The Belfry Rumour

[Deleted member 23270]

Bel Air. Also well know for the "Grab a Granny" with some very "mature" ladies in attendance

Suits me, they are always more grateful. When are we going?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

The head green keeper used to be at our place. .

If you are on twitter check out @GreenkeeperMiss

You'll thank me later

 

[Ethan]

So when I was playing The Derby up at the Belfry, one of the marshall's mentioned he'd been told they were planning on levelling The Derby, to build a new championship course, in order to try and attract bigger tournaments again. To add to this, I also heard that they may be bulldozing all 3 courses there to re-start almost! Although I can't see them bulldozing all 3, it'd cost em an absolute fortune.

Darn, so not returning the whole place to a higher purpose, growing potatoes as before, then?

If they are going to level the not very good courses, they should start with the Brabazon.

 

[IanM]

If you are on twitter check out @GreenkeeperMiss

You'll thank me later

I am aware of her, I was referring to Angus!

 

[IanM]

Darn, so not returning the whole place to a higher purpose, growing potatoes as before, then?

If they are going to level the not very good courses, they should start with the Brabazon.

Actually, the Brab is awesome compared with the other two. That's the problem ?

 

[Deleted member 1418]

Bel Air. Also well know for the "Grab a Granny" with some very "mature" ladies in attendance

You should put a review of them on your YouTube channel.........!!

 

[Pathetic Shark]

"If you didn't get a good score on the Derby, you could always get one at the Bel Air"

The unofficial marketing tag line of The Belfry

 

[Ethan]

Actually, the Brab is awesome compared with the other two. That's the problem ?

It has been about 20 years since I played the PGA National and I thought it was alright, fewer outright bad holes than the Brab.

 

[IanMcC]

The Derby is an abomination, and deserves all it gets, but the PGA National course is superb, and it would be criminal to destroy it. Whatever takes its place, with the Brabazon taking priority, would be inferior.

 

[Newtonuti]

I can see this being a good move from a business perspective. The pay off would take many years given the investment required, but it's hard to imagine that it wouldn't pay off.

As it stands, I'm not bothered about visiting the Belfry on the grounds that the Brabazon doesn't appeal enough to make the other two courses worth playing. The Brabazon plus another championship course though.......

I was bought a round on the Brab for my birthday, and played it although in severe bloody winds! Nice course but apart from the 10th nothing special to be honest.

This has been rumoured for years. It would take a lot of work to make the Derby anything other than the bang average course it is already. The PGA has the potential to be a good course but needs stripping right back. There are some decent holes but if you are going to go the whole hog would you keep anything or start from scratch? The Brabazon has some good holes on and has shown with the British Masters it can still hold a DP event but it is a million miles from hosting another RC or similar. Would it make more commercial sense to focus on two top quality courses and use the Derby course to build purpose built state of the art practice facilities

To be fair the range there is decent, it could do with a larger short game area though.

Bel Air! At least, that was what it was called when we stayed at Belfry on our honeymoon!
I never attended btw!

They've already started knocking it down to be a new function suite

 

[Junior]

You can't just play there though so is it really in competition?

You're right. I was thinking more in terms of quality of course. Belfry seems to be falling whereas everyone is gushing over JCB atm.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

The sight itself, the current courses (design & quality) the flat land, poor drainage, potato field etc, has nothing to do with what it could be.
With the ability to move earth, create elevation changes etc, they could build something brilliant. All it requires is a top designer, enough money, and time for growth and maturing.
It's never going to be a challenger to the top links or heathland courses, because so many people already have ingrained ideas that parklands can't be better than those courses. But a new Sawgrass or Phoenix type stadium course is possible.

If it is true I'd be intrigued to see what might happen.

 

[Junior]

The sight itself, the current courses (design & quality) the flat land, poor drainage, potato field etc, has nothing to do with what it could be.
With the ability to move earth, create elevation changes etc, they could build something brilliant. All it requires is a top designer, enough money, and time for growth and maturing.
It's never going to be a challenger to the top links or heathland courses, because so many people already have ingrained ideas that parklands can't be better than those courses. But a new Sawgrass or Phoenix type stadium course is possible.

