Dunbar Golf Club, Dunbar, Scotland

www.dunbar-golfclub.co.uk

White tees par 71, SSS 72, 6597 yards
Red tees par 72, SSS 73, 5696 yards

Golf is first recorded in Dunbar in 1616 when golfers were reprimanded by the Church for playing on the Sabbath (Sunday).  This was probably on the West Barns Links which was the course where the Dunbar Golfing Society was inaugurated in 1794.  The Dunbar Golf Club was formed in 1856 prompted by the opening of a railway in 1846 and the establishment of a military barracks in 1855.  After 'clearing of the ground' (which suggests that there was no pre-existing course) the East Links was formed as a fifteen hole course which lay to the seaward of the wall which runs between the current 4th and 18th holes.  An eighteen hole course was set out in 1880 with four further alterations being done over the years by such illustrious names as Old Tom Morris, James Braid and Ben Sayers.  The course was extended to its current length in 2008.

'Jackson's Pennies', the well bunkered 3rd green with the old deer wall in the background

Dunbar is a typical classic links course which runs more or less straight out and straight back.  All but four of the holes (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 18th) lie on the seaward side of an old red sandstone deer park wall between it and the rocky coastline.  We played the course with Norma Richmond in a team event on a windy day.  It starts with two fairly ordinary par 5s on the landward side of the wall followed by a tricky and punishingly bunkered par 3 named 'Jackson's Pennies' after a former member who used to spend all day betting pennies on whether players would hit the green.  The path from the 3rd to the

4th goes through the old wall and the player is greeted by magnificent views of the Forth estuary and its islands which can be seen from every hole and this is where the true links nature of the course starts.  Hugging the coastline the 4th is a lovely par 4 which on first sight looks easy but beware the fast and undulating green.  After a testing par 3 the 6th and 7th follow the old deer wall which punishes a slice with an out of bounds penalty.  The 7th is even more testing as it is a dog leg to the right over the crest of a hill to a downhill green between the wall and an old boathouse.  The 9th hole will also punish a slice with a blind drive and the wall on the right.

Looking back to the town of Dunbar from the 4th green

with the Bass Rock in the distance

At the 11th the course turns for home and there is a run of three excellent par 4s from the 12th to the 14th.  The 12th stands out as a testing hole which doglegs slightly left to right to an infinity green with water awaiting an errant shot to the right.  The 14th heads back towards the old boat house and is framed by a lovely view of the Bass Rock.  The homeward run of holes are just as much fun with a tricky par 3 at the 16th and the 17th green close to the wall.  The 18th is back on the landward side of the wall but again a slice will flirt with out of bounds.  Dunbar is not a happy course for the chronic slicer!

This is a difficult course for ladies with only one par 4 being less than 300 yards but it is a links course of quality with tight lines, fast running fairways and true greens.  It stands out for its views of the sea which are lacking in many links courses.

Looking back up the 12th hole - there is trouble on the right!

Worth playing?  Yes

Murcar Links

www.murcarlinks.com

White tees par 71, SSS 72, 6303 yards

Red tees par 72, SSS 73, 5635 yards

Murcar Links Golf Club lies adjacent to and north of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club on the links coast of Aberdeenshire which includes Cruden Bay, Newburgh on Ythan and the newer Trump International Golf Links at Balmedie.  Opened in 1909, the original course architect was Archie Simpson who was the professional at Royal Aberdeen and purportedly dropped in on his lunch breaks to design the course.  Advice on alterations was obtained from James Braid in the 1930s.  In the days before cars were widely owned the difficulty of reaching the course from nearby Aberdeen was solved by the use of the Strabathie light railway owned by the Seaton Brick and Tile Company.  It ran past the clubhouse and through the middle of the course.  Bought by the club in 1924 the railway was used until 1949 and was only removed in 2006. 

