WHAT A BARGAIN. (DOUGLAS GC ISLE OF MAN)

DOUGLAS GOLF CLUB	https://www.douglasgolfclub.im/
Type of course	Heathland	18 holes	Par 69
Course distance	White 5830 yds	Yellow 5614 yds	Red 5358 yds
Holes	x Par 3	x Par 4	x Par 5
Played	30/04/23
Claim to Fame: Designed in 1926 by the world famous Dr Alister MacKenzie on behalf of the Douglas Corporation in whose ownership it remains.

Probably the only true municipal on the island.

Another visit to the Isle of Man, to see the youngest granddaughter play netball for the island under 17 team against Ireland and with a chronological age 2 years below that of the team, she clearly has a lot of potential. Just like me at golf!

A visit these days cannot go by without me playing another course and with a half set neatly stored in the belly of the car, it was rude not to.

As I declined the offer from the eldest granddaughter to drive me round a golf course in a buggy, she chose, with L plates visible, to drive mother and nanny to a shopping outlet and I sneaked off to Douglas G C.

For those coming in from the ferry terminal, if you don’t suffer from sea sickness, you could be standing on the first tee ready to play in less than 10 minutes.

The course has an interesting history and details can be found on the club’s website but to precis.

Originally the venue of Port-e-chee meadow, just past Quarterbridge saw Douglas Golf Club formed in 1891 and officially recorded as a 9 hole venue. In 1927, the designer Dr Alistair Mackenzie who was responsible for the Masters venue at Augusta created a new course at Pulrose Meadows and in 1946 Douglas and Pulrose Golf Clubs merged. Some of the Mackenzie style greens have still survive today, mainly the second and fifth.

The course has been Municipal throughout and despite many major schemes and disruption at times, has now settled into a very popular venue.

On the day I played, coming over the top of Mount Murray hill from the south, it was misty and dull but as I dropped into Douglas harbour the mist lifted. The course is bordered by roads, industrial buildings and what is classed as social housing on the Isle of Man. It is also overlooked by the islands incinerator tower which stands some 106 metres above the tree line.

The car park is accessed through the industrial section of Richmond Hill and has, as is the norm in most club car parks, privileged parking for officials.

A quick chat with the Pro’ revealed a winter deal of 18 holes for £12.35 firing from the tee boxes with all the greens in play. The following week would see the full fee of £27 come into force, so an excellent bargain was had. The Pro did warn however that the 1^st, 2^nd and 13^th fairways were boggy, no fear I had my waterproofs in the car. I’m not quite sure how donning a full set of waterproofs ensures you don’t get wet feet but there are occasions when you say things without thought and this was one of those occasions. As I went to don my gear and collect the clubs, a four ball was just about to tee off. On my return they were halfway down the fairway. With the 1^st being a par 3 SI 5 at 196 yds, I had a feeling that my round may be slow.

The first and second have a public footpath with compulsory cyclists and babbling brook running along the left-hand side, which, not surprisingly are considered out of bounds. Thankfully I hit a straight one, only to see it nestle on top of the ridge of the front side bunker. A chip and 2 putts later I was stood on the 2^nd no problem with a boggy fairway here.

Standing on the 2^nd  SI 2, 324 yards the four-ball seemed to be in a bit of bother, two of them were searching in the raised tree line embankment on the right, a third was walking up to assist and the fourth standing in the middle of the fairway waved me through. The two gents situated in the Dingley Dell reminded me of me, the ultimate slicer!

No fear here, I thought, let‘s just hit a straight one like the 1^st.  As I struck the ball, I lost its flight but it felt good, I therefore progressed up the fairway and as I neared the fourth chap I asked if he had seen the my ball, to which he pointed 2 feet to my left. In line with his but in the long boggy grass. No fear, I’m feeling good. Duff! I move on and try again. Duff! The standard quip for this situation rises in my throat and out it comes, “I’m not used to the big crowds!” Silence from those around indicates they were less than impressed. Perhaps I need to rethink my light entertainment strategy in the future. No matter. Shot four. Duff! Pick up, quickly move on and say thank you. They probably feared their round was about to be slowed considerably by a single player. As for me, suitably embarrassed  I wanted to get away as quickly as possible and literally ran up the hill to the third. I wouldn’t mind but as holes go the 2^nd  had a plateaued green with a significant drop and bunkers on the left and a rise on the right. It was more appealing to the eye than most, Mackenzie knew what he was doing.

