Finally got my photos arranged, but first here is the old cigarette card of the course:
Another view of the 2nd green, certainly my favourite greensite on the course, and there are quite a few decent ones!
The 3rd hole really gets you thinking of the fun and challenge of some of the links like Pennard or Brora, with a tee shot to a blind fairway and a green positioned just on the edge of a dune, with a big fall off to the right
The view from the 6th tee with the 5th fairway on the left. Though the flatter part of the course, this small dune ridge does separate the two holes.
I thought 7 through 10 was an excellent stretch of holes. 7 requiring an accurate long approach to a green tucked behind a large dune and requiring a long approach. I was glad I was approaching from the far left as though longer and approach from the right seems almost impossible. 8 has already been well documented and was the best hole on the course for me. The 9th required a good drive up the left to get a decent view of the second shot. However a drive up the far right (possible with the rough down as it was when we played) actually left a shorter second shot even if it was a more dangerous shot over the large dune. Here is the drive
The view for the second shot with the large dune on the right
View from the top of the dune, showing how the dune itself needs to be taken on to get near the green. Once at the green it all falls away to the back meaning even if hit in two, a birdie is no certainty.
The 10th is a great little par 3 with the green sitting deceptively on top of the ridge, hiding its angle and a deep pot just right of the green. 11 and 12 are both what I think of as typical links Championship golf, long tough holes, requiring solid execution. Nothing wrong with that but the fun has gone for a couple of holes, that is until we get to 13. After a decent drive the temptation is certainly there to go for the green in two but the nest of bunkers set into the dune ridge certainly catch your attention and there is certainly a hint that anything missing right will be trouble. But the shot isn't quite on today so you may just want to lay up, if only you know where the fairway was?
The fairway is actually beyond the ridge to the left, but hitting a blind layup is certainly a rarity as far as I can think of. If you fire a mid iron out to the left you then climb the ridge and all is revealed.
From this angle, its certainly more of a skyline green but an awkward pitch nonetheless
After the blind drive on 15, here is the bell so synonymous with some of our courses often called "quirky"
I think Sean is a little harsh on the finish. From the 16th tee it appears that the left side, to give a clear view of the green is best, but a tee shot up the right leaves a better angle in even if its semi blind over the mound. A slight miss up the right does fall away into a small rough valley, but Tony seemed to do okay from down there... So maybe its not too punishing if you miss, but the strategic options off the tee are sound.
The 17th may seem a bit of a ho hum hole, but the green all falls away to the back right and falls off the back so its certainly no push over
The 18th when we played gave the option of driving down the left valley or up to the top of the right ridge, and position can certainly be helpful depending upon the pin position.
As on several holes (7 and 9 as mentioned previously) there is plenty of options from the point of view of width, but I would like to return mid summer to see how the fairways are cut and what the rough is like. I do hope they keep it wide on a few of those holes.
The club was keen to stress they have put some new back tees in to lengthen the hole to circa 6,800 or perhaps a little more, keeping up its Championship credentials. But I think the course has more to offer than just that and is great fun as well. The conditioning of the greens is a little bit of a concern but I'm sure the club can get that sorted (calling Gordon Irvine!).
So I thoroughly enjoyed Seacroft. Its probably the closest links to my house but the Lincolnshire roads arent always the best so its not easy to get to, but its such great value for money I will try and head back later in the year.
Cheers,
James