FILEY GOLF CLUB (A CHRISTMAS CRACKER)

FILEY GOLF CLUB	https://www.fileygolfclub.com/
Type of course	Links and Parkland	18 holes
Course distance	White 6274 yds	Yellow 5961 yds	Red   5699 yds
Holes	1 x par 5	14 x par 4	3 x par 3
Played	16/12/19
Claim to fame: One of the finest courses on the Yorkshire Coast
In the run up to Christmas it is all hell and no notion as minds focus on the buying and wrapping of presents and the over-indulgence in food and drink. What better way is there to escape all this hullabaloo, then engaging in a healthy game of golf. My monthly meet with Michael from York, finds us on the east coast at the seaside resort of Filey. Well Filey Golf Club to be exact, which lies South of the town but interestingly when first opened it lay North! Within two years however it had found its new home on the south cliffs and inland parkway. A plaque to this effect is proudly attached to the front of the new club house which opened in 2002. Established in 1897 the design of the “new links” is credited to James Braid. James Braid by the way was an open winner in 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908 and 1910 and is sometimes regarded as the "inventor" of the dogleg, although holes of similar design had been known for centuries. Arranging a tee off time in this day and age is simply done through one of the many online booking systems. The downside of using such a system however is that you pay up front and if for whatever reason you cancel, you are unable to reclaim your payment. So, even if the automated telephone system linked to the club tells you to go online, always hold out for the shop and organise your tee time with them thereby preventing any advance payment.  An often-friendly voice will inevitably discuss with you the condition of the course, whether winter wheeled trolleys are acceptable, should carry bags be used and of course cost on arrival. If the winter tee off time is arranged days in advance, I also suggest you call the course on the day just to make sure it has enough holes open to make it worth your while. Today I was assured  the course was wet, open and only one green was temporary. We were therefore good to go. On arrival our two cars were the only ones occupying the visitor’s car park, it was clear therefore that the course was not going to be busy. On exiting the car and facing south, the initial view is of open fairways gently rising into the distance, the North Sea to the left and the well apportioned club house to the right. Although given the option of using our trolleys, like the caring golfers that we are, we chose to carry.   A quick discussion with the elderly gent in the pro shop saw us debate the use of Michael’s county card and pleasingly we were both offered a further discount on top of the winter fee thereby only paying £15 each. We did however discover that we were not allowed to strike the ball off the fairways and would either have to pay an additional £1 each for a 12 inch cut of astro-turf, or on each occasion move our ball to the edge of the fairway and place it on the first cut. To the uninitiated the “first cut of rough”, to be exact, is a term applied to grass just off the fairway that is higher than the fairway but lower than the “second cut of rough”, which I doubt now needs a description.   Having chosen the £1 option, we walked out onto the first tee to be faced with blues skies and a strong fresh head wind, making the earlier choice of five layers, waterproofs and a woolly hat a wise move indeed.   The 1st like many of the holes at Filey is a par 4, SI 9 at 332 yards a comparatively easy opener that settles you quickly into your stride. Interestingly of the 18 holes, only the 7th is a par 5 at 498 yards, SI 7 and it was this hole which had the temporary, some 50 yards short of the main green. There are three par 3’s dotted throughout the course and the rest are varying degrees of par 4. Not then one of the longest courses to play, yet because of its design, still challenging for people of all levels.   The fairways and the greens were in excellent condition, just a shame we weren’t allowed to strike the ball off the fairway, but I suppose that’s why they were in such good nick. Initially there was very little standing water on the cliff top holes. The parkland holes however were a different matter. Made up of many undulations similar to corrugated iron the hollows were far wetter than the rises, obviously, but in my humble opinion still capable of being played from.   Based on the history of the designer the 2nd hole unsurprisingly was a dog leg right par 4, SI 15 at 329 yards running downhill all the way, with outward bounds to the right, probably there to dissuade anyone from going directly at the hole.   