Golf near Bristol - The Kendleshire, Mathern and Woodspring

Any comments on the above courses, anyone?

Nope but The Players is a half decent track, just a mile or so off the M4.

and you're only 30 minutes from Celtic Manor.

Bizarrely, never played any of them and I'm from down that way. Woodspring is about 5 mins from old folks house too - new(ish) course.

You're not far from St. Pierre which is a good track. As are Burnham & Berrow or Weston-super-Mare; last two are decent links.

Couldn't let you get away without a recommendation for my old stamping ground of Long Ashton. Chris Wood's from there btw...

Check out painswick

http://www.painswickgolf.com/

Comment: avoid Woodspring.

If you're after social golf with a few mates and a drink afterwards it's probably OK, but if you're looking for a decent course avoid it like the plague. I wouldn't play there if you paid me.

I haven't played Kendleshire since in first opened in the nineties, but it's got a good reputation if a little pricey.

Don't know anything about Mathern. Players is OK if a little uninteresting, I'd second recommendations for Long Ashton and St Pierre.

All just my opinion of course.....

Tiler76 wrote:Comment: avoid Woodspring.

If you're after social golf with a few mates and a drink afterwards it's probably OK, but if you're looking for a decent course avoid it like the plague. I wouldn't play there if you paid me.

I haven't played Kendleshire since in first opened in the nineties, but it's got a good reputation if a little pricey.

Don't know anything about Mathern. Players is OK if a little uninteresting, I'd second recommendations for Long Ashton and St Pierre.

All just my opinion of course.....

Cheers, Fella.

We played The Kendleshire two years ago, 27 holes, and enjoyed the course. Bit pricey as explained above but the course is on our county card so good value for us. It's on our hit list again for this year.

Tiler76 wrote:Comment: avoid Woodspring.

If you're after social golf with a few mates and a drink afterwards it's probably OK, but if you're looking for a decent course avoid it like the plague. I wouldn't play there if you paid me.

I haven't played Kendleshire since in first opened in the nineties, but it's got a good reputation if a little pricey.

Don't know anything about Mathern. Players is OK if a little uninteresting, I'd second recommendations for Long Ashton and St Pierre.

All just my opinion of course.....

We've booked the courses mentioned above.

We checked out Woodspring with lots of other people and they all said it was OK. What is it about the course that upsets you?

Woodspring has one of the poorest layouts in the area to be honest. My home club is the players and it had a europro event there a couple of weeks ago and is in cracking condition. Uninteresting is not a word I would use to describe it. It's testing and water is a feature on 8 of the holes and there are all sorts of hole designs. The Kendleshire is where my son is at and is always in very good condition and in my opinion is a little easier than The Players, but a good layout. Cannot comment on Mathern as never heard of it to be honest.

The Kendleshire is ok. played it last year on a £50 for a fourball offer so not sure where the "pricey" tag is coming from. Given the choice though I'd take the Players which is just off J18 of the M4. The 2 courses are kind of related in that they were designed by the same guy but the Players is a bit more of a championship layout (it hosts a Europro Tour event every year)


Wouldn't mind a pop at Long Ashton but coming from Wiltshire it's the wrong side of Bristol for me

Merc

To be fair it's a few years since I played Woodspring. I actually bumped into a mate of mine recently who now works up there, and he reckons it's in good nick, but then I guess he would say that. I've played there a couple of times in competitions over the years, not really enjoyed it and it just struck me as a field with some flags stuck in it. Not good quality, not particularly good hole designs, although the facilities are pretty good.

I'd be interested in your thoughts after you've played? I wouldn't put Woodspring on the same level as any of the other courses mentioned though.


Faldo

Ref the "uninteresting" comment, no offence meant. I like the Players, but it's the wrong side of Bristol for me to play too often though. For me, some of the holes are a bit samey and it's quite open and therefore lack some definition, but maybe that's a bit unfair since the course is still relatively new. No doubting the quality though, and I think we'll both agree there's no comparison with Woodspring!!

JAS

Looking for an afternoon's golf with a mate last year, Kendleshire was an option but at something like £45 each for a round, we considered that a little "pricey". Depends on your definition I guess, but it's at the top end of the Bristol courses. Most are around the £20-25 range I'd say.

Or maybe I'm just tight!!

Unless something very special, I wouldn't pay more than 30 quid to play a cheeky round with a pal. If it was with the boys on an away day something would be negotiated with a bit of grub or a room granted, but I wouldn't be interested in some of the crazy prices I see advertised. For example, playing a two round final comp at royal lytham and st annes through my pharmaceutical wholesaler beginning of sept (all the trimmings probably worth about 800 quid with everything included, fancy hotel drink meals etc, but struggling to find a course nearby for a practice round somewhere in the vacinity the morning before check in the hotel) I am loathe to pay 60 quid to play a round of golf myself. That may be construed being a tight Scotsman (albeit residing in the south west) but if I offer someone 20 quid for 9 holes that I would do in an hour and 20 on a quiet Tuesday lunchtime I think they should be taking it, maybe that's just me

tarka

Unfortunately, if you want to play a course of any decent quality then £50+ is the going rate. I know golf is a bit cheaper down in the SW but the decent tracks down there (Saunton, St Enodoc, B+B) all charge about £60 a round.

