The Belfry

[sweatysock41]

Surprised to hear you say that. I think Drayton is very ordinary and certainly not a patch on Maxstoke or, of course, Whittington.

We agree on this if not our view of the Arden.

With regards to La Lucha's comment on my track Oakridge - you get what you pay for and it is hardly ever closed. Membership is less than £800 no joining fee - the only other course near here at that price that I am aware of is Atherstone.

 

[quinn]

Maxstoke all day brother

It's only 15 mins from me and I've never played it, I know somebody who's just joined and said they could get us on, looks a cracking course just the cost put me off, dont get all the stick that the brabazon gets, played it loads of times and love it, not quite sure what people expect from it, it's a parkland course just off the M6, hardly going to get panoramic views of the countryside 😀. It might only have two standout holes but they're two of the best around,

 

[la_lucha]

We agree on this if not our view of the Arden.

With regards to La Lucha's comment on my track Oakridge - you get what you pay for and it is hardly ever closed. Membership is less than £800 no joining fee - the only other course near here at that price that I am aware of is Atherstone.

Ullesthorpe where I am currently is just over 800 with no joining fee and it's a damn sight better kept than oakridge.

 

[sweatysock41]

Depends when you play - this time of year no course is at it's best, I've played most of the courses around the Cov/B'ham areas and there are several that charge more that are no better. I don't pretend it's anything other than a basic course and there are many things that could be better I agree.

There are pro's and con's to every course and there is no one size fit's all for £745 a year I don't expect Wentworth. What I do get is somewhere 5 minutes from the house where the people are friendly and I can open the shoulders. If I want to spend more I will also have to travel further and being a sweaty the purse strings are tight you know

One thing I do wish we had is a half way house like yours - I am assuming it's still there!

 

[Ethan]

The Belfry is a strange case. When it was first built, it was intended for the 1981 Ryder Cup, but was not ready. Brian Barnes described it as little more than a ploughed field, and the event was eventually switched to Walton Heath. So it has always had a certain reputation. It became a Ryder Cup venue only because the owners offered a well priced location for the PGA as well as much cash. This is the formula for the modern Ryder Cup, all about the cash, and has been repeated by the K Club and Celtic Manor since and we have had a series of mediocre venues.

I have played the Brabazon a number of times and the PGA once. I quite liked the PGA. It was obviously a bit manufactured in places and the land is pretty flat, but I thought it was a well balanced pleasant course.

I don't like the Brabazon, though. As a Ryder Cup venue, it offers drama at the end, a curious feature hole and good conditioning and gallery access. But you could have Ryder Cup drama playing up the M42. For the average golfer, I think it is mostly rather dull and the feature holes are almost unplayable. Some of the holes are Florida like holes, except without the weather, play trees or cart girls. The 10th is a silly little hole, and you can get a souvenir video of yourself playing it. It is a very difficult drive to reach the green for the average player, so what you see is a parade of people hitting a 6 iron off the tee, or picking their ball out of the water after a shot which never had a hope. The 18th is also rather difficult. After a long drawing tee shot, you need a good mid to long iron or fairway wood to cross the water to the green. I watched from behind the green one day as 4 or 5 4-balls played it and at least 2 in each group went in one or other, or both, pieces of water. a few laid up short of the water in 2 and then went in in 3.

The problem is compounded because the Brab makes you play off the yellow tees. This has the effect of reducing the appeal of the other holes. There are a few holes which were designed to be driver holes off the whites, but off the yellows you are forced to club down so you hit a 3 wood or hybrid and end up in the same place anyway.

 

[la_lucha]

One thing I do wish we had is a half way house like yours - I am assuming it's still there!

It is and it's always open. I don't know how I would cope without my sausage and egg roll halfway through.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Where did you go? I played Oulton Hall earlier this year and whilst it was okay it was a typical corporate course and not one I would rush back to. The Hunting at Slaley is a very nice course, The Priestman less inspiring. Both suffer from poor drainage, avoid in the winter, and can be very slow as again they are filled with corporates who want to play shots 9 & 10 on par 4's rather than picking up. If you had the same choice again I would certainly recommend Slaley but only if at least one round was on The Hunting.

Yes, we went for Slaley. We were in July so no problem with the drainage. It was great, we had two on the Hunting out of the three rounds.

Edit: Played Oulton a few times and we ran the same trip there last year.....it seemed to have deteriorated quite a bit from when I've been in the past. We were disappointed.