The narrow entrance to the 3rd green

The view from the 5th tee with a notable absence of fairway

We played Murcar with Lynn and David Lawson on a cold and windy day.  The overall impression of this course is long carries over vicious rough and a number of blind drives.  Take plenty of golf balls!   The first three holes are par 4s adjacent to Royal Aberdeen.  The third hole runs downhill to a green situated in a bowl with a tight entrance guarded by gorse and rough.  The course then turns to the north and the next stretch of six holes running by the sea was the best part of the course.  With no fairway the par 3 5th is a fearsome hole with a long uphill carry into the wind over hummocks

The 7th, 'Serpentine' has a long carry over a burn and a twisting

fairway uphill to the green

covered by thick rough.  Anything less than perfection is a goner!  The 7th, 'Serpentine' is deservedly the signature hole with a high tee with panoramic views of the North Sea, a drive over a ravine which must carry a twisting burn to a narrow fairway guarded by a gorse covered hill on the left and punitive rough on the right.  The second shot is to a front to back sloping green where anything right or long is in trouble.  The next three holes have long carries for the drive with the 10th being blind over gorse bushes. 

The 12th hole maintains the standard of difficult par 3s with no fairway and a sloping green.  The course then turns for home with a stretch of weaker holes on the inland side which lost some of the character of the earlier holes.  The 13th has a blind uphill drive and then a steep downhill slope to a flat rather nondescript green and the 14th had a wet fairway.  The last of the par 3s is the 16th which plays at right angles to the 15th to a plateau green.  The course then finishes with two short par 4s.

The par 3 16th crosses a ravine to a plateau green

Worth playing?  Yes - a tough course with some wonderful links holes but some disappointing ones.

Newburgh on Ythan, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

www.newburghgolfclub.co.uk

White tees par 72, SSS 72, 6423 yards

Red tees par 72, SSS 72, 5416 yards


Founded in 1888, Newburgh on Ythan (pronounced 'eye-than' and an old Pictish word meaning gorse) was initially a nine hole course laid out along the river Ythan and on the coastal dunes between the small town of Newburgh and the North Sea.  It was briefly an eighteen hole course in the early 20th century before being redesigned as a nine hole course after the First World War by James McAndrew, the professional at nearby Cruden Bay (see 24/10/2016).  It was not until 1996 that the course was extended to eighteen holes with the purchase of land to the south of the original course.

A stone wall guards the 4th green

Newburgh on Ythan is truly a game of two halves which we played on a sunny day with Lynn and David Lawson.  The first nine are built on a hilly area to the south of the clubhouse and although claimed to be on large sand dunes play and look more like a heathland course.  That is not to say that this is an easy part of the golf course as all the holes are either up or downhill and there a number of multi-tiered greens.  The second is a difficult long par 3 which needs a perfect strike to hold the well bunkered green.   The most memorable hole is the par 4 4th whose main hazard is a stone wall straddling the fairway and an odd out of bounds to the left.  The first nine finishes with a long par 5 with a blind drive and a green overlooked by the clubhouse and protected on either side by walls of gorse bushes.

The 15th green with the Forvie Nature Reserve in the background

The second nine is a completely different proposition - a true old fashioned links course with bumpy fast running fairways, revetted bunkers, bowl greens and beautiful views over the River Ythan and the stunning huge sand dunes of the Forvie National Nature Reserve on its opposite bank.  Golfing ornithologists will be totally distracted by the birdlife on the estuary.   The 15th and 16th run along the river bank and a hook will result in a watery grave.  The 15th is a short par 4 with a crumpled fairway and a green guarded by mounds and gorse.  The 16th is a particularly daunting par 3 with the green appearing to be in a sea of marram grass.  For the uninitiated the route in looks to be from the right but there lie bunkers to catch the unwary.  The 18th is an attractive long par 5 with a dogleg to the left to a green tucked at the base of the hill on which the clubhouse stands.

The 18th green is overlooked by the imposing clubhouse

Worth playing?  Yes - although only the back nine holes are a true links course.

Cruden Bay Championship, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

 www.crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk

White tees par 70, SSS 71, 6287 yards
Red tees par 74, SSS 74, 5722 yards

Cruden Bay owes its existence to the Great North of Scotland Railway Company which commissioned an eighteen hole golf course for its newly erected Cruden Bay Hotel, both of which opened in 1899.  The railway brought golfers and hotel guests to nearby Port Erroll from where a specially constructed tram line delivered them to the front door of the hotel.  The course was designed by Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson and the inaugural tournament in April 1899, graced by many famous golfing names such as James Braid, Ben Sayers and Andrew Kirkaldy, was won by Harry Vardon.  In 1926 the layout was redesigned by the partnership of Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler and apart from minor changes remains the same today.

