St Clere Golf Course is pleasant enough, not the most arduous course, but it needs a little attention:
- some bunkers waterlogged,but others have decent sand.
- greens showing some diseases & different grass used, so not consistent.
- water holes (should be ponds) which could be picturesque features are deep, dark holes with a few "weeds", probably plenty of wild life in it, but not attractive, in any case they need to be avoided as they are strategically placed.
- way finding is not the best & Red Tees can be hidden to the side sometimes.
It is course where one thinks good scoring will be easy but rough and bushes need to be avoided. Fairways were very good as the drainage is excellent. There was one Temporoary green which was "not very good", but one of our Team managed a "chip in putt".
I like the design of the course, the feeling of space and the lovely views around, we had a little sun peeing through at times, a little wind also, no rain although it tried. Lovely views in the background of Tilbury Docks and Thames Estuary where one can see ships travelling back to Russia or China or arriving in the UK. Lots of areas with interesting fauna & experimental biodiversity projects.
The best part of the Cyder Cup golf day was meeting new TSGers & the surprise how everyone looks in the flesh (as opposed to the TSG profile picture). It was fun to discover who is friend with who, who went to school together etc...& what people are like on the golf course. True "social golf", a big family.
No breakfast was available before 09.00am, so 3 of us who arrived early ventured to Standord Le Hope town trying find a place to eat. We did discover a very newly opened, very modern & smart place, modern decor with excellent service & a tasty bacon roll served with a huge cup of tea with an equally huge saucer. Some TSGers did not manage to join as they could not find the way even with GPS, so they had no breakfast.
Friendly Pro Shop & bar staff. Lunch food, well presented and tasty. Some practice area, which I believe are good, a putting green by the 1st Tee. Car Parking very adequate.
Another highlight was the Clubhouse which is situated in St Clere Hall, a Grade II listed building and one can see why , an adjacent old barn is also listed too. I shall only mention a few attractions:
- lovely woodwork, cornices, panellings.
- a huge wooden fireplace, from floor to ceiling, it had a fire (modern) warming up this fine dining room (may have been a drawing room in the past).
- some fine, exceptionally rare classical paintings (reminding me of Poussin's work), representing landscapes set in rectangular frames over the doorways & fireplace in the actual Bar area.
- I ventured upstairs to admire the rest of the building & encountered a friendly Ghost as I tried to enter a room where the door was ajar, as I pushed the door, I felt a strong resistance & the door closed itself.... I went back down to the lovely dining room and re-gained my composure in front of the fire whislt the Cyder Cup teams were being acquainted. The ones in a hurry off first, White shoes team ,etc.... I think Andy C.had a bit of headache sorting out everone 's request, so next time, Andy will throw the golf balls in the air at the 1st Tee (but there is already a request from someone, no name mentioned, to be the 1st ball in the air).
To recap, a pleasant enough course where one can get a decent round of golf but it needs some attention. I would like to return to play golf again and explore more of St Clere Hall, such an attractive building with so much past and "some presence from the past". There must have been some happy families living in the place, it has some "Feng Shui".
Well another one of my short review, but a story had to be told, it is no just about golf but the experience on the day: it was a happy day with very friendly & cool TSGers.
THE END......
Date Monday, 19, November 2012
