thesussexgolfer Uncategorized

Slip! Slap! Swing!

Sussex and Kent based charity, Melanoma Fund is looking to raise awareness and tackle of the most dangerous ‘hazards’ that has an increasing presence of the golf course; Skin Cancer.

With numbers playing golf at their highest levels in recent years due to knock on effects of the epidemic, with a combination of the Furlough scheme and increased numbers working from home allowing increased leisure time for many, now is the ideal time for golfers and golf clubs to unite in the fight against Skin Cancer, and send it out of bounds for good!

Golf is a particularly high risk sport for Skin Cancer (even with British Summers!), due to the prolonged UV exposure during a round in an environment typically devoid of shade. When writing this piece, I was amazed to hear that in the UK, Melanoma rates have more than doubled in my lifetime (30 years), and it is the fastest rising form of cancer, and it has definitely made me think a lot more about my routine when playing golf.

What can we do about it? Well, Melanoma Fund launched it’s Slip! Slap! Swing! program back in 2019, offering a FREE accreditation to golf clubs who are able to meet a short list of requirements, such as raising awareness of the campaign, and having sunscreen available for purchase within the shop. It is such a simple thing for golf clubs and individuals to do in order to raise awareness and make the sport safer for all, there is no reason for clubs not to join the initiative!

If you work at a golf club, or are a member of a golf club within Sussex, please share this post with the club to help raise awareness and make a difference!

For more information, check out https://www.melanoma-fund.co.uk/golf-live/ or @MelanomaFund on Instagram for more information. Just be sure to let them know I sent you!

Image courtesy of Melanoma Fund

– The Sussex Golfer

thesussexgolfer Uncategorized

Creating a Community #SussexGolf

One month into 2020 and I’m still yet to head out on the links. Whilst it can largely be blamed on the weather, there has probably been a couple of opportunities missed so far, and I have been limited to 2 hours on a simulator. But you know what… I’m okay with it!

2020 is set to be a defining year in my life – the year I become a father! One of the most exciting moments I could ever wish for. In little over a month from now, our little baby boy will be here and everything will change, and I am already cherishing every kick and wiggle in Mummy’s tummy! Things which seemed important before will pale into insignificance.

So as you can imagine – golf will be taking a backseat this year. Does this mean the end of The Sussex Golfer? Not by any stretch of the imagination!

In fact… it is only the beginning. And this is where you can help!

So how can you get involved? Whilst I won’t be able to be out there on the course every weekend come wind, rain or shine, I’ll be keeping an eye out for your reviews, pictures and videos across Social Media!

Each month – I will be sharing some of my favourite images and posts from your experiences of courses across the county, with the aim of letting golfers across Sussex know which courses are in great shape and playing well. If you have a Charity day you’re looking to increase exposure for, get in touch!

So join the community! Get tagging me (@thesussexgolfer) in your posts, or use the hashtag #SussexGolf.

Golf Clubs – don’t forget that I still have plenty of options to help support you with your Social Media or advertising needs! Just head to my services page to find out more. Want to spread the word about tee time deals, membership options or just what your course has to offer? Let me know!

See you on the course!

@TheSussexGolfer

thesussexgolfer Uncategorized

@TheSussexGolfer ‘Dream 18’ 2019

Following on from the success of last year’s ‘Dream 18’ – a fantasy course which was a selection of my favourite holes played in Sussex to date (at the time), I have decided to repeat the task – but only using holes which I played for the first time in 2019!

The aim is to come up with a course, where holes are placed with their respective hole number from their course, which would all work together to a combined par of around 72!

Have you ever fancied yourself as a course designer? Well here’s your chance! I’m looking to hear some of your favourite 18 holes in Sussex! Let me know across social media or in the comments below what your stand out holes are!

Front 9

#1 – 1st @ Ham Manor Golf Club – Par 4

The opening hole of this year’s ‘Dream 18’ is one which I played all the way back in February – the first at Ham Manor Golf Club. Whilst this short opening hole may look friendly on the card, a number of ditches, water hazards and an angled fairway make clubbing essential on the first shot of the day. Two conservative mid-irons and you should find the centre of the green.

#2 – 2nd @ Worthing Golf Club (Lower) – Par 4

It’s all downhill from here! From the 2nd tee on the Lower Course at Worthing Golf Club, you’re faced with a long and tough par 4, but luckily you are assisted by a downhill tee shot. Keep your drive down the left to shorten the approach into a slightly raised green. A bogey isn’t a bad score here.

#3 – 3rd @ West Sussex Golf Club – Par 4

The first of what may well be a few holes from this heathland gem, widely renowned as the best course in the county. Not being the longest of par 4’s, stay out of the heather and the gaping fairway bunkers and you should have a solid chance of hitting the green in regulation.

#4 – 4th @ Golf @ Goodwood – Par 5

The 4th at Goodwood Downs is the first of a number of challenging par 5’s on the course, winding its way along the valley. Keep your drive left to maximise distance and set up the best angle for 2nd (and 3rd!) shots into the small raised green guarded by deep bunkers well below the putting surface. Beware!

#5 – 5th @ Mannings Heath Golf Club (Waterfall) – Par 3

The first of 5 par 3’s on the card this year is the dramatic 5th from Mannings Heath (Waterfall), featuring its ‘Punchbowl’ green. The stairs are a tell-tale sign of just how steep the surrounding bank is! A fun little par 3!

#6 – 6th @ West Sussex Golf Club – Par 3

Formerly a Par 4 in a previous life, the 6th at West Sussex is now an imposing test of a par 3, involving a carry over vast swathes of heather (like many holes at West Sussex!) and a marshy area, to a narrow and well protected green. Another stunning hole where bogey isn’t always a bad score!

#7 – 7th @ Littlehampton Golf Club – Par 4

From high up on the sand dunes, you get a great view of this relatively short, but tough par 4. A fine example of links golf!

#8 – 8th @ Worthing Golf Club (Lower) – Par 5

This stunning par 5 is another hole which snakes along a dry valley on one of our county’s downland gems. Likely to be a 3 shotter for most, deep fairway bunkers and a fast two tier green mean that par is not a certainty by any stretch of the imagination here!

#9 – 9th @ Mannings Heath Golf Club (Waterfall) – Par 4

An uphill par 4 almost entirely surrounded by dense trees makes for a tough finish to the front 9 of our ‘Dream 18’. An enforced carry from the tips, and a cavernous bunker front left of the green waiting to catch anything coming up short add to the difficulty.

Back 9

#10 – 10th @ East Sussex National Golf Club (East) – Par 5

This hole really comes into its own as you get closer to the green. If you manage to get a good drive away, you may get an assist off the bank, leaving yourself a long iron in to a green which slopes from back to front. Be aware- the green is guarded by a stream and a large tree waiting to catch or repel any errant approaches. Laying up is the sensible play!