The fourth is a testing par three with a

difficult carry to the green

On arrival at Cruden Bay there is a dramatic view of the sand dunes, fairways and greens of the two courses, the Championship and the nine hole St Olaf, and beyond to the sea from the elevated clubhouse.  Expectations are high at this stage but unfortunately are not completely fulfilled by the course.  The first hole is a long par 4 with a left to right sloping fairway.     The second is a weak hole

with a plateau green which is so steep that the pin cannot be seen from thirty yards short.  The 3rd is a quirky hole with a blind tee shot which must be placed on the left half of the fairway otherwise the approach to the green is also blind.  The 4th is a lovely par three which plays towards the sea from a elevated tee on a large sand dune over a deep hollow to an elevated green carved out of another dune.  On the left is the Water of Cruden and the small fishing village of Port Erroll.  There follows a roller coaster of holes starting with the fearsome carry from the elevated tee at the 5th. For ladies the approach shot to the 6th is almost impossibly difficult, usually requiring a wood which must carry a burn just short of

The approach to the 6th green is guarded by a burn and bunkers 

the green and hold a sloping green.  The 7th is another dogleg left to a steep plateau green.  From the 8th tee we commented on the enormous sand dune to the left, little realising that it had to be climbed to reach the 9th tee.  A killer climb is rewarded by wonderful views of the sea and golden sand beach of the Bay of Cruden.

Several rather nondescript holes follow with the 10th, 11th and 12th being rather wet as they lie in a flood plain on a lower level.  A burn meanders across the course at this point and comes into play at the 10th, 11th and 13th which is a par 5 to a green set in a bowl.  The two weakest holes on the course follow.  Both the tee shot and the approach shot to the 14th are blind and the par 3 15th is also a blind hole.  Unusually the 16th is also a par 3 and is a  classic links course short hole with the green guarded by the 'coffins', grassy hollows to the right and back of the green.  The course finshes with two wet and unmemorable holes.

The view from the 9th tee looking back over the 15th green to

to the right and the 16th green to the left

The terrain is very demanding at Cruden Bay and there are a number of hole routings with blind shots and some 'no-nos' of modern golf design.  This is offset by the very warm and helpful welcome which we had from all the staff.

Worth playing?  Yes but be prepared for a frustrating round!

St Olaf course, Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, Scoltand

www.crudenbaygolfcourse.co.uk

Blue tees par 64, SSS 64, 4926 yards
Red tees par 68, SSS 68, 4692 yards

St Olaf is the nine hole course which lies in the middle of the Cruden Bay championship course (see today's date).  It is on fairly flat but undulating terrain and is a welcome relief after the steep slopes of the second nine of the big course.  Its main defences are gorse and strategically placed bunkers.  The most memorable holes are the par 4 sixth and the four par 3s  The 6th has an approach over a hill to an elevated green nestling in the dunes.  This is followed by the par three 7th which plays over a gully to a sloping green. The ninth is a lovely par three to a large undulating green which is a real birdie opportunity with an accurate drive.

The 6th green

Worth playing?  Yes as a fun little course.  A welcome relief after the frustrations of the big course!

Ailsa Course, Turnberry, Scotland

www.turnberry.co.uk/ailsa-golf-course-scotland

White tees par 71, SSS 72, 6511 yards
Red tees par 74, SSS 75, 5406 yards

What a difference a day makes!  Compared to yesterday, this is the cream of the crop, a magnificent true links course which was the setting for the famous 'Duel in the Sun' between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at the 1977 Open Championship.  Turnberry lies on the Ayrshire coast on the west coast of Scotland south of a string of links courses such as Royal Troon and Prestwick.

