Forrester Park Golf Club

Forrester Park Golf Club had been on the 'radar' for a while, so was delighted when I saw a game posted there. However, despite being described as an 'interesting/quirky' course, this is not a course I would want to return to in a hurry.

On arrival Forrester Park GC was busy and bustling from Saturday am golfers and yet meracioulsily just before we teed off at 2.15 pm, the place emptied and we were pretty much left to ourselves. So on that basis, it's millionaire's golf. However, apart from a couple of pretty holes and testing holes, you're left thinking about what might have been...

My complaints:

1. I don't want to play my tee shots for a dust bowl
2. There is ZERO signage to help the visitors find their way around
3. There are LONG walks between holes
4. Why not cut the daisies on the fairway, this might speed up play, instead of golfers searching for their ball in the middle of the fairways, thus holding up groups behind
5. No 100/150-yard markers, meaning with a GPS, you were constantly guessing distances

On a positive note, the course is entirely flat, and 9/10 green were well maintained, so good for the higher handicapper and I had no complaints about the Ham, Eggs and Chips.

Putting the above comments into perspective, we only paid £20 for the round and the buggy was only £19, which I felt was very reasonable.

Overall, I am glad I have played it but can't think of a concrete reason to return.

Well I've played Forrester half dozen times now. Not sure whether I like it or not? My society plays it annually so I go along if I can make it.
The facilities are average at best, the club house is comfortable, bar and plenty of seating. The food is good and reasonable.
Changing facilities are basic. The car park is fairly small but there is an over flow a few hundred yards from the club house.
They're are buggies which are petrol and very noisy.
The course is a typical Essex Parkland 5850 just over 6000 off the whites.
I like some of the holes which are narrow, but do allow you to use the adjacent fairway.
The greens were poor, they've been spiked and many of the pins crowned.
The Fairways were in very good order.
My problem with Forrester is holes 10 and 12. Neither are very good golf holes in my opinion.
10 has a huge row of trees in front of the green.
If you hit a nice drive you are punished for getting to close to the 100 foot trees, you then have to try and chip between the trunks! I bogeyed this hole but went over the trees, holding the green is tough.
Hole 12 is a dog leg stroke index one, because the green is protected by a hedge and trees. The hole is short 335, a good drive leaves you in poll position. But the fairway is littered with divets, if like with mine you end up in one you will struggle to connect to clear the high hedge. There is a small gap in the hedge, but not a favourite hole of mine. I double bogeyed after going in the hedge. When pick and place is in order it wil be an easier hole.
Many of the par 4's and 5's are much a like. the par 3's are all very long and have very small greens, don't expect to par all of them!
Forrester is a like it or hate it course, its very challenging with ungulating fairways that send a straight drive towards a hedge or tree, this can be frustrating.
But having said all that, I for one will be back next year to give it another crack, but not for a year!!
2017 update
A couple of years on I revisit Forrester, its not my favourite course even though I played it well this time. The greens were fast and the fairways were in good order. But the tees were awful with 4" of grass on them amongst bald worn parts. They were also very uneven.
Forrester always looks a bit tatty to me, more like a municipal course. Which spoils it. You also rely heavily on favourable bounces as some of the par threes are on elevated tees, unless you actually hit the green. 10 is a terrible hole for this.
Is it value for money? I'm not sure? I paid £30 for 18 holes and Ham egg & chips...not sure I will play it again.