Hazlemere Golf Course Review

As with all our blog posts, this is written from our perspective as distinctly average golfers.

Just outside High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, Hazlemere is a beautiful parkland layout set in and around a valley. A well thought out layout mixes shorter holes with longer ones and varies the types of shots needed from one hole to the next.

For the distinctly average golfer, the course offers a great test with a manageable 5500 yards from the yellows meaning that the shorter hitters in your group are still able to compete. The course also allows for some inconsistency off the tee, as the fairways are generally fairly wide and you won't get drastically punished for missing the short stuff. However, don't be fooled by the relatively simple tee shots as the course rewards a good short game, and punishes poor approach shots. The greens are relatively small and offer some challenging putts meaning that approach shots and positioning on the greens is vital - it's easy to see how Luke Donald became one of the world's best short game players after playing as a junior at Hazlemere.

We played the course at the end of March (after a deluge of rain) and the greens were in fantastic condition considering the weather. All the greens were in a similar condition with a consistent roll and all of us were amazed how quick they had kept the greens after the awful winter. There were however a number of tee boxes that were out of play, but this was completely understandable in order to protect them for the spring and summer. We didn't particularly mind as the temporary tees were all in a good condition . . . and it gave us something to blame after an errant tee shot (as shown below)!

One of the highlights of playing here was the wildlife, with a dozen or so red kites circling above you as you played your shots - it did feel a little Jurassic Park like, as if being hunted by Pterodactyls, but that all added to the fun! A course highlight has to be the 18th with a short par 4 offering a fantastic risk reward opportunity, with a pond sitting across the front of the green - a great finish to an enjoyable round.

The club was very friendly - we had a lovely bacon bap and coffee beforehand, as well as a curry afterwards - all tasted delicious and the staff were very accomodating with our own private room.

We would highly recommend the course for any group looking to play around the Bucks area - definitely a course that will test all ability levels without anyone feeling like they've just been battered by all 18 holes.

The Eurotweedan Tour

Distinctly Average Golfer Test: 9/10

Value for Money: 8.5/10

Course Condition: 8/10