Belfry offer

Normal day at work on Friday, looking forward to half term when I get a phone call from one of regular playing partner. Conversation goes like this:

Joe: Alright mate, I've just got an email from the Belfry offering Dinner, B&B, 2 rounds of golf.

Me: Sounds good mate, how much?

Joe: Playing the Brabazon and the Derby!

Me: How much?

Joe: It says £99

Me: Bollocks

Joe: Hold on, I'll check.

Phone goes dead.

Phone rings again 5 minutes later.

Joe: Alright mate, yep Brab and Derby, Dinner B&B, £99

Me: Bollocks

Joe: I've booked it

Me: Bollocks

Joe: Yep, Tee off Wednesday Brab 12:00, oh and full use of Spa facilities

Me: Bollocks

Joe: Honestly, I'll pick you up at 8:00 on Wednesday.

Me: Bloody hell, speechless.

Joe: Gotta go, see you later.

Me: (Off the phone) GET IN!

So, yeah within 10 minutes of receiving the email he'd booked it and I'm off to play one of the courses I've always wanted to. And what a deal, what a deal!

How do they justify this? The green fees alone are £160 for the Brab and £45 for the Derby. Accommodation must be £60-70, dinner £25, breakfast £10? That's £300!

I still can't quite believe it. Its fantastic.

So,

Any tips? How far to carry the green on the 10th? How far is the carry on 18 over the water?

any tips?

take plenty of cash with you

Magners will set you back £6 in the 19th, and a mars bar from the refreshment truck will be about £1.50.

There isn't alot near the course so in essence you have to pay through the nose for any 'extras'.

The Derby will feel a big let down after the Brabazon, but i hope you enjoy the experience

I think the upgrade to play the PGA instead of the Derby is about £20-30 each Chris. I strongly suggest you pay it. The Derby is on a par with a good muni or average private course in my opinion. I also think the PGA is the best stroke play course of the three they have

I can justify having my opinion because I used to be a member

An opinion is just that, Chris, an opinion. I don't rate any of the Belfry courses. The PGA is one of the worst designed course I have ever played.

Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Always wanted to play there, and never done a golf break like this, so nothing to compare to. I am tempted to upgrade to the PGA National though on the Thursday.

Thanks for the advice gents, keep it coming.

Appreciate your opinion John and its one you have shared before. The PGA is designed from scratch on flat open land and is built to USGA standards with a modern more "target golf" feel and water and high faced bunkers for protection. I know you are no lover of USGA construction and that your view (I agree by the way) is that a well designed course does not need water to protect it. It also doesn't suit your game style as it's not really possible to run the ball in; it needs to be airborne

My view is that the PGA is the best of the three. It is parkland 1 to 5 and 14 to 18, with 6 to 13 more inland links (4, 12 and 16 are personal favourites). The Brabazon trades off the the name a bit as there are as many ordinary holes as good ones (I like the 3rd); it's much more suited to match play than stroke play. The Derby a bit "meh" in my view, but it does get tougher and tougher as you go round it

Firstly Chris W, it's a cracking deal!

I've never played the Derby but personally if you can I'd also recommend giving the PGA a go. Ignoring the electricity pylons that run over some of the holes the PGA is a cracking course and like Chris I rate over the Brab.

Don't get me wrong the Brab is a nice course, condition is usually fantastic, and it's great to play at least once due to it's history but give me the choice and I'd play the PGA everytime (given I've played the Brab twice).

£99 for dinner + b/b is cheap (as food is expensive!) even forgetting you have 2 rounds of golf as well :-)

Def upgrade IMO if it is a max of £30 extra

Enjoy the day you lucky bugger :-) If your mate ever gets any deals down south then please let me know

Like others have said, the Derby is poor. Go for the PGA upgrade.

Garry makes a good point about the requirement for 24 handicap or better not being checked. However, on the Brabazon there are marshals constantly making their way around. They reserve the right to move people to an "easier" course (the Derby) if they feel you are not of a good enough standard and I have seen them enforce it. The starter usually watches down the first hole to see if the players can actually play the game

If you find you are being unduly held up or there's a group of hackers in front, a call to golf reception to advise them usually sees a Marshall out within 5-10 minutes to warn them. For some reason, they don't like you playing through though

Chris I had a similar deal about 6-7 years ago and it was a great weekend. We played Brabazon and Derby. The Derby was very ordinary like any £25 muni but the brabazon was good. A lot of great holes also a few quite ordinary. 3rd , 10th, 18th stand out. Our trip coincided with a celeb party. ( Ryan giggs brothers 21st I think. There were celebs all over. Robbie, Joe calzagie, Simon le bon etc etc. It was unreal. You will have a great couple of days. PS the drinks were a bit steep.( as are most hotels ) Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Some great reading here boys. Loving it, learning all the time. I'm over excited now, like a kid at Christmas. I think I'm going to try and get an upgrade to the PGA on Thursday.

I've stocked up of drinks, choccy, and what not - that'll save me £20

See you all on the other side. WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Oh forgot to say, the deal is still going

Belfry Link

Not sure if I can post that, Darren?

Well I'm back, soaked to the bone, but what an experience that was.

It did not stop raining from the minute we arrived, to the minute we left! There was a buggy ban this morning on all 3 courses, bunkers full of water, fairways with massive puddles and a flooded path next to the 1st on the Derby.

I loved the Brabazon, it was great to play on a course and think I remember Monty and Tiger making putts on here at the Ryder Cup, Mickleson's flop shot from ON the green on the 18th. I loved being in the clubhouse, talking the starters about the history, staring in wonder at the 10th (pushed my bloody drive into the tress though - made par though

I shot 34 points on the Brabazon, which I'm really, really pleased with considering the weather - I was soaked. It would have been more, only I got greedy on 18, and got wet

We did book in to play the PGA today, but played we decided not to in those conditions. I quite liked the Derby, a new course with some good potential, I think.

Overall a fantastic couple of days, I will certainly be doing this again, sooner rather than later.