I think in golf you get pretty much what you pay for with only a few exceptions.

Yeah d4s but being local and a member of 2 clubs I wouldn't be playing golf for anything over 25 quid in Devon and Cornwall, perhaps maybe a bit more for saunton ( which I have yet tO play) I get freebees at st mellion and if any member of my clubs want to play it there are plenty connections through the pro shop of guys with corporate membership who are just happy to have it used on that day.

Played 8 rounds at st mellion, all Nicklaus course and combined cost has been 25 quid, maybe 2 bottles of magners and a shop soiled gift of joop jump aftershave (previous post). I think the going rate is 70 -90 flap

N.b played bude, a decent links track on Thursday for 16.00 pound, I can play Tavistock for a tenner, okehampton, china fleet, st Austell, tehidy park all for a nominal one pound to cover insurance through a reciprocal agreement after joining launceston gc for about 500 quid Per annum and I am a country member at Looe gc and I can play in comps and have access to what ever I like. I'll be honest I do well here out of it, maybe only second to being a resident of the kingdom of fife or something like that

Tiler. No offence taken mate. I had to leave the course that I was a member of for 24 years because the new owners didn't want members. It was Tracy Park which isn't that far from The Players. It also had 36 holes and was a course I could enjoy playing week in week out. I had to find a course nearby that offered the same and The Players and The Kendleshire were the one's we considered. The Kendleshire wanted a joining fee and The Players didn't so decision was easy. Best decision I ever made because it's in excellent condition,always has some sort of competition on the go, the people are freindly and it's a good test of golf. At the end of the day golf courses are down to personal taste, but as you say, we both agree on Woodspring!

Tomorrow brings the start of this mini-tour.



First up, The Kendleshire.

Merc - hope the West Country weather is kind for you!

Faldo - played Tracy Park recently in a team match. First time I've been there for years, and the course was in really poor condition. Shame because as a junior I remember it being a really top course. As I understand it, the new owners are prioritising the renovation of the hotel/spa over the course. Wrong priorities in my opinion, but I guess the owners have the right to manage as they see fit, and the golf course is secondary to them. Oh, and I much preferred it when the hole along the road was the 1st. Much better opening hole. But maybe I'm just showing my age...

Tracy Park was always a dump IMO; nice to see it's still aiming high.

Tiler. Not played Tracy Park since I left. It doesn't surprise me about the state of the course. I just find it really sad, but as you say the owner has his priorities and the course is near the bottom of that list. I agree with you about the old first hole.Always a testing opening drive!

Navy - Can't agree with you there mate. I agree it's not been in the best condition for a number of years, but always a dump is a tad harsh. I always found it a good test of golf and interesting enough to play week in week out for 24 years IMO.

Waiting with baited breath to hear what Merc thinks of the Kendleshire and which 2 of the 9's you played. I've only played the Kendleshire once but thoroughly enjoyed it (helped by the fact that I managed it in 3 under my handicap). Decent track but it does kind of feel like The Players Club's wee brother.

My son is a junior there and they have a really good junior section. I also like the course JAS and would have seriously considered going there over The Players if they would have dropped the joining fee.

Faldo

Probably right there. Maybe "dump" is a bit OTT but I never liked it albeit I haven't played there for a good few years now.

THE KENDLESHIRE – Badminton/Hollows(?)

We started on the Badminton 9 and I was not impressed with the 300 yard trek to get to the first tee.

The greens were in great condition and I liked all of the Par 3s. Overall, the 18 we played were good without having the ‘wow’ factor,


WOODSPRING - Brunel/Severn

At first we thought it was just a huge field but it showed more character as the round went on.

My favourite hole was probably the par three 2nd.


ST PIERRE – Mathern

Probably, my favourite of the three we played.

There were a couple of real tough holes (S.I. 1 & 2), and some of the par 3s were of a testing length, especially with the headwind. The par/yardage/feel is similar to my home course. I would recommend this one to play.


MY GAME

As great as a lot of my ironplay was, my 70-yard in game was poor. My short game had been very good recently, but I lost all feel over the weekend and cost myself lots of shots. Playing off 16 on all three days, I scored 33-31-32.


LOCATION

We stayed at the Marriott in Bristol City Centre which was a great venue. We had great rooms and the three course meal in the hotel each night, which was included in the cost of the whole weekend (£235), was good quality. The additional £12.50 cost per day to park at the NCP next to the hotel was a bit of a shock, mind.

We went to see some live, jazz-tinged, music (well, there was a saxophonist in both bands) each night at The Old Duke in King Street. Great stuff, especially 5000AD on the Saturday evening who were great musicians and only did tracks of 12 minutes length.

All in all, a great trip with great banter and even some, albeit sporadic, great golf.

Glad to hear you had a good trip. There's me recommending St Pierre, without realising that the Mathern was at St Pierre!! I've only ever played the Old Course - which I love - and whilst the Mathern is a lot shorter I would imagine it is still good quality and a good test.

My favourite comment is this (slightly out of context):

Mercurio wrote:WOODSPRING - Brunel/Severn

At first we thought it was just a huge field

I agree!!