Theale Golf Club

The clubhouse is pretty modern, and there are reasonable changing rooms. There is no spike bar as such just the end of the bar where they take the green fees - no pro shop. The staff were pleasant, which is not something that could be said for one member who would not allow anyone else to use the chipping green until he had finished! Once we teed off we found that you either need a course planner or someone who has played there before to be with you. A GPS was helpful, but not overly so as greens were often not visible from the tee. The greens are not in tip top condition, but are pretty firm except for the odd patch from the rains - they are in dire need of a trim as most are slow. Bunkers are for the most part shallow - cut outs in the grass - with a thin layer of sand. Fairways are well delineated and in good nick (but for the rain), but again it's those bunkers! The course runs right up to the M4, so some holes there is a lot of noise. As we have had a lot of rain over the past weeks, some latitude must be given for the state of the course, but not as much as it needs. There has obviously been some flooding, which in time will completely clear, but at present the stagnant water stinks. This could be a really cracking course if the drainage was sorted out and the bunkers were made into real hazards. I'd say for the £15 deal we played on today, it is VFM, and as it's only £20 normally, the locals are probably reasonably happy, but I'd not go out of my way for a game there - that does not mean I'd not play it again.