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| Winterfield |
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Winterfield Golf Course © 2006, Richard & Mary-Alice Jafolla A Good Example Of Maybe A Not-So-Good Design? This physically beautiful golf course is dramatically situated right on the edge of the North Sea, meandering from the coast to inland and back to the coast. Not quite a links course, not quite a parkland course, it's kept in good shape. But as I played my round I couldn't stop thinking what a fantastic 9 hole course this would have made with just a little imagination (much like Gifford Golf Club has done with great success). Simply by getting rid of some holes, lengthening others to make them par 4s and 5s, and shortening others to make them playable par 3s, you could have had a really fine course. Using different tees for the back nine would have made it play like a legitimate 18 hole layout. As it is, what could have been a remarkably beautiful and testing 9 hole course has been turned into a not-so-remarkable 18 hole course. Consider this--the very first hole is 230 yards from the tee to the middle of the green. That's difficult enough. But you are separated from the green by a deep valley which starts a few yards from the tee, sinks down about 40 feet and then rises back up to level ground a full 200 yards from the tee. In other words, your tee shot has to carry 200 yards to get you over the valley!
Want more bad news? Okay, the hill facing you is lined with deep rough, so any shot that comes up short is lying in deep rough that is difficult to hit out of. Thinking of laying up? Sure, you can lay up, but laying up in this case is laying down because in order to lay up you have to hit your ball down into the valley. If you do, your second shot then has to go up a 40 foot hill and land on the green if you want to have any chance of paring this difficult hole. The problem with this strategy is that your lay up has to be placed well short of the hill because if you hit too far you won't be able to see the flag and thus will be firing a blind shot. But then again, if you hit short enough to see the flag, have a very long and uphill second shot that has to land close enough to the hole to give you a chance for a one putt. The final piece of bad news is that even if you're a long hitter you'll be hard-pressed to reach the green off the tee. It's almost an automatic bogie because the prevailing wind will almost always be in your face. A better design would have been to clear some fairway on the level ground off to the side for those who can't hit a ball 200 yards in the air into a stiff wind, move the green back a bit and make it a par 4. It would have been a dandy par 4 but because they were trying to squeeze 18 holes in a limited area, holes such as this predominate. Bring Your Short Game -- If you play Winterfield Golf Club, bring your short game. It's filled with lo-o-o-ong par 3s. Off the medal tees you have par 3s of 203 yards, 221 yards, 226 yards, 230 yards, and 240 yards. Many of these holes play into the wind so unless you hit the ball a ton, you are probably looking at 5 bogies before you even start, unless you have a superb short game. Typical of the poor design of some of these holes is the 8th. Not only is it 240 yards long--that should be enough to make it a tough hole--it has two bunkers guarding either side of the front entrance to the green so it takes pinpoint precision to roll your ball onto the green. Plus, the green is slightly elevated with a sharp drop-off in the back and then there is a deep depression at the front part of the green, which makes putting it a nightmare. Oh, and don't forget the wind! Any one of these challenges would be enough to make it a difficult hole, all of them together is really overkill. Maybe the best thing about playing here is the price, it's only £14.50 a round. But if you're looking for an economical day of golf, why not try Gullaine # 3 Course. It is only £19 and is a legitimate 18 hole course, a better layout, and a better value than this one. In summary, Winterfield Golf Club was a disappointment. Even though the price is very low, I don't recommend it. Golf Nook Scotland rating -- a BOGIE. Cost: Weekdays: 18 holes - £14.50 All day - £19 Weekends: 18 holes - £16.50 All day - £25 Miscellaneous Notes: Food and drink is available at this club. And you can use the clubhouse to change and shower. There is no driving range so you'll have to warm up on your own. Actually, after trudging down the hill and up the hill on the 1st hole, you'll be pretty warmed up. Scorecard
SSS: White 64, Yellow 64, Red 66. Directions: Follow the A1 east from Edinburgh and North Berwick, and watch for signs to Dunbar. Look for signs as soon as you enter town. Pro: Kevin Phillips Secretary: D. Robertson Winterfield Golf Club North Road, Dunbar East Lothian EH42 1AU Scotland Tel: (0) 1368 863562 *For WHAT TO DO ALL DAY, please see Dunbar Golf Club |