#11 – 11th @ Mannings Heath Golf Club (Waterfall) – Par 4

If you thought that 6th (West Sussex) was an intimidating tee shot, take a look at the 11th at Mannings Heath (Waterfall) from the back tees! Hitting out of a narrow chute to a dogleg fairway which runs away from you towards a water hazard, there is no margin for error here! If you do successfully find the fairway, the job isn’t complete as you still have to find the putting surface, guarded on multiple sides by water. A par 4 as tough as they come.

#12 – 12th @ West Sussex Golf Club – Par 3

Possibly one of my favourite holes I have played this year, and the start of a great stretch at West Sussex, this par 3 is long and tough hole over heather. But boy is it beautiful!

#13 – 13th @ West Sussex Golf Club – Par 4

Stood over your ball (hopefully) in the 13th fairway, your target appears as an island green amongst bunkers and characteristic seas of heather. It takes two fantastic shots to have a chance at birdie here!

#14 – 14th @ West Sussex Golf Club – Par 4

This sweeping dog leg continues a run of fantastic holes at West Sussex. From the tee, the fairway appears but a speck in a sea of heather. Cross bunkers short of the narrow green make a layup for anyone who didn’t find the fairway difficult!

#15 – 15th @ West Sussex Golf Club – Par 4

Who doesn’t love a par 3 over water?! In a dramatic change from the seas of heather, the water hazard short of the green awaits any under hit tee shots. A welcome birdie opportunity on this short par 3! 

#16 – 16th @ East Sussex National Golf Club (East) – Par 3
Another par 3 over water! Picking the correct club is the key to finding this shallow green guarded by water and three pot bunkers. Reminiscent of the 12th at Augusta!

#17 – 17th @ East Sussex National Golf Club (East) – Par 4

At nearly 450 yards from the tips, this stern test isn’t giving away par easily! A long and straight drive is required to set up a long approach over water into a relatively shallow green, surrounded by run offs. Hold your nerve and keep your ball dry!

#18 – 18th @ Mannings Heath Golf Club (Waterfall) – Par 4

Closing out the back nine on the Waterfall course and our ‘Dream 18’ for 2019 is a hole which may divide opinions, but one which I imagine has settled a lot of matches! Get a good drive away, assisted by the slope you will be left with just a wedge into the green to set up a chance at par (or better!). Get your approach wrong however and there could be a big number on the cards!

Scorecard

thesussexgolfer #Goals, Goals, Uncategorized

2019 Goals

photo collage_20190107_011533401-01

A new year, a new set of goals to achieve! After the overly optimistic approach last year, I am hoping that this years goals are slightly more achievable! Who’s going to join me on the journey!?

How many courses this year?

So I am working my way through the list of courses slowly but surely… (Check out the course map here to see how I am getting on!). I’m hoping that 2019 can be a big push towards ticking off as many of the courses as I can, and this is where you can help me! If you are a member / employee at any of the courses I haven’t played- get in touch, and lets sort something out! I’m hoping to play a similar amount of golf to last year, and if I can play those rounds over just as many different courses as last year, I hope to make a real dent and turn more of the blue and red dots orange!

  • Rounds played: 39.5 ⇒ 40+
  • Courses played: 29 ⇒ 25+

Handicap

So I’m not aiming for as big a drop last year. I’m at a realisation that playing different courses week in, week out, is never going to be beneficial to working the handicap down. If I can drop from my starting handicap of 10.4 to 9.9 at the end of the year, I’ll be happy.

  • Handicap: 10.4 ⇒ 9.9

Fairways and Greens

Still perhaps remaining optimistic here, after little to no improvement in these areas of my game last year, I have reined in the targets a little. Lets see how close we can get to 40% across the board!

  • GIR %: 33.04% ⇒ 40%
  • FIR %: 34.21 ⇒ 40%

Scoring Averages

Targeting minor improvements across the board here, having seen last year how difficult it is to drop these numbers! Based on the calculation, assuming the course has 4 par 3s, 10 par 4s and 4 par 5s, if I deliver the reduction in scoring averages, this should equal a drop in average score from 86.8 to 84.7.

  • Scoring Average Par 3: 3.56 ⇒ 3.5
  • Scoring Average Par 4: 4.99 ⇒ 4.85
  • Scoring Average Par 5: 5.82 ⇒ 5.7
  • Scoring Average: 86.8 ⇒ 84.7

Short Game

As my 2018 season progressed, and equipment changes were made, I definitely saw improvements in this area, but there is always room for more! Hoping to maintain the number of putts per GIR, (anything <2 means I am holing more birdies than 3 putting from GIR), but I would like to reduce my putts per missed GIR through improved chipping/pitching. Again, aiming to limit myself to one 3 putt per round if possible!

  • Putts per Round: 31.64 ⇒ <30
  • Putts per GIR: 1.96 ⇒ <1.95
  • Putts per Missed GIR: 1.69 ⇒ 1.6
  • 3 Putt %: 8.95% ⇒ 5.55%

Miscellaneous

  • Consecutive rounds below handicap
  • Consecutive rounds in the 70s
  • Treat myself to a round somewhere special for my 30th birthday!

What are your 2019 goals? Get in contact below or across any of my social media platforms!

thesussexgolfer #Goals, Other

2018 Goals Review 01/01/2019

Shutta_20190101_223520-01

When reviewing my 2017 year in numbers, I decided that it would also be beneficial to set myself some goals and targets for 2018. I reviewed my progress vs these goals in May (which can be found here) and September (here).

Throughout the year, I have come to realise that the goals I set were perhaps overly optimistic due to the fact that I rarely practice and mainly play, but it is interesting to see my progress towards them regardless!

I had every intention of practicing significantly more this year, but this hasn’t gone as planned despite investing in some alignment sticks and a Swingyde! And when I say rarely practice, I can confirm that I have been to the range once this year, but I have also invested in a PuttOut training aid, which I do try to spend some time with each week!

So lets see how I managed to get on!

How many more courses in Sussex can I tick off?

One of the main purposes of this blog is to get out and try and play as many of the courses in Sussex as I can!  

  • Rounds played: 30  ⇒ 40+
    • 39.5 – So close to my goal! But an increase from last year despite spending 6 weeks away in the United States with work this summer.
  • Courses played: 20 ⇒ 25
    • 30- 23 in Sussex, 1 in Surrey, 1 in Oxfordshire, 1 in Northamptonshire, 1 in Warwickshire, and 3 in the United States!

The big one- Handicap

So this was always going to tough given my lack of practice time and the fact that I tend to play different courses week in, week out…

  • Handicap: 13.2 ⇒ 10
    • 10.4 (Playing Handicap 10) – I reached my my goal following two consecutive reductions of 0.6 after rounds of +7  in each of my last two 18 hole rounds of the year!

