Discussion
Andy 308GTB said:
No, but I have plenty of colleagues who do!
Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
Man made, inland links, built on a hill, I think it's a great design when you put it into perspective. How did you get on? I like the fact it's playable for all standards (correct tee choice), and has many outstanding holes. You can't compare it to what it isn't, it's never going to be as pretty as Woburn, or Wentworth, or as authentic as a true links. Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
DuncanM said:
Andy 308GTB said:
No, but I have plenty of colleagues who do!
Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
Man made, inland links, built on a hill, I think it's a great design when you put it into perspective. How did you get on? I like the fact it's playable for all standards (correct tee choice), and has many outstanding holes. You can't compare it to what it isn't, it's never going to be as pretty as Woburn, or Wentworth, or as authentic as a true links. Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Iron-Soul-Lawrence-D...
(Is it 17 has two routes left or right of the water? He got the club wrong, it hit the rocks and bounced onto the fairway saving the player 20,000 quid or something.)
kentlad said:
Played at Thorndon in Essex, last week & considering the rain, it was in superb condition. £50 for a midweek round, I thought was excellent value for the standard of course. Worth a try if anyone’s close & hasn’t played there. The members / Captain were very friendly.
Must be the winter rate, it's normally one of the most expensive in Essex. It's very nice yes, a few bland holes (the 1st comes to mind) but plenty of good ones as well. Hammersia said:
DuncanM said:
Andy 308GTB said:
No, but I have plenty of colleagues who do!
Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
Man made, inland links, built on a hill, I think it's a great design when you put it into perspective. How did you get on? I like the fact it's playable for all standards (correct tee choice), and has many outstanding holes. You can't compare it to what it isn't, it's never going to be as pretty as Woburn, or Wentworth, or as authentic as a true links. Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Iron-Soul-Lawrence-D...
(Is it 17 has two routes left or right of the water? He got the club wrong, it hit the rocks and bounced onto the fairway saving the player 20,000 quid or something.)
- 17 is a par 5 with water IIRC. I played a corporate event there, messed up that hole by going for it in 2 where a net par would've secured me first place and a £1000 equipment voucher. Fuming
Hammersia said:
The Oxfordshire gets an amusing mention in this very funny book by a guy who became a professional caddie for a year:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Iron-Soul-Lawrence-D...
(Is it 17 has two routes left or right of the water? He got the club wrong, it hit the rocks and bounced onto the fairway saving the player 20,000 quid or something.)
Love that book! The author slaughters Collingtree Park at some point, I was a member there when I read it https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Iron-Soul-Lawrence-D...
(Is it 17 has two routes left or right of the water? He got the club wrong, it hit the rocks and bounced onto the fairway saving the player 20,000 quid or something.)
Played my first round of the year this morning, albeit just 9 holes on the course I learnt on as a kid. 3 generations playing, my Dad, me and my kids on their first exploits on a course. First off out at 7:30.
Embarrassingly, my 14 year old outdrove me off the first tee (I fluffed mine, he smacked it 150m). Even though I chipped in on the 4th, all he's talking about is that. And rightly so!
Was pretty wet in places and had a few plugged shots but overall for the local municipal it's an easy track for the boys to learn on. Needless to say they enjoyed themsleves and my eldest absolutely has a better swing than mine.
Embarrassingly, my 14 year old outdrove me off the first tee (I fluffed mine, he smacked it 150m). Even though I chipped in on the 4th, all he's talking about is that. And rightly so!
Was pretty wet in places and had a few plugged shots but overall for the local municipal it's an easy track for the boys to learn on. Needless to say they enjoyed themsleves and my eldest absolutely has a better swing than mine.
DuncanM said:
Andy 308GTB said:
No, but I have plenty of colleagues who do!
Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
Man made, inland links, built on a hill, I think it's a great design when you put it into perspective. How did you get on? I like the fact it's playable for all standards (correct tee choice), and has many outstanding holes. You can't compare it to what it isn't, it's never going to be as pretty as Woburn, or Wentworth, or as authentic as a true links. Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
My round was disappointing. In my defence, I haven't been on a course since last August - as I screwed up my little finger. My only preparation was a few hours on the range. So my chipping was appalling - that will be my first area of practice. My driving, whilst very straight, goes nowhere and this was amplified by the very soft fairways. The last few years I have played through the winter but this year I'll wait until the longer days when I can play before/after work.
This kids swing is all very well but he probably needs to work on his putting 🙂
https://x.com/NUCLRGOLF/status/1773004240312561789...
https://x.com/NUCLRGOLF/status/1773004240312561789...
Hammersia said:
kentlad said:
Played at Thorndon in Essex, last week & considering the rain, it was in superb condition. £50 for a midweek round, I thought was excellent value for the standard of course. Worth a try if anyone’s close & hasn’t played there. The members / Captain were very friendly.
Must be the winter rate, it's normally one of the most expensive in Essex. It's very nice yes, a few bland holes (the 1st comes to mind) but plenty of good ones as well. RayDonovan said:
Finally felt a little like Spring this morning.
Obviously you don't live in Powys! Just staggered back in from a round, or more accurately a battle, with high winds, driving rain and hailstones. In the circs I was pleased with 89 (playing off 16.9). It was a bogey comp. I'd never done one before (+ for a par or better, 0 for a bogey, - for anything else). Peculiar format, not sure who it's aimed at. Blackpuddin said:
RayDonovan said:
Finally felt a little like Spring this morning.
