what's the worst course you've ever played?

Mine has to be Haltwhistle - it's basically a golf course made from an old farmers field and to be honest it isn't even good enough for the sheep to graze on! It's the one time I couldn't wait to finish my round of golf and was in dire need for a pint at the end of a very long 4.5 hours only to find that the "clubhouse" (and I say that in very loose terms) was empty and unstaffed to top off a thoroughly miserable day!

Broadstone
Terrible!!

Merlin in Cornwall. Course in what looks like it used be either a potato or cabbage field! No memorable holes and although it was in apprently 'good nic' the whole set up was gash. Not helped that it is near to good courses such as Tehidy, Perranporth etc. Avoid like the plague. Wouldn't consider going back there even on 10-for-1 green fee offer!! Luckly I got to play it on afree round but could and should have paid to have played any other course in the area rather than waste 4 hours of my life plodding around that hole!!

Charleton in East Neuk of Fife, complete toilet of a course.

The Castle in St. Andrews!

Southern Valley........ Poor layout, poor quality course, and made even worse by the pro shop staff.... It's one saving grace is that on the 9th tee, they have a phone which is used to ring the kitchen staff directly so upon arrival at 10th tee they have your order waiting for you.

Basildon!

Not so much for the course but you need to be tooled up to play it! Just in case you have the misfortune to wander into the path of the neanderthals in hoodies from the nearby council estate that roam the course looking for trouble!

In Britain: St.Neots, indifferent course staffed by the most miserable people in the world. A more pompous bunch of asses you'll never find.

gaelgowfer wrote:The Castle in St. Andrews!

Pah, either a philistine or a chopper.

SR more like probably both..........

Mav, It's never occured to me before, but do you think Gael is Mac's mum?

If you mean the worst in absolute terms it has to be one of those dreadful pay and play places that were springing up by the hundreds, seven or eight years ago.

This place really WAS a couple of fields where they shifted hundreds of tons of earth on to basically make mounds between adjoining holes. "Featured" a 620 yard par 5 that was just a straight run between these artificial mounds. I seem to recall that there was a little loop of 3 holes (13,14,15) that were in an adjoining field, took about 5 minutes to walk to and were never even properly finished. They really WERE a building site with earth movers and just loads of unprepared earth. The walk back to the main course then had a path that led you unnaturally to the 18th tee so it was easy to miss out 16 and 17 altogether - we ended up playing 18,17,16 in that order!

Worst in terms of comparison to expectations is undoubtedly Forest of Arden

cherwell edge near banbury

super_realist wrote:

gaelgowfer wrote:The Castle in St. Andrews!

Pah, either a philistine or a chopper.

I'm playing the castle for the 1st time a week on sunday SR (2nd Oct) so will give an unbiased opinion afterwards! And I am neither a philistine or a chopper!!

Worse course I've played is the Lynedoch course at Murrayshall, truely dreadful; 14 holes climbing a hill then 1 hole coming straight back down. Probably the only course where I didn't think I could hit driver off any tee due to the ridiculous fairway shaping and general tightness. Shame as the other course there is pretty good apart from the ridiculous par 5 9th.

Closer to home Pumpherston is pretty poor, 9 new holes built about 10 years ago which are somehow worse than the 9 that were already there, not a good combination.

Played a course last week in Chester, Pryors Hayes - awful

Also played one last year, again in that neck of teh woods, called West Derby - it had a decent reputation, but the members and staff were all w%^nkers and the course was well below average.

Also played a course called Crook in Co Durham, last time I played it snowed in May

Ralph, a bit of advice for The Castle. 1. Look at the free strokesaver to put the ball in the best position. 2. Bear in mind the flag position indicated by the colour of the flag and also imagine what will happen to the ball once it gets on the green, they might be the trickiest greens you've ever played if you are in the wrong place. 3. Request the medal tees, it's too easy and far less interesting off the standard tee pegs.
Looking forward to hearing what you think, it's seldom a hit on the first visit, but I'm hoping a good golfer will look at it more objectionally than the myopic Mac or singular visit of Gael

super_realist wrote:Mav, It's never occured to me before, but do you think Gael is Mac's mum?

