Gary H

Having joined last week, I am over the moon with my decision!
The course suffered in the wet but as much that can be done, has been to be fair...drainage added on numerous holes. The greens are lightening quick and true and the fairways awesome. Most of the bunkers are immaculate as well...
A brand new halfway hut offers a break and nice food before the brutal back 9.
2,3,8,10,11 and 17 stand out holes for me...plenty of water, trees and bunkers and long...but SI allows for this.
I can't believe some haven't rated the practice facilities 5/5...full length range, chipping and bunker area with short game approach area and putting green...what's missing?

Food and drink nice, staff friendly, members welcoming... investment in the inside of the clubhouse expected.

A lovely course...
A great range and putting area with a stunning clubhouse and halfway hut..very friendly members and staff that make you most welcome.
Every hole is different and there are some cracking holes...
3 which were boring were hole 3, 9 and 18 (sad to finish on it)
Great golf holes were 5,7, 8, 10,15 and 17
But 11 (par 4) and 12 (par 3 signature hole) were immense! Hole 11 is a massive uphill drive to a green back down the other side of the hill...must be one of the most prettiest and daunting approach shots in the area with the club choice, wind, bunkers and surrounding trees all making you think...hard!
Then you play the signature par 3 12th that has a huge greenside hollow one side and several pot bunkers the other...

As long as you don't mind leisure planes and helicopters every 2 mins above head and a joining fee (hence the low stars for value for money) this is a great course

Recently left windlesham which has the clickiest members ever....and after debating The Leatherhead, Mill Ride and Chobham my uncle and I joined Royal Ascot.
If the bunkers were better (being worked on) and they were allowed fairway irrigation, and the clubhouse was updated inside this would score top marks. That said, despite what the scorecard may lead you to believe, it is a tough track. The yellows allow for a friendly game but the whites makes it very hard, none more so than the 200 yds par 3 opener. Greens are immaculate and so true and each hole offers something to test you, without being impossible. You are rewarded for course management and only punished for taking a risk or hitting a poor shot....well worth a visit!!!
Great members roll ups and comps throughout the week too

A great test. Starts with some short holes then really gets going.
Very clever use of the space meaning you never feel like a wayward shot will hit fellow golfers on adjacent holes...or the road / train track which is a way back and protected.
Greens looked a bit patchy but we're very quick and true...with some tricky breaks and slopes.
What a cracking little track!

Proper track. Luckily, the Qatar masters was last month so the course was in top condition. 36 degrees and soooooooo humid but what a course. The par 5s on 1 9 and 18 really make you think....the par 5 10th gives you a decent par chance and the par 3s are all lethal. How the 185 yard 8th is SI 13 i dont know!! Bar the length, water all to the left and back of the green with huge right hand bunker. You sweat on that tee even in freezing weather I imagine. Keep to the fairways as the "semi" rough is ball grabbing barmuda grass and the thick rough is desert and rubble. Worth taking a rock club, I took 2 and the shaft of one is still on the right of the 12th grass in pieces!
Greens were described by sergio garcia according to the pro as "2nd in speed only to augusta."

At £160 quid a round its not cheap but the range and GPS buggy included. Clubhouse amazing and well priced.

It maybe the best course I've played (wolf creek in Nevada and TPC Vegas rival it) but without doubt....the hardest and most rewarding to shoot 11 over. And played the 9th from the Pro tees.640 yards was too rare to miss an opportunity !

I thought long and hard about membership here. Such a great layout and sone great views. Probably my favourite par 3 on the 12th and a great 14th oxfordshire esque par 5.
The pro is very friendly.
However....
The worst greens I have had the misfortune to play. Apparently they have a disease but other green keepers agree that it doesnt stop rollers, lawnmowers or top dressing to be used.
Most bunkers either g.u.r. or full of cheap grey soiley rubbish and stones.
Tee boxes were also strangers to a lawnmower.
I base these views on 4 visits in May. The last included the rudest group of members I have experienced.

