]

North Shore near Skeggy is unusual in that it has nine parkland holes and nine links - you're constantly crossing back and forth between two completely different types of landscape.

Porthmadog is like that, although its two 9's. The parkland 9 is a bit meh but the links side is excellent

 

[ScienceBoy]

Wyboston lakes. There’s a water sports centre on 1 of the lakes in the middle, several holes skirt around it. Trying to focus on your shot with a bloody speed boat/jet ski revving and motoring a few yards away, with exhaust fumes blowing up your nostrils was certainly the strangest thing I’ve encountered on a golf course!

You get used to it, right now the water is closed but the course is open!

 

[sunshine]

Pinner Hill is quirky. The par fives are easier to reach in 2 than some of the par fours. Short par four 12th it doesn’t matter what club you hit off the tee or what line you take, the ball gathers down a slope to the same spot. And what’s more quirky than a 230 yard blind par three!

 

[sunshine]

Once played a course called the Manor House in Wiltshire. Apart from the rubbish name, it had some rubbish holes that could be considered “quirky”. Some good holes too, but overall I wasn’t a fan.

 

[MrGrumtastic]

Once played a course called the Manor House in Wiltshire. Apart from the rubbish name, it had some rubbish holes that could be considered “quirky”. Some good holes too, but overall I wasn’t a fan.

I'd be interested to hear which holes you didn't like. I've played quite a few times there and none spring to mind as particularly weak.

 

[sunshine]

I'd be interested to hear which holes you didn't like. I've played quite a few times there and none spring to mind as particularly weak.

4: long par 3 over a massive bunker. The 200 yard long bunker looks so fake and unnatural, it doesn't match the surroundings. Visually and strategically weak.
7: par 5 around a manufactured lake. Tight drive through avenue of trees feels claustrophobic, then dogleg around the artificial lake.
9: par 3 nothing hole. Looks like they ran out of ideas on this one, no features or interest.
12: short par 5 over the valley. The marmite hole. When I played it I hit 5 iron off the tee then I could have reached the green with a 3 wood, but chose to lay up. I don't mind this hole - it's quirky. But I'd like to see a scratch golfer or pro play this hole, I don't think it would be a challenge.
13: short par 4. Ridiculously up hill, you need crampons to take a stance on the fairway. Not suitable terrain for golf.

On the other hand, 2 and 17 are great holes.

Some of the walks on this course are on the long side, especially from 17th green to 18th tee. I guess the majority of people use a buggy, but that's not what golf is about for me. Overall, the course is set in beautiful countryside but after the botox, collagen injections, hair extensions, nose job, breast enhancement, tummy tuck, it looks fake and less appealing to me.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Scarborough South Shore - split into 3 separate parts - modern parkland for 4 holes, then cross a main road bridge onto the links/clifftop for 6 or so holes, then back over the road to another, seemingly more mature parkland for the final holes.

Cheap and enjoyable, but a bit different, especially after playing a classic like Ganton on the same trip

 

[IanM]

Manor House (aka Castle Combe) have messed around with the hole numbers so I might be confused about the new one, so had to check the website!!! Also they made some changes to the original layout which messed it up!

4th - agree - looks weird!
7th - sort of agree. Hate the tee shot, looks like it shouldnt be there!
9th - was originally a par 4 with the tee at the bottom of the hill just as you come over the Bridge. That was a blind shot up a steep hill that slowed it all up. But the green was never designed a taking a club from 180. Utter mess now!,
12th - (former 3rd) poor design all day long! What are you supposed to do?
13th ... another change.... used to be a smashing little par 3, with a small green just over the brook. (then a really long walk/drive to next tee!) I wonder if that original green was in danger of being hit from 8th tee? The new replacement hole is awful. Enough to make you stop laying... especially if you didn't pay for a buggy!

Other par 3s are super... rest is so-so...great clubhouse and set up. Was one of the Compton Holdings courses from the 1990s. Was £15k (or so) to join back then, about 70 folk paid that... then CH went down and it was sold off... (from memory someone will correct if wrong)

I know several County Players who would feign injury when Wilts played there!

 

[ADB]

Quirky and fantastic!

 

[cliveb]

Pinner Hill is quirky. The par fives are easier to reach in 2 than some of the par fours. Short par four 12th it doesn’t matter what club you hit off the tee or what line you take, the ball gathers down a slope to the same spot. And what’s more quirky than a 230 yard blind par three!

The 12th at Pinner Hill is the stupidest golf hole I've ever encountered. And now they've removed the bunker at the elbow, you can't even attempt to get your tee shot in it to prevent it rolling miles down that slope. The 17th (the blind par 3 you mention) is benign in comparison. Get the line and club selection right and you'll hit the green. But apart from those two holes I'd say it's reasonably normal and not at all quirky.

 

[IanM]

Ogbourne Downs in Wiltshire.... Too many holes that are very similar, hilly and everything on a slope. Good shots could end up anywhere and mostly do.

Lovely views, so walk the dog and leave the clubs at home! (sorry)

 

[CliveW]

Uphall Golf Club shares the first and second fairway, but in opposite directions, the fifth fairway crosses the fourteenth and the eighth crosses the sixth.

 

[MrGrumtastic]

Manor House (aka Castle Combe) have messed around with the hole numbers so I might be confused about the new one o had to check the website!!! Also they made some changes to the original layout which messed it up!

4th - agree - looks weird!
7th - sort of agree. Hate the tee shot, looks like it shouldnt be there!
9th - was originally a par 4 with the tee at the bottom of the hill just as you come over the Bridge. That was a blind shot up a steep hill that slowed it all up. But the green was never designed a taking a club from 180. Utter mess now!,
12th - (former 3rd) poor design all day long! What are you supposed to do?
13th ... another change.... used to be a smashing little par 3, with a small green just over the brook. (then a really long walk/drive to next tee!) I wonder if that original green was in danger of being hit from 8th tee? The new replacement hole is awful. Enough to make you stop laying... especially if you didn't pay for a buggy!

Other par 3s are super... rest is so-so...great clubhouse and set up. Was one of the Compton Holdings courses from the 1990s. Was £15k (or so) to join back then, about 70 folk paid that... then CH went down and it was sold off... (from memory someone will correct if wrong)

I know several County Players who would feign injury when Wilts played there!

I can definitely see where you are coming from with a lot of those comments.

They have got rid of the long snaking bunker on 4, and put in a couple of extra green side bunkers instead. Plays a bit more like a normal long par 3 now, so you're probably not the only person who disliked that!

Agree on 9 and 13. 9 has a deceptively tough green with a hidden pot bunker in front, so can get a little interesting. I find walking 13 ok, but annoying in a buggy since you have to park at the top and come back down to the green. As you say though, with all the hills, most people go for a buggy.

I quite like the pressure on 7, where you know that you need to hit it straight down the avenue of trees. Nowhere to hide on this one! And 12 is possibly my favourite, so much trouble all around. I'll blob this one more often than not, but have a real sense of accomplishment when it goes well. Might not be as interesting for a low handicapper though.