Prestbury
Prestbury, lying behind the opulent houses of football stars and financial wheeler-dealers, is one of Cheshire’s leading clubs. It was founded (as Prestbury and Upton) in 1920 and Colt is the named architect – at least as far as the club is concerned. An article in the Guardian (Oct 1920) credits Colt and MacKenzie. Other articles make no mention of Dr Mac. According to these articles 9 holes were expected to be open late in 1920 and the course was officially opened in April 1924, although it had been effectively open for at least a year before that. The club’s honours boards start in 1921 so at least some of the course was in play that summer. Some years ago I was told by the club’s course manager that the greens and bunkers were not completed at first but that someone from Colt’s firm returned some years later to finish the job. I seem to recall some correspondence on this subject on GCA some time ago but I can’t locate it. If anyone can find the link I should be grateful. Then again I may be showing further symptoms of senility.
It is a masterly routing with the back nine essentially encircling all but four holes of the front nine (three of which lie behind the clubhouse). This means that there are many opportunities to encounter players on other parts of the round. It also enables many shorter rounds to be played made up from a variety of combinations of holes if the course is quiet enough. There were far fewer trees when Colt laid the course out but there is still plenty of room on most holes and it is only occasionally that you long for a chain saw. On a perfect autumn day the turning leaves provided a gorgeous backdrop to many holes. Buzzards were plentiful, Sean Arble’s company was engaging and the golf made it all the way to the final hole before I presented it to Sean with some lamentable golf! A delightful feature of the routing is a number of places where several greens or several tees from holes on different parts of the course are in close proximity, particularly where the 1st, 13th and 17th greens are almost stacked up one on top of the other. Again, as you walk from the 10th green to the 11th tee you pass players teeing off on the 4th. The 12th and 15th greens are adjacent, although at very different elevations.
The site is quite hilly – much hillier than Stockport, Wilmslow, Ringway, Mere, Delamere Forest or Sandiway, other comparable local clubs. But it is a mere stroll compared with some of the clubs on the western edge of the Pennines such as Macclesfield, Mellor or Disley. Quite a number of holes fall into the knob-to-knob category, deception is used effectively and the longer hitter than I must occasionally decide whether to opt for a flat lie further from the hole or go for extra distance but possibly end in a downhill lie. Approach work is tested in many ingenious ways. On a number of holes it is possible (probably wisest) to run the ball onto the putting surface rather than take the aerial route. After what has been a wet and miserable summer the greens were true and firm and the fairway grass short and crisp. There was even a little roll on some shots. There is a good mix of longer two-shot holes and most enjoyable shorter par 4s.
From the back the course measures 6371 yards, par 71, sss 71. From the yellow plates (which members and visitors use for non-competition play) it is 6159 yards, par 71, sss 70. The ladies play it at 5474 yards, par 74, sss 73.
1st 498 yards par 5
An attractive opening hole playing first downhill. To stand a chance of getting on in two the drive must take advantage of the downslope beyond the plateau where these players are.
You can see how steep the climb is and how well defended the green is on its hilltop.
Looking back from green to tee.
2nd 431 yards par 4
There is more room than appearances suggest on this downhill drive, the fairway sloping to the left while moving to the right.
The approach shot needs nerve with a big fall away through the back and to the side. A running shot is possible.
It doesn’t look any more forgiving from close to.
3rd 385 yards par 4
We played this hole directly into a low sun, so this is a view looking back to the tee from the fairway. The drive needs to make good distance uphill in the direction of a marker. A bunker and trees on the left preclude shortening the dog-leg to the left and, unless the drive has been massive, the second shot is a substantial one over low ground to a ledge green cut into a slope.
I do not recall playing this hole before with such deep shadow on the putting surface. It must make winter maintenance hard. (White circles for temporary winter greens had already been marked out on most holes.)
4th 178 yards par 3
This handsome short hole is quite difficult to judge, for the tee is sheltered from the winds among the trees and allowance must be made for the substantial drop to the green. Wayne Rooney’s house is somewhere on the far side of the course in roughly this direction. But you cannot see it. Now you see how wise they were to plant so many trees years and years ago!
5th 324 yards par 4
Although some can drive pin high (as Sean did) the best approach to this long, narrow shelf green is from the higher ground 100 yards short of the green.
Sean essays his delicate pitch from grasping rough close to the green
He played it expertly, but you can see the invidious little bunkers waiting, hidden on the side of the green for those who try to be clever. Years ago this green was surrounded by sand, above and below.
6th 508 yards par 5
On paper this does not seem daunting, but unless the drive is hit very long there will be little prospect of reaching the green in two, for the last half of the fairway climbs as it bends to the left and there is a big false-front to the putting surface.
Sean has hit a top-drawer drive yet you can see how much work he has left to do. Even his best effort could only make it to just below the trees you can see beyond the clubhouse, from which there was a testing uphill pitch.
A shot of the false front and some of the bunkering behind which lies a very expansive green.