The Ailsa course is named after the Marquess of Ailsa who commissioned Willie Fernie, the then professional at nearby Royal Troon, to design a course in 1902.  The course was then taken over by the Royal Airforce in World War 2 when three concrete airstrips were constructed over the course, flattening many of the natural features.  One can still be seen today.  After the end of the war, Philip Mackenzie Ross, a Scottish golf architect, restored many of the dunes and slopes.  The new course hosted the first of four Open Championships in 1977.  It has recently been acquired by Donald Trump and a redesign of the course carried out by Mackenzie Ebert golf architects.

The walk from the 5th to the 6th tee

We played the Ailsa on a breezy, sunny day as guests of David Sledmere of Elegant Golf Resorts.  Lengthening of the first hole has resulted in a lovely starter, with strategically placed bunkers at the corner of a dogleg from left to right and guarding the front of the green.  There are no weak holes in the course but some stand-out ones, notably the 4th to 7th holes, the 9th to 11th, 14th to 16th.  Starting with the 4th, there is a run of eight holes along the coast with beautiful views of Arran, Kintyre and the Ailsa Craig, a volcanic plug in the Firth of Clyde which is now a bird sanctuary. 

The 7th green with the Ailsa Craig in the background

The par three 4th is a testing hole with a huge bunker to carry to reach the green. The 5th is a cleverly bunkered par 5 which curves from right to left with a green set in an amphitheatre in the sand dunes.  The short climb over the dunes to the 6th tee reveals a breathtaking view of Turnberry beach with the scattered islands out to sea.  The golfer could be excused for being distracted at this stage but the par 3 6th needs your full attention with its front to back sloping green with trouble lurking for the short shot - hence its name 'Tappie Toorie' or 'Hit to the top'.  This is followed by the par 5 7th again with lovely views from the green.  The 9th is a stunning hole over a rocky inlet towards the iconic

The green at the par 3 9th is overlooked by the iconic lighthouse

lighthouse.  Take the opportunity to stand on the championship tee which perches on the cliff and is 248 yards from the centre of the green.  The lighthouse is now the half way house and must be one of the most beautiful locations in which to catch one's breath.




The 10th and 11th still follow the coast.  The high tees at the 10th allow a view of the whole hole which is another right to left par 5 with the 'doughnut' bunker awaiting a misjudged attempt to reach the infinity green in two. This is followed by another par 3 which requires a long carry over rocky outcrops.  Trouble lies short and left with thick rough through the green.  The 14th has been extended to finish at the top of the hill to make the most of the views.  With a double dogleg it climbs up to an

undulating green with the lighthouse as a backdrop.  Another testing par 3 follows which is exposed to the wind.  There is a steep bank short and right and bunkers on the left from which there is a difficult shot onto a downhill green.  The 16th is a par 4 which is all about the approach to the green, guarded by Wilson's burn.  Even if the ball lands on the front of the green it is likely to run back into the burn.

The hotel overlooks the 18th green

Worth playing?  Yes.  This is a spectacular course and one of our top choices.

Darley Golf Course, Troon, Scotland

www.ayrshiregolfscotland.com

White tees par 71, SSS 72, 6321 yards
Red tees par 72, SSS 73, 5681 yards

Darley golf course is part of the group of municipal courses in Troon, close to Royal Troon but without the quality and true links nature of its more famous neighbour.  The designer is not documented but the course dates from around 1910 with the present course opening in 1951.  We played it on a cool breezy day.

The first hole is a flat and featureless par 5 after which there is a trek over the road to the second hole. The second is a fairly nondescript par 4 followed by another short par 4 with a ditch running across the fairway which is a difficult carry for the average golfer and must usually result in a lay up with a short club from the tee.  The 5th is a better hole with a feasible carry from the

The 9th is a blind hole

men's tee and a slight right to left dogleg.  The next few holes are not really memorable until the ninth which is a blind par 3.  In the back nine the burn comes into play again on the 13th and 14th.  On the 13th the burn is positioned poorly for ladies - only the longest hitters will carry it with their second shot whilst a lay up results in the player not being able to reach the green in regulation.  The 15th, a par 4, and 16th, a par 3, are better holes with the plateau green at the former and the more links-like green with tricky slopes at the latter.  The finish is as disappointing as the start with the 17th and 18th in similar terrain to the first two holes.


