HALLAMSHIRE GOLF CLUB (WHEN IN SHEFFIELD)

 

HALLAMSHIRE GOLF CLUB	www.hallamshiregolfclub.co.uk
Type of course	Heathland	18 holes	Par 69
Course distance	White 6361 yds	Yellow 5995 yds	Red 5743 yds
Holes	5 x Par 3	11 x Par 4	2 x Par 5
PlaYed	04/08/21
Claim to Fame: One of the best and most challenging golf courses in the North of England

Today we travel West of Sheffield to play one of the top 100 courses in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A closer look at the badge advertising this reveals the course stands at number 33 for courses under £60.

Who would of thought it, The Bandit, has a brother and he is a fully paid up member of Hallamshire Golf Course. He can also, more importantly, offer free rounds to his brother and his pals on a few occasions throughout the year. To be offered the opportunity to visit for free then, is one not to be sniffed at, perhaps the Bandit isn’t a real Bandit after all!  A 1h 25 min journey for a game of golf that normally cost £65 per visitor is an absolute bargain. Wait, you say, surely that’s £5 over the claim stated earlier. Well, it appears that you only have to pay £59 on Mondays and Tuesdays and £75 at weekends! Clearly, it’s a case of supply and demand. The more demand the more expensive and the £59 allows it to justify one of its many claims to fame.

According to the detailed and informative website, the course is nestled between the City of Sheffield and the Peak District National Park, the Harry Colt designed course is a classic 18 holes with spectacular views. It goes on to say it is a challenging test for golfers of all standards, is kept in magnificent condition all year round and has hand cut greens, renowned for their speed and consistency.

Going out was slow but coming back was horrendous and that was just the journey. For whatever reason the A63 out of Hull was reduced to 40 mph for at least 5 miles and had nothing but traffic cones on it.  Coming back the M18 was closed due to an accident and the Google detour took forever through the streets of Rotherham. The weather then deteriorated due to torrential rain and the 2 hour return trip was no fun.

Arriving at Hallamshire Golf Club, the entrance is understated and the car park appears to be small but unbeknown to me the road round the back of the club house leads to more parking space.

With everyone arriving roughly at the same time, quick introductions were made by the Bandit and with no one due to tee off, we were on the first in minutes.  An opportunity to visit the clubhouse reception was therefore missed.

As we discussed teams, competition, prize money and tee colours I noted briefly how the Bandido Brothers dressed alike, spoke alike and obviously looked alike but was there golf alike, time would tell. As I stood mute the Hallamshire Brotherhood suggested we play off the whites! Mmmmmm, I thought as the others agreed, white tees eh, that’s a new one for me. I just hoped that my three lessons to date had ironed out my debilitating slice or I would be in a lot of bother, but I chose to say nothing.  After all, the course runs along the side of one of the seven hills Sheffield is built upon and as it is like Rome, “when in Sheffield do what Sheffielders do” and I accepted my fate.

As it was his home club the Bandit’s brother had the honour of leading off and before striking the first ball, wished everybody a good game. What a nice guy I thought, I wish I had a brother like him and then it was evident as to why he chose the white tees. At 468 yards par 4 SI 3 it flew, got a good bounce and hurtled down the hill towards the green, he called it ‘members bounce’. With a carry bag labelled hoofer lite on his back, he could certainly hoof it alright. Jeez, another outlaw in the family, it must be in the Sheffield Genes. The Bandit then hit one right into the long grass. Cue me, cue no slice, cue one down the middle and I was happy enough. The Metronome, my partner for the day, didn’t disappoint either. Two points each for yours truly, the Metronome and The Outlaw, not a bad start.

The 2^nd then, 196 yards par 3 SI 9 and my first encounter with what was to become my bête noire for the day, bunkers! Too many shots to get out, makes the Wormburner a dull boy. Meanwhile, the Metronome bags 3 points to the Outlaws 2.

As I try to come to terms with the bunkers, the fall away fairways and the cunning greens, the others work hard to share the 3^rd and 4th.

