'Value' course recommendations please...

[JezzE]

Morning all,
Hope you managed to get a round in somewhere this weekend?
We're after a little help in conjunction with a forthcoming 'Value' courses feature. We're looking to recommend 50 value courses spread right across the UK and Ireland, and there are one or two areas where a little local knowledge would be useful.
If any forummers know of anywhere that offers excellent value (not just cheap - needs to over-deliver really on the price-to-quality ratio), it would be really handy if you could point Fergus and in the right direction (course name and county) as we seek to compile a shortlist from which to make the final selections.
As ever, many thanks for any assistance,

 

[GB72]

Best bargin for me has to be Rutland Water golf course in Rutland. Stunning views, interesting course that has a challenging 18 plus the best par 3 course I know of. Also has good pro shop and bar. How much for such wonder, £18 per round in the week and £20 at the weekend. They will also let you pay for 9 holes if it suits.

If you are looking for Muni courses as well, Thorpe Wood in Cambridgeshire is a great one. Long, interesting, challenging course in top nick for a Muni and only £19.00 a round.

Last but not least is an interesting one to suggest as it is great for beginners. Sudbrooke Moore in Lincolnshire. It is a 9 hole, 18 flag course that is made up of only par 3 and par 4 holes. It costs a mere £9.00 to play all day or membership is about £150.00. Not one that would interest the more expeienced golfer but as a place to join when you first start out, it is top notch.

 

[KeefG]

I can offer 2 outstanding courses to be thrown into the hat:

1) Romanby Golf & Country Club near York. Absolutely stunning course and very reasonable green fees for the standard of the course.

2) Woodham in Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham. Again a truly stunning course, green fees are a little more expensive but the course is immaculately kept all year.

 

[viscount17]

I'll second Thorpe Wood (Peterborough), at around 7,000 yds it's got value for money. As a muni, it doesn't have it's own club but is co-located with a pub.

It also has a smaller 'sister' nearby. Orton Meadows, same price, a slightly quirky layout dictated by its expansion to 18 holes but kept in the best of condition. If quality can be measured by how busy the pro's are this one will be well up. Again, it's co-located with a pub.

 

[brendy]

Jezz, A very underrated course over here is the "little" course at Royal County down, The Annesley course is nowhere near as long as the Championship course but you do get the same views and quality of turf. Some holes bisect through the "big course" fairways and on a cold and stiff winded day, its a bloody good challenge. Par 65, just under 5000 yards sounds easy, but when you think that drivers are almost suicidal here, it takes a good iron player to pick their way round each hole. Who wouldn't pay £30 for a round?
http://www.royalcountydown.org/annefees4.htm

 

[GB72]

Good point Viscount, I forget Orton Meadows. Never have I played a course with a front and back 9 that are so different. Also great value and the pro shop there is better than Thorpe Wood. Certainly worth £19 of anyone's money

 

[Dodger]

Look no further than my own course Berwick upon Tweed (Goswick) G.C. in Northumberland as value for money and I am sure the fellow forumers who played in the recent England v Scotland match would vouch for that.
Green fees are as little as £80 a 4 ball including bacon roll and coffee thro the winter,no temp greens and great conditions and £15 twilightrate thro the summer (yes £15!!) or £33 a round Summer rate....value for money considering the quality of the links course which is an Open Regional Qualifying course.Put this up against courses of similar or indeed poorer quality in places like East Lothian that are charging double and more I think it's value for money takes a bit of beating!

 

[medwayjon]

Jezz, Lydd in kent was absolutely incredible value for money, a great course with excellent facilities.

Our forum 4-ball paid £25 each on saturday and this included a full english.

On weekdays, it is just £18 each for the same.

I really think that this is value that simply cannot be beaten.

 

[HTL]

Gotta say my home track of Leatherhead is the best value I have played £15 a round for a championship course in Surrey can not be beaten.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
There are 3 great public courses within a few miles of Dublin Airport Corballis Links, Stillouge Park and Swords Open all for around €20, Is corballis one of the only actual Sea Side public links courses in the World? and they have done a bit of a remodel wich opens this month, was going to play The Annesley when we were in Down but decided it was worth the extra £50 to play the real thing.Also for anyone in Ireland the European Club do a special for any club that has green fees under €60 you can play there up till the end of March on one of the best links in the world for €60.
Mike

 

[EchtLoon]

Boat of Garten - Speyside - Par 69, 5876 yds. A James Braid design.

£33 per round midweek/£39 p/r weekend.

Absolutely stunning location, superb condition, that plays a lot tougher than its yardage would suggest, and a great wee modern clubhouse that serves (or did last time I was there) great food.



Kirriemuir Golf club - Angus - Par 68, 5518 yds. Another James Braid design.

£28 per round midweek/£33 p/r weekend.