Fairways and Greens

I expected that these would  go hand in hand for me, and that If I had managed to get the ball in play off the tee a little more, I would hit more greens! Again, 45% across the board looked to be overly optimistic, but minor improvements nevertheless.

  • GIR %: 30.93% ⇒ 45%
    • 33.04% A slight improvement on last year, but not quite the dramatic increase as hoped! I spent a lot of the year in what I call ‘protect’ mode, where ultimately I am just trying to stay out of trouble, hitting a lot of irons and hybrids off the tee, in order to limit misses, often leaving myself longer shots into the green.
  • FIR %: 32.37 ⇒ 45%
    • 34.21%. Drastic times called for drastic measures! Towards the end of the year I switched back to my old driver and have instantly regained much needed confidence off the tee. In my last 5 rounds, my FIR % has increased from 33.05% to 42.86%.

Scoring Averages

Minor improvements across the board needed here, and I am targeting most improvement on the par 5s. Instead of always pulling the big stick, I need to learn to sometimes treat them as clear 3 shot holes, and focus on keeping the ball in play!

  • Scoring Average Par 3: 3.62 ⇒ 3.5
    • 3.56 Marginally improved from last year, but didn’t quite hit the optimistic goal. Continues to be one of the stronger points of my game; on Par 3s this year I average 44.3% GIR!
  • Scoring Average Par 4: 4.99 ⇒ 4.75
    • 4.99 Managed to hold steady with last year in the end!
  • Scoring Average Par 5: 5.91 ⇒ 5.5
    • 5.82 Slight improvement  on last year, which I am mostly putting down to better course management.
  • Scoring Average: 86.9 ⇒ 84
    • 86.76 near identical to last year again! Despite some of the low rounds (four in the seventies this year), there have been a couple of disastrous ones! 

Short Game

An area that I felt needed work, and is always the first area of my game to go when I don’t play regularly. It was also pointed out to me by my lovely lady / caddie / scorer / photographer as one of my weaknesses back in May when I was averaging 33 putts per round. 

  • Putts per Round: 32.1 ⇒ 32
    • 31.64. Since I changed putter, this number is down at 30.38 from upwards of 33 before the switch – so possibly money well spent so far as this is below my target!
  • Putts per GIR: 2.01 ⇒ 1.9
    • 1.96 As long as this number stays below two, I am making more birdies than bogies after hitting the GIR, which is good enough for me! Down to 1.9 (my goal) with the new putter, converting over 22% of birdie chances, as opposed to 13% with the old putter in the first half of the year.
  • Putts per Missed GIR: 1.68 ⇒ 1.6
    • 1.69 – Not much has changed since last year or my September update. Scrambling needs to be a better. My chipping is often one of the weakest parts of my game, not getting the approach close enough. Something to work on! 1.64 since changing to my new flatstick.
  • 3 Putt %: 7.59% ⇒ 5.55%
    • 8.95% – Still a significant increase from last year due to some early season putting struggles.. Since reverting back to a short putter (34″), this number sits at 7.59%,vs 10.49% before, so the change has definitely helped me head in the right direction!

How did you get on against your 2018 goals? Let me know on Social Media or in the comments below!

thesussexgolfer Course Reviews

Sweetwoods Park Golf Club – Course Review

So it has been a while since I sat down and done a review for the blog, but having played Sweetwoods Park Golf Club twice since mid-August, I felt compelled to tell you all about it!

From the very moment you turn in through the gates off the A264, you know you are in for a treat. As the drive winds it way down between the 2nd green and 3rd tee, across the 1st fairway and down to the modern clubhouse and pro shop complex situated at the bottom of a valley, you get glimpses of what is to come, and your pulse begins to race.

The first starts off with a tough left to right dogleg. From an elevated tee located next to the practice putting green, to a fairway which slopes from left to right, a good drive down the centre will set you up for an uphill approach into the first green, which has plenty of danger short in the form of a steep drop off and deep bunker. Needless to say- a par 4 is a fantastic score here!

Shutta_20180923_232802-01
Approach into the first green.

As you walk to the second tee, you will notice the competition tee tucked away nestled amongst the trees. Well worth a wander up there just so you can be be relieved that you don’t have to make the substantial carry to reach the fairway by the time you actually get to the second tee! Once you tee off, even from the forward yellow tees the hole is still of considerable length, being the second longest par 4 on the course. A slight draw off the right hand side sets up a nice approach to a fairly large and flat green.

IMG_20180816_151424-01
View from the back tees on the second.

The third is the first par 5 on the course. At just under 500 yards, it is no gimme birdie by any stretch of the imagination, but two solid shots short of the fairway bunker on the right about 100 yards out should set up a decent look.

The fourth hole is one of many which could be considered a ‘signature hole’ at Sweetwoods Park. A short par 5, which plays even shorter due to its downhill nature, gives you plenty of opportunity to get some shots back, but also has plenty of danger to equally prove to be a scorecard wrecker! After taking in the views to come over the sixth and seventh holes, a blind tee shot to a fairway which slopes severely left to right needs to hug the left hand side as much as possible in order to avoid running into the first cut on the right, but also to provide a better angle into the green nestled at the bottom of the valley. Whether you are going for the green in two or three, short left is definitely the safe play, and the ball may even feed down the slope and on to the green. This approach also helps to safeguard from the lake which runs long and right of the green! A hole where nearly any number is possible.

Shutta_20180917_073328-01
A daunting pitch into the par 5 fourth.

After the challenge of the fourth, the fifth seems fairly tame in comparison, even with water immediately in front . A short par 3 which shouldn’t require much more than a short iron to find the putting surface. Note- being one of the lowest points on the front nine, and mostly surrounded by trees, this green plays slightly softer than the others, so an extra club may be required to get the ball back to the flag!

The sixth is a short uphill risk-reward par 4. At only 259 yards from the yellow tees, some longer hitters may attempt to take on the green, but do so at your peril! Long grass awaits right, trees short left, with a significant drop off left of the green. The safe play is taking a mid iron from the tee and staying short of the pond on the right hand side of the fairway, which will leave a simple wedge into the green, favouring the right hand side and feeding down towards the centre for a decent look at birdie. A very good golf hole, and one that offers excellent photo opportunities from behind the small temple behind the green!

IMG_20180816_162547_2-01 (1)
The picture perfect par 4 sixth green.

Seven is a fantastic par 3 which will have had you tantalising over it from first glimpse when on the fourth tee. Playing back over the valley, the unique feature about this hole is the railway sleeper lined bunkers, which rumour has it are able to kick your ball back as far as the water hazard at the bottom of the hill! Ensure you take enough club to carry the two bunkers and walk away with a 2 putt par!