Looking back from behind the green you can see how much elevation as well as distance you need if you want to be on here in two. You can also see the out-of-bounds fence in front of the course manager’s house which is all too easily found by a leaking shot.
7th 186 yards par 3
A most enchanting short hole played over the outskirts of the 6th green to a long, curving putting surface dominated by a prominent, tongued bunker front right and a mini volcano front left.
This pit awaits you if you drop short and there is a huge fall away at the back if you overshoot, although that is unlikely given that the hole is usually played into the wind.
8th 332 yards par 4
This hole always defeats me. It ought to be straightforward, driving up the hill, then turning sharp left.
If, like me, you don’t drive far enough you have no shot to the green with these tall trees in the way. I presume they (and others) were planted there to stop people driving straight at the 8th green over the 7th and 9th tees. But this bunker (if it was placed there by Colt) is now redundant.
Sean drove well – almost too well, because he nearly ran out of fairway and red marker posts indicate a water hazard. This awkward lie and mean little bunker are typical of the problems awaiting if you miss these greens, but not by much….
With the pin here you could even putt off this green into trouble.
9th 455 yards par 4
This might well be the hardest par 4 I know. You can see the marker post on the shoulder of land interrupting the fairway in the distance. It is too far for me to carry nowadays. In fact I can drive safely without reaching the fairway bunker front left. Even Shaun’s breakfast-fuelled drive which cleared both those bunkers (landing on that mound which hosts a small outcrop of heather) still left him with 200 yards to the green, steeply uphill.
That’s my second shot – will I even carry the right-hand cross-bunker?
It is so narrow on the lower slopes of the hill and there are the indignities of bunkers if you sort of get up the hill but not well enough.
Sean has done well – he is nearly there in two.
How we laboured over those last few yards! It is one thing getting on the putting surface and something quite else to putt the thing hard enough up the hills on this rising, three-level green. What a way to end the half!
10th 150 yards par 3
With its tee cramped between the 9th green and somebody’s garden fence, the 10th appears to be simply a way to get from the 9th green to the 11th tee. Having pointed this out to Sean, I promptly missed the green slightly long and right and demonstrated that even the most innocent of holes can pack quite a punch if you screw them up. Another hole lost!
11th 487 yards par 5
I like this hole, but from this forward tee it was probably unfair for muscle-bound Sean. You can see the marker post and you can see the tree on the right around which this hole bends sharply to the right. The marker post is fine for an average golfer but a big-hitter will run out of fairway, in which case you have to take on the tree on the right.
I should be pleased to drive to here, but I would not be able to reach the green with my second shot. You can also see the trouble in the extra trees on the right that you may finish behind if you had tried cutting the corner. This is an awkward corner, but with a little research the good player should be able to pick the right line and carry to leave only a shortish iron to the green. (My younger son advises me that drive-and-seven is the safe play….)
As so often at Prestbury, downhill approaches are frequently governed by a strong fall-away behind the green.
12th 357 yards par 4
This is someone’s garden, but clearing the hedge should not be a problem.
Just get yourself to here and then it is simple.
Drainage is obviously a matter of significance down in this damp quarter of the property.
13th 438 yards par 4
Another drive straight into the autumnal sun, made relentlessly uphill towards a hump-back fairway. I couldn’t photograph it in that direction, so here is a look back towards the tee.
This is a very strong hole but you don’t really appreciate it until you get near the green and then you understand the need to run in the approach from the left past the front right bunker. Typical Colt mounds surround the green.
14th 345 yards par 4
Perhaps the loveliest drive of the day, across a ravine, but the real skill is in leaving the ball on the top of the high ground for a pin-perfect approach to the green.
You just have to get it in position A.
And then you have to pitch it absolutely perfectly.
Leave all that to Arble.
15th 354 yards par 4This is a pretty, downhill hole which might be driven by the mighty.
The only trouble is that there is cross-bunker in the way.
But there is enough room beyond the bunker to land the ball on the downslope and allow it to feed onto the putting surface.
16th 397 yards par 4
A view back towards the tee because, again, we played the hole directly into the low sun. This is a fine hole with a demanding drive which must hold a resolutely climbing fairway which gradually moves towards the left. If you fail to hold it you will most likely tumble down a bank on the left into (at best) an uncertain lie and possibly a lost ball. The chaps on the tee have cut through from the 12th.
The approach shot to this beautifully sited green can be hit quite some way to the right, short of the green, and fed down left onto the putting surface. It is an immensely satisfying shot to play.
17th 143 yards par 3
Another lovely tee shot across a valley to a green abutting the 13th. The steep grassy slope in front of the green is mowed (a somewhat perilous job we thought) to ensure that anyone not quite making it across will have to play the second shot from the bottom of the hill.
In this view you can see the flags of the 17th, 13th and 1st, a delightful conjunction.
18th 403 yards par 4
A comparatively plain hole, rising slightly and moving to the left past a bunker.
The green is well attended by bunkers and perilously close to the out-of-bounds hedge on the right.