Holes 13-18
Hole 13
From the tee high on a ridge the green can be seen straight ahead but the fairway curves attractively downhill around a tree plantation and then uphill towards the target which is protected by bunkers on either side. I have it on reliable authority that some low handicap members can hit the green with their drivers but most of us would require a Kalashnikov rather than a Calloway.
Hole 14
There are two bunkers on the right short of the green so if you are going to miss the target it is safer to do so on the left. Only the most hideously miscued iron will find the pond 40 yards to the left but I have seen this done twice so perhaps the pair of shell ducks I once saw diving were not seeking food but refuge from incompetent members.
Hole 15
Never has 306 yards seemed longer for the hole is all uphill but there is ample recompense when you reach the green because this is surely the best of several outstanding viewpoints on the course. When you choose the club for your second shot it is advisable to take at least one more than you originally thought to offset the effects of the slope and to avoid the three bunkers in front of the target.
Hole 16
Aim at the stone shelter from the tee and try to fade the drive slightly to take the ball down the fairway but don’t overdo it because trouble lurks if you slice it severely. As you smile with inward satisfaction at a job well done and walk towards your distant ball take time to look at the long grass on the hillside where you may see purple early flowering orchids, cowslips, hares and occasionally a skylark. The approach shot is easy if you hit the drive well but putting is tricky unless you follow your bank manager’s advice and borrow plenty.
Hole 17
The last and most testing par three because the green, guarded by bunkers front right and back left, is higher than the tee and this makes clubbing more difficult. A copse well to the right, a pretty pond well to the left and a bunker well short are ready to accept the offerings of those who by this time are thinking solely of the nineteenth but they offer no threat to even a moderately well struck shot.
Hole 18
A tree lined fairway runs gently down to the distant green which is guarded by a silver birch. It is advisable to send the drive down the left hand side of the fairway because this makes it easier to avoid the tree when playing the approach shot. The MacKenzie green offers an excellent final test for your putting touch, especially when the terrace outside the clubhouse is well populated by those who know, or think they know, what line you should take and whose judgements are enhanced by liquid refreshment.
Before you join the spectators to pass opinions about those who are playing behind you, reflect for a moment. If you have chosen a sunny day and failed to enjoy golf in this glorious setting then perhaps the time has come to take up ice dancing or synchronised macramé instead. If you have enjoyed it please come again soon.