Well she definately isn't his other half as she isn't a 12year old made up pretend wizard that requires being on some form of special register :whislte:

If the OP question was which course have you played that you were most disappointed with then my list would be:

1. TOC - Overrated, quite poorly laid out with only a handful of decent holes, and avery mediocre finish.
2. TPC Sawgrass- Beautiful course and when you see it on TV you just want to get out there and play, but when i played it was not allowed to play from the Tour tees so had to play it at members length and complete disappointment and not much of a challenge from those.
3. Forest Of Arden - Same as Davie said, overhyped pile of average

S_R ... the title of thread is "What's the worst course you've ever played". Quite apart from the fact there were no qualifying conditions attached to this question why on earth would I want to go back and play the worst course I have ever played a second time?

It does not matter what course you play, it's what you score that makes the difference, if you shoot 5 under gross on any course you will think its a reasonable course, if you shoot 5 over your handicap you will start blame the course and everything else.

Some course's are more appealing to the eye than others, the ones that do not appeal to the eye, are the one's I am sure you will not play well on, and vice versa.

I veiw all golf course's are a challenge, the one's I am not keen on playing are the ones that are notorious for 5 to 6 hour rounds, but I do hate slow play.

Whispering sands in Saudi. 35 - 40C with a 15-25 mph constant wind blowing.

A sand and browns course where you take your own astroturf to play off.

Browns were oiled sand and you brushed them before and after your putts. Ran truer than some greens over here though.

I think the Forest of Arden is a little gem of a course set within a deer park, would enjoy to play that any day of the week.

Kwini will see this coming miles away ...

Valley View Golf Course in Utica, NY. Not such a bad track, and I would probably enjoy it if I had it all to myself. Trouble is, worst run management I've ever come across. Rude, non-professional, totally mismanaged place. It is to golf club management as road gravel is to the gem industry!

Gael, I was of the same opinion as you when I first played it. Now that i've played it more I've seen the point of it and it makes sense. Also the majority of the things you didn't like about it have been changed.
In any event the name of the thread is the "worst" course, not the one you enjoyed the least.

When you're done reading Mac his bedtime stories from Doaks book you should get out there and play it again.

The "majority of things" S_R? You make it sound like I'd a list of things the length of my arm.

Unless the lumps - sorry, waves - in the middle of the fairways have been removed and greens flattened to something approaching normality then, frankly, I'd rather spend an afternoon with dentilla the hygenist!

BlueCoverman wrote:Basildon!

Not so much for the course but you need to be tooled up to play it! Just in case you have the misfortune to wander into the path of the neanderthals in hoodies from the nearby council estate that roam the course looking for trouble!

Ah yes! Know it (reasonably) well as in-laws live not far from there. Certainly lots of pinheads in the area.

St Neots..........folllowed by Thames Ditton and Esher.

gaelgowfer wrote:The "majority of things" S_R? You make it sound like I'd a list of things the length of my arm.

Unless the lumps - sorry, waves - in the middle of the fairways have been removed and greens flattened to something approaching normality then, frankly, I'd rather spend an afternoon with dentilla the hygenist!

Gael, virtually all of the bumps have been removed from the middle of fairways, some burns re-orientated and greens have been made a lot fairer, they're still tough if you are on the wrong side but to put things in perspective I had something like 24 putts the last time I played it, so the greens certainly aren't as harsh as they used to be.
Despite what Mac says from his Doak perspective (despite him never playing it), it's a wonderful course with a good difference between the tees and many ways to play each hole. Definitely worth a revisit.

MustPuttBetter wrote:Broadstone
Terrible!!

I know you are lying because they don't let people off your handicap on the course

I wonder how goldwolf feels about "mckay1402" selecting Cherwell Edge?

Glad to see St.Neots already has two votes; think they'd also win the title of "most pillocks at a golf club", too.

I used to live in St Neots, glad I never joined the course!

I've played some proper Poopie in my time, but the award probably goes to Rushmere near Ipswich. It has some illustrious neighbours, such as Woodbridge and Purdeys Heath, but despite being on similar soil it's absolute cack. Really poorly maintained, first is about the only decent hole and because it is public land, there are dogs everywhere. I played it in a society and in 'honour' of the day we now have a small trophy, which is a plinth bearing a golf ball sat on a dog turd, which is awarded to the last placed player each month.

St Neots I believe qualifies for the worst hole on a golf course as well.
It is a dog leg par four, can't remember the hole as they are all so forgettable.
It is played alongside open fields where you hit a 6 iron into a void then a 4 iron towards the green.

You lot are very picky.

I've played some good courses and some not so good ones, but I never played anywhere where I thought 'I'd rather be in the office'.

