Bearsted GC is a members club, estasblished in 1895, near Maidstone, Kent, in the shadow of the North Downs. Bearsted railway station is conveniently located adjacent to the course.
This is a parkland style course. It is a par 71 for the men (SSS 70 of the yellows) and par 73 (SSS 73) for the ladies.
It is secluded from the outside world by a dense forest of trees. The course is moderately undulating. There are a few blind tee shots though the landing areas are more generous than appears to be the case on the teeboxes!
The white/yellow tees are 6,476 and 6,268 yards respectively. The red tees are 5,767 yards. There are 4 par 3s, 11 par 4s and 3 par 5s.
The 4 par 3s are an interesting and tricky challenge.
The course opens and closes with par 3s. The index 15 1st is tricky due to a raised bank to the front left of the green, the green is very undulating, but there is also the threat of OOB long behind the green. The index 14 par 3 18th is longer but tricky in a different way in that anything long leaves an almost impossible downhill chip/putt! However, the 170 yard downhill par 3 16th proved to be our most difficult par 3 as none of 15 players managed to find the green on our nearest the pin challenge!
There are ditches across the 11th, 14th and 15th holes which challenge you to either attempt the carry or lay up and play for bogey.
The 3rd and 4th par 4s are long for the moderate hitter and their indexes 1 & 3 reflect that!
The par 5 13th has a beautiful uphill cross valley tee shot up to a hidden plateau then doglegging left to a raised green. The plateau landing are is very generous and consequently this beautiful hole has an 18 index.
The greens are firm, very undulating and were in excellent condition. Moderately paced and true!
Bunkering around the greens is moderate. In fact there are no bunkers surrounding 6 greens, mostly on the front 9!
I/we played the course in late May as a TSG/Whitstable GS booking, which included a full english breakfast! The cost per person was £38. The breakfast was good quality. I would have preferred a cheaper outlay but it was OK in terms of a society booking on a very well maintained members club!
The proshop and bar/catering staff were very welcoming/helpful, as were a few of the members encountered!
One of my former Cherry Lodge Pistoleros members is now a member at Bearsted as it is nearer home. Knowing him as I do he would not have joined Bearsted if the quality of the course did not measure up!
All in all this is a very enjoyable challenge. I scored a few shots above handicap level, not unexpected the first time playing a course, however, most of the excess shots were due to very avoidable ball striking errors, not the course!
Date Thursday, 30, May 2019
