Woodhall Spa - doable in a day from London?

[Scott Warren]

Looking at Woodhall Spa's website today, I was shocked to see an EGU-affiliated visitor is just 67 quid to get on the Hotchkin Course in summer!

The big question is this, can it be done in a day from London, or is it an overnight project from down here?

[Jamie Barber]

It's a bit in the stix, you need to take a train and you could do it I guess. Better to take a couple of days and take in Hunstanton or Brancaster too

[Scott Warren]

Train coverage in that neck of the woods looks limited (near Woodhall and up past Kings Lynn towards Brancaster and Hunstanton). Is that the case, or am I missing something? I was thinking it would be a car journey only.

[Mark Pearce]

Scott,

It depends on what you mean by doable.  I've travelled from Newcastle to Watford and back in a day to watch a football match.  I wouldn't want to play golf after a four hour drive, though.  My guess is that it is doable, depending on where in London you are.

[Scott Warren]

South-west, next door to Wimbledon, so pretty much the worst corner of town for accessing the north-east!

[Gib_Papazian]

Scott,

Best case, driving like a lunatic with no traffic, it is going to be over three hours each way. My advice would be to take your time and try both courses as part of an overnighter. You are a long way from home and I imagine the chance of getting back to that part of England from Australia is pretty remote.

I cannot overstate to you how wonderfully accommodating you will find everyone up there from the pro shop to the charming women who bring warm beer and bangers in the local Pubs.

[Scott Warren]

Cheers Gib. A mate of mine who's a club pro out near Watford likes the Bracken course more than the Hotchkin, so it would be good to see it as well as the main course.

Does the surrounding area hold any interest for a non-golfer?

[Mark Pearce]

Scott,

I'd strike that mate off the list of people who's opinion on golf courses you value.  That's one of the most bizzarre opinions I have ever read on here.

[Scott Warren]

Well, I never expected he was right, just that it was a high opinion to hold, and a few others who played it with him said it was worth playing if there already.

If armed with a car and not stuck to using trains, I'd probably be more likely to go to Hunstanton or Brancaster.

[Gib_Papazian]

Woodhall has the best collection of par-3 holes imaginable.

And unless you are into Lincolnshire churches, your time in the pubs will be full of high comedy. It seems everyone there is full of extraordinarily clever repartee.

[Scott Warren]

Gib, to touch on another discussion of ours, better par threes than Swinley?

[Tony_Muldoon]

I cannot overstate to you how wonderfully accommodating you will find everyone up there from the pro shop to the charming women who bring warm beer and bangers in the local Pubs.

If Gib hadn't thrown the pro shop in I would say he was hinting at a memorable overnight stay in Woodhall Spa. Don't bring the girlfriend Scott.

I've probably said it before but Woodhall is the only Top 100 course that I've played that I thought was way overrated.  I cannot see how people place it above Ganton or many other Heathland tracks.  Flat, both in terrain and the feeling it left me with.  The par 3's are good and so are the other holes but I there's so many more options. I tink you could have a day at Woking for that price, 10x the fun.

It's miles from anywhere otherwise I'd go back for another look.  

[Jamie Barber]

I was thinking of train to Boston but even then it's probably an expensive taxi ride away. There's not much else there; Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is nearby but hardly one for the ladies.

Personally I'd choose a weekend playing Hunstanton and Brancaster over Woodhall Spa. North Norfolk is nice too.

*DISCLAIMER* I don't do trains if I can help it so no idea on journey times etc! Rent a car

[Gib_Papazian]

Scott,

Nearly as good as Swinley . . . . . but the difference is genius v. magic.

[James Boon]

*DISCLAIMER* I don't do trains if I can help it so no idea on journey times etc! Rent a car

Shame on you Jamie!    Where would the golf world be without all our wonderful courses springing up near to railway lines to make access to them and the rest of the British coast easier... But joking aside its not easy lugging your bats on the railways and I should know as I once did it from Leicester to Brora!

Scott, I've sent you a PM by the way...

Cheers,

James

[Scott Warren]

Thanks one and all. PM replied to James, thanks!

[Kevin Pallier]

Cheers Gib. A mate of mine who's a club pro out near Watford likes the Bracken course more than the Hotchkin, so it would be good to see it as well as the main course.

Does the surrounding area hold any interest for a non-golfer?

Scott

I wouldn't waste your time on the Bracken course

I stayed nearby at Nottingham - incorporated a trip to Hollinwell as well - suggest you do it and Hotchkin.

Save Brancaster and Hustanton for another weekend.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I may be wrong, but I don't think Brancaster accepts visitors in August.

Have a look at Seacroft - links, lots of old-fashioned fun, full of character and off the GCA radar, because it's one of those places nobody goes to. Lincoln GC out at Torksey is quite a nice course, too, although the architecture is merely functional, not earth shattering.