This is not a typical true links course.  The fairways were not hard and fast running and the greens were slow.  There are quite a lot of trees and the course is some distance from the sea.  Although there were some sandy patches most of the soil seemed more farmland in nature.  The bunkers were in poor condition without any rakes.  We did not like the numbers of dog walkers, cyclists(!) and schoolchildren wandering across the course oblivious to any danger from golf balls.

The par 3 16th.  Numerous trees line the course.

Worth playing?  Not if you want a true links experience.

Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes Resort, Oregon, USA

www.bandondunesgolf.com

Black tees par 71, rating 73, slope 142, 6633 yards
Orange tees par 71, rating 69.8, slope 128, 5088 yards



Pacific Dunes was the second of the courses at Bandon Dunes resort.  Designed by Tom Doak, it opened on 2001 and lies on the Pacific coast just north of the Bandon Dunes course.  Once again the setting is magnificent with fantastic views along the Oregon coastline.  Pacific Dunes reputedly required little movement of earth, making use of natural bunkers and features.  Our caddie told us that some of the bunkers were formed using TNT which gave them a ragged natural look.  The course certainly appears to follow the natural contours of the land.

Looking back down the 4th

We played the course on a sunny day with a 20mph prevailing northerly wind.  Pacific Dunes lies almost exactly north-south so the wind either helps or hinders.  The first three holes, two par 4s and a par 5 take the golfer out to the ocean and it is not until the fourth hole that this course really fires the imagination.  It runs along the ocean high above the pounding Pacific surf and the instructions are to hit your ball to the left but enjoy the views to the right.  The fairway narrows to a green perched above and running towards the sea.  Slice at your peril! The sixth hole is cleverly bunkered with a plateau green guarded by a huge bunker on the left.  The green is narrow requiring an approach shot from the right to get near the hole.  The ninth is a unique hole with two greens - a high and a low.  The best views on the course are from the ladies' tee. 

The 11th is the signature hole

The second nine starts with two lovely par 3s, the first of which is downhill into the prevailing wind.  The 11th is the signature hole of this course. plays uphill into the wind and is guarded by natural bunkers at the front and on both sides.  The thirteenth is a mirror image of the 4th with danger lurking

The Pacific Ocean is the lateral water hazard on the left of the 13th hole

on the bluffs and beach to the left.  A downwind par 3 is followed by a well bunkered par 5 with gorse on the left and a green at a 45 degree angle to the fairway.  The 17th is a par 3 which is Redan like where the safe line is to the right but a successful shot just right of the pin will reap rewards.  The round finishes with a par 5 which winds through the dunes and bunkers to a front to back sloping green.

The 17th green with a Blacktail deer in the foreground

This is a true links course but the fairways have some lusher patches and the green surrounds have some longer grass which holds the ball and prevents it from rolling off, unlike typical links turf.  It is the most scenic of the courses here with some memorable holes.

Worth playing?  Yes especially for the views

Bandon Dunes, Oregon, USA

www.bandondunesgolf.com

Black tees par 72, rating 74.1, slope 143, 6732 yards
Orange tees par 72, rating72.4, slope 128, 5072 yards

This is the eponymous and original course of the four at this resort.  Designed by David McLay Kidd it was opened in 1999 to rave reviews and immediately entered the list of the top 100 golf courses in the world.  It currently lies 70th.

The infinity green at the par 4 fourth hole

Today was a cool day with little wind and a lurking sea mist.  Bandon Dunes lies on undulating sand dunes and makes clever use of the landscape.  The turf is softer than Old Macdonald as it is a combination of fescue and bent grass but the fairways are still fast running.  The 2nd hole is a testing par 3 with a carry over marram grass to an elevated green guarded by a small front bunker.  The 4th affords the first sight of the ocean and is a par 4 dogleg to the right with an infinity green overlooking the Pacific.  Reminiscent of the Castle course at St Andrews, also designed by David Kidd, the 5th hole follows the ocean and has mounds of marram grass which must be negotiated to reach a corridor between the dunes leading to the green.  The 6th is a tricky par 3 where an accurate shot is required to hold the green.  We were distracted here by a sighting of dolphins surfing the waves and soaring Turkey Vultures.  The ninth is a straightforward par 5 which returns the player to the clubhouse.

