FLAMBOROUGH HEAD GOLF COURSE (OH I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE)

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD	http://flamboroughheadgolfclub.co.uk/		Flamborough E Yorkshire
Type of course	PARKLAND	18 holes
Course distance	White 6244 yds	Yellow 6005 yds	Red 5570 yds
Holes	3 x par 5	11 x par 4	4 x par 3

Claim to fame: The friendliest club on the coast
Flamborough Head golf course advertises itself as “the friendliest club on the coast”. My initial observations sadly don’t back up this claim to fame. Driving to Flamborough reminded me of the 1985 Talking Head’s song “Road to Nowhere”. As the singer song writer David Byrne stated he “wanted to write a song that presented a resigned, even joyful look at doom”. A feeling that perhaps comes over the inexperienced golfer every time they set forth on a golf course. Today however as I drove down the Flamborough road to nowhere I was feeling particularly positive. This was my fourth game in five days and I had after many months more or less sorted out my driver fade. The advice I had been given and more importantly taken, by my regular partner was starting to pay dividends. A low slow backswing was adding yards and keeping me on the straight and narrow that I call the fairway. Flamborough Head is a renowned Site of Special Scientific Interest for both geological and biological significance. The white cliff beauty spot is a twitcher’s paradise and has two standing lighthouse towers, the oldest dating from 1669 and Flamborough Head Lighthouse built in 1806 both of which are very evident as you walk the course. The older lighthouse was designated a Grade II listed building in 1952. A sharp left off the road to nowhere sees you enter the sloping car park and observe the open expanse of land that is the course and the North Sea beyond. Although so close to the sea it appears that it is not a links course. I was informed during my round today that the definition of a links course is a strip of land which links the sea with more fertile land, often set amongst dunes. So, there you have it, rock cliffs don’t count, and I have therefore yet to play a true links course. At first glance the club house appears to be unassuming but inevitably as with most car parks you are brought to the rear of the residence and it is not until you are on the course that you see the full splendour of the white brick building. On entry the club shop is directly to the left but was firmly locked and a rather large notice directed you upstairs to the bar. Upstairs the décor was aging but the views from the large glass windows were stunning. Sadly, the reception from the lady behind the bar was not the friendliest I have ever received on the east coast. When a member of our three ball, requested three coffees a curt reply informed us that the coffee machine was around the corner in the lounge. A colleague wishing to buy an umbrella enquired as to when the Pro shop would open only to be told “It won’t, he’s not in today” and off she went to the kitchens beyond. This sort of service appears to be coming a worrying trend as I venture further afield for my golf experience. Service with a snarl seems to be a prerequisite of several golf clubs these days. Teeing off from the first in benign conditions was fine but in particular contrast to the final three holes as the rain headed in from the west. The course itself is wide and expansive with very few trees, low lying bunkers, varying amounts of gorse and limited rough but with varying degrees of incline between tee and green and a number of ponds and ditches it’s cracking. Standing on the first you can imagine that this course could be almost impossible to play on a wet and windy day as the squalls and sea frets hurtle in off the North Sea. For the average golfer most holes are in regulation distance, but club choice is vital when considering the ball will be rolling up hill or down dale. With the courses proximity to the coast one would think that the bunkers would contain quality sand however this is not the case, they are rock hard and full of grit. The greens are also significantly slower than most courses I have played. Reflecting on its promontory position however one can envisage if it’s not a pot bunker then fine sand won’t be hanging around much in the face of a force 9. On this day the fairly low-lying bunkers were my downfall particularly at the 14^th SI 1, 420 yard par 4 and the 18^th SI 10, 495 yard par 5. A poor lye at the 14^th saw me try the impossible shot as the ball lay below the back lip and provided no swing room. Four attempts later I was beside myself, as was the ball, only to be informed that I should have probably exited the bunker away from the green. Pity nobody, including myself, informed me of this four shots earlier. As to the 18^th my inferior bunker play saw me unable to get under the ball and sweep it on to the green as I continually drove it into the green side of the bunker. At least I didn’t get caught at the 3^rd Par 3 SI 17 at 158 yards where a WWII concrete block house is an integral part of the course. As our three ball completed the 8^th SI 2 Par 4 at 416 yards and having carded a quality par the game was halted as Simon took out his mobile phone and rang through to the local Cliff End Café putting in an order for bacon butties and cups of tea. Simon is an interesting character as I have been introduced to him by a mutual golfing friend. It appears Simon owns his own course just outside Rotherham! Oh, if only I could own my own course, I’d be out there everyday practising, if Mrs Wormburner would allow of course! I am at some point looking forward to playing Simon’s course and reporting back objectively. Walking to the 10^th tee box we abandoned our trollies, cut through the boundary fence, crossed the road to nowhere, collected our freshly wrapped butties and hot brews. At this point I wasn’t sure whether we would sit in or eat out? It appears many golfers at the Head avail themselves of this service and the friendliest club on the coast is clearly missing a trick. This well-earned rest saw all three dine alfresco on a strategically placed park bench that provides outstanding views. The 10^th hole, par 3 SI 18 at 141 yards is quality. Situated in a hollow and protected at the front by two eye bunkers and at the back by grass and gorse. With the green sloping back to the bunkers it is far better to over hit and use the slope to your advantage. Three putting however on the sluggish green does not improve your chances of a good score. Throughout the day my inability to adapt to the greens saw me three putt on seven holes and even four putt on one occasion, clearly unacceptable as I look to reduce my handicap one day soon. A particularly pleasing hole on the day was the short 12^th par 4 SI 15 at only 258 yards. A slow flowing ditch protects the front of the green and a wayward right tee shot would be met by a large pond. On the day a drive just short of the green, a pitching wedge to within two feet of the hole and an easy putt saw me card a well-deserved birdie. By the time we reached the 15^th Par 5 SI 7 at 473 yards the coffees, teas and butties had percolated well within our intestinal tracts. As I bent down to place my peg into the ground, the colleague who was vacating, vacated! Not the sort of etiquette I am becoming accustomed to on the golf course but it did have the desired effect as I hit my best drive of the day. I would prefer however not to go through the pre shot routine of somebody breaking wind in my face every time. The last three holes of the round saw the weather, like my partners bowels, deteriorate and give me a little inkling into how difficult this course could become. Local knowledge indicates it is a pointless exercise trying to play here on a wet and windy day but on a lovely summers eve it is idyllic. Either way I would highly recommend the course to any golfer who wants a quality away day. Available at a fairly low cost is the green keepers house where you can have two days of unlimited golf, a full English breakfast and a roof over your head for less than £60 a piece. Maybe I'll try it sometime soon.