Hounslow Heath Golf Centre

Today I dared and ventured solo on Hounslow Heath golf course, thing I was not too sure about as some parts of the course are very isolated & remote, we are on Dick Turpin's famous land. I did check with the Proshop & Greenkeeper as to safety & was assured it would be fine and YES it was !...

I enjoyed my round with no waiting on Tees as not many players out there due to the heat. The only highwayman I encountered was friendly enough, trying to sell me some golf balls at the 17th Tee. I did see another soul: a runner, must be mad in this heat or trying to loose some weight !!!

The fairways were very dry, it actually made it easier to spot the ball, fairways full of bumps & mounds, gives a hint of links, makes the game more interesting.

The sand bunkers were "rakeless" (there is a very good reason for it) but sand was plentiful & nice to play (I did find a few bunkers as I did not remember the course that well from last summer's play & did not have a course planner). You just have to be lucky not to be in a footprint that has not been smoothed out.

The greens although a little brown in place were surprisingly "true" as cut very short & very flat near the pin hole. Today all the flags were in, the kids did not pinch them, well we are on common land with easy access to walkers, runners, highwaymen etc.... I believe that is the reason that there are NO rakes in bunkers !

I enjoyed my favourites 4 holes:

the 5th, short Par 3 over a bridge,

the 14th, Par 3, sharp dogleg right (local rule: one is not allowed to cut the corner), with a valley/a bridge to a raised green encircled by old mature trees.

the 15th, Par 4, with one or two bridges, water hazards.

the 16th, another Par 4 which seems pretty straight forward, but dogleg left before a raised green hiding behind a stream full of attractive tall water plants, a magnet for golf balls (not mine this time). A pretty bridge to get to the green.

The Ladies Red Tee boxes only exist on 4 or 5 holes, so had to play from the apparent Yellow.

Although in need of monetary investment, this is a public course that is popular with "hardy" golfers. The course will test your golfing skills, most of the fairways have a links feel with ondulations, craters, large sand traps, not a manicured course at all as built on a heathland.

The price of a round is very affordable @ £10 on a weekday, a little more at the weekend.

Nice "cuppa" (£1.00 only) in the Portacabin which acts as Proshop, reception, changing room/toilets.

Friendly staff.

Practice facility.

Large car Park.

Not far from Heathrow but funny enough not a lot of aircraft noise.


THE END.....

Whats marmites slogan ---------- U EITHER LOVE IT OR HATE IT.

I used to play here as a kid and have this affection for this club and would hate to ever see the day the club folded.

that sums up hounslow heath golf club.

YES---- its owned by the council

Yes---- It looks a bit tacky(poor clubhouse/flags are poor condition/some tee boxes are poor) but this is public land.

Hounslow heath charge £10 a round and there are 4 holes that if were layed out on a private course the holes in my point of view would be spectaculor.

Par 3 5th
Par 4 14th
Par 4 15th
Par 4 16th

I love these holes and they always tell me not to be taken for advantage.

Hounslow Heath is a bit like the plain jane in the office, u don't know what it is ----- but theres something about them that make u smile everytime u see them.

Hounslow heath will always have a place in my heart if not anybody elses.