HRC99
Journeyman Pro
Situated on the outskirts of Crosby and near to Formby, it is in prime real estate on England's Golf Coast. It is a true links course with dunes, deep bunkers and penal rough.
The fact that it is an Open Qualifying course is a good clue to the quality of the track too.
We entered a Pairs Open which was nothing short of a steal at £21 per person compared to the normal visitor green fees of £90 weekday and £105 at the weekend.
There was a very warm welcome in a refurbished clubhouse with a very nice cup of coffee and an excellent bacon sandwich before we headed out onto the course. Before teeing off, we took advantage of a very nice full length practice area where £2 in the pro shop got you 30 balls for the practice ground.
Next up was some putting on an enormous practice green which turned out to be spot on pace with the greens out on the course.
We ran out of time at that point so didn't manage to get to the chipping and bunker area which looked top notch too.
Out onto the course and what a treat. It just had the lot.
Great nick, stunning views, no two holes were remotely similar and just a great, great track.
Pick of the holes?
The 8th.
A tough 446 yard par 4 with great views of the sea. A very tough tee shot that demands a draw with the driver or you'll run out of fairway and into the rough is followed by a testing approach to a tricky green.
And the 16th.
A nasty 530 yard par 5 that requires you to thread a series of bunkers with your tee shot and again with your approach to the green. End up in one of those bunkers and you're dropping a shot.
Oh, and did I mention I eagled the hole.
The friends I played with had entered this event for a number of years and it's one of those trips that once you're in, you're in and vacancies rarely crop up. I'd been waiting quite a few years now for an invite and, having heard great things, I was not disappointed.
They run quite a few Opens there and all are around the £21 mark per person which is an absolute bargain for a course of this quality.
Well well worth a visit.
The fact that it is an Open Qualifying course is a good clue to the quality of the track too.
We entered a Pairs Open which was nothing short of a steal at £21 per person compared to the normal visitor green fees of £90 weekday and £105 at the weekend.
There was a very warm welcome in a refurbished clubhouse with a very nice cup of coffee and an excellent bacon sandwich before we headed out onto the course. Before teeing off, we took advantage of a very nice full length practice area where £2 in the pro shop got you 30 balls for the practice ground.
Next up was some putting on an enormous practice green which turned out to be spot on pace with the greens out on the course.
We ran out of time at that point so didn't manage to get to the chipping and bunker area which looked top notch too.
Out onto the course and what a treat. It just had the lot.
Great nick, stunning views, no two holes were remotely similar and just a great, great track.
Pick of the holes?
The 8th.
A tough 446 yard par 4 with great views of the sea. A very tough tee shot that demands a draw with the driver or you'll run out of fairway and into the rough is followed by a testing approach to a tricky green.
And the 16th.
A nasty 530 yard par 5 that requires you to thread a series of bunkers with your tee shot and again with your approach to the green. End up in one of those bunkers and you're dropping a shot.
Oh, and did I mention I eagled the hole.
The friends I played with had entered this event for a number of years and it's one of those trips that once you're in, you're in and vacancies rarely crop up. I'd been waiting quite a few years now for an invite and, having heard great things, I was not disappointed.
They run quite a few Opens there and all are around the £21 mark per person which is an absolute bargain for a course of this quality.
Well well worth a visit.
