SamToor - 6/7/13
Like Linx, then enjoy, back 9 better, hilly course

  Hacker Khan - 11/22/10
I was very pleasantly surprised with this course. It's a Jack Barker course mostly aimed at the casual player, so may be I didn't go in with too high expectations. But I have played at several courses for twice/three times the price that I paid here that have not been as good.

It is situated next to Sherwood Forest golf club and it will always be its poor neighbour to some extent. But there are a few really great holes (the 11th in particular) that would not shame Sherwood Forest or even Hollinwell.

We had a very friendly welcome form the lady on the shop who explained some of the things to look out for. They also provided a map of the course so you could work out where you were going which was a nice touch, as I have played on many courses who seem to assume that everyone knows where the next tees are all the time. And you then waste 5 minutes trying to find them.

The front 9 is very open with wide fairways inviting you to open the shoulders. Then the back 9 is much tighter, with some very narrow gorse lined fairways waiting to swallow your ball if you stray off the straight and narrow. It is also hilly at times so it provides a good workout. I liked the different challenges as courses that are too wide open just become boring and courses with lots of narrow fairways lined by gorse become too hard for the majority of amateurs.

Some of the views of Sherwood Forest were lovely, and the greens were also in very good condition for this type of course. Some of them were quite tricky with some 'interesting' pin placements. Again I have played at much more expensive courses with poorer greens. Not that many bunkers, but the ones that were there seemed well maintained.

The only problem was the amount of standing water on some of the fairways. We played after a week of wet weather so it was not unexpected, but it did get a bit squelchy at times.

We paid a tenner for a tee off time on a Saturday morning through their web site which, for the quality of the course, greens and views has to be one of the best golfing bargains you are likely to find.

Yes of course it's not Hollinwell or Sherwood Forest, but for those who want to play on a good quality course on a weekend for not much money and without having to pay membership fees and get a decent golfing challenge (especially on the back 9) it's well worth playing.

  MrLovely - 11/10/10