The clubhouse is nice. But theyll be a pikey wedding on so when you can hear again after the M25 noise...youll hear partyers or drunk cheers. And have to squash into the remaining side bar.

The TSG event will be a good day as they always are...but the course will let down the ocassion.

A top course in embarassing condition

Having been a regular at merrist wood in the last 2 or 3 years i looked forward to our visit on friday. But what a disgrace. Apart from the lovely friendly girls behind the bar, i dont have a positive to say....
- worst greens i have played...cored by stevie wonder i think and then random sand thrown sporadically around
- didnt see a fairway depsite straight drives - some long semi rough was all i saw where the fairway should have been
- rude pro shop...refused to acknowledge a tsg deal and very unhelpful when god forbid...i wanted to buy something!!!
- tee boxes were mainly flat but longer than the "fairway" grass
- course parts roped off but no work done on the roped bits
- cleveland wedge now has a hole from the bunker based with slabs

When we asked about tsg deal...it was like asking to borrow their aston martin for a joy ride...

AVOID THIS PLACE...MILFORD IS 10 MINS AWAY AND AWESOME CONDITION AND FRIENDLY PROS.

Not an easy course to play without knowing where to go! Lots of blind and tight tee shots and approaches. Perhaps made easier with one of the four ball having a course guide - but would have helped if the correct course was being looked at!!! I'll blame my poor start to this round on that (her).
Anyway, course appears "easy" and short when looking on the website before the round. After 6 or so holes, it still felt like a decent score was achievable. The back 9 is a killer though! Some fairways need pin point accuracy or balls are lost / blocked out. Its all about the tee shots here - and sadly mine were like watching the red arrows.
The back 9 had 6 cracking holes - a massive dog leg par 5 10th / the tightest little par 4 11th / a monster par 3 12th where anything wayward was gone - only a fluke chip would get you a birdie here I reckon!
The 17th was a great par 5.
I think the summer would allow you the distance to score well - but a driver left in the bag on several holes would be the better option.
Overall, a tough test...well worth a visit. Well maintained greens. I'd say 10 great holes, 4 good ones and 4 run of the mill - all with relevant strike index ratings.

Got a deal from tee off times so paid 8 quid. Greens ok for this time of year I guess. Tee boxes were all grass and no mats but never had so many bad lies on a tee box! More undulating than any of the greens. Course is short....real short. Bar the 9th I reckon a 5 iron as your biggest club would be ample for par....sadly didn't take that advice!!!!
It's ok for a quick knock around.....get a map though as stevie wonder numbered the holes I think as the next hole.is often not the one near the last green.....not even close at times!!!!

As with most courses in the states - the buggies and range balls are part of the price. We paid $100 and then $30 for a 2nd round. some fantastic golf holes and some run of the mill ones - but the fantastic ones make it a must play course. The Par 3 2nd is a green 100 foot down raised above the desert floor - meaning anything that doesn't land on something green is almost definitely gone. (forget the number) but one hole sees a dog leg right over a canyon - no need to be too brave as playing percentage golf leaves a 200 yard tee shot and 150 yard approach, but the landing zone is only about 20 yards wide. Aiming at houses but knowing you need to carry the canyon makes it a very daunting hole and the canyon goes the length of the hole so missing the green is not an option either. The 18th is another pleasing hole downhill to a green by a lake. The weaker holes give relief to the average golfer (me) as some holes need the best in your bag to par, or even bogey!

Oh my!!!! I have played about 150 courses worldwide, this has at least 9 of my top 18 holes on it! From the 2nd that involves a 100 foot climb to the tee box to shoot to a fairway 200 foot lower, over a peak! to the par 3 8th which is the most daunting par 3 carved into a mountain side with a floating green this course has it all. I lost count how many times I stood on the tee box and said "what a golf hole!" But I think it was 18 times! The 17th is one of the best par 5's I've seen, with another par 5 on the course a close rival. With the creek weaving through fairways and around greens and the mountainous terrain, this is a must for any Las Vegas trip!!! $175 peak season - I'd have paid double and not felt cheated