Batty about The Belfry

Today was the day that I finally got to play the world famous 'Brabazon' golf course at The Belfry.

I arrived early at 8am - two and a half hours before we were due to tee off - and went for some much needed practice on the driving range, where they had a machine that set up each ball on the tee for you so that you didn't even have to bend down. This which was particularly good as I had bought a big basket of balls as I needed the practice!

Our original four-ball had turned into a three-ball by the time we headed for the first tee. Nick had a 12 handicap, Simon 24 and me 26.

Standing on the first tee on such a course is very daunting, a few people were watching, and whilst the hole on paper was fairly straightforward - 370 yards and straight - the nerves soon started to take effect. Ball placed on tee, head down, club swung back and then....thwak! The contact had not been good, the ball had been "topped" and when I looked to see where it had gone, I saw that it had only just reached the women's tee! A distance of about 25 feet! What a relief...that is, what a (albeit unsporting) relief that it was Simon who had gone first.

Thankfully, and quite luckily my first shot went "straight down the middle for 200+ yards and I ended the hole with a net par 4.

The rest of the round was extremely enjoyable - some reasonable holes, a few poor ones, but enough good shots to remember the day positively. Whilst not my best hole of the day, the one that I shall remember most was the eighteenth where I ended with a net par 4.

Approaching the green from the other side of the lake with the Belfry hotel in the background was an amazing setting. To land on the green and then take just 2 puts was the icing on the cake.