If it is true I'd be intrigued to see what might happen.

I agree. With enough $$$ it could be turned into something good. "Trump Belfry" anyone???

I think I last played the Brabazon about 5 years ago and whilst I don't disagree with some on here about there only being a few standout holes, it was in immaculate condition. Infact, I go as far as to say one of the best conditioned courses I've ever played.

 

[hovis]

I agree. With enough $$$ it could be turned into something good. "Trump Belfry" anyone???

I think I last played the Brabazon about 5 years ago and whilst I don't disagree with some on here about there only being a few standout holes, it was in immaculate condition. Infact, I go as far as to say one of the best conditioned courses I've ever played.

Anyone who says the brabazon is an average course either played it in winter when it's a god awful golf course. Or they got spanked by the course and can't find their dummy. The course for a parkland course is immaculate outside of winter and a challenge to play. The Derby has the potential to be a great course but as long as Angus is there it will never be!!!!! The bloke is a tool!

 

[stefanovic]

When it first opened it was £10 to play the Brabazon and £5 to play the Derby.
It was a rip off then.

 

[chrisd]

Anyone who says the brabazon is an average course either played it in winter when it's a god awful golf course. Or they got spanked by the course and can't find their dummy. The course for a parkland course is immaculate outside of winter and a challenge to play. The Derby has the potential to be a great course but as long as Angus is there it will never be!!!!! The bloke is a tool!

It was one of the 1st "top courses" I got to play and, to be fair, it was immaculate, with only a few stand out holes but I did like it.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Anyone who says the brabazon is an average course either played it in winter when it's a god awful golf course. Or they got spanked by the course and can't find their dummy. The course for a parkland course is immaculate outside of winter and a challenge to play. The Derby has the potential to be a great course but as long as Angus is there it will never be!!!!! The bloke is a tool!

Condition wise anytime I have played it’s been superb

But it’s average in terms of playability, layout and a golfing experience -

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Anyone who says the brabazon is an average course either played it in winter when it's a god awful golf course. Or they got spanked by the course and can't find their dummy. The course for a parkland course is immaculate outside of winter and a challenge to play. The Derby has the potential to be a great course but as long as Angus is there it will never be!!!!! The bloke is a tool!

It is though. Aside from the 10th and 18th there aren't too many memorable holes. It was in great condition and the greens putted well but for the cost it was low value for money. I actually played reasonably well so no sour grapes. YOu see the Ryder Cup there and have some thoughts about what it will be like but it failed to live up to my expectations

 

[hovis]

It is though. Aside from the 10th and 18th there aren't too many memorable holes. It was in great condition and the greens putted well but for the cost it was low value for money. I actually played reasonably well so no sour grapes. YOu see the Ryder Cup there and have some thoughts about what it will be like but it failed to live up to my expectations

That's just it. Expectations!!! People expect ring girls to get their boobs out on each hole because it's had the ryder cup so many times.
As for value. Not many people pay green fees. It's about £150 for two rounds of golf with two meals and a night's stay last time I checked (a while ago.)

I personally prefer the pga because the brabazon is one tough course

 

[Foxholer]

I think everyone recognises Brabazon as a superbly presented parkland course. But many, including me, challenge it as 'a memorable test'. As someone who can often reel off the holes of courses I've considered 'great' (Royal Aberdeen excepted, as I was thoroughly beaten up by a 25-30mph wind) I struggle to remember more than a few holes - 3, 9, 10 (not a particular fan) 17, 18 and another on the back 9 that I can't remember the number.
However, as I posted earlier, that doesn't make it a bad Ryder Cup course. Such courses should provide lots of individual risk/reward features for the top guys playing a single round - especially at the end, not the 'overall challenge' over 4 rounds that is the usual recipe for PGA/ET tournaments. In that regard, it works pretty well imo.