Gorsty Hill GC

http://www.gorstyhillgolf.co.uk/

This course deserves a visit for anyone passing through Cheshire or visiting the area. 5-minutes off J16 M6 and now part of a 'golf village', where Wychwood Park is over the road. Wychwood Park is a De Vere hotel and championship course, but in my opinion is outshone by Gorsty Hill and its renowned greens.

6,456 yards from the blue tees, some of which are being extended this year to add another 45 yards.
6,120 yards from the white tees and 5,859 from yellow.

1) A nice opening par 5 hole with plenty of fairway to ease you into the round. Trouble left and right and fairway bunkers 120 yards from the green. The green is well protected to the left by a couple of deep bunkers and water to the right. Approach shots need to be accurate as your card can wrecked before you start.
2) A very deceptive par 4 with plenty of trouble right and left. Plenty of fairway to work with as it opens out, but the green is heavily protected and raised. Its also very shallow but wide, so the arial route is required and long irons may not stick and slip through the back into trouble. A very trick green depending on pin position.
3) A straightforward par 3, you would think but beware of stiff breeze that you can't feel when stood on the tee. The green is heavily protected front, left and right and only a narrow opening to a fairly long green. Plenty of trouble left and right, so beware.
4) A stunning par 4 from a raised tee looks straightforward enough and long hitters should be ok, but anything with a carry shorter than 220 yards will kick sharply right and into rough. The green itself is bunkers left and right and any approach dropping short of the green will kick sharply right and into trouble, so if you want to drop it short, aim for the left hand bunker and watch the ball kick onto the green. Another tricky green which slopes back to front with plenty of hollows.
5) The easiest hole on the course a very short par 3, but to a very well protected green with bunkering, and plenty of trouble right.
6) A tough par 4 which is all uphill and into a prevailing breeze and over a lake. This hole for short hitters needs playing as a par 5, because fairway bunkering 20 yards short of the raised green collects everything. Probably one of the trickiest greens on the course which is long , but not too wide, but with big slopes.
7) This hole is one of the easiest par 4's on the course, but don't be led into a false sense of security, because of a water hazard almost directly in line with the green, with more heavy trouble to the right. Longer hitters will be tempted to go for the green from the forward tees, but watch out for a well positioned fairway bunker. This hole is deceptively designed to be played as a slight dog-leg and plenty of fairway to the left means attacking the pin will be over sand. The green is a long sloping tricky affair with bumps and hollows.
Another deceptive par 4 which is set-up as a dog-leg but very tempting for longer hitters to carry the rough. A well protected green and is also very tricky, beware.
9) Another par 5 with trouble left and right with well positioned fairway bunkers some 13 yards short of the green. These bunkers are well positioned left and right of the fairway. This green is tough as its narrow, long and has a bunkering system that swallows many balls. One of these bunkers encroaches on the entrance to the green and can't be seen so beware. Long irons will find it tough to stick on this green and will run off left down a slope into trouble or go through the back and OB. This hole can be a card wrecker.
10) Another simple par 4 that longer hitters from forward tee positions may want to attempt. Fairway bunkers are well positioned and the green itself has a bunkering system that needs consideration. Problems left and right and OB through the back of the green.
11) par 4 with fairway bunkers and a raised narrow green with trouble all around it.
12) Par 5 but shorter hitters beware as the fairway kicks dramatically to the right and into rough. The green is well protected all around and only leaving a narrow entrance to the green, due to the right hand bunker encroaching unseen from the fairway.
13) A very tough long par 3 that can kill your round. The raised tee means you have to hit over a valley to a raised green which is well protected. Trouble front, left and right so accuracy off the tee is paramount. This hole can require a driver depending upon wind, but some longer players will only require an iron. The simplest method of playing this very tricky hole is to aim right of the green and go for an up and down to make par, as going for the green with woods means carry bunkers and then tring to make the ball stick on a shallow green. The green itself is one of the toughest to read and slopes are steep.
14) A very technical par 4 which isn't too long, but fraught with danger forward, left and right. Longer hitters can finsish in a water hazard. From the tee you are firing back over the valley up a steep slope which has plenty of trouble right and left, and a huge oak tree protects the green as well as a steeply raised green with bunkering. Give this hole respect as again it can wreck your card.
15) Par 4 with plenty of trouble left and right and a drop-off forward, so 110 yards short of the green. Longer hitters need a 3-wood to avoid trouble, but theres alos a ditch 40 yards short of a very well protected green, and anything long is gone for good
16) Par 4 stroke index 1 is a tough all uphill hole, which includes a well placed plantation, a valley of death and the toughest green on the course which is well protected and raised. This hole needs to be thought about and weather conditions can mean playing it as a par 5. Theres also trouble off the tee if long as you are aiming to land on a plateu, but deep rough for anything long, and tee shots can also run downhill into a ditch if landing on the left of the plateu.
17) Another tough par 3 over another valley and anything short of the green will kick straight right into a bunker or run back downhill into deep rough. The green is well protected left and right and needs respect.
18) Dog-leg left par 5 finishing hole, with plenty of trouble which includes rough left and right, and a huge oak tree in the middle of the fairway on the corner. A raised well protected green which can be very fast and slippy with bumps and humps.

Enjoy

Nice review Doc - I've stayed at Wychwood (though not played - it was middle of winter and very wet and windy) but didn't notice the other course nearby. One to look out for if I'm ever up that way again