Shutta_20180816_235228-02 (1)

Tee shot on the seventh.

The eighth is another hole where you should be looking to score well, a par 4 just over 315 yards off the yellow tees. A downhill, dogleg right, assisted by the fairway sloping in the same direction, a long iron or hybrid is plenty off the tee to leave a wedge into a green which slopes steeply from back to front. Try to leave yourself below the hole for an uphill putt!

The ninth is arguably one of the toughest holes on the course. A long, sweeping slight dogleg left to right requires a long and accurate shot off the tee with OB down the right, and a couple of fairway bunkers to avoid. A long approach into a green which slopes away from you is assisted by a slight down slope before the green. Bogey is not a bad score here by any stretch of the imagination!

The walk down the hill to the tenth tee gives you a little time to reflect on your opening 9, but also gives you an idea of the elevation change up to the 10th fairway. Not the longest hole, a hybrid or fairway wood off the tee will be sufficient, leaving a mid to short iron into the large raised green. Aim for the centre to avoid the greenside bunkers and look to come away with a regulation par.

The eleventh hole is a fun downhill dogleg right to left par 4. Longer hitters will have the opportunity to hit over the corner to leave a short approach into the green, whilst others may opt to play to the corner of the dogleg, allowing the slope to feed the ball down to provide an angle and leave a mid iron approach into the green. The green isn’t particularly well guarded, so hopefully a green in regulation will yield a decent putt at birdie.

The short walk to the twelfth tee crosses behind the eighteenth which is overlooked by the splendid clubhouse and terrace,  as well as another practice putting green, and really helps to show off the facilities available. The tee is nestled back amongst the trees, where your drive must find the left side of the fairway which again slopes from left to right. The view from the fairway may offer significant distraction for your next shot- with views over the beautiful par 3 seventeenth. There is again little to guard the green, however due to it sloping away from you, it is very easy to go long as the ball will release.

IMG_20180915_172712_2-01
The Clubhouse on the way to the twelfth tee.

The par 5 thirteenth may be unlucky for some with out of bounds all the way down the right hand side, but the sensible play is to treat the hole as a three shotter, despite longer hitters being tempted to go over the corner of the dogleg. If safety is the play, a long iron to the middle of the fairway leaves a layup short of the cross ditch with the second, leaving 150 yards to the green. Aim to get on with your third, and take a 2 putt par, although bogey is not the worst score if you miss the green and fail to get up and down.

The fourteenth is another par 5, the second set of back to back par 5s on the course, and is arguably the hardest. The most demanding drive on the course, a long carry is required to get over the ditch, and a draw is the optimum shot shape for this dogleg left. Overcook the draw and there are plenty of trees which will either block you off with your second shot, or deem the ball lost. Again, another definite three shotter, a mid iron with a touch of draw again will set up a short iron or wedge approach into a small green, guarded by a ditch and plenty of trees surrounding it. This hole well and truly plays to its stroke index of 1.

Fifteen is the longest par 3 on the course, just over 200 yards, but possibly the one with least danger. A fairly straight hole, you have the opportunity to run it up to the green if you are unable to make the carry. If you miss the green, there is plenty of chance for an up and down with little around the green, or on the green to provide much to worry too much about.

Sixteen is another short par 4, but definitely takes some thought. A mid iron off the tee is the play leaving the golfer with a wedge into the green. Longer hitters may be tempted to take a shot at the green, but there is little space to do so, and bunkers short and left are waiting to catch any errant approach. If you do find the green in regulation, you should have a fairly good look at birdie, before moving on to the short par 3 seventeenth.

The walk to the next tee is picturesque, between the lakes surrounding the competition tee on the seventeenth, and those short of the elevated two-tiered green which need to be carried with your approach shot. Although just a short approach, club selection is vital on this stunning par 3, not only to ensure you find the correct tier, but any shots short of the green may well end up rolling back down the hill close to the water, leaving an awkward up and down. Find the right tier and seventeen is definitely a birdie opportunity. One of the most photogenic par 3s in the county.

IMG_20180816_185605_2-01 (1)
The picturesque seventeenth at twilight.

The eighteenth is one of the more daunting tee shots on the course, with a large tree positioned in the middle of the fairway at driving distance. For longer hitters- thread the needle down the left hand side of the fairway to leave yourself the best angle into the sunken green. By accident I managed to establish that you do still have a shot if you finish short right of the tree (particularly if you play a fade or a high ball!). If you’re having to play the hole as a three shotter due to yardage or tree trouble, make sure you lay well back to avoid the deep bunkers front left of the green, which provide a tough up and down for any errant approaches. Once on the green, the struggles are not quite over yet, with a severe two tier green to keep you on your toes one final time. To walk away with par on the final hole, you have played it very well!

Overall, a truly memorable experience from start to finish,  made even better by the fact that it offers fantastic value, variety and a friendly atmosphere. At times it is like walking through a perfectly manicured National Trust property! A true ‘hidden gem’.

four and a half stars copy

-The Sussex Golfer

For more information about the Sweetwoods Park Golf Club, please head to their website on: https://www.sweetwoodspark.com/

thesussexgolfer Other

2018 Goals Update 13/05/2018

20180428_151846-01

When reviewing my 2017 year in numbers, I decided that it would also be beneficial to set myself some goals and targets for 2018.

The goals that I set were optimistic (perhaps overly so since I rarely practice and mainly just play..!), but I felt that I had to make them challenging, hoping that it would spur me on to improve.

I’ve reach a point in my season where I won’t be playing for a few weeks, so thought it would be a good chance to sit down and assess where I am in terms of my goals, and maybe start to think about where I need to put a little more work in (and maybe do a bit of targeted practising!)

All of the information below in red is the update as of 13/05/2018.

 

How many more courses in Sussex can I tick off?

One of the main purposes of this blog is to get out and try and play as many of the courses in Sussex as I can! I felt that playing 30 rounds across 20 courses last year was a good effort, and I’m hoping if I can squeeze another 10 rounds in this year I’ll hopefully play around 25 or so courses.

  • Rounds played: 30  ⇒ 40+
    • 9. I’ve made a good start here this year, where I am already up 7 rounds on last year.
  • Courses played: 20 ⇒ 25
    • 8. (Seaford Head Golf Club, Dyke Golf Club, Pyecombe Golf Club, Rusper Golf Club, West Hove Golf Club, Willingdon Golf Club, Rookwood Golf Club, Lewes Golf Club). 

The big one- Handicap

So I think that this one is going to be a tough ask given my lack of practice time, and playing different courses week in, week out. But hey, gotta aim high!

  • Handicap: 13.2 ⇒ 10
    • 12.7. Handicap has come down, largely due to my most recent round (+10), which knocked me down 0.9 after it had crept up at the start of the year.

