Hole By Hole Guide

Below is the course score card.

Hole 1: Par 5, Whites 558yds/Yellows 528yds ' Winchcombe Way'

The first third of this fairway is up hill with the second third levelling out onto a reasonable plateau but beware of the small gully that runs along the right of this section. The final third of the fairway slopses down to the left so try to keep your ball on the right hand side of the fairway. Your tee shot can make this hole easier to play so make sure you give yourself every opportunity by keeping your tee shot over the fairway marker. This will allow the ball to settle in an area that gives the long and medium hitters the chance to either approach the green from the right angle or attempt a fairway wood onto the green. As you approach the green there is a bunker to the front and right which will stop any rolling ball that is using the natural contours. The green has been cut out of the hill slope so there is a drop off on the left hand side of the green.



Hole 2: Par 4, Whites 351yds/Yellows 306 yds 'Hares Run'

All of this fairway is shaped around the natural slope of the hill so all balls will move to the right hand side of the fairway.

A drawn ball is by far the best shot from the tee but for those with a brave heart a shot over the top of the fairway marker will also reward you. Apart from the natural hazard of the sloping fairway, which slopes from left to right, you also have the problem of gorse along the left of the fairway for all those that feel it is easy to take a short cut be warned.

Like the first hole this green is cut out of the side of the hill with a bunker on the left of the green as your approach and a drop off to the right hand side of the green. The green has a sharp slope on the front that will bring your ball back to you if you are short in anyway.



Hole 3: Par 4, Whites 288yds/Yellows 288yds 'The Plateau'

This, like the previous two holes, is a blind tee shot and although the fairway marker is central the green position lies between the marker and the right hand side of the fairway as you look from the tee. The tee shot is all up hill and is best placed over or slightly to the left of the fairway marker as this will avoid some heavy undulations that are waiting to trap the player that feels they can go straight for the green.
Leave your approach short on this hole and it could roll 50+yards back down the hill!!! But do not be too long on your approach shot to the green as there are hazards through the green that can frustrate the best of you. Follow the footpath to the right of the green for the fourth tee.



Hole 4: Par 5/4, Whites 493yds/Yellows 433yds 'The Gorses'

If played from the competition tee this is a par five hole with a demanding tee shot that has to go over gorse bushes before reaching the fairway. From the yellow tee this is the second longest par four on the course and a tough par 4. There is a clear view of the green from the tee but don't assume this is an easy or straightforward shot from the tee as the natural contours of the hill means the your first needs are not only to be long but accurate as well. For the average player the second shot usually means a fairway wood but there are sand hazards on both sides of the green and a slope on the front that requires accuracy. So be warned it may be better to play this hole as a par five even from the yellow tee. The green has a unique gully that runs around the back of it that has the ability to catch the slightly longer approach shot and if you find yourself in this gully remember the slope on the front of the green.



Hole 5: Par 4, Whites 353yds/Yellows 344yds 'The Return'

There is a slight incline to climb from your tee shot which needs to be central on this fairway as there is gorse and undulations waiting for wayward shot to the left and a slope that will take your ball away from the line of the green to the right. Your second shot needs to be bold and accurate as there traps surrounding most parts of this green and only one of them is a sand bunker. The bunker is to the right of the green and is hidden from sight as you approach the green. To the back of the green there are natural slops that will collect your ball and make it difficult to play onto the putting surface. To the left of the green is a deep quarry which is very difficult to get out of accurately, avoid this at all costs. Leaving your approach shot short is a weise decision on this hole. The green is two tiered and is considerably long from front to rear with the lower tier being at the front of the green.



Hole 6: Par 3, Whites 137yds/Yellows 127yds'Grass Quarry'

As stated this is the shortest hole on the course but that does not mean that you don't treat this shot with the utmost of respect. Depending on the wind directions this short hole will vary in club selection as much as four clubs. In front of the tee lies a deep quarry, which although not impossible to get out will cause problems with your next shot. To the right of the green there is another deep natural quarry, which because of its nearness to the green, makes an accurate shot onto the green very difficult. To the left and the rear of the green are more of the hill's undulations so you have been warned. The green is one of our flattest greens but there are movements in the green that need to be read to make the putt.



Hole 7: Par 4, Whites 404yds/Yellows 401yds 'The Road'

Our fourth longest par four on the course and this one does require an accurate tee shot as there are natural hazards all along the right of this fairway and a quarry to navigate in front of the tee. The best aiming mark from the tee is the grey looking green keepers hut in the distance, as this will keep you to the left centre of the fairway. Another natural quarry awaits wayward shot to the right from the tee with some unforgiving rough all down the right hand side of this fairway. In front of the green lies a track that covers the full width of the green. To the left of the green is a deep hole and behind the green there is a gully that just loves to swallow up long shots into the green. If you need to play your shot from the gully at the rear of the green then be warned that the green slopes from rear to front with a run that on occasions will take your ball back to the path.



Hole 8: Par 4, Whites 389yds/Yellows 361yds'The High Point'

Don't be fooled by the distance as this is a long par four because of it's uphill approach all the way to the green. Your tee shot needs to be over the fairway marker and as long as possible to make sure of reasonable second shot. Most new players to the course will play their second shot short as they are deceived by the distance. This green has a bunker to the left but plenty of natural hazards to the rear of the it, for those that over shoot it. Once onto the highest green on the course take a few seconds to look at one of the best views in the Cotswolds. From this point and on a clear day you will see all the way down to the Severn Bridges and across to the Black Mountains of Wales.



