I played there yesterday for the first time, although i'd been several times back in the 1980s as a spectator when it was a regular stop on the European Tour. I found that I remembered little of it from those visits.
The course essentially goes straight out, with a loop at the far end, and then straight back. The course is a mixture of parkland and heathland, being bisected by the noisy A64 (the main road from Leeds to Scarborough which forms part of the York ring road), the heathland holes are the far side of the road.
It was very still yesterday so there was little wind to trouble us either going out or coming back so it was difficult to gauge which of the nines would be harder into the prevailing wind. Whilst the pros with todays equipment would overpower it Fulford is still a stern test for the club golfer with several par 4s in excess of 400 yards, including five of the first seven holes. I didn't take any less than a fairway wood or long iron for my second shots on any of those holes, despite some good drives.
The course is on essentially flat ground but there was sufficient movement on the ground to make things interesting. It is heavily treelined but the trees don't intrude on many unless you have hit a wild shot.
I didn't have my camera with me but I found this excellent write up from Mark Rowlinson prior to my visit
with some photos.
I recall the Tour pros used to say the greens at Fulford were as good as any they played on. Little seems to have changed in the 20 years since the tour moved on - they were in excellent condition yesterday, probably the best I've putted on this year. That recommendation is probably based on the fasct htat it was the best I've putted all year
In the pantheon of Yorkshire courses Fulford is some way below Ganton and Alwoodley but if you were passing through York en route to either of those courses with time to spare you could do worse than stop here.