I finally got to Flempton (formerly the Flempton and Bury St Edmunds Golf Club) today, for their Gentlemens' Open. A thoroughly congenial competition on a course in amazing condition considering that some of the heaviest rain seen in this part of England for thirty years had fallen on the links the day before. Nine attractive holes with a charming cricket pavilion clubhouse, deep in the Suffolk countryside, with some holes rather reminiscent of Tadmarton, some of Huntercombe, and some of Thetford, but (interestingly) very different in style from its near neighbour at Worlington. Despite what some Flempton members say, I don't see their congenial course as being in quite the same league as the Sacred Nine, and the 5th and 6th are laid out on distinctly park-like ground (the other seven are much more heathlike in quality), but overall I would recommend it warmly as a highly attractive place for a rather old-fashioned game of golf, with (which will please Sean Arble) plenty of width, and surprisingly large and complex greens for such a bucolic site. The day we played the course was also playing every inch of its 6174 yards. Flempton is probably also a bit more flexible than RW&NGC about playing in more than 2 ball formats, so if there are three of you then it might be the better option. A really terrific day out would be 18 at one and 18 at the other, with a tough lunch choice in between. The Flempton roast pork and crumble was excellent, but the proper Worlington lunch (plus pink jug) remains one of British golf's real pleasures. As I have said before on GCA, Suffolk remains (truly) one of the best, and most neglected counties in England in which to play golf.