Which Course at the Belfry?

Hi my wife is kindly treating me to a stay and play at the Belfry. (I say treating me she has booked the golf and at the same time a spa day for herself at the Belfry so I'm not to sure who's getting the most out of this treat but I'm not compalining)

In the pakage she has booked bed, breakfast,evening meal and 36 holes, 18 on the Derby and 18 on the PGA for £125 which seems reasonable for a summer rate to me, but I have enquired and for an additional £40 I can play the Derby and the Brabazon or for an extra £75 play the PGA and the Brabazon.

I would like to play the Brabazon and as this is my first time round the Belfry I am just wondering if not playing the Brabazon is going to dull the experience somewhat or if the other 2 courses will be just as enjoyable and a September return to the Brabazon when prices are cheper may be a better way to go.

Anyone's input on this would be much appreciated

Cheers

Not a bad price Gary, you are effectively getting bed, breakfast and evening meal for £10 on the current full green fees.  When are you playing, I may be on the course. 

In ascending order I'd go Derby, Brabazon, PGA.  As a member who has played all three, I think the PGA is the best.  The Derby will be a bit of a let down as at it's worst it's no better than a decent muni.  At it's best though it plays like a mid-range private course.  The Brab has some good and memorable holes, but some bland ones too.  Putt well and you'll score very well on it.  The PGA is the most challenging of the courses and does favour the longer hitter on most of the holes.  The greens are just as quick and nasty as the Brab and the usual stimpmeter reading are 10.5 on the Brab and 10 on the PGA. 

What I will say is unless you are shooting mid-90's or better most rounds you will find the PGA and Brab a struggle. 

Obviously these are just my opinions.  Paul Williams is a member there and no doubt he will post his views. 

Chris I'm going on the 9/10 July and I have heard a few bad reports on the Derby but I suppose it could be a nice tune up for the PGA. Fortunatly at the minute I am consistantly around 90-95 (could quickly change) so am looking forward to the challange.

I have also heard reports about pushy marshalls on the Brabazon is this the case on the PGA?

Last time I played the Derby they had aerated, hollotined and slashed all the greens and were just sanding them.  They were unputtable.  We were fuming because we could've gone out on the PGA instead and they didn't even warn us.  I'm playing the PGA this weekend so I'll have a look at the Derby while I'm there to see how it looks.  The wife's cousin is married to a green keeper there and he actually prefers the Derby to the other courses. 

Very rare you'll get rushed around the PGA.  I was approached by one marshall on Saturday and asked if I was happy with the pace of play as I was a single, three holes up and up with play.  Told him I was fine with it and he just said, "No problem, enjoy your game". 

 Gary I would defo do the upgrade for the Brab and PGA , The Brab will be at its best this time of year and the most enjoyable

I would be livid if they did that to me you can understand that work has to be done on a course but some warning would be nice maybe a discount or some kind of compensation.

I think by the sounds of it it's best left as it is if the PGA is still a quality course and if there are no marshalls it will suit me much better all my bad swings come from being far to quick. Being rushed on the Brabazon would not be inducive to a steady calm mental state and a steady smooth tempo through the ball, mind you It would be hard pushed for me to find a steady calm mental state at a yoga class but never mind I suppose grip it and rip it will have to do for now.

How stringent are they on checking handicaps for the PGA course?...a couple of us are playing Sunday 19th July (we are also playing the Derby on the Saturday!) we dont have official club handicaps either.

Cheers

Gary - as long as you are up with play on the Brab the marshalls willleave you alone.  We were only hassled as we were first out and setting the pace for the day.

Matt - They don't!  If they ask at golf reception when you report for your game (which the girls on there never do), you're off "about 20" and have played the course before.  Then we you check in with the starter he'll ask if you've played the course before.  Just say no as he often gives you some good tips. 

What are your tee times Matt, I may join you (if the wife will let me!)

Chris I don't envisage being slow and would definately not class my self as a slow player quiet the opposite which is sometimes a little annoying for the folk in front but like I say it only takes a few bad shots to lose a bit of pace and I'm not going to hit all the fairways and greens with every shot(if I did you would all be hearing about it on here anyway) so for me at the level I'm at the PGA may suit me more as it would be a mlittle less pressure on to play well and i can just enjoy it and we all know this is when we play our best.