Theere is a distracting backdrop to the 6th green

The 16th is the signature hole

The second nine is the more spectacular of the two.  The first five holes are inland but typical links holes.  The 15th is a simple but testing hole with a deep bunker set into the elevated green on the right and a large dune on the left.  A stroll to the back of the green reveals wonderful views of the coastline only surpassed by the views from the course's signature hole, the par 4 16th.  The drive is over a ravine to a fairway crossed by a diagonal ridge of marram grass.  The second is to another infinity green with the best views on the course over the Oregon coastline and massive
sandy beaches.  The 17th is a dogleg to the right with a deep gully on the right which will swallow a wayward shot.  During the gold rush the creek at the bottom of the gully was mined by around one thousand men.  The final hole is a par 5 with the green nestled in front of the clubhouse.

The 18th green.  The clubhouse blends well with its surroundings

at this understated resort

Worth playing?  Yes - in a beautiful setting at a resort dedicated to golf.  Quite special.

Old Macdonald, Bandon Dunes, Oregon, USA

www.bandondunesgolf.com

Black tees rating 74.4, slope 131, 6944 yards
Orange tees rating 70.1, slope 117, 4985 yards




A flight to Portland, Oregon and a four and a half hour drive south brings you to Bandon Dunes resort and golfer's heaven.  Three of the four true links courses in the United States are here, set in typical links land overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  The resort was the brainchild of Mike Keiser, a multimillionaire businessman with a passion for golf who wanted to create the same true links experience that he had enjoyed in the UK.  In 1991 he found and purchased 1200 acres of land on the Oregon coastline and the Bandon Dunes resort was born.

Today we played our first true links course here with Marc and Beth Swiontkowski on a beautiful blue Oregon day.  Old Macdonald was designed by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina and is a homage to Charles Blair Macdonald, a Canadian with a Scottish father who was a central figure in the evolution of golf and golf course architecture in the USA.  He was instrumental in the formation of the USGA, won the US Amateur golf championship in 1895 and designed many courses, the best known of which is probably the National Golf Links of America in Long Island, New York.  The holes at Old Macdonald use Macdonald's favourite design concepts based on great links holes in the UK and US and in particular those of the Old Course at St Andrews where Macdonald spent time as a student.

The iconic tree on the dune

ridge at the 3rd

'Hell' bunker

The first impression at Old Macdonald is of space. The first fairway is wide and inviting leading to plateau green and is followed by a par 3, 'Eden', based on the 11th at St Andrews, with a deep revetted bunker defending the green (the Strath bunker).  Then it is up and over a large dune ridge at the top of which the course, backed by the Pacific Ocean, is spread out in all its glory.  On the ridge is the spiky skeleton of a huge dead white cedar tree which can be seen from most of the course.  The course then settles into a succession of high quality links holes each of which pose their own strategic dilemmas. The sixth hole is modelled on the fourteenth at the Old Course and has its own version of 'Hell' bunker.  The seventh climbs up to a plateau green situated on a dune ridge overlooking the Pacific with stunning views along the coastline.  The 8th is a par three called 'Biarritz'.  It has a large swale running across the green and was inspired by a similar hole designed by Willie Dunn in Biarritz, France. 

Looking back at the Pacific Ocean over the 7th green

The elevated 14th green

The second nine is longer and tougher than the first.  The 11th hole, 'Road', has echoes of the famous 17th at the Old Course with its narrow angled green defended by a deep pot bunker.  Redan, the fifteenth hole at North Berwick, is said to be the most copied in the world and it appears as the 12th at Old Macdonald.  The 15th climbs back up for a view of the Pacific and like many other holes is exceptionally well bunkered.  The 16th, 'Alps',  has a large dune hiding the green which lies in a hollow.  The 17th, a lovely par 5 and the 18th with its punchbowl green complete a memorable round.

