![]() There is plenty of interest in them without spoiling the party. In my opinion the greens are just about right for this type of course. I personally thought this approach would actually have made a really nice short par three. This downhill approach is actually a thrilling shot if you get your drive away but if not you may be forced to hit a short lay-up to get into position or alternatively take on a very risky second. I’m not convinced that the water hazard between the 16th and 17th really works from a strategic point of view but the pond down the left side of the ninth must certainly be considered and the one directly in front of the 12th has no alternative route except to go over it. The greenside traps also sit well in their environment and the chances are you’ll find at least one during your round. The hazards frame many of the holes superbly and the bunkering between 50 to 100 yards short of the green is when it’s at its best. The bunkering is bold and striking as well as being extremely deceptive. The first few holes have an intimate Woburn-esque feel to them as they cut a path through towering pines before the course becomes much more open from around the fourth hole and certainly from the sixth where you enter rural Hertfordshire and long fescue grass defines many of the fairways that are sculptured to have a gathering, almost valley-like, effect. The course takes on a number of personas during the round. Visually the course is succulent although some ugly pylons do spoil the view from the high part of the property near the eighth and tenth tees. There’s only half a dozen of them but the third, seventh, 12th and 16th are four of the strongest holes on the course, each one featuring a dog-leg to the right but all very individual in appearance. The strength of the course is arguably the par fours though. There are two specific parts of the layout which are linked by stunning short holes at the fifth and 14th. The course, designed by Simon Gidman, meanders over spectacular topography, features almost 100 bunkers and has four major water features. NB: The course plays as a par 72 from the ‘black’ championship tees although these don’t feature on the regular scorecard. Perhaps it’s just a ploy to please the members! A good one at that. It should be noted that from the silver competition tees the course, which strongly favours the aerial game, plays a very manageable 6,756-yards so it’s far from a slog and you could argue that bigger hitters will have a plethora of birdie chances which may increase satisfaction levels. Having recently played several layouts built since the turn of the millenium it was refreshing to be taken on more of a journey here and not return to the clubhouse halfway through your round. What was pleasing compared to other newbies, and really noticeable here, is that you don’t return to the clubhouse until you finish on the 18th. ![]() The uphill 357-yard tenth is the closest we get at Centurion… so that rules most of us out unless your name’s Bubba. As a side note few new builds have one of the most fun types of hole a driveable par four. It’s just that it appears that no modern golf course ever seems to have a par less than 72, certainly never fewer than 71, and as a result tend to have at least four par fives arguably the most uninteresting type of hole in golf, especially when consumed regularly. This is not a criticism of the par 74 Centurion Club specifically. The most unusual thing about this big and bold modern inland layout, near Hemel Hempstead just north of London, is that there are more par fives than par fours! All told there are seven three-shotters and whilst none of them, with perhaps the exception of the 543-yard last, are overly taxing in terms of length there’s probably four too many of them for my liking! You may consider this a small thing but it's amazing how many golf clubs get this spectacularly wrong. The fact that the car-park, clubhouse, driving range, putting green and first tee are all situated in the correct sequence also pleased me greatly. Just over three years on from officially opening a temporary clubhouse (albeit a very adequate one) is still in operation, the car park didn't quite resemble a building site but there was a lot of construction work ongoing and various machinery surrounded what has the makings of being a luxury halfway house.Īside from all that, and absolutely the main thing for me, was that the golf course is ready to go.
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