Woodbury Park, Exeter

[BTatHome]

Woodbury Park is the old Nigel Mansell track near Exeter, he has long since departed but racing helmets still adorn many areas. The golf course clubhouse is a separate building to the hotel and gym complex. We stayed for 3 days and the hotel and food were awesome. The golf is covered by a 27 hole complex, Acorns 9 holes and Oaks 18 holes of parkland course, with a nice covered driving range.

Design wise there are lots of water holes, finishing hole is across the lake right in front of the clubhouse for all your mates to cheer you on. With some neat touches the 6,7,8 all require some good placements from the tee and some thought is needed before unleashing the drive.

Huge greens, with plenty of pin placements. The course doesn't play very long at 6500 from typical whites but some huge increases if your lucky enough to play the blacks! Conditions were great for us, some nice sun with occasion showers, whilst the greens were a little slow on our visit they were perfect condition.

There are lots of good holes, a few favourites for me are the SI1 8th that requires a good accurate drive and a tight entrance to the green, with a pond to cover the short shots, and the 17th that crosses a valley, decision making required on the tee to try and clear the valley through the tight trees, or layup to the bottom.

Overall a great experience, our society will be back next year !

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Interesting review and amazing how opionions differ. I've played it twice, both times it's been like a bog and I found it very boring and uninspiring. First time I played it the 17th tee was much further back and you actually drove down into the valley then played a blind 2nd shot from there, then they shortened the hole and I think ruined it. 18th is a fun finishing hole though.

I vowed never to go back, maybe it is a bit better in the dry though.

 

[BTatHome]

There were lots of drainage repairs being finalised when we were there. Looks like the winter works was to ensure all the water issues were being sorted. There we lots of areas that had been cut and filled with stone to create flow areas for water to feed into the drainage ditches.

Whilst it wasn't completely dry for us, there was certainly no signs of bogging ... In fact one day we had a huge storm after we had finished and the next day you wouldn't of known it, as the course played great.

 

[Twire]

I was a member there for 10 years, and although I play at East Devon now I still love to play it. It has a reputation of being a summer course as it's built on clay and does get boggy in winter, but they have done an enormous amount of work on the drainage, and it's getting better each year. Glad you enjoyed your stay down in sunny Devon. Next time your down give me a shout and I'll take you round my course.


Edit:- Not sure what Drive for shows on about with the shortened 17th.... it's not been touched in the 17 years I've been playing it, maybe you were off the winter tee's.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Edit:- Not sure what Drive for shows on about with the shortened 17th.... it's not been touched in the 17 years I've been playing it, maybe you were off the winter tee's.

1st time I played there the 17th was a drive or 3 wood into the valley then an iron to the green. 2nd time I played with a long hitter, he drove it to within 30 yards of the green. According to the card it is 335 off yellows so that suggests the hole has been shortened. I may not be the longest hitter but I don't need a full iron into a 335 yard hole for my 2nd. My first game there was just after it opened though.

 

[MendieGK]

I played there a 2 years ago as our booked time at East Devon had to be cancelled due to fog (we got back there last year though, and WOW great course), and i have to agree, i found it very uninspiring and boring. The 1st hole was stupid, my mate hit a snap hook driver off the tee and was basically front edge! 2nd is a silly tee shot for a par 5 too.

To be fair, my mate really enjoyed it, and my dad has been there a few times, so maybe its just me.

It didnt help that on the same trip i played Bovey Castle, RND and Saunton x2. Not really in the same league.

 

[srixon 1]

I played there a 2 years ago as our booked time at East Devon had to be cancelled due to fog (we got back there last year though, and WOW great course), and i have to agree, i found it very uninspiring and boring. The 1st hole was stupid, my mate hit a snap hook driver off the tee and was basically front edge! 2nd is a silly tee shot for a par 5 too.

To be fair, my mate really enjoyed it, and my dad has been there a few times, so maybe its just me.

It didnt help that on the same trip i played Bovey Castle, RND and Saunton x2. Not really in the same league.

It's not how it's how many. At Augusta one of the par 4's is over 500 yards because it is downhill. And on one of the par 5's the pro's hit a 3 wood from the tee rather than driver as a 3 wood will land on the down slope and make the ball go further than if they carry the slope with their driver.

It is called course management.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

It's not how it's how many. At Augusta one of the par 4's is over 500 yards because it is downhill. And on one of the par 5's the pro's hit a 3 wood from the tee rather than driver as a 3 wood will land on the down slope and make the ball go further than if they carry the slope with their driver.