George
I used to say to my staff that you can play a poor course but still come away with a good idea.












I think St Neots was the exemption.

George1507 wrote:You lot are very picky.

I've played some good courses and some not so good ones, but I never played anywhere where I thought 'I'd rather be in the office'.

I agree George - However, there was this course near Hinckley I think, that was so forgettable, I cannot even remember its name or any of the holes that really were one small step away from a farmers field! I do remember it was for sale, that is why I played it with a friend who was thinking about buying it and wanted to know if it was worth it. It wasn't and he didn't!

super_realist wrote:Charleton in East Neuk of Fife, complete toilet of a course.

SR, why do you think Charleton is so bad? I played it last year and thought it was ok.

drive4show wrote:I know you are lying because they don't let people off your handicap on the course

Ha ha ha, well played!
Just messing around obviously, to see if you were paying attention. Took longer than expected!

I've not played the number of courses most of you lot have, but i really hated St Mellion!

EmmDee57 wrote:

super_realist wrote:Charleton in East Neuk of Fife, complete toilet of a course.

SR, why do you think Charleton is so bad? I played it last year and thought it was ok.

Em, it's just dreary, another course built on fields with virtually no imagination. Although given what is within half an hours drive it's made to look worse than it probably is.

Old shanker.I am a Hickley resident.Would you care to say roughly when you played the course near Hinckley that was for sale.Im thinking maybe Anstey.Intruiged to find out which one.Another 9 holer at bramcote was for sale methinks.

Obviously, the condition of a course and how well you play can sway your opinion of a course, so I tend not to try and form an opinion until I've played it several times.

Having said that my vote, after playing it 4 or 5 times (and no more) would go to Sandford Springs in Hampshire. Odd set of 3 courses that they've tried to make very different (parkland, woodland, lakes or something), but failed miserably as they all seemed pretty much the same to me. Greens were poor and the fairways are inconsistent, so much so that they should play preferred lies during summer IMO!

MustPuttBetter wrote:

drive4show wrote:I know you are lying because they don't let people off your handicap on the course

Ha ha ha, well played!
Just messing around obviously, to see if you were paying attention. Took longer than expected!

I've not played the number of courses most of you lot have, but i really hated St Mellion!

I was off yesterday playing, didn't go online until late in the evening. You should come down for a game so you can find out for yourself how bad it is

I'm also from Hinckley, would concur if it is Ansty absolute pants, but would be intrigued to know.

dynamark: where do you play

drive4show wrote:I was off yesterday playing, didn't go online until late in the evening. You should come down for a game so you can find out for yourself how bad it is

Agreed
Maybe we should try a 606 get together at Broadstone? Night out in Bournemouth after?

MustPuttBetter wrote:

drive4show wrote:I was off yesterday playing, didn't go online until late in the evening. You should come down for a game so you can find out for yourself how bad it is

Agreed
Maybe we should try a 606 get together at Broadstone? Night out in Bournemouth after?

Now you're talking!

JAS and NST would def be up for it, we might be able to persuade Davie to come down as well as it's not too far for him. IIt's my turn to invite Puligny down to my place as well.

Anytime after mid October would be good for me, anyone else interested?

Anytime after mid October would work for me

If there are handicap restrictions I'd probably be ruled out! (I hope that was just a joke)

I agree with Doon about Thames Ditton & Esher but outside of the UK I'd have to give Monte Mayor my vote. It's like crazy golf!!

Davie wrote:If there are handicap restrictions I'd probably be ruled out! (I hope that was just a joke)

Davie, you'd be fine, as long as you can carry the ball 280 yards off the tee you'll be OK

Seriously, I think the handicap limit is about 24 but I've never known anyone's handicap to be checked.

Blue Fox.I am at Forest Hill(which has also been sold fairly recently)Used to be at Hinckley when I first started and get a few games at Lutterworth each year.Just driven by Hinckley and they have removed all the conifers from around the first tee.Should have played there yesterday with a mate over from Oz but work got it the way Drat

280 yard carry should be fine D4 .. 2 five irons will just about get me there :P

TM2K wrote:I agree with Doon about Thames Ditton & Esher but outside of the UK I'd have to give Monte Mayor my vote. It's like crazy golf!!

The worst bit about Monte Mayor is trying to find the bloody place! Having said that, I quite enjoyed the challenge of attempting to find the fairways and not the ravines!...