Crosland Heath pictures - at last!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

This is just a test:

Failed!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Sorry, I can't even delete the thread. I've sent a set of pics to Andy. Maybe he'll post them.

[Kirk Gill]

This is just a test:

Failed no longer !!!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Through the computer wizardry of Kirk Gill, I bring you these pictures at last.

1st, 475 yards par 5. Uphill, with this great pit awaiting the unwary trying for the green with a blind shot. The green shape and location is reminiscent of the 13th at Reddish Vale, also MacKenzie.


2nd, 153 yards par 3. Testing little short hole played across the same pit that affects the 1st. Narrow putting surface.


3rd, 506 yards par 5. Drive played blind over crest of hill, hence this ominous notice. Fortunately not too many winter tees were employed on the day of our visit.


More to follow

[Mark_Rowlinson]

3rd green


4th, 363 yards par 4. Uphill, making it seem quite a bit longer than the card yardage. OOB wall threatens on left all the way to the green.


5th, 457 yards par 4. VERY long, played uphill into the wind (and sun). Rather a slog for me!


More to follow

[Mark_Rowlinson]

6th, 353 yards par 4. Attractive hole with plenty of heather, gorse right and mounds left.


6th, Andy Levett playing a superb rescue shot from a horrid lie on one of the many humps found on the course - presumably covering a pile of stones.


7th, 304 yards par 4. Driveable by some (but not into the wind in which we played.) A hidden bunker front right of green is, i presume, not MacKenzie's.


More....

[Mark_Rowlinson]

8th, 382 yards par 4. Uphill, with raised green on summit, angled left to right with two well-positioned pot bunkers guarding the putting surface.


9th, 150 yards par 3. Another narrow green, on the far side of a deep gully.


9th - here you see just how deep that gully is


More...

[Mark_Rowlinson]

10th, 358 yards par 4. Inviting drive over heather to down-sloping fairway. Green set up beyond a left-front pond - MacKenzie?


11th, 334 yards par 4. At the back of the clubhouse, this is the alternative starting point. A pretty straightforward up hill hole.


12th, 176 yards par 3. Not a great picture (directly into the low sun). It was also into the teeth of a, by now, serious wind. My 5-wood did not reach from a tee set at about 150 yards! Driver would have been perfect!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

13th, 508 yards par 5. Played into the wind (and sun), emphasising the significant left to right slope on the fairway with omnipresent OOB threatening the right side. 


14th, 107 yards par 3. Charming little short hole across a sea of gorse....


14th....and bunkers, invisible from the tee.


15th, 500 yards par 5. Gently downhill, but with OOB road always a factor on the right.


16th, 388 yards par 4. From the tee it appears to be a copy of the 11th. In fact the green is interestingly located, angled away to the right between protective mounds.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

17th, 152 yards par 3. What a splendid set of short holes!


17th from nearer.


18th, 421 yards par 4. Sorry, my picture of the hole is not good, but this notice by the tee helps to ensure that the weight is fully transferred forward during the drive!

[Sean_A]

Mark

Thanks for a great set of pix.  How come I haven't heard about this course before?  It looks to be a lovely little gem that I would like to see.  How far is it from Alwoodley?

Ciao

[Dean Stokes]

About 25 miles Sean.

Over ten years since I've been there - unbelievable how much those firs have grown. Some of the holes look completely different now.

Looks like you guys got a pleasant day for it - very unusual

[Andrew Mitchell]

Mark

Your perserverance in getting these pictures on the site was well worth the effort!  Looks worth a visit.

Sean

From Alwoodley it would probably take you 45 minutes to an hour, assuming that the notorious M62 was relatively hassle free.  However, once you are at Alwoodley the temptation is to either play another 18 holes there or walk across the road to Moortown.

You really should take a trip up to Yorkshire someday.

[Paul_Turner]

Mark

I remember searching for this course when we were trying to compile a definitive list of "heath" courses:  http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,20383.0.html

But all I could find was a poor, grainy aerial from multimap.   Very nice to see some proper images ; the course looks to have a lot of character.  Do some holes take advantage of some older earthworks like Painswick etc?

 

[Andy Levett]

Glad you got the pics up Mark (and Kirk!).
It was a super day out and a really fun layout I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys 'sporty' courses and/or early MacK.
Typical of the good Doctor to see the quarry as an opportunity rather than a problem at a time it was hard to move much dirt. I liked the way routing takes you there and away again early, middle and late in the round.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Paul, There was a quarry here and MacKenzie used it very effectively. Some of the carries must be frightening for the ladies. I only discovered it by searching on Google Earth for something else and my eyes fell on what appeared to be expanses of heather. There is plenty of it, but I suspect it is moorland (as is Alwoodley) rather than Surrey-type heath. No matter, it is fun, inexpensive, welcoming and the drive home over Saddleworth Moor just added to the enjoyment.

[Jon Wiggett]

Course looks just as exciting as I remember it. As Dean says, the trees have really grown. When I last played most of the course was wide open.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Great set of pictures.  Autumn golf.  Lovely.

Thanks Mark

[Neil_Crafter]

Mark
thanks for the photos and your perserverence!
It looks a very interesting course with a very interesting set of par threes - would it be fair to suggest that Mackenzie mostly used the quarry for his one shot holes?
Pretty scary opening green first up and love the look of the second hole. Seems it was worth the trip.
cheers Neil

[Dean Stokes]

Paul, There was a quarry here and MacKenzie used it very effectively. Some of the carries must be frightening for the ladies. I only discovered it by searching on Google Earth for something else and my eyes fell on what appeared to be expanses of heather. There is plenty of it, but I suspect it is moorland (as is Alwoodley) rather than Surrey-type heath. No matter, it is fun, inexpensive, welcoming and the drive home over Saddleworth Moor just added to the enjoyment.

...........and there's another beauty in the wind - Saddleworth Golf Club. Perched high on the moor above the town of Saddleworth I remember this being a bear on a windy evening.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Neil, apart from the 1st, the other quarry holes are all par 3s. I think there's a plan of the course on the club's website and I imagine it would have been difficult to route longer holes over or through the quarry as there would be even more crossing of holes. Most of the current crossing is on short holes, which are much less of a problem. Even so, you need to keep your wits about you as a first-time visitor as you haven't a clue what dangers you may be walking into. The quarry is effectively on the edge of the property.

[Jon Wiggett]

Mark,

were they testing fireworks during your round? It is a real test of nerves when a Banger goes off at the top of your backswing.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Jon, No, it was quiet as could be. Maybe the fireworks are now all made in China, or the factory was on a week's holiday following bonfire night a couple of days earlier.

I can remember disturbing explosions from ammunition factories at Shaw Hill near Chorley and at Alsager on the Staffordshire/Cheshire border.

Mark.

[Richard Hetzel]

Great pictures of a very interesting and unique course. Thanks for sharing.

[Sean_A]

Sean

From Alwoodley it would probably take you 45 minutes to an hour, assuming that the notorious M62 was relatively hassle free.  However, once you are at Alwoodley the temptation is to either play another 18 holes there or walk across the road to Moortown.

You really should take a trip up to Yorkshire someday.

Andrew

I think you are right.  Would you or any of you northern boys be interested in a 1 nighter to include Crosland and Alwoodley?

Ciao