Golf in West Dorset

[Tony_Muldoon]

At the end of the month I’m off for a long family weekend by Chesill Beach in West Dorset.  By repute this is a fantastic place to visit and on top of that I will probably get the opportunity to play twice.

The nearest course to the house is therefore practically a cert.  Anyone played the fabulously named Came Down GC, by repute a half decent Colt course? Minimal sand bunkering and the use of grass ones on a chalk base; this sounds worth 3.5hrs of anyone’s time?
http://www.camedowngolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/course_hole.html/d05814ac-6f39-102c-9079-001ec9b331b2/16.html  

Between Bournemouth and Plymouth there’s a number of these cliff top downland affairs on free draining land where the holiday golf is most enjoyable.   Another example is at Lyme Regis in the other direction, where it enjoys a local reputation for being an interesting course with great views.

http://www.lymeregisgolfclub.co.uk/pages/index/2

The next course that has any kind of a reputation is Sherbourne where “part of the original course was designed by James Braid, but it has been continually improved and extended over the years”  - full marks for honesty.

http://www.sherbornegolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/index.html

Finally in The Times Guide to Golf Courses of Britain & Ireland it has Yeovil as a Simpson/Fowler course.  However I can’t find this backed up anywhere else nor on the clubs website. Can anyone provide any more info?

http://www.yeovilgolfclub.com/index.lasso?pg=6be0f9fb8a4271c7&mp=fce19d1dfce8aef4

With such a wet winter the first two might get my business and then there’s Broadstone less than an hour away...

Anyone played these?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Tony, You need to edit the title to Dorset, not Devon. 

I posted some photos of Broadstone in its winter garb a while ago: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37345.msg767195/topicseen/

It's the best course in the area.
 
The reference to Fowler at Yeovil came from the club itself when I got the information for the Times book.

Take the family to Corfe Castle which gives you the perfect excuse to drive up to Isle of Purbeck Golf Club just to look at the view and the 5th in particular. I don't know whether the steam train to Swanage runs at this time of year. The chain ferry across the entrance to Poole Harbour is a fun ride.

If Donald Steel sees this he may comment on Sherborne as he did the most recent work there.

Don't miss Wimborne, a charming little town with a grand Minster, Sherborne Abbey, and I have a lot of time for Blandford Forum (not least the Badger Brewery).

If you play anywhere do take the camera - there have been very few photo tours of this area on GCA.

Parkstone and Ferndown are courses of which I have fond memories. Parkstone has been clearing out trees to open up its views of Poole Harbour and to try to regain some of its heathland qualities. Ferndown is a period piece, too short for today's big hitters but perfect for me, with plentiful and imaginative bunkering and one or two fun greens.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Thanks Mark I had slipped too far West.

I'm thinking os savingthe courses nearer to Poole for another trip but in checking I find Tom Doak has it as follows


Ferndown  5
Broadstone 6
Parkstone   5
Isle of Purbeck 6


Which puts them all in some pretty exalted company.  By reputation the two 6's would be a 7 or 8 and a 4.
One man's view.


The only course I've played in the area is Queens Park and I thourghly enjoyed it even with the frist few holes emasculated for H&S reasons.  Once it may have rated, 6 but now only a 4.

[Bill_McBride]

Corfe Castle is definitely worth a visit.  I was glad for the car park at the top, and couldn't imagine being part of an invading force climbing that slope!



The steep hill on the back side looks to be twice as high!

Broadstone does get very good reviews.

[Mark Chaplin]

Tony,

The four listed were a May tour a couple of years ago. An exellent foursome with IoP being the pick of the bunch as a rather sporty layout over some interesting land with great views. I really enjoyed Ferndown which is well bunkered and easy walking. Broadstone on the other hand has plently of interest with lots of elevation changes. Parkstone was disappointing as the greens had been heavily top dressed and played really slow.

Mark

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Tony, As many of us have played the Bournemouth courses maybe you have to play Came Down (as in He Came Dpwn to Earth from Heaven) and Lyme Regis to inform us. Have a great time. Mark.