Panmure


Number 23. Played Autumn 2011 - home course for 2013. Links/Heathland designed by James Braid.

The course has a practice area and putting green but it is the spectacular clubhouse that really catches the eye.  It is based on the clubhouse at Royal Calcutta and is a permanent reminder of the area's links with the Jute industry.  It is a wonderful looking building and has some fabulous pieces of historic memorabilia inside. A strict dress code is enforced in the main lounge but it is more informal in the bar area.

The opening tee shot isn't particularly impressive. A fairly innocuous par 4 with out of bounds down the right but it does depend on the wind to determine how long the hole will play.  The greens are great and on the day we played they felt wonderful if a touch slower than we had anticipated.  The par 5 second is another reasonably friendly hole (weather dependant) but beware of the rough.  It doesnt look too bad at first glance but once in, it can be difficult from which to get out.  It is the wispy long grass that grabs at your club and helps to turn decent shots into terrible hooks or slices.  There are also plenty of bunkers awaiting errant drives or approach shots - however, there is ample fairway to play with if you are sensible.  

At this point the course starts to show its teeth with the dog leg third.  Finding the fairway off the tee is essential as getting out of the trees on the right will be tricky and bunkering awaits shots pulled left too.  Some traditional Braid green side bunkers result in a testing approach.  Through the trees takes you to the tee and at this point the White Tiger takes out his iron in fear of slicing off the tee and ending up in the caravan park to the right! I try my best but I'm not big enough to reach.  However, the sensible approach is to land on the undulating fairway as the green is elevated and anything short will leave a difficult chip to get close.  The first par 3 of the round is next - a fairly daunting tee shot as the green is partially hidden. Bunkers to the left and right as well as gorse if you go long added to the sloping green make this a tough hole to par. Getting on the green may be the easy bit as this is not an easy green to read for pace.

Next my favourite hole and the one named after the famous Ben Hogan.  This is a great golf hole.  From the tee you have a variety of options and it is forgiving as you can play from the 7th fairway if you slice the ball.  However, a large elevated green which slopes left to right is difficult to hit and with the infamous 'Hogan's Bunker' waiting to gather up any missed shots a Green In Regulation here is tough.  As with all of the greens at Panmure this is a testing green with a variety of subtle breaks. Pace is crucial - so make sure you get your eye in on the first 5 holes!  After trying to  break you the course offers you something on the 7th - a fairly straightforward hole with plenty of fairway to hit and a relative easy approach.  

The 8th is another of my favourites with two rather large hillocks showing you a tantilising look at the flag nestled between them once you are on the fairway. From the tee it is a blind shot but even some of the most errant shots should be salvageable.  One of the more demur greens - this hole should be viewed as a birdie chance.  The outward 9 finishes with a delightful par 3.  It is a heavily protected green by gorse, bunkers and the steep slope at the front and back. Another very tough green to read.

A good driving hole and another dog leg right starts the inward 9. You do not want to be in the bunker on the right off the tee - I have been and it isn't pleasent, easier to swallow your medicine and come out sideways rather than try to take this monster on.  Bunkering up the right awaits any pushed shots so you are best to try and come down the left. The green has a ledge at the front so you can use that to slow down your approach.  The 11th is another par 3 - it looks more daunting off the tee with the large bunker in front but the green is fairly large and the bunker shouldn't cause too many problems.  One of the easier greens to read too.

The 12th is best of the inward 9 holes - this a hole that requires so thought off the tee.  The buddon burn runs along the end of the fairway and you need to be on the fairway and in good position to float your iron on the elevated green. You do not want to be short as your ball will just roll back down the hill.  It is a picture perfect hole and well worth the money to play on its own.  The burn is heavily involved in the 13th hole as it snakes its way up the right and across the fairway again.  Being on the fairway is important to allow a good attempt at the green - the green is long and you can run your iron shot in from the front of the green. The final par 5 is a monster playing 533 yards with plenty of fairway bunkers and the railway running up the right hand side. Your second shot off the tee is best to play down the right so it opens up the green.  You can be short as anything long will be in trouble with trees and gorse providing protection.

The final par 3 is testing due to its length - playing short of the green and chipping close isn't a bad strategy depending on the wind.  A note here for the White Tiger's excellent chip that left him with a tap in par at this hole.  The 16th is a tight par 4 - driver off the tee isn't always advisable.  A small mound and a road run across the fairway if you get the correct club you can easily run onto the green and leave yourself a birdie chance. However, be wary of the green side bunkers as you wont be able to see them when you take your approach shot.  The 17th has out of bounds along the right - however a good tee shot will leave you with a lovely view of the clubhouse through the gap in the trees.  A couple of well placed bunkers await errant approaches, the pro tip is to play long as the green is deep and that is something with which I would agree.  The final hole is a fitting end, as the White Tiger would testify you do not want to go right as it is out of bounds and it can ruin a decent score.  A well protected and large green awaits your approach - do not end up in the left green side bunker as it is steep and deep (trust me on this).


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