Photo Gallery 

Click the image to enlarge - click away from the image to close

This is a brief hole by hole guide around Stanedge. The yardages and Par’s listed are taken from the Gents scorecard. Whilst Stanedge is essentially a ten hole golf course the majority of the holes on the back nine are played from different tees and therefore the yardages are slightly different to those on the front nine. The exception to this is the 13th hole (the tenth hole referred to above) which is played on the back nine instead of playing the 4th hole for a second time. Click the pop up photos to the left to view images of the course.

Hole 1: 151yds, Par 3 and Hole 10: 138yds, Par 3
A slightly uphill par 3 which requires an accurate tee shot. If you pull up short you end up in the “valley of sin” or bunker. If long, left or right you will find yourself in even more bunkers. Get a par to start with and you will walk away happy.

Hole 2 and Hole 11: 320yds, Par 4
A birdie opportunity for many, all you need is a steady 200 yard tee shot to leave a short iron for your second shot into the green. Beware of the bunkers on the left of the fairway and deep rough on both sides. Longer hitters can take on the green from the tee with a straight drive. Your second shot is downhill to a flat green with a large bunker to the left and one short right.

Hole 3: 408yds, Par 4 and Hole 12: 387yds, Par 4
A long par four from an elevated tee, it requires a good long drive up the left half of the fairway. Especially in the summer when all tee shots kick right off the hard ground into deep semi rough. Your second shot is to a blind green, aim for the left half of the green as everything kicks in to the trees. Par is a good score on this tough hole.

Hole 4: 97yds, Par 3
This should be an easy birdie chance, the shortest par three on the course and the signature hole at Stanedge, surrounded by dense trees. Beware of going long or right as a bogey or worse is a possibility if you do.

Hole 13: 264yds, Par 4
An iron or fairway wood from the tee is the ideal shot on here to avoid the ditch which runs across the fairway just short of the green. You want to leave yourself about 100 yards to the green, as being too close leaves a virtually impossible second shot to a small raised green. Longer hitters could go for the green but this is a very difficult draw shot with plenty of trouble on the right and out of bounds on the left.

Hole 5: 417yds, Par 4 and Hole 14: 406yds, Par 4
Stroke index 1 and 2 and when you get to the tees you will see why. Your perfect drive is 200 yards plus just to the right of the trees in the middle of the fairway. Easier said than done with a lot of danger both to the right and left on this hole. If you find the trees on either side of the fairway you’ll have little option other than to chip out any try to limit the damage, it’s easy to ruin your card on this hole. A good drive leaves a long second shot into a two tier green with the fairway kicking away to the right, there’s also more trouble if you go through the green as any shot back is pretty daunting.

Hole 6 and Hole 15: 526yds, Par 5
This is a dog-leg par 5, played across a ditch. If you hit a long ball you can clear the ditch with your drive, otherwise you are best aiming down the right hand side of the fairway. If you manage to avoid the ditch you are faced with a fairly straight forward par five. If you can’t reach the green in two you, lay up just past the three bunkers on the left as this leaves around 100 yards to the green. Beware of the bunker in the middle of the fairway short of the green as it catches many people who attempt to go for the green in two. More bunkers surround the fairly flat large green.

Hole 7 and Hole 16: 203yds, Par 3
This is the toughest par three on the course. Even if you find the green in one it could claim a shot or two from you. It’s a fairly long hole, but plays a couple of clubs shorter as everything bounces towards the green which slopes away from the tee. The green has bunkers to the right, left and back, all of which are hard to get up and down from.

Hole 8: 374yds, Par 4 and Hole 17: 368yds, Par 3
This is troublesome hole for most players its main features are a small pond and a large oak tree which could easily block your second shot if you drive long. The pond may come into play for the second shot if you are a shorter hitter. There’s also the possibility of going out of bounds if you push your tee shot way to the right. A good drive however, leaves a tough uphill second shot to a sloping green which is surrounded with trouble. There are four bunkers around the green and a path long and left of the green. The green is tough to judge and although it is raised at the front, it still slopes from the back to the front.

Hole 9: 339yds, Par 4 and Hole 18: 310yds, Par 4
The view from the tee makes this hole look very tricky indeed. The ideal tee shot is about 200 yards down the left half of the fairway, with a slight draw to hold the ball on the fairway which slopes from left to right. A good drive leaves a mid to short iron second shot to the blind green. The green is long and fairly thin and is guarded by two bunkers to the right and one short and left.

If you are unfamiliar with the course, you can be pleased with yourself if you play to, or close to your handicap.

Enjoy your round!