Thoughts on Surrey club to join

[Hodge]

West Byfleet - the club I joined. Good all year round course, the proximity to WB train station with its fast links to London mean there's quite a few around our age that travel down so good age mix. All year comps. Large Saturday roll up. Serious investment going on every winter to improve what was already a very good track. I think you're looking at a joining fee of roughly £1200 plus subs of £1500ish at 33.

Are there any practice facilities at West Byfleet?

 

[duncan mackie]

Are there any practice facilities at West Byfleet?

There's a driving range to the right as you look away from the clubhouse and a pretty good putting area.

 

[TheDiablo]

Are there any practice facilities at West Byfleet?

I don't bother with practice. This shows in my golf...

We have a pretty average driving range, irons only. For a warm up its fine, but for a full range session you wouldnt use it, especially with Silvermere down the road.

Large putting green, next to that is a large chipping green. Other side of the 1st tee box are 2 warm up nets and a short game area with halff a dozen pins 40-60 yards apart and a practice bunker

 

[Foxholer]

Thanks everyone for the input

Narrowing it down to these I want to check out

West Byfleet
Tyrrells Wood
Effingham
Farnham Sands
Puttenham

Would be my recommendation too!

If none of these suit, for 1 reason or another, then further into the 'sand-belt' might be worth investigating.

Also - if you qualify for age-related reduction - the 3 Ws (Woking, Worplesdon and West Hill) might be worth considering (not sure whether they have them though). And Camberley Heath isn't all that far away either (25-30mins by car).

West Byfleet would be top of my list though! At least if fees were comparable.

 

[londonlewis]

I haven't read every response but I used to live in Hersham and played a lot of the courses around.
I'd echo what a lot of people have already said but here's my 2 cents.

Hersham - as people have said. I wouldn't join.
Twisted Stone - joke of a golf course. Was ok 7 years ago but is terrible now.
Hoebridge - I really like this course but I wouldn't join as rounds at weekends can take a long time
Silvermere - I wouldn't join - course is a bit naff in places and can get busy
The Drift - I didn't particularly like it

If you are prepared to travel a bit futher, I would consider joining Westerham (part of the Altonwood group - Westerham, Woldingham, The Addington, Godstone Park). Westerham is good, the Addington is great. Woldingham is fine, nothing special and a bit easy. I wasn't a fan of Surrey National but that's just me. I never played Godstone Park (9 hole course).

 

[IanM]

Twisted Stone? Was that the old Co,ptoon Holdings "Pyford?"

 

[road2ruin]

Twisted Stone? Was that the old Co,ptoon Holdings "Pyford?"

Used to be 'Traditions Golf Course'

 

[TheDiablo]

Twisted Stone? Was that the old Co,ptoon Holdings "Pyford?"

It was called Traditions as I knew it. Down the road from Pyrford

 

[Mike07]

Hi Hodge... I grew up in Walton and have been member at West Byfleet, Foxhills and Clandon Regis at various stages of my life. Friends have been members at Burhill, St Georges, Drift and Effingham, and I think I've played most of the courses in that area.

In that range of clubs that you are looking at West Byfleet is easily the best. The membership is pretty old and traditional, but I believe they have been making positive changes in the last few years. You get a fantastic course and decent facilties, although paying for range tokens is annoying when its only irons..! The saturday roll up is super friendly and great fun. Plus you have someone on the forum already in your age bracket to play with..!

Stay away from Silvermere, Twisted Stone (formerly Traditions), Hersham, Hoebridge... they are all pay n play courses and you'll be much better sereved at West Byfleet.

The only 2 additional courses worth looking into are Ashford Manor and Fulwell... north into middlesex but within your 30min drive.

 

[TheDiablo]

In that range of clubs that you are looking at West Byfleet is easily the best. The membership is pretty old and traditional, but I believe they have been making positive changes in the last few years. You get a fantastic course and decent facilties, although paying for range tokens is annoying when its only irons..! The saturday roll up is super friendly and great fun. Plus you have someone on the forum already in your age bracket to play with..!

Saturday start sheet moved online and jeans allowed in the clubhouse now!! Paying for that range is the worst thing though.

 

[Mike07]

Saturday start sheet moved online and jeans allowed in the clubhouse now!! Paying for that range is the worst thing though.

Oh wow..!! Jeans in the clubhouse, they have moved on. If I still lived in the area I would be joining there.. great memories

 

[Hodge]

Funny you say about the older members - that pretty much sums up my current club but it really doesn't bother me. Probably as my grandma got me into golf and so I know all her friends and have played plenty of mixed golf

 

[sam85]

Saturday start sheet moved online and jeans allowed in the clubhouse now!! Paying for that range is the worst thing though.

We have a range?!? That's madness!!! Next you'll be telling me there's also a practice putting green!!

 

[FuzzyDuck]

At West Byfleet, use of drivers is not allowed on the driving range, presumably as the range is too short (wouldn't be a problem for me I suspect).

 

[Slime]

I played Puttenham yesterday after several hours of rain, heavy at times.
It had drained very well and the greens were really very, very fast.
It's a very nice course, a good test too, with a couple of really 'quirky' holes and I've always been made to feel most welcome when I've played there.
But, my main issues are threefold;
1. The noise of the traffic, especially alongside 17th and 18th, really is very noticeable.
2. It finishes with a par 3 which I've never been a fan of.
3. The patio area overlooks the car park and you can only see players putting on the last hole.

 

[IanM]

I played Puttenham yesterday after several hours of rain, heavy at times.
It had drained very well and the greens were really very, very fast.
It's a very nice course, a good test too, with a couple of really 'quirky' holes and I've always been made to feel most welcome when I've played there.
But, my main issues are threefold;
1. The noise of the traffic, especially alongside 17th and 18th, really is very noticeable.
2. It finishes with a par 3 which I've never been a fan of.
3. The patio area overlooks the car park and you can only see players putting on the last hole.

Accurate assment in my view, number 3 doesnt bother me, but 1 and 2 mean it's lower down the batting order than other local courses.

 

[_MH_]

I moved away from Hampton Hill about 6 months ago and the course I miss playing most is Pine Ridges (a Crown Golf course) which was a quick drive down the M3. I used to live about 100yds from Fulwell GC and played it a couple of times on a local resident deal - nice enough but a little uninspiring.