Hole 9: Par 4, Whites 403yds/Yellows 384yds ' Down Along'

This fairway goes down through a valley that shelters you from the wind that might be blowing as you leave the highest point of the course. The fairway has a gentle slope from right to left so your tee shot needs to be aimed at the right hand side of the fairway, which will enable you to have a better lie for your second shot into the green. The only major hazard apart from the slope of the fairway is in front of the tee, but most reasonable tee shots will clear these undulations. The green has a bunker on the right hand side to catch balls that people try and run in from the right. This is also a long green from front to rear with burrows and slops that need to be respected.



Hole 10: Par 3, Whites 219yds/Yellows 219yds 'Downward'

This delightful par three will be kind to most players as the ball is naturally taken down to the bowl shaped fairway with it's green placed neatly at the end of the ball run.
This hole can play from an mid iron to a driver depending on the wind conditions. The tee sits high over the fairway with gorse between you and the green so make sure that your tee shot is long enough as this gorse has a reputation of eating balls. The large green has a path at the back which will collect the long hit shot and past the path a large gully awaits you. The green has a gentle slope that can be read easily.



Hole 11: Par 4, Whites 349/Yellows 341yds 'The Horseshoe'

The first section of this hole is across a large gully which needs to be cleared so that your ball rests on the mowed part of the fairway, which is all up hill towards the green. The fairway approaches the green from the left hand side with a gully running up the right hand side of the first half of the fairway.

Any wayward tee shot to the right will find a large patch of gorse waiting for the ball, whereas to the left hand side of the fairway there is some very thick rough where many a ball has been lost.

The second shot into the green fools most players as the distance is some what deceptive as the fairway continues up hill.

There is a bunker to the right of the green with natural hazards to the left and back of the green.



Hole 12: Par 4, Whites 389yds/Yellows 382yds 'The Gallop Way'

This is a long par four even for the best of players with a track crossing the fairway approximately 120 yards from the tee.

This rolling fairway may be broad but there are grass traps waiting for the uninitiated on the right and left hand side of the fairway.

If you are lucky enough to get a second shot into the green then don't be short as the slope on the front of the green will take your ball well away from the putting surface. There is a natural catchment area at the back of this green that will help your ball to find its way onto the putting area.

Although there are no bunkers around this green there are plenty of natural hazards that await the wayward second shot including a small quarry to the front and left of the green and some dense gorse.

The green has a slope that goes from left to right and starts from about mid green.



Hole 13: Par 5/4, Whites 488yds/Yellows 435yds 'The Camp'

This is the signature hole of the the course and is named "The Camp" as the green is actually in the centre of an Iron Age hill fort, surrounded by earth banks and ditches, probably the oldest man made golfing hazards in the world. This is the second longest par four on the course and from the White Tees this is a respectable par five with a blind tee shot aimed at the fairway marker. Like the previous hole this fairway has grass bunkers within striking distance from the tee.
Once you get to the crest of the hill the views are quite stunning as all of the Severn valley is laid out before you. As already stated there are ditches and banks surrounding this green so you need to approach with caution as the green slopes from the front to the back where a ditch that runs the full width of the green awaits.



Hole 14: Par 4, Whites 442yds/Yellows 436yds 'Ridgeway'

This is the longest par four on the course but to the players advantage it is also one of the straightest fairways from tee to green. The tee shot on this hole is also blind but so long as you are over the fairway marker your ball will be set up for the second shot into the green. The fairway is split into three natural sections with the front section, from the tee, an up hill drive to the marker and if you intend to reach the green in two then your drive must find the second section which will The green, which has considerable length, has bunkers on both sides and slopes from left to right.
leave you anything from a fairway wood down to a seven iron. There are grass mounds and gullies that will trap the ball that strays from the fairway and that does not hit the green. This green like many of our greens is cut into the natural flow of the hill and slopes from the back down to the first third of the green where the green changes shape.



Hole 15: Par 3, Whites 153yds/Yellows 145yds ' The Punchbowl'

From the tee this looks an easy par three but be careful as there is a massive quarry in the front of the green and bunkers to the left and right. Depending on the strength of the wind while playing this hole your shot can vary from a pitching wedge to a long iron. The green has some tricky little slopes to read and is one of the largest in area. You will face a difficult two putt if your in the wrong place with your tee shot.



Hole 16: Par 3, Whites 193yds/Yellows 185yds 'The Grip'

The second longest par three on the course with numerous hazards that will catch even the slightest wayward shot so an accurate tee shot is a must.
A tough par 3 that deserves its Stroke Index of 6. From tee to fairway there are some of the hardest natural hazards on the course with areas that even mountain goats don't like to go so be warned.



Hole 17: Par 4, Whites 400yds/Yellows 390yds 'Homeward Bound'

This fairway is set on the ridge of the hill with plenty of hazards down the left of the fairway including, for the long hitter, a quarry which is out of bounds. There is also a smaller quarry on the right hand side of the fairway which will make the second shot very awkward.

There are two bunkers on this hole with the first set to the front and left and the second to the right touching front. There is also a grass bunker prior to the left hand bunker which makes attacking the pin difficult if you find yourself in it.

For the very long accurate hitters there is reward in placing your drive just to the right of the marker as the natural slope takes the ball down to the green.

This green is full of surprises so take your time before putting as extra strokes can be easily added to you card on this green.



Hole 18: Par 4, Whites 386yds/Yellows 378yds 'The Gullies'

The fairway runs the natural course of the hill, which has a tenancy to push all balls down the the left. You require a moderate drive to make sure that your ball lands on the mowed fairway and for those that don't make it there are numerous areas that have the ability to swallow up you ball. Beware of the two ditches that run across the fairway midway as there is no free drop from either of these ditches. Your second shot is very important as there is yet another quarry to the left of the green that is out of bounds and a path that runs the full length of the green between the green and the quarry. This is the flattest green on the course and if you don't two put on this green then it's time to consider booking a putting lesson with your Pro.



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Cleeve Hill Golf Course, Wickfield Lane, Cheltenham GL52 3PW