KeefG
Journeyman Pro
Well, same as last year, myself and 5 others made the trip to The Belfry again this year to take advantage of the utterly fantastic £99 deal (for those unaware - during March only they do a deal, £99 and you get to play the PGA National, overnight stay in the hotel inc breakfast and then The Brabazon the next day) and this year I have come away deflated.....deflated because I cant play there every week 
I cannot stress this enough, the place is magical! From the courses, to the driving range and the hotel to the pro shop and every single member of staff who, it has to be said, must eat happy pills every morning by the bucketful I cannot find a single fault at all....and all for just £99. The green fees for the Brab alone are £100 normally, plus £60 for the PGA, chuck in your room and brekkie and you realise you are getting a cracking deal!
We pitched up on Wednesday morning to be told that no trollies were allowed on the PGA but it wasnt such an issue, we all hired carry bags and off we went, the weather was horrible but we all still had a good days golf, last year I went round the PGA in 99, I took 10 shots off this year with an 89, 36 points playing off 18 so I was extremely pleased.
Wednesdays highlights were:
1st - Par 4 331yds - over joyed because I nailed my drive straight down the middle.
3rd - Par 3 158yds - howling wind coming into our faces and I hit a lovely low 5I t about 3ft away, then 3 putted
12th - Par 5 521yds - made a great birdie on this, drove straight down the middle about 260yds, rescue wood to about 50yds then hit a cracking chip with my SW and watched it lip out, leaving me a 2ft putt for birdie
18th - Par 4 361yds - won our longest drive comp, put a 9I to approx 10ft and then rolled in the birdie putt, cracking way to finish the day!
A few (a lot) beers, a good nights kip followed by a delicious brekkie later and we were stood on the 1st tee of the Brabazon, muc better weather than Wednesday with clear blue skies and less wind and off we went. Unfortunately I didnt play as well as on the PGA however, it is a much tougher course IMHO. Went round last year in 101 and this year in 96, still its an improvement.
Thursdays highlights:
3rd - Par 5 501yds - reaching the green in 3, or at least thinking I did, as my 8I approach hit the front of the green it spun back (I never spin my irons) and i watched it roll all the way back down the bank and go swimming
6th - Par 4 373yds - reached this green in 2 also, put my drive down the right near the big willow and left 185yds, hit my rescue wood straight into the wind and it just made it, then 3 putted!
8th - Par 4 383yds - regulation par, drive straight down the middle, 6I to approx 8ft then lipped the birdie putt but tapped in for par.
9th - Par 4 374yds - reached this green 2 also, hit a cracking drive down the right and left myself a nice 130yds in, made the green but left myself a long downhill putt which I tapped, and watched as it rolled off the other end of the green lol
10th - Par 4 284yds - another regulation par on such a pretty hole.
17th - Par 5 530yds - Birdie! On the Brabazon! Hit my drive which shaped just nice around the corner, decided to lay up short of the water and leave myself a long approach but fluffed my lay up, left me with 225yds, hit a belter of a 3W and left it 7ft away and rolled the putt in.
Made a complete hash of the 18th, never hit a draw over the last 2 days until the 18th tee, needless to say I found the water off the tee, dropped a ball and hit a 3W up the middle, attempted my rescue wood from 200yds and fluffed that and went swimming again....walked off with an 8 lol
The greens on The Brabazon were absolutely brutal again, lightning fast, you need a steady hand and nerves of steel to putt on them! The rest of the course was in good nick, far oo many idiots who dont replace their divots though but the greens were relatively free of un-repaired pitch marks so a big well done to the green keepers for this!
Overall, we all had a wonderful 2 days golf and I was gutted when I walked off the 18th on The Brabazon and realised i'd have to wait until I get chance to lock horns with it again.
A truly stunning place to play golf and an absolute must for any golfer.
I cannot stress this enough, the place is magical! From the courses, to the driving range and the hotel to the pro shop and every single member of staff who, it has to be said, must eat happy pills every morning by the bucketful I cannot find a single fault at all....and all for just £99. The green fees for the Brab alone are £100 normally, plus £60 for the PGA, chuck in your room and brekkie and you realise you are getting a cracking deal!
We pitched up on Wednesday morning to be told that no trollies were allowed on the PGA but it wasnt such an issue, we all hired carry bags and off we went, the weather was horrible but we all still had a good days golf, last year I went round the PGA in 99, I took 10 shots off this year with an 89, 36 points playing off 18 so I was extremely pleased.
Wednesdays highlights were:
1st - Par 4 331yds - over joyed because I nailed my drive straight down the middle.
3rd - Par 3 158yds - howling wind coming into our faces and I hit a lovely low 5I t about 3ft away, then 3 putted
12th - Par 5 521yds - made a great birdie on this, drove straight down the middle about 260yds, rescue wood to about 50yds then hit a cracking chip with my SW and watched it lip out, leaving me a 2ft putt for birdie
18th - Par 4 361yds - won our longest drive comp, put a 9I to approx 10ft and then rolled in the birdie putt, cracking way to finish the day!
A few (a lot) beers, a good nights kip followed by a delicious brekkie later and we were stood on the 1st tee of the Brabazon, muc better weather than Wednesday with clear blue skies and less wind and off we went. Unfortunately I didnt play as well as on the PGA however, it is a much tougher course IMHO. Went round last year in 101 and this year in 96, still its an improvement.
Thursdays highlights:
3rd - Par 5 501yds - reaching the green in 3, or at least thinking I did, as my 8I approach hit the front of the green it spun back (I never spin my irons) and i watched it roll all the way back down the bank and go swimming
6th - Par 4 373yds - reached this green in 2 also, put my drive down the right near the big willow and left 185yds, hit my rescue wood straight into the wind and it just made it, then 3 putted!
8th - Par 4 383yds - regulation par, drive straight down the middle, 6I to approx 8ft then lipped the birdie putt but tapped in for par.
9th - Par 4 374yds - reached this green 2 also, hit a cracking drive down the right and left myself a nice 130yds in, made the green but left myself a long downhill putt which I tapped, and watched as it rolled off the other end of the green lol
10th - Par 4 284yds - another regulation par on such a pretty hole.
17th - Par 5 530yds - Birdie! On the Brabazon! Hit my drive which shaped just nice around the corner, decided to lay up short of the water and leave myself a long approach but fluffed my lay up, left me with 225yds, hit a belter of a 3W and left it 7ft away and rolled the putt in.
Made a complete hash of the 18th, never hit a draw over the last 2 days until the 18th tee, needless to say I found the water off the tee, dropped a ball and hit a 3W up the middle, attempted my rescue wood from 200yds and fluffed that and went swimming again....walked off with an 8 lol
The greens on The Brabazon were absolutely brutal again, lightning fast, you need a steady hand and nerves of steel to putt on them! The rest of the course was in good nick, far oo many idiots who dont replace their divots though but the greens were relatively free of un-repaired pitch marks so a big well done to the green keepers for this!
Overall, we all had a wonderful 2 days golf and I was gutted when I walked off the 18th on The Brabazon and realised i'd have to wait until I get chance to lock horns with it again.
A truly stunning place to play golf and an absolute must for any golfer.
