Review's of Chipstead Golf Club
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money
"L" plates needed to drive to the Clubhouse & on the fairways.....
A very pretty setting with views of the North Downs,but what a disappointment with the whole layout: criss-cross fairways, actual roads being part of the course on 3 holes. A real shame as one gets confused, it stops the flow of the game, one can easily miss a hole (as the group in front did), signage is not visible or existent. As 1st time visitors, our 4 balls was unanimous in thinking Chipstead wont be "on our return list" . Even the succinct course planner is not very useful as to directions.
An well established course dating back 1906, fairly short in length (just over 5000 yards from the yellow), but none the less challenging with very tight & sloping fairways, blind holes and lots of trees. The 4th (Hillside), Par 5 (500+ yards from yellows) is sloping right all the way to the green, very difficult to plot one's way, should be interesting to see how the Members play this hole !!!!
Some very pretty holes with colourful names:
- Sheer Drop, 5th, Par 3, lovely downhill, over rough.
- Hell, 7th, Par 4/5 , Stroke index 1.
- Damnation, 8th Par 4.
- View, 16th, Par 4: the most scenic hole: as a background 2 villages on either side a wheat field (photo posted in my album). Also the most inconvenient as Tee boxes is over the 8th green!!!!
- Careful, 2nd, Par 4 has a guiding post, but the line could also be The Shard, as visible on a clear day like today (13.7.2014).
The course is in good condition & well looked after, the greens interesting enough and well kept. The bunkers had different types of sand.
Pleasant Ladies changing rooms.
Friendly, well equipped Proshop, selling trial clubs in very good condition for £10.....
Spacious bar on he 1st floor, good service/prices, a lovely outside balcony overlooking the crossing & sloping fairways of the 1st and the 18th !!!!!
Practice facilities: good, some nets and an open range by the large car park, plus chipping/sand practice by the 9th/10th hole.
The Starter Hut doubles up as half way hut too, a very good idea.
A busy place on a Sunday afternoon with Members playing competitions, so there is an attraction if one can bear the layout.....(did not find out who the architect was).
THE END.....
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money
Great views
When you drive through the gates you get an idea of what's to come, as you very quickly cross three fairways in quick succession. My initial impression was one of a lot of holes in too small an area, and that impression didn't really leave as we made our way round. In fact, it wasn't until we got to the 17th that you actually felt like there was a hole that had room to breath.
Not that there aren't any good holes here, because there are, and some gorgeous views too. However, you do feel like there are a number of tees, greens and fairways that are a little too close to each other.
There were also a couple of tees where the club really do need to provide better signs. We had to ask in order to find the 2nd tee, and we almost missed out the 5th hole altogether.
Quirky comes in the shape of the 4th hole, which slopes so much from left to right that it's almost impossible to hit the fairway.
There are some steep climbs up from the 6th & 17th, while the rest of the course is hardly flat, so not the easiest of walking.
The clubhouse was very welcoming, with a very pleasant area outside to enjoy a drink after the round.