Graeme Bailey returns to Close House to review the all-new 'Colt' Championship Course.
Graeme Bailey's North East golfing odyssey continues with his return to Close House
Nearly two years to the day since we first visited Close House, we return to review the all new 'Colt' Championship Course.
Having attended the grand opening with the course's newly-appointed professional Lee Westwood, the anticipation was already palpable.
I was joined again by Roger West, who accompanied me during our first visit to the North East's newest golfing resort.
As we worked our way down the imposing and impressive driveway, you are taken through the heart of the new course down to the 19th - the new ultra-modern, yet utterly tasteful clubhouse.
We are welcomed once again by general manager John Glendinning - the man who in 2004 was brought to Close House solely with the task of building one of the best golfing retreats in Europe.
So has he delivered? Well the next few hours would tell us that.
Close House is now home to two courses, 'The Filly' and 'The Colt'. The names are derived from owner Graham Wylie's - one of the country's top race horse owners - penchant for equine.
We played The Filly, the original course, on our first visit - you can see my previous review for more details on that. But we were here for one thing, The Colt, which also is a tribute to famed golf course designer Harry Colt, whom architects Turner Macpherson based some of their design around.
We were led to our buggy, with state of the art sat-nav in-built, but more on that later.
We worked our way to the first tee, for an opening hole, a par four that is forest lined on the left. We fared well early doors, as we did also on the second.
The third hole is another teasing risk-and-reward par four with another undulating green. What it also does, as well as testing your putting, is bring you above the first hole to offer wonderful views across the Tyne Valley for the first time on the course. It would not be, however, the last spectacular panoramic shot during our round.
The fourth is the first of the testing par 3s and also ends your stay on the first of three different segments that the course is divided into, although you return to this sector to finish the round.
And, as we referred to earlier, there is no question of you getting lost, as the in-built Sat Nav in the buggy makes getting around easy. Even if you come off the devised buggy route, it will stop and reverse without you changing gear. The buggy also gives you a fly-over with talk-through on every hole as you stop by the tee, a wonderful piece of kit if you are playing the course for the first time.
The fifth, sixth and seventh holes sweep brilliantly up, left and then right, and personally I birdied the latter to take me to level par. Not only was I playing one of the greatest courses in my golf career, but I was having the greatest game of my life too!
Siganture
Onto the eighth hole, which is my first real contender for the signature hole. The first thing to note are the views, which are truly breathtaking, but this only distracts you from the tee-shot, which is a 'thinker' to say the least. You are offered two routes, bear right for the shorter option, or go left for safety but leave yourself with a longer second shot into a green protected by water all the way to the left and then with sand to the right.
I elect for the former and am successful in following the line, as is Roger with his longer drive down the opposite side. I am fortunate to see my topped 8-iron find the middle of the green, but my playing partner less so as he is in the sand at the back, both of us thankful that our efforts stayed dry. I manage to par, Roger bogeying.
That leads us to the ninth, and before the hole the first thing you notice is a black old phone box, which is not merely there for show but to actually ring in orders for the half-way house - located in the Academy - which is where all parties are duty-bound to stop for at least 10 minutes in order to facilitate quick play, an idea being adopted by a number of courses across the country.
So to the ninth, and Close House's own island hole - well sort of - as water is everywhere bar the back. Again I manage a par, meaning my first ever nine holes of level par. I suspected my strong play would not continue on the back and unfortunately my concern was to become a reality.
After a brief tour of the brilliantly-equipped Academy, which includes driving range, training facilities and cafe, it was on to the 10th.
It was first of the holes to put me off my stride, a tough uphill par 5 which leads you to the 11th tee, where you are presented with one of the hardest-looking tee-shots, quickly explaining its status as the stroke-index 1.
While it is not long, it is tree-lined and a gap of no more than 50 yards to squeeze your drive down. we negotiate this successfully, taking us to a plateaued green.
After the par-three 12th, the long awaited 13th awaits us. Now we thought we had seen just about everything this course could offer. To be honest having seen the construction of the course two years earlier, I was aware that the 13th had long been heralded as the signature hole.
Sometimes things can be over-hyped or the reality ends up being a disappointment. However, the 13th at Close House did not let us down - for me, this is without a doubt one of most impressive holes you will ever come across, and not just in the North East. The views are simply stunning, but the hole itself is worthy of the billing.
It is also another which offers you two routes to the green, but you need to be accurate with the tee-shot, with the landing areas littered with trouble. I try and play safe but end up in all kinds of trouble down the left. Again Roger goes for the opposite route and he hits a great drive down the right on his way to a bogey, and a stupendous one at that. For me, though, it was another card wrecker!
On some courses, and even supposed great ones, you can come off struggling to think of one stand-out hole - but again Close House blows this worry out of the water. The 14th is probably the best of the Par 3s in terms of the view, a short offering but one that is played up through trees to the awaiting green, a terrific little hole.
Breathtaking
Whilst the tee shot on the 13th is indeed breathtaking, the 15h tee is just as daunting. Positioned behind a stream and a pond, with banking of at least 50ft in front of you, it is a case of hitting and hoping to a degree.
The end of the 15th sees you back onto the first sector, as you navigate home via the 16th, 17th and 18th. And if you had not had a bad hole to this point, then the 16th - a long par four - and the 17th - a risk-and-reward par 5 - certainly offer you the chance to have one!
The 17th again gives you differing tee shots, but whichever route you take danger lurks. It is definitely the hardest of the par 5s, though I managed to successfully navigate it.
And so to the 18th, and this hole is one I was looking forward to all day, not because it was the end (far from it, I could have played another 18) but from when we first visited I was truly sceptical about the closing hole.
A short par four faces you, though accuracy is needed into a tight fairway before an approach to a green which has a wall, one which has run through this piece of land for generations, protecting it about 10 yards short.
The obstacle plays on your mind and as I shanked my second shot off the wall, I see the genius of the design. A short par four which can draw you in and make the statement; "If I am that easy, go on then, par me!" It's a challenge that I cannot complete, although Roger did not have such problems.
My question about the 18th was also around the fact that the clubhouse was situated away. But again I am won over, as you can see from our imagery the 19th is sat waiting between the trees enticing you in.
We are greeted by John and his staff as we come home; he has a knowing look because he can appreciate what we have just experienced - an instant British classic and a true candidate for the North of England's top course.
We congratulated John at the first moment, as he beams: "We are very happy with it.
"It is great to finally be here, we are still learning with the whole set-up, but I think it is how we envisaged and I think we have something to be very proud of."
Before we departed, we tackled John in a hole in one contest, as the lake surrounding the clubhouse has a floating green which you can - for charity - attempt to chip in.
Myself and Roger hit but the flag is in no danger. Then it is John's turn, he tells us he has never even tried before, so we are honoured. Sadly, he comes up short too - it has to be said, though, that is probably the first time he has failed with anything he has turned his hand to when it comes to Close House, as he has built a truly world class golf course.
If you would like more details on Close House - please visit their website
