As evidenced on several of the other threads, this was visited by several pests who all expressed their positive vibe to me.
ON Monday morning deserted by fairweather friends and with heavy rain forecast, I thought sod it I'm near enough for a quick look. ON arrival about 8.30 I had the place to myself. the sky was clear and there was Zero wind to suggest it changing. It looked tempting and after locating the honesty box I played it to my handicap in 1'10 mins.
I can only think I was golfed out OR the charms of the course are being seriously oversold here.
- 6 of the holes are (from memory) 340 to 370 long. Driver, wedge/9i
- I hit every fairway, there's no definition of the holes.
- The promised micro undulations afforded me not one awkward shot.- The greens are simple (but true), slope affairs.
As Sean says in his review, perhaps it (seriously) needs wind.
By contrast I really enjoyed the challenge of Bamburgh Castle GC, even if the greens really are about as simple as they can get. I'll go back to Alnmouth but only if time is too short to play Bamburgh again.
I played AV again this morning with one of my sons. We were joined by Storm Derek, who was right behind us on the first 5 but was right in our faces on the back 4. He brought hail with him on the second 9, for a couple of holes.
Even in those conditions I just don't get Tony's take, from someone who, I think, normally has similar views to mine. On the specific points:
- Yes, there are several driver/wedge holes. But the wedge approaches to each of them are very different. This was my third visit and I really don't think lack of variety is a fair charge.
- It's true that, excluding the 6th, the fairway is very wide. That lack of "definition", however, is far from fatal to good golf. In this morning's wind the width was essential but, like another course with extremely wide fairways, being a long way left is a bad place to approach the green on most of the holes. Position does matter.
- The course does not have "micro-undulations" a la Kington. What it has is fabulous, true links style undulations. Nothing "micro" about them. If Tony never got a side hill, uphill or downhill lie, he was lucky (or not?) but there's no doubt that the terrain is every bit as interesting as, say, Elie and far superior to, say, Crail. As to the greens, I'm tempted to respond with a "pah". They may not be wild roller coaster rides like Prestwick but "simple slope affairs"? Maybe true of 1 and 9 but there's more than enough interest on the remainder to keep you going and the surrounds tie in to them wonderfully. Finally on the greens, it seems like it has been raining for three months. Parts of the county are underwater but this morning those greens putted magnificently and at a speed and with a firmness that many courses would envy in July.
AV isn't a great golf course. It is, though, very, very good, always well presented and playable and great fun. It may not (the 6th aside) be the hardest course in the world and you may not need a degree in geometry to putt on the greens (though good judgment and good touch are essential) but at £20 for 18 holes? One of UK golf's great value quotients.