Arriving at the 5th, Par 4, SI 11 at 345 yards, we were somewhat at a loss as to where we could tee from. The normal tee box stands high looking over the tops of trees crossing the fairway at approximately 100 yards and further afield what appeared to be a very muddy ditch under some kind of construction. The tee markers were neatly stowed together at the side of the tee box next to an upturned sign. As I tried to look for a winter tee box further down the course, Michael was met by two gentleman in a works buggy who went on to inform him that the hole was in fact closed and the apprentice had clearly not fixed the sign up to show this to the unsuspecting visitor. It appeared one of the gents was a green keeper and the other a volunteer with the grand title of Course Chairman, who often assists the green keeper in his role. Having quickly ascertained we were newcomers to the course they kindly allowed us to play the hole. After observing two decent tee shots, they moved off to work the ditch and allowed us to carry on in our merry way.   Interestingly we noted that the red markers on the day were all positioned behind the yellows. Was this a sub conscious decision to try and dissuade the ladies from playing or was it the Filey fillies came from a strong breed of fisher folk who could wield a club like a trawler net? We will sadly never know as after the fifth we never came across another sole.   By the time we had played the nine holes going out I had sadly not played to my usual standard and found myself five point behind on the better ball score.   In my defence however misfortune did befall me on the 7th and 9th holes when my second shot off the fairway mat saw the ball split in two. I would like to think this was due to the power of my swing, but it was not the case. Faulty balls were doing for me and as we were both unsure of the rule surrounding this misfortune, I just tended to take my next shot, rightly or wrongly, from where the furthest piece landed. On later investigation it appears I could have played another ball from the original spot without penalty. You live and learn and I will know better next time. Unlike Peppa Pig in her wellies, rather than lose my rag, sulk and bury club heads into muddy puddles, I had recently completed an excellent back nine at my local club and therefore considered it was possible to do so again.   The 10th could be classed as Filey’s signature hole. A mere 293 yards SI 12 par 4, it is enticing and visually appealing. Downhill from the tee, the large green is surrounded on three sides by water and protected on the front right by a line of mature trees. The big boys therefore have to make a decision, go for it, or lay-up?  For me, it was an easy choice, lay-up, chip and putt.   The 13th par 4, SI 6 at 438 yards, did not bode well however as once again my ball split asunder when hit from the fairway mat. Three splits in one game clearly indicated I had a set of dodgy balls, ooh err Mrs, which if I had any recourse I should send back to Titleist but having bought them off the Internet as lake balls I doubted very much as to whether I would get a refund.   Nevertheless, by the time we had completed the 14th par 4, SI 2 at 388 yards it was all square.   Game on.   The 15th Par 4, SI 16 at 287 yards saw me take a comfortable two-point advantage and with an easy par 3 coming up the ball was in my proverbial court.   Hole 16 a simple 118 yards SI 18 across a ravine, what could possibly go wrong. Iron of choice in hand, feeling good about myself the ball rose majestically into the air only to clip a tree branch and deposit itself in the bottom of the ravine. Three off the tee then or a trek into the depths in order to attempt a high wedge. Provisional called, I hit another off the tee and walked across the bridge where I could view my ball from directly above. Considering the weather conditions, I declined to traverse the slope and recover my ball and it left it in perpetuity or until improved weather conditions would see some one snaffle a quality titleist that at any given point in time could split asunder. From two up to one point down it was going to be tight.   Standing on the 17th tee the landmarks of Flamborough Head directly behind you and Filey Brigg in front do make for a wonderous view but the focus was now on the tightness of the game. A bogey for me and a par for Michael at this slightly dog leg right at 339 yards SI 8 sees my grasp on the game slip away.   After 4 hours of enjoyable banter and golf the game was now on a knife edge, to be won or lost on the 18th.   Just for a change this hole is a par 4, SI 4 at 408 yards and with me on the green in three compared to Michael’s four it was down to who could put out the best. Two putts each however saw Michael take the game by the narrowest of margins. One bloody point.   It had however been a Christmas cracker.   The front of the course card boldly states this is “A gem of a course on the east coast” and who would I be to disagree?