Natural sand dunes scattered all around the green. The course is open and playable almost every day of the year thanks to its excellent draining system and first-class greens staff. Anyway, back to the par 5 8th, you cant see where you are going for your second so I just knocked a 7 iron over but once over the path etc there is plenty of room and it is a nice par 5. Tremendous traditionalist links track and Club, which I had previously visited but not played, so as a birthday treat we took ourselves round with the dog too as they are allowed. Going back to my question about the normal prevailing wind, the 15th at stroke index 18 made me take a second look. Its no lottery - you simply need to execute a good shot in the absence of seeing the flag. The chip from the right side as intimidating as it is, if the pin is left, you can play it well past the hole and use the slope to bring it back. The green sits on the side of a dune, an approach from the right has to carry a bunker with the green angled across you but an approach from the left gives you the full length of the green to aim at. A feat of incalculable odds also occurred at Hunstanton. It was downwind and as it turned out it wasnt as bad as it looked and as long as you clear the scrub-land and bunkers and dont go too far right (like I did ending up on OB on the practice ground!) You can see how the land would have looked prior to the course being laid out - and laid out is the appropriate word - there is little sculpting done, the holes apart from the greens simply run over the dunes. If you reach the crest of the hill, you can see the green on the second shot. The 8th is an interesting par 5 out from the clubhouse and 9 is another par 5 that turns back alongside it so whichever way the wind blows you will cop it in one of them. Whilst short, having not played it before, my second shot with a short iron looked awesome, a few feet from the pin on the raised green. Indeed, when the Brabazon was played here in 2003 some of the worlds finest amateurs struggled to come close to matching par. The half set movement is inherently linked to the growing subculture of retro, millennial, minimalist golf We introduce you to it here. The course is laid out through the rolling dunes and also on flat links land behind. There would be no need for practice rounds before competitions and courses would be quickly boring if there was nothing to work out. Links golf will always feature blind shots, I get that, its just really not for me that hole. The fifth heads out (downwind today) and then six turns left towards the sea. From here onwards you are taken on a brilliant Golfing adventure that weaves along, in and around some sublime coastal ridges and dunes in many different directions. Tees and fairways were great, the rough was mainly good. A plateau green fronted by a steep slope that rejects anything short also has two deep bunkers that swallow anything left. And the 18th with the beach huts flanking the right hand side, whilst straight forward, has the green complex raised up outside the clubhouse. After a slightly pedestrian opening five holes, Hunstanton really bursts into life with the approach shot into the short par-4 6th. Stand on the 11th tee and not only can you survey a par four of genuine championship stature, you will also be able to see the clubhouse in the distance. I will start with 17, this is one of the best par 4s Ive ever played. Good hole, even more so as parred it ! This course is available as part of the Norfolk Golf Coast. Due to its location overlooking The Wash, Hunstanton is the only golf course on the east coast of England where the sun sets over the sea, providing some striking views in both summer and winter. Hunstanton or Brancaster? - the par 3 14th, whilst 220 yards and played into a stiff wind is straight forward enough and a well hit shot should be rewarded with a ball on the green. What makes it even more interesting is the 100 yards of No Man's Land as a forced carry to a punch bowl green. See other reviews from Greg Watson. Championships hosted: or into the breeze (suddenly the bunker becomes twice the size). golf course rd, hunstanton, norfolk pe36 6jq See other reviews from Kevin Henley. I liked the back to back parallel par fives at 8 and 9, depending on the wind one will be tough and one will offer a birdie chance. Matter of opinion of course. With a world-class architect advising and a capable green-keeping team that is adept at making the evolutionary changes, the future is bright Hunstanton Golf Club. It involves an oscillating markerpost, a completely blind long iron or wood and the hope of a favourable downhill bounce to take you on to the large green. Dogs on leads are very welcome to accompany their owners while they play. The standout holes on the front 9 for me were 3, 6, the lovely par 3 7th, 8 and 9. Boys Amateur, Depending on the wind, finding and holding this green even with a short iron can be incredibly difficult and the penalties for missing it severe. Perhaps it is a little unfairly overshadowed in public estimation by its near neighbour Brancaster, which is altogether on a rather bigger and grander scale. Nevertheless, Hunstanton is a connoisseurs golf course, jammed full of memorable quality golf holes. The Womens Amateur, Hunstanton Golf Club was founded in 1891 and Hamon became the inaugural club president. Holes One through Eight