Bowood Golf & Country Club - Est 1992

Info correct at last date played: 8th July 2005

Club Facilities

AGN Review Score 7.4

Course Card

Course Review

From the moment you drive through the gates at the entrance you just know you are going to enjoy the experience of playing here. The staff were very helpful & the hospitality of the whole place makes you feel like a member. The clubhouse is superb with nice changing rooms plus a number of rooms for societies to rejoice after their rounds. The facilities too are great especially the 3 hole Academy course where you can warm up before taking on the real challenge.

Par 3 2nd hole with the sand trap to catch anything coming up short.

The course starts with a straight forward par 4, keep out of the bunkers and you should have a mid-short iron approach to the green. After this gentle start comes a tough par 3, the bunker in front will catch anything coming up short so unless you feed the ball in from the left you really need to make sure you take enough club. The 3rd is a par 5 that plays like a par 5, the bunker & water hazard are right on the driving distance so accuracy is required from the tee and there really is no way of reaching the green in two unless you are long enough to fly the ball all the way up the hill to the green over the double row of bunkers at the front.

The tight gap between the bunkers on the 4th.

The 4th is another par 5 that also requires an accurate tee shot to thread the ball between the bunkers on either side of the fairway, you are then left with a choice of going for the green over the water or laying up, taking the water out of play. Sand traps come into play on the 5th as well but if avoided will leave a short iron in to a large double green, so an accurate approach is needed. The 6th is another long par 3 where coming up short will once again leave you in the sand unless you can run the ball in from the right. From the tee on the 7th all you can see is bunkers, it really is quite difficult trying to pick a line down the fairway that does not involve trying to avoid the sand.

The approach to the 4th green if you managed to clear the bunkers.

The 8th is a hole of choices where the wrong one made on the tee could spell disaster and the 9th once again has sand traps to be avoided then you are left with a straight forward approach to the green. We must stress how the course rewards good shots and brave ones but punishes the wayward golfer. There are hardly any holes that run parallel to each other so just missing the fairway leaves you in a cut of light rough, stray a little further off course and you will find some rough, but stray too far and you are in knee high grass where your only hope, if you find your ball, is to play back on to the fairway.

Great view from the 11th but don't be tempted to cut the corner.

The 10th is a long par 5 where the two bunkers need to be avoided from the tee, after that it's pretty straight forward but the tiered green means making sure your approach lands on the right level. The 11th looks great from the tee and the temptation to try and cut the corner is immense, a par is quite easy to get here if the hole is played sensibly. The 12th is all uphill so distance is difficult to judge but it is so important to get on the correct tier as 3 putting on this green looks like a very easy task. The 13th is a long par 4 where if you are long enough you could cut the corner over the bunker on the left to leave yourself a shorter approach otherwise a long iron approach over the bunkers is what you will probably be left with.

That pesky tree in the middle of the 15th fairway.

The 14th is a short par 4 where caution off the tee will help avoid the bunker and leave a nice short iron approach to that large double green. The par 5 15th again gives you the temptation of trying to cut the corner but doing so puts you right in the line of the lone tree in the fairway totally ruining your second shot, if you do have a shot to the green then there is almost no chance of running on to it as the bunker in front will catch any rolling approach. The next hole is a monster par 4 where a par is a very good result, bunkers and a ridge in the fairway at driving distance all try to hold up your tee shot so a long approach to the green is very likely. The 17th at last gives you a good birdie opportunity but the two bunkers still ensure you get the distance correct. The water hazard on the last should not really come into play unless you are going to belt your driver off the tee, keep it up the right, avoiding the bunker and you will be left with a clear approach to the green.

Ensure you avoid the bunker and do not stray too far left into the water.

The greens here were a treat to putt on with the ball running very smoothly, the fairways were great too and with lots of tee options the tee areas should not get too cut up. We also have to mention that there are some great views while walking the course and the White Horse and Lansdowne Monument can clearly be seen from certain holes. Overall a very enjoyable day.

