Manchester Golf Club (UK)

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I played Manchester in mid-summer 2015. It was a dreadful round. I lost dozens of balls in the knee-high rough. But my golf was rapidly going downhill, to the point that I have now completely given up. Now, my friend Duncan Cheslett played it recently and referred to it with reference to Huddersfield, with which he saw a similarity. What's it really like? Speak up Duncan, please.


I played it once or twice in the 1980s when my handicap was in the low teens. I didn't find it particularly difficult then. There were no outrageously long holes, there was room on the course, the holes were well defined, you couldn't stray from one hole onto another and, as long as you could hit a straight ball 200-250 yards, all would be well. Not so now.... 

[Tom_Doak]

Mark:


Sorry to hear you have given up chasing the ball around.  I will look you up the next time I'm back over and try to drag you out somewhere!

[Duncan Cheslett]

It's a year or so since I've played Hopwood too Mark, and despite its reputation as the top course in the Manchester area it is a place I've never really warmed to.

There is nothing cosy or genteel about Hopwood; the course is carved from the side of a windswept moor and no attempt is made to mitigate the long wild grass to be found immediately off every fairway. Numerous blind tee shots simply add to the fun.

Although not particularly long, it is a BIG course, covering a huge area and giving a sense of isolation even though one is rarely surrounded by trees.

On my visits the wind has been blowing and the skies have always been heavy, making photography difficult. Even the club website has few decent pics. I keep meaning to go up there on a fine summer's evening...

... here is a random selection of shots I took on my last visit to give a flavour of Manchester GC.


























And one from the club's website to show what a bit of decent light can do...

[Jon Wiggett]

I played Hopwood a few times in the late 80's, early 90's. As has been already said it is quite exposed and over a huge acreage. The course was let down by the severity of the rough meaning that any time you missed the fairway it was a hack out sideways if you managed to find the ball. I was fortunate to play it in perfect conditions a couple of times when it was a tough challenge still but possible to score on. It is worth a look at if in the area and is a better matchplay course than strokeplay. I would consider Huddersfield the better course though.


Jon

[Thomas Dai]

Looks interesting from Duncans photos and from the website. Would it be course that needs a few sheep as additional mowers? I would imagine there were a fair few if them around in the first few years (decades?) of the courses existance.
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[Niall C]

I know photos can be misleading but that looks like the makings of a very nice course. If it really is tight with bundi just off the fairway is this maybe a course that could do with bringing back sheep ? Serious suggestion.


Niall

[Thomas Dai]

As per my earlier, post I know where you're coming from from Niall.
Quite a few clubs could do with some sheep as mowers. Tethered goats as well.

I did hear though of one UK course with sheep on who had a rustling incident! Can't recall where. Amazing world we live in.
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