It is called course management.

Not sure I understand your point?

 

[BTatHome]

Not sure I understand your point?

Probably related to the post saying the 1st hole being stupid.

Not sure I agree with the stupid comment unless you can reliably produce a snap hook like that every single time

 

[srixon 1]

Not sure I understand your point?

If you can hit a snap hook to order then the 1st probably is a stupid hole, you can also hit driver too long on that hole and run out of fairway. The second shot is down hill (slightly) and is usually in medium iron range with a good 3-wood off the tee. The hole is very well protected down the left with out of bounds to prevent you "going" for the green.

As for the second hole, you need to hit a lay-up shot short of the slope followed by a mid iron to the lower fairway, and then wedge it onto the green. 2 putts later and you have your par. Just because it says par 5 on the card does not mean that you should automatically reach for the driver for your tee shot. That's what I mean by course management.

Like I posted earlier, it's not how it's how many.

 

[Twire]

If you can hit a snap hook to order then the 1st probably is a stupid hole, you can also hit driver too long on that hole and run out of fairway. The second shot is down hill (slightly) and is usually in medium iron range with a good 3-wood off the tee. The hole is very well protected down the left with out of bounds to prevent you "going" for the green.

As for the second hole, you need to hit a lay-up shot short of the slope followed by a mid iron to the lower fairway, and then wedge it onto the green. 2 putts later and you have your par. Just because it says par 5 on the card does not mean that you should automatically reach for the driver for your tee shot. That's what I mean by course management.

Like I posted earlier, it's not how it's how many.

Yep agree with this and I'll add...

1st hole that must have been one hell of a snap hook. I've seen the big boys take on the corner and fly it over the OOB, but if you do that your also got a huge oak tree to miss.

2nd hole off the back tee's your looking at a 220 yard lay up to the top of the slope! I've seen this played 2 ways by the good golfers. The first way is to lay up at the top of the slope then go for the green with a high cut, or take driver out and play it past the slope.... which should be even easier off the yellow tee's. So I don't think either of them are Micky Mouse holes.

D4S Not sure how relevant you or your mates driving is to ascertain if a holes been shortened. The gold and black tee's back onto the first fairway and there still there today. Maybe you played off those first time round then off the whites/yellows second time round, but the hole has not been shortened just different tee's.

 

[MendieGK]

The point i was trying to get across is that, the amount the hole dog legs is a bit stupid. Its over 400yds on the card i think (dont hold me to it) but you can basically knock it on in one.

Dont quite understand how it turned into telling me i dont know what course management is? We have the same handicap.

 

[MendieGK]

Yep agree with this and I'll add...

1st hole that must have been one hell of a snap hook. I've seen the big boys take on the corner and fly it over the OOB, but if you do that your also got a huge oak tree to miss.

2nd hole off the back tee's your looking at a 220 yard lay up to the top of the slope! I've seen this played 2 ways by the good golfers. The first way is to lay up at the top of the slope then go for the green with a high cut, or take driver out and play it past the slope.... which should be even easier off the yellow tee's. So I don't think either of them are Micky Mouse holes.

D4S Not sure how relevant you or your mates driving is to ascertain if a holes been shortened. The gold and black tee's back onto the first fairway and there still there today. Maybe you played off those first time round then off the whites/yellows second time round, but the hole has not been shortened just different tee's.

I assume we were probably off the yellows as it was winter.

 

[mikee247]

I was a member there for a number of years back in late 90's when NM owned it and before the hotel went up. He spent a fortune on the place and he lived on the course himself. Smashing place in the summer but a bit of soggy dog in the winter. Lots of celebs turned up including Chelsea for pre season (Vialli, Wise etc) and on one occasion the great white shark turned up for a round via his his own chopper!! We played behind them and I have to say in the bar afterwards he was the perfect gent. I liked Mansell, regardless of what people say about him, he's just an average Jo with a Dudley accent which he does try and hide! Half decent golfer as well. Played off 2 and was attempting to get on the senior tour once upon a time!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

D4S Not sure how relevant you or your mates driving is to ascertain if a holes been shortened. The gold and black tee's back onto the first fairway and there still there today. Maybe you played off those first time round then off the whites/yellows second time round, but the hole has not been shortened just different tee's.

This could be the case. I've only played it off yellow/white tees as it was general play both times. Maybe the white tee was back where the longer tees are situated today? I don't know but certainly remember it being driver/short iron first time and driveable second time.