1896 Plan of Cleveland.
Better resolution!
The title of the tour of course refers to the song written by Ian Hunter, who was the front man for Mott the Hoople before embarking on a solo career which has been going for some 45 years to date! Incredibly, Mott has been earning rave reviews on its 2019 tour. However, Ian Hunter, while undoubtedly great, is not the subject of this tour. Highly industrialized Cleveland, Yorkshire, more specifically Cleveland GC in Redcar is the topic. Just to the northeast of Middlesbrough, famous for iron production in the 19th century, beside a beach and the River Tees, lies Yorkshire’s sole links. Formed in 1887, during the boom years of the area, the original 18 hole course has seen revisions (according to the club) by Old Tom Morris, HS Colt and Donald Steel. In addition, I believe that James Braid made contributions to the course in the mid 1920s and FW Hawtree (son of FG and father of MG) made considerable alterations to the course in the 1960s.
At first glance the course isn’t dissimilar to Seaton Carew; a fine links among factories on the far side of the Teesmouth Nature Reserve and the abandoned steel works. While my playing partner found the setting so ugly to be charming, I was quickly reminded of Detroit’s Zug Island! Cleveland may seem a strange place to choose for a game of golf, but the course does come highly recommended by the Editor of National Club Golfer, Dan Murphy. Dan has a keen eye for architecture and isn’t put off by less than salubrious settings.
The road name for the club's location is promising!
So too is the view from the first tee...if we ignore the obvious.
I find short holes to be difficult openers. Cleveland's first is a fine example.
The second, a par 5, is not without merit.
More OOB is featured for the 3rd, a longish par 4. The greenside bunkers and well placed low lying series of mounds cutting diagonally across the fairway discourage a bailout right.
The rather listless 4th takes us to the far end of the property. The 5th comes back toward the house and it too is not a hole to ponder over. However, the 6th, like all the short holes, is a cracker. Its difficult to discern, but the left half of the green falls away.
The nature of the property dictates there will be little play toward or away from the beach nor will there be much play over dunes. Most of the course is routed between low lying dunes which means there are several similar looking drives. The issue is exacerbated by holes which leg left. Off-hand, I can't think of a single hole which moves right. Regardless, much of the course runs over true links and is a pleasure to walk. The 7th.
The pancake flat 8th is another hole which isn't in any way special, but once again, the architects found a great green site for the short 9th.
The green is set deceptively far back on the plateau. The kick in option is high risk due to the rumbling terrain shy of the green.
While not a bad front nine, it is the par threes which carried most of the water. The back nine is the better half of the course not least in part due to better 4s and 5s. The 10th, is a modest length two-shotter, but the green is an interesting shape with good fallaways.
Split by a large ridge in the fairway, the more robust 11th piqued my interest.
A very clever hole with its use of sand, the 12th is one of Cleveland's best. It isn't at all obvious, but there is a gap between the two right bunkers which the fairway runs through. Water lurks left for those with a mind to cut the corner.
The green is very odd. It seems as though a berm was built to the rear to block the view to a wonderfully set practice area. It is hard to fathom the club would sacrifice this fantastic green site for a chipping area. As can be seen, the course is actually in good nick once away from the from the boundary line along #s 1-4.
Another good hole, the 13th requires some precision with the approach.
Upping the ante, Steel's 14th is a wonderful hole. From the tee, what little definition there is suggests right is the better bet.
Upon closer inspection, there is OBB right and absolutely no angle to the green. Left offers all the potential glory, but the firm plateau green has the final say.
Taking us to the far point of the back nine, the 15th (I suspect is Steel's) plays over a low hazard area which probably fills sometimes in winter. On this day, the area was completely dry. This par three is the only hole which plays remotely across the property and it makes for tough going.
More to follow.
Ciao