Fairways and Greens

I think that these could well go hand in hand for me, and if I can manage to get the ball in play off the tee a little more, hopefully the greens should follow! Again, 45% might be optimistic, but lets work towards it.

  • GIR %: 30.93% ⇒ 45%
    • 32.10% A slight increase so far on last year, but plenty of work left to do in order to reach my goal. As you would expect, the above numbers significantly improve when I find the fairway, with last years number being 42.54% GIR per FIR, and this year 38.24% GIR per FIR… which makes the next stat all the more important…!
  • FIR %: 32.37 ⇒ 45%
    • 27.42% Poor start to the year off the tee. I’ve had rounds where I’ve been striking the ball well, and missing the fairways has sometimes been a little unlucky, but this is definitely one area I need to improve, not only to hit my goal, but also to score better. 

Scoring Averages

Minor improvements across the board needed here, and I am targeting most improvement on the par 5s. Instead of always pulling the big stick, I need to learn to sometimes treat them as clear 3 shot holes, and focus on keeping the ball in play!

  • Scoring Average Par 3: 3.62 ⇒ 3.5
    • 3.61 Consistent with last year. Continues to be one of the stronger points of my game. On Par 3s this year I average over 47% GIR!
  • Scoring Average Par 4: 4.99 ⇒ 4.75
    • 5.16 This is definitely going in the wrong direction, mainly due to my GIR being down below 25% here. Having to scramble on nearly every hole is tough!
  • Scoring Average Par 5: 5.91 ⇒ 5.5
    • 5.97 Comparable (if not slightly worse) than last year. Par 5s for me are about the second shot, which is useful having only found 17% of fairways on par 5s this year. I need to work on getting the first two strokes solid and in play, and then we can start to think about scoring.
  • Scoring Average: 86.9 ⇒ 84
    • 88.9 I guess I expect my scoring to be a little higher in Winter, with less carry, less roll, less smooth greens and having had a few months off, it takes a while to get back into the swing of things. Lets see where we are at after the next 10 rounds!

Short Game

An area that I feel needs work, and is always the first area of my game to go when i don’t play regularly. If I can hit more greens, I think it will be difficult to expect my Putts per Round to come down as in theory, proximity to the hole is likely to be greater, so I think targeting minor improvements, hopefully holing more birdie putts than 3 putts, and keeping the 3 putts to less than 1 per round on average would be a big step!

  • Putts per Round: 32.1 ⇒ 32
    • 33 An area highlighted by my lovely lady / caddie / scorer / photographer as one of my weaknesses whenever I am lucky enough to have her join me out on the course. I’ve taken appropriate steps and purchased a PuttOut training aid, so hopefully this number will start to head downwards!
  • Putts per GIR: 2.01 ⇒ 1.9
    • 2 As long as this number stays below two, I am making more birdies than bogies after hitting the GIR, which is good enough for me!
  • Putts per Missed GIR: 1.68 ⇒ 1.6
    • 1.75 Scrambling could be a little better. My chipping is often one of the weaker parts of my game, not getting the approach close enough. Something to work on!
  • 3 Putt %: 7.59% ⇒ 5.55%
    • 9.88% I need to change my mindset on putting at times, and to know when to try to hole the putt, and know when to lag it up for an easy two putt. Mid handicap golfing is all about damage limitation I find, and three putts should (and need to) be avoidable!

 

How are you getting on with your 2018 goals?

thesussexgolfer Course Reviews

Ifield Golf & Country Club – Course Review

Course Review- Ifield Golf and Country Club (http://www.ifieldgolf.com/)

Date: 06/08/2017

Time: 15:35pm

Conditions: Mostly Sunny, Mild

Green Fee: £24.00

Range: Short Game Area, Practice nets.

Par: 70

Tees: Yellow

Yards: 5986

Score: 84

 

August is here and the good weather has managed to return since I last played, with some beautiful sunshine and gentle breezes providing near optimum golfing conditions. I’d be trying another new course this weekend- Ifield Golf and Country Club near Crawley. Due to its proximity to the M23, the course is fairly easy to access from various points in Sussex, for example only just over 30 minutes from Brighton & Hove.

 

Upon arrival, I checked in at the pro shop, before heading to the practice nets to get a little bit of a warm up in, and the putting green to hit a few putts before heading out to the 1st tee. I paid a twilight green fee in the summer of £24, which is comparable to many other courses in the area.

 

The first hole is a slight dogleg left par 5, and is a fairly gentle opening start to the course. Having been founded in 1927, there are many fairly mature trees lining the hole, but the fairway is wide enough that it doesn’t feel too daunting for the first tee shot of the day. With my driver, I ended up hooking it left finishing behind on of the mature trees, not leaving any other option than to punch out and advance the ball 45 yards or so. Still well over 200 yards into the green, I opted for my 4 wood, striking it cleanly with a perfect slight draw and finding an unlikely green in regulation. Still with a lot of work to do, I manage to hit a decent first lag putt, and tap in for my par.

 

The 2nd hole is a sharp dogleg right par 4, turning nearly 90 degrees at around the 200 yard mark off the tee. I opt to play it to the corner with my hybrid, but whilst trying to prevent turning the ball over away from the dogleg, I end up pushing my tee shot directly into the tree protecting the corner. After the dogleg, the the fairway rises steeply up towards a shallow green, that is protected by a couple of deep bunkers to the front. With some sort of a line, I manage to punch a 9 iron out from underneath the tree, leaving a 50 yard pitch to the green. Up and onto the green with my pitch, but not close enough to give a decent chance at scrambling a par sees me two putting for bogey.

 

On to the 3rd, a really nice downhill par 4 of 384 yards from the yellow tees that sweeps around to the right. Due to my typical shot shape (and mistake on #1), I decide to use my 4 wood to try and take the trees down the left out of play, and hit a nice drive down the right side of the fairway, which just feeds into the first cut with the slope. With 150 yards or so into the front of the green, I possibly under club into the green with it being downhill, and only come up to the front edge with the pin back of centre.The first putt left a little bit to do, but a solid 10 foot putt sees me making my second par of the round.

 

The 4th is the first par 3 on the course, an attractive short hole of 151 yards, over a small pond to a green surrounded by multiple bunkers. A nicely struck 7 iron into a slight breeze (clubbing up to avoid coming up short again like the previous hole) sees me finding the right side of the putting surface 15 foot right of the flag. I manage to put a decent roll on the ball and see it track into the centre of the cup for a birdie 2.

 

The 5th hole is hole is the longest par 4 on the front nine, 418 yards, playing straight back up hill. A great tee shot with my 4 wood finds the centre of the fairway, but with still 200 yards uphill to go, I still need to hit a 7 wood into the green. A bit of a snap hook sees me in tree trouble short left of the green, only leaving a pitch out. To add insult to injury I duff my next pitch, before over committing to the next one, going through the green and onto the rear fringe, nestling up against the slope at the back of the green. Putting from the fringe, I fail to get the ball close enough, and end up two putting for a poor 7. A disappointing triple from the middle of the fairway.