are routed to the South of the dominant ridge. Eight to play and you can see you are miles from home and the stiff breeze is in your face. 17 and 18 are a glorious finish playing to the backdrop of the clubhouse with beach huts down the right hand side of 18 which has a deviously elevated green. The course itself is excellent. In between the two is 13. Beautiful driving hole, insanely difficult second, but still I believe fair, and the green complex is just a treat! I dont like par 5s where you cant hit driver, therefore I dont particularly care for the 8th although it has another great green complex. Three bunkers dominate the right side of the fairway at driving distance, so a long iron off the tee feels sensible. Holes like the Redan at Berwick, you can at least see the top of the pin, however here, at 210y with no idea where the green or pin is located is just terrible, maybe some people love it, but honestly, it requires luck and guessing. architectural analysis of the the 13th hole, Kevin Murray's Hunstanton Golf Club photography, Sean Arble's tour of Hunstanton Golf Club, WATCH KEVIN MURRAY'S HUNSTANTON PROMO VIDEO, Built and maintained to be a championship test. Try these featured posts from our Journal. Removed are the sleepers from the single bunker gaping before the green. Located on the beautiful north west Norfolk coast, Hunstanton is a superb championship links course. The pines standing behind the green and hut help frame the hole beautifully. Its a traditionalist's dream - a classic out and back layout, wind assisted for half the round and playing into a stiff breeze on the way back. A good hole should be able to be understood the first time you play it I feel. From there you work your way into the dunes to the picturesque one-shotter that is the unofficial 'signature' hole, the 7th. Finding the high side on both is ideal. Coming home, the 14th is the only quirky hole, a long par three playing over the dune ridge it is completely blind from the tee with only a tall pole beyond the green as your target. Respond to above review woodthorpe hall golf club shore north lincolnshire A good hole should be able to be understood the first time you play it I feel, perhaps posts on top of the hill indicating the right edge & the left edge of the green may help. united kingdom. The 13th and 15th were my favourite holes. James Braid moved very little earth due to technological constraints. But it is only when you survey an approach to a plateau green with steep run-offs in all directions that you will know whether your tee shot was a good one or not. From equipment decadence to minimalism. For more than a century, golfers have walked the rolling fairways situated in a beautiful landscape of dunes and links-land grasses. Most of the inward holes are routed to the North of the dominant ridge. The course has undergone extensive redevelopment over the past five years under the guidance of Martin Hawtree, including new bunkering of all four par 5s and reshaping of the 8th and 10th holes. Having a drink of Gunners afterwards, reflecting on a class afternoon, and chatting with the members, this was how golf was meant to be. The last four holes offer a little bit of everything a five, a three and two fours. We like visitors to feel welcome at Hunstanton. Was this review helpful? I would love to go back there one day maybe use the opportunity to play Royal Norfolk. That is not the play. See other reviews from tamas. The 14th is a long blind par 3 very reminiscent of a hole at Prestwick, I cant immediately recall many other blind par 3s (ah there is one at Cruden Bay as well) anyway here came the second strangest thing I have been asked by signs this time on the tee and on the back of the green instructing you to oscillate the pole when leaving the green (to indicate to the following group you have cleared). In the year before the Great War, Cecil Leitch beat G Ravenscroft 2 and 1 to win the Ladies British Amateur Championship and in 1921, the great Joyce Wethered beat J Stocker to win the English Ladies Close Amateur Championship. A superb hole of strategy and options! site by sears Davies. Respond to above review A protective, broad ridge separates the sea from the golf course as a whole. 0 people found this review helpful Overall, a right to left shot shape would appear to gain the advantage on many of the holes out and back. Challenging visually with a dune blocking direct "down the hole ' visuals and pot bunkers down the right. I enjoyed the 1st while not long it needs accuracy if you are to start well. Respond to above review An absolute gem, and a beast. It is hard to know whether you would rather be playing downwind (how do you fly the bunker and hold the green?) Promise. Six is a very challenging short par 4. The journey to <14 and a Sunday Bag. Atop the right side of the ridge provides the best angle into the green, but also requires a perfectly placed 225-yard shot. Fully stocked professional shop. I hit a reasonable shot in (or so I thought) right half of the green, which took an alarming 90 degree right kick. Take Sean Arble's tour of Hunstanton Golf Club. Like many classic links, the course finishes with two demanding long par fours into the prevailing wind. With speed of play a particular issue of pride in these parts, you will be most likely be back in the cosy clubhouse within three hours.
hunstanton golf club course rating