Chorlton-cum-Hardy GC is a parkland style course in Northenden, Chorlton, 4 miles south of Manchester!
The club was founded in 1905!
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The course is a par 70, comprising 4 par 3s, 12 par 4s and 2 par 5s! It is a par 72 from the red ladies tees!
The yardages are 5,994 and 5,817 from the white and yellow tees, and 5,387 from the reds!
The SSSs are 69 from the white and yellow tees and 72 from the red's!
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Chorlton is the home club of Old Man Pat (Gilsenan), Liam Harrison and Steve Barlow, eBay Pete, among others, players who regularly feature on the YouTube golfing vlog GolfVlogsUK, ie Golfmates!
OMP is a 78 year old long exiled Irishman of 11 handicap, Liam a 40 year old 7 handicap and Steve a 50+ 13 handicap!
The main thrust of the vlog is that Liam and Steve play 3 holes with/against OMP for a fiver each the main purpose of which is to supplement OMP's pension! He seems to win about 80% of the time!
Thanks to YouTube they are world renowned!
Apart from my own nationality background in common with OMP, as a 66 year old, moderately long hitter, I also aspire to approach the game in the same way as OMP, ie hit at least 85% (12/14) drives in the fairways or light rough, use my shots judiciously, applying his traffic light system approach to risk/reward for approach play to the greens!
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It was my admiration of these guys that steered me to seek to play Chorlton-cum-Hardy if I found myself up north and in the Manchester area! Which I was able to do on my way back from Silloth on Solway!
I particularly wanted to challenge myself on the holes that regularly feature on the vlog!
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When I played the course I found it in a lush green condition! There was a lot of rain about up north and consequently the course was soft in places, particularly the lower lying rough areas! The greens keepers were busy mowing the fairways as I progressed my round!
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The greens....
My outturn total putts was 33, including 4 singles, 13 doubles and 1 triple! OK but would have liked to be a couple less! I missed few birdie and par putt opportunities but couldn't read the pace and lines well enough! They played a good bit slower than my Cherry Lodge greens!
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The par 3s.....
My outturn score for the par 3s was +2, ie 2 pars and 2 bogeys! Given that l had 3 shots over these holes, this was an excellent return!
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The par 4s.....
My outturn score for the par 4s was +11, ie 4 pars, 5 bogeys and 3 double bogeys!
With 8 shot holes, this was +3 too many! Failing to find the greens in regulation from good positions off the tee, on the short 5th, 12th and 18th, none of which are shot holes, banjaxed this compartment of the game!
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The par 5s.....
My outturn score for the par 5s was +4, ie a bogey and a triple bogey! Both are shot holes!
The triple bogey on the 16th was the real blot on the card! I was just below the significantly raised green in 3 having deliberately laid up, but I managed to take 3 chip shots (including 2 duffers) to get up to the green! I should have waited for the 2 ball waiting up on the adjacent tee box to hit their tee shots away before playing my first chip approach!
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The clubhouse is located in Barlow Hall, a 13th century Manor House! The clubhouse retains some obviously ancient features but has been externally modernised in places!
The standard visitors weekday green fee is £25! I paid £17.50 by booking online!
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There is a moderately sized proshop! A very helpful young assistant on duty!
Unfortunately the club no longer sell a course planner booklet!
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I only had time to have a quick pregame soup and roll lunch! I finished my round after the kitchen had closed!
Date Monday, 16, September 2019