 

The second par three on the front nine comes at the 6th. A beautiful little par 3 of only 134 yards, surrounded by trees. A nice little 9 iron finds the centre of the green, below the hole. A good run at the birdie putt slides just by, and I make the come back for a par.

 

The 7th is a really interesting short par 4 of only 302 yards. Off the tee you have a couple of options, either layup around the 180 yard mark leaving a wedge from the fairway to the green, or longer hitters can ignore the fact that the fairway runs out at 190 yards or so, and take on an approach from a shorter distance, but from the hollow distinctly below the 2 tier green. I opted for the first option with just a 6 iron off the tee, just missing the fairway to the left. With just a short wedge into the green, I end up on the wrong tier after catching my shot slightly heavy. A tough putt with significant break, I completely misjudge it and end up under-reading the break and staying on the bottom tier. I do not make the same mistake with the second putt, nearly getting it to the hole, but end up tapping in for a 3 putt bogey 5.

 

The 8th is a short par 5, and time to let rip with the driver. With a much better swing than on the first, I get a good drive away, down the middle of the fairway finishing right by the marker post. With 200 yards into the green, a well struck hybrid finds the putting surface, under regulation. With a rare eagle putt, I have a go (you have to don’t you?) but narrowly miss, but end up going 6 foot by. I made sure with the second putt though, dropping the ball perfectly in the centre of the cup for another birdie.

 

The front 9 finishes with the tough but picturesque, 229 yard downhill par 3. With a small lake directly in front of the tee for visual distraction, care needs to be taken to ensure a solid contact off the tee. I opted for hybrid, finishing right of the green, in between two greenside bunkers, leaving a decent chance at an up and down. A decent pitch, but not perfect sees me leaving 8 foot for par, but this one gets away and I have to settle for a bogey 4, to close out the front 9 in 39 (+4).

 

The back 9 runs around the outer perimeter of the golf course, and starts with the par 4, 343 yard 10th. With a fairway that rises up hill to a crest, before heading back down towards the green, club selection off the tee is key. With out of bounds down the left, and the lake in front of the 9th tee down the right hand side, emphasis is also placed on a straight shot. I opt for 4 wood off the tee, but turn it over a little too much, and end up flirting with OB so much that I need to take an unplayable due to lack of a stance. With my 3rd from under the overhanging trees, I had to flight the ball down, but managed to get far too much forward momentum on the shot, with the ball running through the green. My pitch back onto the green with my 4th leaves a lot to be desired, but a solid lag putt sees me only coming away with double.

 

Things do not start off any better on the 11th, a long 410 yard par 4, where I opted for driver and very quickly regretted it, snap hooking my tee shot left OB. With my 3rd off the tee, I opt for 4 wood this time and strike it down the middle. From 186 yards with my second I narrowly miss the green with a 5 iron, coming up just short left. A distinctly average chip again leaves plenty of work to do, but a solid two putt means that it is back to back doubles.

 

The 12th is a short par 4 at only 303 yards, and not much of any worry to protect the par on this hole. A well struck 4 wood actually finds itself going just through the fairway on this slight right to left dogleg, but with only 77 yards into the green, I do not have too much trouble finding the putting surface with a lofted wedge for my second. With a decent attempt at birdie, similar to the length of putt that I holed for my 2 on the 4th, I read the right to left break well, but just too much pace has it lip out on the high side, leaving a two foot tap in for my par.

 

13 is the first par 3 on the back 9, this time a 164 yard uphill shot, to a green surrounded by 5 bunkers. A well struck 7 iron, but perhaps one club too few sees me finding the front fringe. With a fairly straight putt, I felt like I had a good chance at holing it, but I come up just short and again have to settle for an easy par.

 

The 14th is a fairly straightforward par 4 from the yellow tees, but a whopping 80 yards further back to the whites helps make it the stroke index 5 hole from the competition tees. From the yellows, it only plays 334 yards, So I take a hybrid and make sure I find the centre of the fairway. A short wedge into the green sees me make my first real mistake since the 12th, finding the greenside bunker with a poor approach. Safely out and onto the green, a standard two putt sees me dropping a shot and making a bogey 5.

The 15th is the stroke index 1 hole on the course, a whopping 451 yard par 4, that looks fairly tight from the tee due to the mature trees either side of the hole. I opt for driver, which turned out fairly quickly to be a mistake. Shamefully I barely manage to advance the ball much over 100 yards, so I am automatically on the back foot. A well struck hybrid with my second gets me back in better shape, but still with 140 yards to the green, I get a little bit greedy and take the wrong club and end up chunking it whilst trying to hit it too hard. I compound the errors further mis-clubbing with only a wedge in hand and going through the back of the green. Chipping from just over the back of the green, a solid chip sets up a 6 foot putt for a 6, which I successfully manage to make.

 

16 is a 3rd consecutive par 4, playing 386 yards from the yellows. A 4 wood off the tee, caught a little bit thin just misses the left side of the fairway, leaving 180 yards into the green. A well struck 5 iron finds the putting surface, but definitely more in 2 putt region than 1! As expected, the first putt doesn’t have much of a chance, but is solid enough to convert the par.

 

17 is a tricky par 3, despite being the shortest hole on the back 9, there is little room for error. With OB down the left, and a bunker guarding the green both front left and right, and also a pond just right of the green, an accurate tee shot is required. I opted for a hard 8 iron, and hit it solid enough, but didn’t quite draw the ball back enough to find the putting surface, carrying the front bunker, and very narrowly avoiding the pond, finishing up in the long rough just outside of the hazard. Worried about the OB behind, I fail to commit and do not manage to get my chip out and onto the green, leaving it on the fringe short of the hole. A good lag putt from the fringe followed by a tap in sees me making my bogey 4.

 

18 is pretty much an exact mirror image of the first, a par 5 playing just over 500 yards from the yellow tees, but this time dog legs around to the right. I try to get a bit greedy with my tee shot, trying to hit a big draw with my driver starting the ball over the first hole, but I catch it a bit low on the face and catch one of the trees 70 yards infront of the tee, kicking down dead left, leaving a lot of work to do. From here, I manage to add insult to injury my hooking my next shot whilst trying to get back into position OB left. After my drop, two solid hybrids sees me 25 yards short of the green in 5. A decent pitch and putt and I make a scrappy 7 to finish my round, coming back in 45 (+10) to finish with an 84 (+14).