Nice advice on the handicapp thing I have a club handicapp but my playing partner doesn't so will use it. It does seem a bit silly though this handicapp requirment I have a qualifying handicapp and my playing partner who is a much better golfer than me doesn't and it seems silly that if checked I could play and he could not. 

In fairness unless you are shooting mid-90's on a regular basis (circa 24 handicap) you would struggle with the Brab and PGA because they can be very penal when you get it wrong - trust me on this!!!

I live between The Belfry and the Forest of Arden.  The FOA also has a 24 handicap limit on the the Arden course, but it's not a requirement it's a recommendation.  They don't enforce it, they just advise you that if you don't play to that standard you will find the course quite difficult and may not enjoy the game.

Are you trying to put me off chris???

No I appreciate the advice like I say I am now playing well enough to feel confident that I can play these courses and enjoy them, something 6 months ago I don't think I would have done due to my inconsistancy and still shooting the odd 100+ round luckily at the minute these are a thing of the past and if I play well I could walk away with a decent score (all depending on how my putter works) I'm not worried abot the length or tightness of any course as this has never really intimidated me but tough greens and approaches can trouble me if i'm off my game I suppose this is the same with all 20+ handicappers and the only way to get better at this is to play the top courses as it is in these areas that they really excel and challange a player.

Hmm, I edited one charatcer on this post and the whole posting disappeared.  Anyway, to say again.

Chris, thanks for your advice.

You are more than welcome to join us on Sunday 19th July on the PGA course.  We have a 10:40am tee time.  Would be nice to meet up with you... although I could struggle on this course gulp.  Oh well : )

On Saturday 18th July we have a (non-serious) works competition on the Derby course, with 16 of us taking part.  Unfortunately, you wont be able to join us on this one.

So, hope to meet up with you on the 19th July if you can make it.  Let me know

Matt

Gary - "tough greens and approaches can trouble me if i'm off my game".  Errrrr, there may be an issue here.  You OK with fast (10.0 on the stimpmeter on the PGA and 9.0 on the Derby), breaking, occaisionally two-tiered, raised big greens (some are 30 plus yards front to back) that are protected by high-faced bunkers and sometimes water?  Easy peasy!

Matt - I'll see what I can do, as long as they haven't paired you up already with another two-ball.  Mr Williams may join us. 

Gary , I wouldn't worry about marshalls on the course that's a positive thing they should b on more courses.

Correct.  I'll give them a call in a bit.

Chris, Only experience I have on difficult greens is at the cavandish the course was designed by Dr Alistair Mckenzie the guy who designed Augusta so they are prettty well hidden and full of breaks(big and suttle) and are pretty quick too but not to sure what they measure on the STIMP meter or what the STIMP meter is I'll google it in a min. Like I say though that's one pf the reasons I'm looking forward to it so much you don't get many golf courses with greens and approaches like the ones at the Belfry that's what sets them apert from the rest.

Dave, I agree marshalls are a good thing some people are slow for slow sake but I only mentioned it as I have heard from a few people some on here that the marshalls on the Brab are pushy for pushies sake. I understand being told to get a squirt on when you are slowing play down but if you are at a reasonable pace and not affecting anyone then there shouldn't be aneed to get told to hurry up, it may just be me being a little bit nervous about having a bad game on a difficult course.

it's been said already but the PGA is the best (imo), you are correct, the winter deals are great, at the end of 2007 we had a fourball on the b+b playing the brab and the pga for £115, from the reports from other golfer's there the derby is a waste of time.

Gary,

the PGA is the best, it's kind of a mixture of the other 2 put together. I only think the marshalls are pushy on the Brab because it's the Brab. If they have a lot of people moaning about slow play ect there is the possibilty of them not returning & that's a lot of revenue.

You'll get the marshall's driving around the PGA but mainly to just watch, I've only ever had 1 incident where the Marshall's kept hassling us on the PGA & that was in the comp that Chris Perry organised & everyone was slow. Totally spoilt my last 5 holes.

John.