As we depart the 4^th green all eyes are strained on the young buck and his female partner bringing up the rear, they had just driven approximately 300 yards off the tee. Isn’t it the case in golf, there is always someone who comes along and can hit the ball higher and further than you? The Outlaw could strike it but nowhere near as far as these two.  It appeared that the gentleman in question was Barclay Brown, a young sophomore from Stanford University, California. A Sheffield born and bred Hallamshire member who had recently competed for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup and he was playing off the black tees! It appears you could bank on Barclay, as a quick check of this year’s Walker Cup competition revealed he never lost a game, pairs or singles. His partner another sophomore from Stanford was Andrea Lee who was playing off the yellow tees! Having taken our drives at the 5^th it seemed sensible to let them play through and observe how it should be done.  Barclay hit one wide right and into the rough, Andrea with a swing to die for, went slightly left but out drove all concerned. In the rough eh, it would be interesting to see if Barclay took his punishment and came out sideways or whether he would attempt to get on further up the fairway. Bear in mind, this hole is a par 5 479 yards, SI 17.  Barclay’s ball flew out of the rough, clipped a branch and landed within 2 feet of the flag!!!!!!!! Andrea needed another two to get on the green. While we watched on in awe, mouths agog, the Bandit, with dribbling lips, took it upon himself to praise the big hitters for their shots. A wave of their hands, a thankyou and they were off to the 6^th tee. As we in our own mundane way, eventually reached the green, the Bandit heard a female squeal from behind the bushes and ran backwards down the fairway to see Barclay’s tee shot land inches from the hole. I hadn’t realised how much of a golf groupie this man could be.  When the Metronome took his shot at the signature 6^th par 3 SI 11 at 197 yards, I squealed, ‘ooh’ as the ball went precariously close to the flag but travelled to the far end of the green. To which the Bandit came out with one of the funniest comments I’ve heard in a long time. “Premature Adulation!”

Still reeling from his earlier salivating situation, the Bandit lost his ball in the rough, and the Outlaw went too far right. Me and the Metronome parred and we were off to the 7^th. What’s Barclay got that we haven’t, I ask myself? “Everything” came the mental reply, as another encounter with a bunker saw me struggle and I waited patiently at the next tee as the others saw out the hole.

At the turn we were all square

The 10^th at 413 yards, par 4 SI 4 is named ‘Perfection’ and that is how the Outlaw played it, but it wasn’t good enough to win the hole, as yours truly had one of those moments when it all went well. A long drive, downhill all the way I might add, a wood, a chip and 2 putts, well happy with myself. Immediately followed by two holes that were dire, for me. Brothers Bandit, fared so much better and attempted to pull away but as ever the Metronome playing his usual high standard kept nipping at their heels.

The 13^th and 14^th were by far my best two holes of the round. The 13^th a par 4 SI 6 at 350 yards, may

be short but is perfectly formed. The course tour on the web site states, “The final crossing of the babbling brook requires thoughtful choice off the tee to avoid inviting bunkers on the right hand side.” Another straight drive across the ravine, followed by a wood to the right of the green, a chip and again 2 putts saw me the only scorer on this hole. Why can’t I do this every time?

The 14^th par 5 SI 12 at 510 yards saw me par the hole. It was a bit late, but it was all coming together.

We were two points to the good and it was looking terrific. and then I hit the 15^th. Travelling like a sidewinder snake from tee to rough, rough to bunker, bunker to bunker and so on, I was shite.

As my dismay at hitting so many bunkers on the day started to show through, the Bandit provided solace with wise words, “What can you do” he said. “Take up bowls” I replied, but I would probably end up in the gutters on their greens as well.  Sadly, the Metronome didn’t score either and it was all square with three to play.  At this point the Bandit came into his own and once again lived up to his moniker and despicable reputation.

With the 16^th shared between the me and the Outlaw it was all to play for and as we moved on to the 17^th tee, I hit the stop button on my electric trolley, gave it a little push to move it slightly further on and then watched in awe as it gathered pace and free wheeled across the adjoining fairway. The chase was on and thankfully I was able to retrieve it without too much embarrassment.

To be honest the last few holes were all a bit of a blur. The Bandit has an aversion to anything cumulonimbus and as the weather began to deteriorate, he speeded up.  Perhaps the thought of a chat with Andrea and Barclay in the club house spurred him on? The scent of a good old English £1 in his nostrils certainly did, as he blazed through the final two holes to ensure a comfortable win for the boys from Sheffield. By the time myself and the Metronome arrived at the flag on the 18^th he was nestled under the lee of the clubhouse, totting up his score and dreaming of a deep and meaningful with Andrea!

The course is quite exceptional, every hole provides a different challenge and it is cared for to an exceptionally high degree, Greenkeepers can be seen wherever you go but they keep a very low profile and constantly give way to the golfer, unlike some courses closer to home, I could mention. They even have a small tractor blowing the leaves off the fairway, how good is that? The bunkers were a bugger, obviously, and the greens were nippy and undulating, therefore requiring a careful read on every hole. Water didn’t really feature unless it came from the sky but the rough and gorse had its evil way on several holes.

As we walked back to the cars, the deluge arrived, we hurriedly packed away then sat in our cars in the expectation that it would soon pass. It didn’t and the decision was made to go our separate ways. The opportunity in the clubhouse, to gaze upon Matt Fitzpatrick’s Walker Cup bags, secured behind sturdy glass, was therefore missed, as was the chance for Angela and Barclay to learn from our sagely advice. Having said that, the Bandit would probably have just sat in the corner looking longingly as he dribbled into his glass!