Obviously you don't live in Powys! Just staggered back in from a round, or more accurately a battle, with high winds, driving rain and hailstones. In the circs I was pleased with 89 (playing off 16.9). It was a bogey comp. I'd never done one before (+ for a par or better, 0 for a bogey, - for anything else). Peculiar format, not sure who it's aimed at. 
Blackpuddin said:
Obviously you don't live in Powys! Just staggered back in from a round, or more accurately a battle, with high winds, driving rain and hailstones. In the circs I was pleased with 89 (playing off 16.9). It was a bogey comp. I'd never done one before (+ for a par or better, 0 for a bogey, - for anything else). Peculiar format, not sure who it's aimed at.
Sounds like a good score in those conditions.I believe a Bogey comp is a very old fashioned competition scoring method. It's a format that rewards consistency and promotes sensible play. I've won one in the past with +6 which in effect meant I was at least 6 better than my handicap (I was off high teens at the time).
I'm not sure if your scoring format was different, or if you were getting 18 shots on the round hence the way you scored it, but my understanding is that is all taken from your net score for the hole, so + for a (net) birdie or better, 0 for a (net) par, and - for a (net) bogey or worse.
Personally I believe it should be played off a reduced handicap, say 80%, as if you are getting a shot on a hole you only need to play for a par to get the +, and hence it can help you play a hole more sensibly. You gain nothing additional for a birdie on the shot hole.
Played at Royston today, which is built on the side of a hill. Windy but managed to miss most of the showers. Shot a 74 (+4) with 3 birdies which flattered the score as I was not hitting the ball that level of consistency. Greens were in great condition 
and it was nice to see a ball bounce and get some run on the fairways.
The noticeable thing from the course is the elevation change over the round because of the course design on said hill. Total elevation gain was 225 meters over 5.3 miles of walking, whereas other courses I play it is normally 50-100 meter elevation gain. Anyone else play a hilly course? Or can beat this elevation gain for their course?
and it was nice to see a ball bounce and get some run on the fairways.The noticeable thing from the course is the elevation change over the round because of the course design on said hill. Total elevation gain was 225 meters over 5.3 miles of walking, whereas other courses I play it is normally 50-100 meter elevation gain. Anyone else play a hilly course? Or can beat this elevation gain for their course?
Ashfordian said:
Played at Royston today, which is built on the side of a hill. Windy but managed to miss most of the showers. Shot a 74 (+4) with 3 birdies which flattered the score as I was not hitting the ball that level of consistency. Greens were in great condition and it was nice to see a ball bounce and get some run on the fairways.
The noticeable thing from the course is the elevation change over the round because of the course design on said hill. Total elevation gain was 225 meters over 5.3 miles of walking, whereas other courses I play it is normally 50-100 meter elevation gain. Anyone else play a hilly course? Or can beat this elevation gain for their course?
Royston is good fun although it is technically impossible to hit a decent tee shot off the first. And yes it's a heck of a workout. and it was nice to see a ball bounce and get some run on the fairways.The noticeable thing from the course is the elevation change over the round because of the course design on said hill. Total elevation gain was 225 meters over 5.3 miles of walking, whereas other courses I play it is normally 50-100 meter elevation gain. Anyone else play a hilly course? Or can beat this elevation gain for their course?
Was put off it a few years ago by the second grumpiest proshop wallah I've ever met.
Ashfordian said:
Played at Royston today, which is built on the side of a hill. Windy but managed to miss most of the showers. Shot a 74 (+4) with 3 birdies which flattered the score as I was not hitting the ball that level of consistency. Greens were in great condition and it was nice to see a ball bounce and get some run on the fairways.
The noticeable thing from the course is the elevation change over the round because of the course design on said hill. Total elevation gain was 225 meters over 5.3 miles of walking, whereas other courses I play it is normally 50-100 meter elevation gain. Anyone else play a hilly course? Or can beat this elevation gain for their course?
It must have been breezy at Royston yesterday? It certainly was at St Ives. Which I will blame for hitting just about every shot fat. On the 1st I finished my divot before making contact with the ball on my approach shot and the it didn’t get much better from there. and it was nice to see a ball bounce and get some run on the fairways.The noticeable thing from the course is the elevation change over the round because of the course design on said hill. Total elevation gain was 225 meters over 5.3 miles of walking, whereas other courses I play it is normally 50-100 meter elevation gain. Anyone else play a hilly course? Or can beat this elevation gain for their course?
For elevation change, I can only think of Hallifax Ogden or Baildon that I’ve played that are similar.
We have finally got sand in our new bunkers and they are looking great. Just need some consistent good weather now for the green staff to be able to repair the damage around the course from the machinery used during the bunker works.
Edited by 48Valves on Saturday 30th March 07:18
DuncanM said:
Andy 308GTB said:
No, but I have plenty of colleagues who do!
Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
Man made, inland links, built on a hill, I think it's a great design when you put it into perspective. How did you get on? I like the fact it's playable for all standards (correct tee choice), and has many outstanding holes. You can't compare it to what it isn't, it's never going to be as pretty as Woburn, or Wentworth, or as authentic as a true links. Accent or not he went round the Oxfordshire at level par yesterday afternoon. Admittedly off the yellow tees but it was impressive. There was no run on the fairways, even my feeble drives were getting plugged.
I can understand why some reviews claim it's an uninspiring course. But a wet afternoon in March is probably not a fair verdict.
Hit a few chips pre round. Perfect shots resulting in lovely spinny checks but a little off, it's a thin or a chunk.
Thankfully, any chips I was able to bump and run with a 9 iron or PW and didn't need any elevation. Those higher elevation chip shots are just hard on a links, as there is no real margin for error.
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