Broadstone – Golf Course Review

Golfer’s Tips

• This is most definitely a course that favours a (right-handed) draw – almost all holes on the back nine suit that shape, and a couple on the front do too (this author was not complaining!).
• Driver can be the play on the short par 4 5th hole, the potential landing zone is relatively wide (short of the green), with extra room left more than right, but beware that shots running through the green can easily get lost in the trees and fencing just off the back.
• The marker post on the blind 7th tee shot is a good guide for the centre of the fairway, slightly left of this shortens the hole, but a little right is more likely to provide a flatter lie and an easier bail out short right of the green if the carry proves too much.

Signature Holes

• 5th – a great shorter par 4, with a good risk-reward element. The tee shot is played over a small gully with the forthcoming fairway beginning with two spectacled bunkers on each front edge. Longer hitters can get to the green, carrying a few dotted fairway bunkers, but there is little to no room for manoeuvre off of the bank of the green should you receive a harder Summer bounce.
• 13th – another good par 4, this time longer. A gentle dogleg right, as if often the story on the back nine, with a drop-off left that deepens and tucks in nearer the green for any longer hitters that try to hit the green and target the pin. The clever play, particularly for those less long, is to keep to the right hand side and run the ball in using the ground camber to the left and away from you into a green that slopes much the same way.

Review:

A beautiful course, bedded maturely into the local surrounds which are a hybrid of parkland and heathland terrain.

Another fantastic track in the Dorset locale – in my view it surpasses Parkstone due to the wider space allowed for the course and amenities, feeling slightly less claustrophobic than its compatriot does at points.

The course starts very strongly, the 1st is a nice par 5 from an attractive tucked-away tee box, and the quality throughout the round is consistently strong, and nicely varied. It doesn’t feel like Broadstone has any ‘filler’ holes, and the course offers a great blend of challenge with playability.

The 7th hole will rightly draw a lot of attention due to its quirky ‘three fairway’ layout and blind tee shot, but for me it’s a bit of a strange one where as a longer hitter you cannot take driver and then even after a decent positional tee shot you have a 190 yard approach over a ravine into the teeth of the wind. 

Better holes are the two fantastic and quite different par 3s on the opening nine, and there are several great par 4s on the back that are beautiful undulating fairways amongst heather and gorse, with approach shots into greens on differing levels that are superbly guarded by excellent quality bunkers.

The back nine feels slightly longer, especially towards the back end, highlighted by the 15th which is a great downhill par 3 played down to a classic heathland green arrangement, and then 16 turns and provides an attractive par 4 that gently banks to the left as the surrounding trees provide the border for the curve on the right hand side.

A real treat and a very friendly welcome too. I will be coming back, and probably just ahead of Parkstone (although I know others may disagree). Choosing between the two is definitely a nice problem to have.

• “Top 100” Ranking: 36 (England), 87 (GB & I)
• Golfer View Rating: 86%

https://www.broadstonegolfclub.com

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