 

In summary, Ifield Golf and Country Club is a good parkland layout with a well bunkered, but fairly open design, despite a fair amount of mature trees. The course was in good condition, but there a very few holes that offer anything extraordinary. That isn’t to say that Ifield Golf & Country Club is a bad course, but I feel that there are alternate options at a similar or lower price point that offer a more memorable and complete experience. I feel that the front 9 is the stronger 9, with the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th being good golf holes, but the only real stand out hole for me on the back 9 was the 15th.

three and a half stars

–The Sussex Golfer

thesussexgolfer Course Reviews

East Brighton Golf Club – Course Review

Course Review- East Brighton Golf Club (http://www.ebgc.co.uk)

Date: 30/07/2017

Time: 15:07pm

Conditions: Mostly Sunny, Mild,  Windy

Green Fee: £24.00 (Booked through Teeofftimes.com)

Range: Short Game Area, Practice nets.

Par: 71

Tees: Yellow

Yards: 6067

Score: 84

 

After a weekend off from golf in Sussex, I was excited to get back out there and try another new course, which would be East Brighton Golf Club this week. Situated (unsurprisingly) to the East of Brighton rising up into the hills above Brighton Marina. On a rather windy Sunday afternoon at the end of July, I had a warm up at the range at West Hove Golf Club before heading to East Brighton Golf Club for my tee time, which I had pre booked for £24 through Teeofftimes.com.Despite being one of the closet courses to me, it isn’t the easiest to access purely due to the traffic in central Brighton, but transport links from the north and east are slightly better.

 

One of the older courses in the area, first established in 1893, before being redesigned by James Braid (five time Open winner and world renowned course architect) in 1908. I have played other James Braid courses before, predominantly in the South West of Scotland and have always enjoyed them, so I was excited to get out to East Brighton. After checking in to the pro shop and picking up a yardage book, I hit a few putts on the large putting green to gauge the speed, before heading to the first tee.

 

The first hole is a fairly straightforward hole, a 354 yard par 4 from the yellow tees, rising uphill away from the sea. A blind tee shot meant I opted for a hybrid off the tee, with a solid strike down the middle finding the centre of the fairway. As I started to get further up the hill walking down the fairway, the wind became even more apparent, adding to the difficulty of my second shot. A punched 8 iron uphill into the wind held its line nicely before stopping dead on the green setting up a mid range birdie putt, which despite a nice stroke, slides by on the low side, before tapping in for my regulation par.

 

The second tee is positioned directly behind the first green, and is the first par 3 of the course, playing across the slope, with the ground all feeding from the left. A long par 3 at 199 yards, I opted for a 5 iron, hoping to get a kick onto the green. To put in perspective just how windy it was, as I was preparing to tee off the flag blew out of the hole! My tee shot was well struck, but held up in the wind and finished just short of the green. After popping the flag back in, I played my pitch on to the green, perhaps not being as aggressive as I needed to be, leaving it 12 foot short of the hole, before missing the putt and tapping in for my bogey 4.

 

The 3rd hole is very similar to the first, a straight, uphill par 4 of around 350 yards. Again, opting for hybrid off the tee after the success on the first, A solid strike but down the wrong line, just right of the fairway, sees me finding the first cut. My second shot is also pushed, another punched 8 iron back into the wind, which heads towards the 4th tee. A solid pitch onto the green from an awkward lie by the tee box sets up another decent putt at par, but again the putt slides by, this time a little further than previous, but I’m still able to make the putt coming back for a bogey 5.

 

The 4th hole is a good short par 3 running along the flat at the top of the hill. At only 154 yards, it is just a short iron, but with plenty of bunkers short of the green, and giant hollows between the tee box and the green, there is still plenty of distraction for the eyes which makes the shot difficult. A solidly struck 9 iron off the tee for me, but after being knocked down by the wind, I was lucky to not find one of the greenside bunkers, finishing between the two. A poor duffed chip means that I’ve got quite a bit of work to do, but I follow it with a better one, leaving myself a short putt for my bogey 4, which I convert.

 

The 5th hole is one of the signature holes at East Brighton Golf Club, a long downhil par 5, that sweeps around to the right following the out of bounds closely. The temptation on a long par 5 is to always pull out the big stick, but the fairway sloping right to left and significantly downhill there isn’t as much room as you might think, unless you take it very close to the OB line down the right. Using a hybrid again, I get another clean strike away, with a slight draw turning it from right to left. With what I can imagine was a significant amount of roll, I eventually find my ball in the left rough, 303 yards from the tee! With the ball still significantly above my feet, I try to just advance a 5 iron down the hole, but end up turning it over and finding the left rough again. With 70 odd yards left to the hole with my 3rd, I catch my lob wedge a little bit low on the face and end up going just over the green, up the bank on the far side. A nice pitch back down onto the green gives me a chance of making my bogey, which I duly oblige, making the 8 foot putt for my 6.

 

The 6th hole is possibly my favourite hole on the course, a long straight par 4 that runs back along the hollow below the 5th, making for a couple of scenic shots towards the green. I pull my driver out for the first time today, and a great strike down the middle of the fairway sets up a decent approach to the green. In between clubs, I opt for the lower club and try to force it, finishing just short of the green with my 5 iron. My short game woes continue with another duffed chip, leaving myself a long putt for par, nearly the whole length of the green. I misjudge the pace with my first putt, leaving myself 15 foot still for bogey, which I fail to convert which means I’m walking away with a disappointing 6 after a great drive.

 

The 7th is the 3rd par 3 of the front nine, which requires another mid iron from 155 yards. A slight miss hit to the toe sees me losing a bit of distance with my 8 iron from the tee, which to a back left pin is not ideal, leaving a long putt. I make the same mistake as the previous hole, leaving the first putt too short, missing the second from mid range, before tapping in for a bogey 4, to card back to back three putts.

 

The 8th, as the name ‘Round the Bend’ suggest, features a sharp dogleg right at around the 250 yard mark off the tee. I opt for a hybrid off the tee, but hit a little bit of a toe hook and find the left rough. Sitting down, I try to just advance my ball as far up the fairway as a I can with a mid iron, and get a decent strike to leave myself 25 yards short of the green. A nice pitch on, rolling up to 6 feet leaves myself a good attempt at par, which I manage to convert to much relief after the last two holes!

 

The 9th is another fun hole to close out the front nine. Another fairly long par 4 at 418 yards, the fairway sets up nice for a hard draw, back into a left to right slope. Out of bounds down the right and thick rough if you miss left add difficulty, but I manage to get a driver away as hoped, shaping it back from the right side of the fairway to the left centre. The second shot is all uphill to a green which looks fairly small from the fairway, guarded by a deep pot bunker front right, which is not where you want to be- but surprise, surprise is where I end up! A really nice pitch out of the bunker sets up a great chance at a sand save par, but the 10 foot putt just slides by, so I tap in for my bogey 5, to close out the front 9 in a +8 42.

