Hazlemere is a beautiful, well kept course situated off the M40, between High Wycombe and Beaconfields in the Chilterns Hills where red kites are often seen.
It is a Members Club (no changing shoes in the car park), it is classy and posh (well the Ladies changing rooms are) and very pleasant. The course is a beauty from every angle and above where red kites delight you with their elegant flight display.
Wide fairways, lush and well manicured, hardly any divots marks, lots of mature trees, not flat by any means, our round was a terrific work out. Guess who is going to be aching tomorrow? I guess the 3 of us will. Lots of blind shots, quite difficult to know where to go, as no course planner available (in print at the moment), some guiding posts, but sometimes a bit of guess work, well it was for me when I thought the dog leg was Left but it was in fact Right, so I took a long route....
The greens were superb but very tricky when you are not used to reading them, left meant right and vice versa, some slopping, some tiered, all very fast and well maintained. Enormous sand bunkers, in the right places, well filled as we found out on a few occasions, 1 or 2 had stagnent water. Water comes into play on 2 or 3 holes but not a major attraction, as ponds are very small but pretty. Not a very long course for playing, but long for walking with climbs and descents, good to bring the heart rate up, extremely well drained considering all the recent downpours.
Easy wayfinding, some holes are quite near each others considering the course is over 100 acres, stunning views, when you look at one end you wonder if you were really overthere 15 minutes ago as it seems so far in the distance. Each hole has a very smart signage on dark wooden posts embedded in broken slates, the 15th has an atrractive and new wooden bench by the Ladies Tee, donated by (sorry cant remember), it is Par 3 with fairly new trees shaped like little soldiers, so it makes this hole a feature and distract you from the green not easy to read and well guarded by a bunker on the right.
Friendly staff, Clubhouse and terrace looked inviting but we did not stop as we had a late round so we could get the cheaper rate of £18.00 instead of £30 or £40.
Open driving range and chipping area , the Proshop will lend you a tube with 20 balls for practice (no charge), a very smart and true putting green by the 18th and terrace by the Clubhouse. A very beautiful course, must be a pleasure to belongs and to get to know it, challenging for every level and very enjoyable, especially so if you love nature and wildlife and red kites.Will return as not that far from home and I liked it....
The End
PS: Forgot to mention that Hazlemere was the home club of young Luke Donald aged 9.... He is an Honorary Member now.
Date Tuesday, 12, June 2012