The 3^rd a par 4 SI 14 is hit slightly down hill with a sloping right to left fairway. A double bogey and

I’m off uphill to the par 3 4^th SI 11 at 140 yards. A par is recorded and my equilibrium is restored.

As I walked the course various Isle of Man sounds were easily recognisable. Bird call, steam train whistles, classic car engines and the compulsory misfiring motor bike were the order of the day.

The waterproofs were in hindsight a mistake and had to be divested as soon as possible. On reaching the 5^th, white marker poles like a triumvirate of Roman Generals were aligned on the adjacent fairways, tall and imposing they controlled the course. With blind shots from here on in, today was a good day as I drove straight and true. The greens were a tad bobbly and slow and although putts were close, they never sank as one would hope, I therefore bogeyed the next 8 holes rather than par them, which would have been truly magical.

As 5, 6, 7 and 9 run alongside each other they have alternate sloping fairways with blind drives and long seconds. I was even thinking like a real golfer, which line should I take and what would the impact of the slope be on the resultant shot.

The 8^th is a scenic par 3 over a large hollow and here I produced my worst tee shot with a topped iron. A pitching wedge recovery was enough to produce another bogey.

As I moved off from the 10^th the boys from the second were moving down the fifth, to be that far ahead they probably thought I had picked up at every hole.

Hole 11, SI 9 is another par 3, protected heavily on the right-hand side by three deep bunkers and anything too far left would undoubtedly ricochet off the fence protecting the housing. Bogeyed and off we go to the 12^th.

A great blind drive over the edge of a precipice with hidden gorse and stream at its base. I thankfully checked out the terrain before I drove off and knew that it had to be a good one. No fear, 226 yards later I hit a 3 wood to the edge of the green. Bogey! The green is situated at the western edge of multiple full size football pitches and from the roadside you would consider it dangerous. On the course however the distance between green and pitch is immense.

The 13^th  a par 5 dog leg right uphill was indeed boggy and as I tired, I scrambled a double bogey. Perhaps the eldest granddaughter could have helped me out here, if only I had let her drive a buggy.

The 14^th runs downhill and is skirted by an immense amount of social housing on the left-hand side, it also has the added disadvantage of dog walkers and child football players, who appear to be oblivious to the golfers around them. No worries a straight drive and wood. Life is good!

As I traversed the 15^th the mists from earlier in the day began to roll off the hills, the temperature dropped and the waterproof top came out, not a waste after all.

The 16^th is the par 4 SI 1 at 433 yards and I have to say, for me, I played it particularly well. The fairway was a severe left to right slope into a deep ditch and thicket. The fairway bunker to the left was a massive sand trap with trees blocking out the view to the pin. Further left of the green and you were in fear of hitting the fence protecting those unsuspecting golfers standing on the 15^th tee. Feeling confident and after checking out where I should hit my second, I hit a doozy. It flew over the sand and trees and when I walked up the fairway it had rolled gently down the slope some 10 yards short of the green. May the Golf Gods be with you, I was cocker hoop. Bogey again, oh well, maybe the Gods weren’t with me after all.

The 17^th the final par 3 is hit off a precipice at 191 yards and again needs accuracy to keep away from the trees on the left and the 2^nd fairway on the right. I also had to be wary of the two young girls obliviously skipping across the fairway. Their intended destination a tree branch swing on the edge of the course. No issue as I planted the ball squarely on the green. A par but perhaps a birdie would have been nicer. This game always leaves you wanting more!

Finally, the 18^th, a mundane finishing hole although the smell of wild garlic was pleasant enough as I teed off.  Apart from the 2^nd this was my worst hole of the day but on exiting the course and reflecting on my overall progress I was more than happy. In fact, it set me up nicely for the Filey Seniors Open Am Am two days later.

Five courses down, three to play, next visit I will hopefully be hitting the heights of Peel GC or Onchan’s King Edwad Bay GC.