 

The 9th green is overlooked by the halfway house which provides refreshments than can be pre ordered at the 9th tee, which is a nice feature that can provide welcome energy or distraction from a bad round, but unfortunately it is just closing up as I get there late on a Sunday afternoon.

 

The 10th tee is up a small hill just left of the 9th, teeing off back over the green which forms part of the valley over which you hit your approach to the green of the par 3. At 184 yards, it requires a firm strike, which I manage to achieve but turn it over a little bit too much and end up missing the green to the left. An exquisite pitch down onto the green rolls up nicely to inside a foot, and I tap in the putt for my par. From the green, you can enjoy views back towards the coast.

 

The 11th is a short par 5 on the card, at only 440 yards, but it plays all uphill and back into the wind today. With out of bounds all down the right hand side, and again, thick rough to the left, an accurate tee shot is rewarded. I get a solid drive away, narrowly missing the fairway to the right. I advance my second shot most of the way up towards the green using my hybrid, leaving a 20 yard pitch to the green. A disappointing pitch doesn’t end up close enough to the flag on the two tiered green, but a solid 2 putt sees me walking away with par.

 

The twelfth tee is situated at the furthest point from the clubhouse, tucked alongside the racecourse. The tee provides fantastic panoramic views back out to sea. From the tee, the large bunker in the middle of the fairway isn’t particularly visible, so I was glad to have my course guide with me! A really nicely shaped tee shot with my driver, drawing off the bunker and round the dogleg sets up a fantastic approach down the hill to the sunken green. In order to keep the ball out of the wind, I play an extended bump and run down the hill to the green with a 9 iron from 110 yards, which nestles in nicely to 3 foot, better than could be expected! I manage to convert the birdie putt with a nice stroke, which is a welcome 3 for the card.

 

The 13th is a little bit of a strange hole for me, a risk reward short par 4, which sets up great for match play at only 261 yards off the yellows. I opt for a hybrid off the tee, aiming to reduce the risk of the danger of the ball rolling down the slope to the left side of the fairway. I pop my tee shot up a little bit, and finish just short of the fairway a little further left than i hoped. Still only with a short wedge into the green up the hill, I hit a fairly good strike but end up just on the fringe, leaving a downhill putt. The putt gets away from me a little, and slides by a little too far, and I fail to make the one coming back, so have to settle for a bogey 5.

 

The 14th plays along the top of the hill again, and is a 368 yard par 4 from the yellows. The wind has started to pick up even more by this point and has swung around, so I opt for a hybrid to keep the ball below the wind a little, and manage to find the centre of the fairway. With still a long way in to the green, I have hybrid in my hand still, and my 2nd shot balloons up into the air with the wind, coming up 30 yards short of the green. A solid pitch to the centre of the green, followed by a decent 2 putt means it’s another 5 on the card.

 

The 15th feels like an extended version of the 14th, running in the same direction but is extended an additional 100 yards to make a tough par 5 back into the teeth of the wind. This time, I opt for driver, and get a solid drive away but the combination of a slight draw and the wind takes my ball left towards the cluster of trees just left of the fairway. Fortunately, I have a swing, and the ball is sitting up enough to warrant having a go with my 4 wood. A clean strike advances my ball way up the fairway, leaving a short pitch to the green from around 50 yards. A nice pitch, but nothing special has me with about 15 foot for birdie, which I fail to convert and have to settle for my par 5.

 

The 16th is a fairly similar hole to the 4th, a mid length par 3 guarded by bunkers short and visual distraction provided by deep hollows. One of the deep hollows contains a very very deep bunker, one that you know you want to avoid when you notice the steps down into it! Luckily it isn’t really in play, 20 yards short of the green. I hit 8 iron off the tee, which is the right club, but I hang it out a little bit too far right hoping for draw back to the green, and end up missing the putting surface. A decent chip and putt sees me able to make a decent 3 though to keep the momentum.

 

The 17th is an interesting par 4 of 349 yards off the yellow tees, that requires a thoughtful tee shot given the fact the fairway runs out at 236 yards. I opt for hybrid off the tee, but end up snap hooking it so far right that I am unsure if I’ll find it. Time for a provisional, I opt to swing a bit smoother into the wind, but end up topping it, with the ball feeding down the slope in front of the tee towards the fence which is out of bounds on the right hand side. Luckily my provisional ball remains just in play, but I’m having to take a drop to be confident in my swing being so close to the fence. With my 5th, I opt for the sensible option of knocking it back into the fairway to try and cut my losses. At the end of the fairway, there are another couple of deep hollows to avoid, filled with gorse. My 6th shot back into the wind comes up just short of the green. I am a little over aggressive with my pitch onto the green, and roll 10ft past the flag, but I manage to hole the putt coming back for a disappointing 8.

 

18 is arguably one of the toughest tee shots on the golf course, semi blind, requiring a fade from the left to follow the dogleg, or a bold draw over the out of bounds to the right. I have to opt for the latter seeing as a do not have a reliable fade in my bag, and a nice tee shot with my driver narrowly misses the right hand side of the fairway. Still a long way into the green on this 460 yard par 5, but I decide to have a go with my 4 wood, but end up turning it over and missing the green short and left. A nice lob wedge over the greenside bunker sees me finding the green in regulation, and another steady 2 putts sees me finishing with a par 5 to close out the back 9 in 42 strokes, for a total of 84 (+13). A slightly disappointing finish with the 8 on 17, but overall very happy with my score considering the wind!

 

In summary, East Brighton Golf Club is a challenging, yet fun course situated just a few minutes out from the centre of Brighton. The course was in good condition, but the course is very exposed to the elements and must play particularly difficult on a wet and windy winter day! The course has fantastic views out to Rottingdean, out to sea, but also over Brighton, and on a clear day you can see a long way. My favourite holes are the Par 4 6th playing along the valley, the Par 4 9th back up the hill toward the halfway house, and the Par 4 12th with its fantastic views from one of the highest points on the course. I have been back to the course once since the first time I played, and again despite not seeming the windiest of days in general, it felt a whole lot more windy on the exposed downland course! I felt that in comparison with some of the other courses in the local area it was slightly on the more expensive side, but deals are there to be had if you look online or off peak, and I enjoyed it thoroughly nonetheless.

⭐⭐⭐⭐  

–The Sussex Golfer

 

thesussexgolfer Galleries

My Favourite Courses in Sussex Gallery (September 2017)

This gallery contains photos from some of my rounds at my favourite courses in Sussex, based on those that I have played up until the start of September. All photos were taken by myself using no more than my mobile phone!

I also have a wish list of other courses I am looking to tick off! If anybody can help with that- please get in touch through one of my Social Media pages!

For those that missed the original post- head here:

My Favourite Courses in Sussex

The Sussex Golfer