York Golf Club - Strensall

[Andrew Mitchell]

I played there a few weeks ago in a corporate event. I hadn't played the course before or heard much about it.  Not much has been posted on here about it that I can find other than a couple of comments by Mark Rowlinson.

Essentially a flat site designed by J H Taylor in 1904. Built on heathland it is now quite densely populated with trees, although the fairways are generous enough not to intimidate the tee shot too much. The flatness of the site and the trees bordering each fairway could lead to a feeling of sameness but the routing results in there never being more than two consecutive holes running in the same direction.  The differing wind directions therefore does much to reduce the feeling of having played a similar hole before.

Two of the par threes were unusual in that you cross the boundaries to go outside of the course to play your tee shot to the green back on the course!

The course was in excellent condition when I played it in May (before one of the wettest Junes on record) with the greens running fast and true. No photos I'm afraid but link to the club's website is here.

Whilst Strensall is not a course you would necessarily travel several miles to play York is on the route from Manchester and/or Leeds to Ganton.  If one was looking to break that journey you could do far worse than play Strensall.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Andrew, Thanks for mentioning York.  I used to play it annually during the York Early Music Festival.  It was always in good condition.  Many preferred it to Fulford, another course always presented in first-class condition.  For such a big county (with 170+ clubs) Yorkshire doesn't have many courses on the radar (Ganton, Alwoodley, Moortown and Lindrick being the best known).  Other Yorkshire courses worth a visit if in the area would, for me, include Beverley (rough-and-ready common land course shared with bullocks and horses, but great fun), Hornsea (MacKenzie/Braid parkland by the sea), Cleveland (Yorkshire's oldest club and only links - very industrial), Harrogate (Sandy Herd - followed by tea at Betty's), Pannal (Herd - great scenery, strong 2-shotters), Scarborough North Cliff (good parkland course after you cross the road), Hallamshire (very good test, very compact site), Abbeydale (Fowler), Bingley St Ives (former public course and former European tour stop), Bradford (short but fascinating - Fowler?), Halifax (mad moorland), Headingley (Mac revamp in nice scenery), Huddersfield (Dunn, Herd, Fowler? - hilly, some excellent holes), Leeds (hilly, some fine holes), Otley (peaceful parkland), Ilkley (great fun over and around the River Wharfe), Sand Moor (part Mac, great views).  Was it you who commended Shipley to me?

[Andrew Mitchell]

Mark
The chaps I played Strensall with also said it was always in excellent condition - shame about the Army firing range next door!

As you say Yorkshire has a lot of courses, most of which fly under the radar.  Yorkshire has a long stretch of coastline but there are no links courses so the county does suffer in comparison with Lancashire, although the red rose county has no inland courses to compare with Alwoodley & Ganton.

I've played some but not all of the ones you mention. I'm at Ilkley this afternoon, always an enjoyable round there. By Huddersfield do you mean Fixby? I'm playing at Woodsome Hall (SE of Huddersfield) on Sunday for the first time so will report back on that.

It could have been me that mentioned Shipley to you.  A MacKenzie in a lush valley with six par threes. The area immediately north of Bradford is well served with what I would call good solid courses (probably 3 or 4 on the Doak scale).  In addition to Shipley and Bingley St Ives (an intriguing mix of parkland and heathland, originally attributed to MacKenzie but I know there are now doubts about that), there is Baildon (wild moorland) and my home course Northcliffe (hilly with some fine holes, particularly the opening few and closing holes). If you're ever in the area I'd be happy to host you at Northcliffe and any of the others in the area.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Andrew, I do mean Fixby by Huddersfield.  I'll be interested on your thoughts about Woodsome Hall.  The clubhouse is a fine old country house and they used to insist on jacket and tie throughout.  The course, however, is very disappointing.  There are some good holes, notably the 8th and 9th, but there are too many make-weight holes, especially on the back 9.  Small greens.

I forgot about Baildon - it has one of the most amusing websites of any club I know.  I don't know Northcliffe.  

[Andrew Mitchell]

Mark
We didn't get as far as the 8th at Woodsome Hall on Sunday!  We teed off in rain with a forecast of constant heavy rain for all afternoon. Standing water was beginning to appear on the greens by the time we played the 3rd and the klaxon went to signal play abandoned whilst we were on the 5th! 1 & 2 were fairly pedestrian, 3 was a good par 3 and 4 was a good driving hole with a long sweeping dog leg.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Andrew,  Bad luck.  Isn't the weather terrible.  I can't even venture into the garden to pick the peas, beans or spuds!

[Tags:]

Tags: