Chipstead Golf Club

[JungleJ]

I highly doubt anyone will ever come here to play (although I think Lefty has played it). However...

I have been a member for about 5 years now. There are quite a few golf clubs in the area, of which this one is by no means the best. I joined largely because my cousin and uncle were already members.

The course is not long, only 5504 yards from the back tees. Par is 68 and the scratch score (course rating) is 67.

Hole 1 - par 4, 327 yards, plays seriously uphill to a plateau, with a dogleg left. Fairly gentle introduction really.
Hole 2 - par 4, 415 yards, straight away hole with some strategically placed bunkers. PLays slightly downhill all the way, into a sunken green. In summer many shots roll off the back of this green leaving an awkward chip back. The hole is trickier than it looks.
Hole 3 - par 3, 136 yards. Sounds easy but it is a challenging hole. Plays slightly uphill to a back-to-front sloping green with major contours. Deep bunkers either side and a "distraction" bunker 10 yards in front of the green that makes you think the pin is closer than it is. Easy to 3 putt if you are above the hole.
Hole 4 - par 5, 522 yards. Definite birdie opportunity, although you can easily slice your way to a big number with OB all down the right. Long downhill hole with left-to-right sloping fairway. Anyone with decent length should get eagle putts from time to time.
Hole 5 - par 3, 182 yards. From the back tee this is a tough par 3. It plays massively downhill. Club selection is vital as you can go OB if you are too long, and there is junk to deal with if you are too short. In fact, only a shot that hits the green guarantees a simple second shot.
Hole 6 - par 4, 265 yards. Called Cardiac Hill on the card, it plays all the way back up the steep hill. A fairly routine hole that plays another 50 yards longer thanks to the hill, however there really are no excuses for making big scores here.
Hole 7 - par 4, 409 yards. This is stroke index 1. It's totally straight, no hazards in play from the tee, although there are lines of small trees down either side that can be inconvenient. Players don't realise how uphill it is until they look back from the contoured green. Nobody expects to make par on this hole, especially if the prevailing wind is up, into your face.
Hole 8 - par 4, 356 yards. Nice gentle par 4 after the beast of 7. Trees down the right pose a minor threat, but bogey should be your worst score.
Hole 9 - par 4, 270 yards. I think this has been slightly lengthened. Birdie opportunity - you can go for the green (well protected by bunkers) or lay up with an iron and wedge it in. This was once aced in a competition. Interesting green to putt on.
Hole 10 - par 4, 304 yards. Again, plays much longer as it is up a hill. Has a sheer cliff which you must clear with your tee shot. OB down the right for big slicers. Big green which can change your approach club by two depending on pin position.
Hole 11 - par 3, 221 yards. First hole of the Paddock, where many a score is made or unmade. Green has big bunkers either front side and slopes both back to front and left to right. Balls rolling on will gather away from a left pin position, leaving a long snaking putt. Par is always a good score here.
Hole 12 - par 3, 194 yards. Long tee shot into a narrow green, not nice bunkers either side. Again you're very happy with a par.
Hole 13 - par 3, 223 yards, and you will feel every inch. In my opinion the best hole on the course. Stands of trees either side, two big bunkers short of the green. The green itself is sunken, and has some big undulations. Easy to three putt, and many players will be hitting driver off the tee. 5 is a more common score than 3 here.
Hole 14 - par 4, 329 yards. A fun fun hole. Definite birdie opportunity, although wayward drives will cost you. OB on the right. New fairway bunkers have been added to stop the kids taking on the green from the tee, but it is still a short wedge in. Big old green though. Tends to gather from right to left which is not obvious from the fairway.
Hole 15 - par 3, 178 yards. Tough par 3, because you can barely see the flag thanks to camouflaging shrubs. Deep bunkers either side of a long green that slopes front to back. This green was newly laid a few years ago and tends to be a foot or so faster than the others.
Hole 16 - par 4, 449 yards. This is a "proper" par 4, requiring a good, preferably long tee shot, and then a well executed second shot. The tee shot plays slightly down hill to a ridge, after which the fairway slopes more seriously downhill with a right-to-left camber. The green is a shelf cut into the hill, so you have to run your approach down the hill, but not so fast that it rolls over the green to the junk underneath. Second shot club selection is tricky, especially in summer when it can be two or three clubs less than you think. Fairly flat green is the only respite here.
Hole 17 - par 4, 289 yards. From the daily tees the green can be reached by big hitters, but not really from the backs. Tee shot plays across the valley and uphill. OB down the right is regularly visited. Very nasty bunker short right of the green. Carefully played this is still a birdie opportunity.
Hole 18 - par 5, 437 yards. A very short par 5 that would be a very tough par 4. Lots of uphill from the tee, OB on the right. Because of sightlines into the green it is more a matter of luck than judgment if your ball finishes close to the flag. The green has severe undulations. I've seen eagles turn into bogeys on this green.

Hole 19 - very friendly with a good selection of lagers and real ales, with decent bar food.

Sadly there is no room to expand the course. There are too many short par 4's that aren't particularly challenging to make this a top layout. But it's a good walking course (if you don't mind hills) and except on competition days it is never ultra busy. The greens, despite being 100 years old in cases, are actually improving every year and and are pretty playable even in winter.

[Ty_Webb]

I've played Chipstead a few times, although not for quite a while. It is very hilly and in the 5th hole has one of the largest elevation changes I've ever seen. It's good fun to play, while not being a slog as some can be these days. The three par threes in a row are a real challenge.

Thanks for the review.

[Lefty]

I enjoyed it too, the paddock of three threes is a tough corner.

[JungleJ]

Originally Posted by Ty_Webb

I've played Chipstead a few times, although not for quite a while. It is very hilly and in the 5th hole has one of the largest elevation changes I've ever seen. It's good fun to play, while not being a slog as some can be these days. The three par threes in a row are a real challenge.

Thanks for the review.

I played this nine hole course in Ontario once, it had a par 3 that was probably twice the drop as the 5th at Chipstead.

The 5th at Chipstead is the closest I've ever been to an ace, also had a close call at the 3rd once.