Favourite Hole

Hole 8: 416 yard par 4 dogleg.

View of the tricky tee shot on the 8th.

There were a few really good holes but this one just piped it for us, you have a number of choices from the tee. Do you play it safe with an iron ensuring you do not reach the bunker, although you have to make sure you hit it far enough. Do you go for a big hit over the tree and water to leave yourself just a pitch to the green or do you try to bend it round the tree missing the bunker to leave a short iron approach. The green is a tough approach too everything seems to come in from the right and you definitely do not want to be in the bunker on the left.

Visitor Comments

Submitted by Ian Miller on 18/02/2000
Such a good course I've moved clubs to join it! Set in a Capability Brown park, it is 7300 yards from the 'tips' but 4 sets of tees allow a more realistic game too. Wonderful clubhouse, huge practice areas with a range and 3 'academy holes'. All the par 5's are special with the 15th a real gem, the shortest of them at 515 yards from the yellows, sweeps in a dogleg to the right, with trouble a plenty.
Has it's own Web Site, even allows visitors after 12-00 at weekends.

Submitted by Andy Campbell on 28/03/2001
Played yesterday (27th) starting on 10th in pouring rain which lasted until the 17th. When sun came out (honest it did)you can see what a lovely course this is but it was pretty boggy between tees and on some parts of the track. All greens are well bunkered but there is an escape route for most of them. The par 5's are pretty spectacular and my favourite is the 567y (W) 4th, where you can with your 2nd or 3rd go past, over or ok I admit it, in the lake!
Clubhouse facilities are excellent, we ate there and it was very nice.
The practice facilities are very good including a 'pop-up 'driving range.
Despite the weather a good day out,costing £24 inc. food on a winter deal.

Submitted by Chris Plaister on 5/11/2001
16 PLAYERS ON A WINTER SPECIAL INC DINNER FOR £25.
Not one player did not enjoy it bit long for the high handicapper. Par 5 very enjoyable course in excellent condition

Submitted by Tom Briggs on 15/01/2003
A lot of work has been done on drainage over the past couple of years, and the course now plays better in wet weather than most others in the area. It can be quite an intimidating course for the higher handicapper off the back tees, with many well bunkered approaches to greens calling for second (or third) shots to carry all the way to the green.
The par 5 3rd, 4th & 15th are all excellent holes where pars are only achieved with the right club, and sensible shots. With a well judged draw/hook the par 4 8th & 16th could well let you go home happy. You won't score well here by accident! Play it and enjoy it :o)

Submitted by Jonathan ellis on 21/02/2003
One of the most fantastic courses in the west of England.
Worth the drive nearly every weekend from London. So refreshing to pay for a round of golf that is worth every penny. Fantastic setting, challenging holes, immaculate condition in a very friendly part of the world.

Submitted by Lee Newbon on 25/09/2003
First visit and impressed.
This is a tough golf course and may not suit high handicappers. Even from the front tees at nearly 6700 yards the course is difficult. Bowood has the benefit of fairway watering so the condition of tees and fairways after our long hot dry summer was superb as were the greens, fast and true, I have not putted on better this year. Overall the condition was outstanding.
The course is very heavily bunkered especially at strategic points from the tees so if your driving is not up to scratch for the day expect to be severely punished. Undulating and with a number of dog leg holes it maintains the golfers interest throughout. The course provides the golfer with an abundance of all known hazards. Lakes, ponds and streams come into play on a number of holes. If you play well here it is an uplifting experience.

At £38 for a green fee, a little on the expensive side, however I thought it gave very good value for money. The catering offered was quite extensive and also gave good value. We played a 4 ball in buggies and all players were 8 handicap or below, however it took 4 and a 1/4 hours to play with waiting on most shots. Expect your round to take at least as long, with inexperienced golfers out before you, on a course like this you could be there for a long time!

My ratings out of 10, Course design 8, Condition 9, Catering 7, Pro Shop 6, Staff 7, Overall experience 7.

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