World Golf Courses Directory

Manchester Golf Club Greater Manchester, England

Rating: ****

Hopwood Cottage, Rochdale Road, Middleton, Manchester, M24 6QP

E-mail: mgc@zen.co.uk

Nearest main town: Manchester

Unlike London, which has many fine courses in its suburbs, Manchester is not well blessed, and its best courses are located to the north of the city, where the moorland landscape provides excellent drainage. For many, the best in the area is Bolton Old Links; a venerable course set on the side of a hill with ravines and grand trees. Others choose Manchester, a fine parkland/moorland course located just 10 miles north of the city centre.

Manchester is a very user-friendly course as it is never too busy (peculiar for a course next to such a large urban centre) and has excellent practice facilities. Once you tee off, it won’t take you long to realize that the course is not so accommodating, with the wind whipping across the rugged moor­land landscape and accentuating badly struck shots, particularly so with the proliferation of sloping lies you can get on these undulating fairways.

Despite the temptation to try and overwhelm the course with brute strength, Manchester embraces intelligent play, and the members generally cite the 12th as a good example. At this par-4 a driver off the tee will leave you with a longer approach shot but a flat lie. These trade­offs are classic Colt design traits and if you bear this in mind throughout you should have few problems with the course.

As you would expect in this area of the country, the reception at the club is always first class and you always feel as if you are a member of the club, if only for a day. Recommended.

Playing: Midweek: round £25.00; day n/a. Weekend: round £40.00; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch from 12pm-2.30pm. Dinner by arrangement.

Comments: A course that puts golfers first and not profit… High-class moorland golf at an affordable price. . . Characters at this club make it a pleasure to play… Good finish.

*** Free Golf Lessons ***

Woodspring Golf Club Gloucestershire, England

Rating: **

Woodlands Lone, Almondsbury, BS 18 9LR

Nearest main town: Bristol

Playing: Midweek: round £20.00; day £20.00. Weekend: round £28.50; day £28.50.

Facilities:  Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch and dinner from 12pm-9pm. Bar snacks.

Comments: Superb site for a fairly new course. .. Heathland setting . .. Will get better with time… Natural course by Ailiss/Clark . .. Very tough.

*** Free Golf Lessons ***