The strategic bunkering illustrated on the 17th fairway

This is a great true links course, with proper fast running fairways, ragged edged bunkers and huge sloping greens which are said to be the largest acreage of green on any 18 hole golf course in the world.

Worth playing?  Not to be missed.

Hartlepool Golf Club, England

www.hartlepoolgolfclub.co.uk

White tees par 70, SSS 71, 6298 yards

Red tees par 72, SSS 72, 5562 yards

Hartlepool golf course lies just north of the town of the same name on the north-east coast of England.  Built in 1906 this is a part links course with some of the holes through the sand dunes reputedly reworked by James Braid.  On the seaward side the course is protected by sand dunes and on the landward side the town is hidden from the course by a large railway embankment.

There is danger short, left and long on the 5th

We had a friendly welcome at Hartlepool where we played on a very windy day.  The first four holes are more parkland than true links holes. The par 3 fifth is played over a ravine to the left and requires accurate clubbing to avoid disaster - short, long or left is a lost ball.  The 6th enters duneland proper and is a totally blind drive.  Unfortunately the marker post is for the men's and not the ladies' tees.  The fairway slopes left to right and it is likely that your second shot will have a difficult stance.  There is a narrow entrance to the elevated sloping green.  The drive at the 8th is angled across the fairway making it difficult to hold on a windy day unless with a very controlled fade.  This is a long par four which was previously a par 5.

The tenth green is set in a bowl

The tenth hole was redesigned by James Braid and is a driveable par 4 in a favourable wind.  The green is in a deep hollow with thick rough behind to punish an over zealous shot.  The 11th is a lovely par 3 with an uphill carry over marram grass to a green sloping from back to front.  This is followed by another par 3 which is sharply downhill from an elevated tee with views over the coastline to the North and a green which slopes from front to back.  The 14th is an excellent hole which doglegs right to left around the dunes.  A longer drive is rewarded by a view of the green tucked into the far point of the course.  A sloping right to left fairway and left to right dogleg at the fifteenth ensures a testing hole.  The final three holes return to the less 'linksy' style of the opening holes.

There is a long carry to the par 3 11th

Hartlepool is an inconsistent course in terms of the quality and true links nature of the holes but the friendly welcome made it an enjoyable experience.

Worth playing?  Don't make a special trip to play it but you will get a welcome if you are in the area.

Cleveland Golf Club, Redcar, Yorkshire, England

https://cleveland-golf-club.com/

White tees par 72, SSS 73, 6704 yards
Red tees par 72, SSS 74, 5545 yards  

On stepping on to the first tee at Cleveland the first impression is of the vista of caravan parks, steel works, wind farms, noisy fun fair and further down the course a scrap yard but if you are put off by this you will miss a classic and top quality true links course.  In a curious way the steel works are a dramatic background to a links course which would be rated much more highly if it were on the east coast of Scotland or the west coast of Ireland.

The par 3 6th with the Redcar steel works as a backdrop

Established in 1887, Cleveland was designed by a number of architects including Harry Colt and most recently Donald Steel who designed three new holes in 2000.  It is the oldest and the only true links course in the county of Yorkshire.  We played it on a beautiful sunny summer day with light winds, the perfect conditions for links golf!  Unusually the course starts with a par three which requires an accurate shot – if not there is a deep gully awaiting on the right and bunkers guarding both sides.  The next three holes head into the prevailing wind with out of bounds down the left side of each.  There are two more par 3s in the first nine, both of which are strong typical links course holes. 

The 12th is a right to left dogleg with a view reminiscent of St Andrews

Most of the second nine heads back towards the town of Redcar, with a backdrop reminiscent of the spires of St Andrews.  The par 4 12^th is a right to left dogleg which is very well bunkered at the angle of the dogleg and round the green.  The well bunkered theme continues on the 13^th_, a natural looking hole where the task in hand is clear from the elevated tee.  The course finishes with three well designed tricky holes from 15 to 17 and then the relatively short par 5 18^th with its sloping green.

The 18th green.  The 1st hole can be seen on the right.

Worth playing?  Yes if you can block out the surroundings.