A super little track that starts gently, but by the time the back nine comes around you're surrounded by tight fairways and whins everywhere. Play this around June when the bushes are in bloom and it's hard to beat. Like "the Boat" you won't make a mug of the place, some very tricky holes, and just when you think you've made it, there's a 388yd uphill monster with a deep gully short of the green to carry, whins tight left, and OB tight right - good luck finishing with a par.

And when you're finished you can relax in the lovely little small clubhouse and watch everyone else dropping short into the gaping gully.

 

[EchtLoon]

Kemnay Golf Club - Aberdeenshire - Par 71, 6362 yds.

£33 per round midweek/£39 p/r weekend.

One of the most talked about clubs in Aberdeenshire, that has developed from a tiny par 28 nine-holer into something a bit special. Driven largely through mature birchwood, it’s a real test of golf, while not being physically too much for the unfit golfer. Greens and general course condition are always great.




Ballater Golf Club –Aberdeenshire - Par 70, 6059 yds.

£28 per round midweek/£24 p/r weekend.

Set in the heart of Royal Deeside, and on the banks of the Dee, there’s no finer place on a warm summers day. This is real holiday golf, with many a chance to pick up a birdie, but only if you’ve negotiated the first five holes which can wreck your card before you even start. The raised greens at the 4th and 5th in particular can have the numbers rattling up.




Peel Golf Club – Isle of Man - -Par 69, 5874 yds.

£22 per round midweek/£30 p/r weekend.

Designed by, erm, James Braid in 1895, Peel is the gem of the Isle of Man even if the locals like to point to Castletown. The 365yd 4th with it’s ditch right across the front of the green, and OB directly behind it is an early round card breaker. The beautiful little 10th is the signature hole. 141yds from an elevated tee to a small square green, protected by bunkers, palm trees, and a small fir copse directly at the rear, calls for some accuracy if you’re not to make a mockery of it.

 

[TonyN]

I give Dodger's home a track a second thumbs up for sure, as I am sure the rest of them who played there will.

Best course I have played so far!

 

[Wildrover]

Whitsand Bay in Cornwall (just over the River Tamar from Plymouth) is great value with some very memorable holes. One of the par 3's on the front 9 is virtually clinging to the cliff edge. Not sure how much it costs now but it was always cheap. It's a good challenge with a great mix of holes.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

My vote would go to....

Stonehaven

Clifftop course with magnificent views over the town and harbour, par 3s over ravines, and some of the best greens you're ever likely to putt on.

All for £25 for a day ticket, any day of the week.


PS. I'm playing "Kirrie" at the end of the month Echtloon, Looking forward to it.

I'd gladly pay double that.

 

[JezzE]

Many thanks to everyone for their invaluable input which Fergus and I will be putting into the mix when attempting the tricky task of coming up with just 50 courses from a potential cast of hundreds.
Apologies in advance for any of your suggestions that don't make the final cut...!

 

[Junior]

Hi Jezz,

Walton Hall Golf Club used to be rated as the best Muni in the North West. It gets a lot of traffic and hasn't been in as great nick these last couple of years , however, they have just invested heavily in the greens and drainage and its certainly getting back to it's best. It is a tough test and a bargain at £14 a round

http://www.waltonhallgolfclub.co.uk/

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would suggest Lydd as probably the greatest value for money. However I'd also vote for a local pay and play in Wokingham (owned by Bracknell Forest) called Downshire which is usually in exceptional knick and provides a decent test of golf for very little money.

 

[EchtLoon]

Hi Jezz,

Walton Hall Golf Club used to be rated as the best Muni in the North West. It gets a lot of traffic and hasn't been in as great nick these last couple of years , however, they have just invested heavily in the greens and drainage and its certainly getting back to it's best. It is a tough test and a bargain at £14 a round

http://www.waltonhallgolfclub.co.uk/

My home club, and I can only say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

At £14 midweek, £18 w/e, it is over-priced. Many shocking greens and often winter greens in use in mid-summer with no reduction in fees, fairways as long as semi-rough, but no semi-rough, just fairway->Rough. Generally untidy, and rounds that invariably take 5 hours to play.

When the title of this thread was "Value", sorry Walton Hall doesn't hit the spot by any definition.

No offence intended, it's all opinions, just can't agree. Walton wouldn't get into the top 50 courses, value or otherwise, that I have played, never mind taking from the whole UK

 

[Herbie]

I could name a good few up and down the country but I will stick to Linconshire.

LOUTH...(Hilly, good facilities, good course,nice views) Think it was £20 last time I played.
WOODHALL SPA...always value for money, £40 last time I went.
NORMANBY HALL...£11 last time I played, Im sure its gone up but not too much, its a muni and usually kept in good condition, haven't been for a while but it was certainly value for money the last time I went.
MARKET RAISEN....I think a very good course with some lengthy par 5s in this woodland course, I think I paid £30 last time I went.

I'll leave it there as I feel there are so many value courses in Lincs, Im sure others will mention them.