Sheringham, Norfolk, England

www.sheringhamgolfclub.co.uk

Men's white tees par 70, SSS 71, 6251 yards
Ladies' yellow tees par 73, SSS 74, 5838 yards

The view from the 5th tee

Sheringham golf club is situated on the North Norfolk coast, Norfolk’s ‘Golf Coast’ which boasts three other true links courses, Royal West Norfolk ( which we visited yesterday), Hunstanton and Great Yarmouth and Caister and lies between the North Norfolk Railway and the North Sea. It was opened as a nine hole course in 1891 and extended to eighteen in 1898.  The original course was designed by Tom Dunn, a prolific golf course architect of the time.  Sheringham has been the venue for a number of major amateur championships including the English Women’s championship on three occasions.  In 1920 it was won by the then 18 year old Joyce Wethered whose obituary recalls that having been six down in the final to Cecil Leitch (see Silloth on Solway 11^th April 2014) she responded with a succession of threes before winning on the 17^th.  As she stood over her final putt a train rattled past on the North Norfolk railway.  Asked afterwards whether it disturbed her concentration she replied ‘What train?’.

The 17th green. 

 Sheringham is more of a clifftop and heathland course than a true links although some of the holes have a links feel.  Although the soil did not appear to be sandy some of the holes had the typical undulations and fast running fairways of a links course.  Having said that it is a very enjoyable and high quality although fairly hilly course.

The railway runs in close proximity to the 18th green

The first is a testing par four, uphill and with a tilted green set into the hillside.  A true golf brain is required for the second hole as each shot requires careful placement to avoid the fairway bunkers. The fifth is a spectacular hole with a high tee and a green which demands a perfect shot otherwise the ball falls off on the left and at the back or ends in the rough on the mound to the right.  This is followed by a long par 3 with equally good views from the tee.  The 11^th is a lovely par 3 which requires a carry all the way to the green to avoid the five greenside bunkers.  The 17^th has a particularly attractive green complex close to the railway and backed by a small wood.

Worth playing?  Yes but I wouldn’t class it as a true links course.