Shaw Hill Hotel Golf & Country Club

Avoid this course at the weekend. The first few holes break you in gently before moving you onto the more challenging holes that cross a stream that runs through the bottom of the parkland course which sits either side of a slight valley with a scattering of other water hazards and strategically placed bunkers.

Even with the weather we have had at the beginning of the year and the downpour we received the day before we played our first drizzle filled round the course was in good condition and was probably ready for the use of fairway mats to cease. The rough was short and forgiving and the greens understandably spongey but not overly slow.

My friend and I purchased a weekend break golfing break here for our fathers as a Christmas gift and persisted with the constant attention of the course marshall for the majority of the front 9 on the drizzly saturday.

The Sunday however was a beautiful morning and had everyone in high spirits and looking forward to another round. This however was ruined by the course marshall who after seeming quite pleasent the previous day and the few times early on during the round that we had seen him announced that if the 3 players behind us (who were course members) caught up we would have to stop playing and leave the course. All 4 members of our party who are not novice players by any means explained to the marshall that we couldn't go any faster for the 3 players (who were the tail end of a visiting society group) in front he replied that they would be told the same as we had been and that we had to tee off right away even though the party infront were well within striking distance. This totally ruined the atmosphere of a nice day, soured the trip and only accomplished the result of 2 holes later having our party of 4 and the society party of 3 all stood waiting to tee off because we were all being held up by another society party of 3 who in turn could go no quicker for the group of golfers in front of them and so on.

It was unclear how far this traffic jam went on for but if the club do not want non members on the course they shouldn't take the bookings and advertise the course as free to hotel guests instead of harassing and threatening them to make way for the members who understandably want to use the course after paying their membership fees.

A nice course with plenty to keep you on your toes and use every club in your bag but an exclusive members bar that leaves only a small lifeless bar for drinks and is very orientated towards it's members and not any visiting guests.

My rating is based on my one and only visit but is heavily influenced by the attitude and behaviour of 1 individual.