The course had been closed for three days because of the Greene King Eastern Festival – three days of horseracing at the Yarmouth track. Signor Sassi, a 3-year-old with Andrea Atzeni on its back wins the last race. Eight of the course’s holes lie inside the racetrack and the remaining ten outside, classic racetrack-links. On the road towards the course we once again meet a black dog – Baskervilles!! There is a seniors tournament and we must wait twenty minutes. Having changed clothes the course secretary comes in a hurry to tell us that the course is very difficult, the watering system has been damaged, the ladies annual match-play has its final over 36 holes and a large group is expected at 12 on the dot. In order to get round in a suitable time we are allowed to start at the 9th, 11th or 14th or alternatively have a coffee and start on the 1st. We look out and decide to begin at the 9th. Our host approves but wants the ladies match to go through first as they are playing the 8th. We take a short-cut over the racetrack and find thick green grass – like a US Open rough after its second cut. The ladies hit their balls into the gorse and wave us through immediately. We tee off but explain that we have been asked to play after their match so they continue in front. The greens are as hard as concrete. We aim for the fairway but find only tufts of grass and sand.
Fairway at Yarmouth & Caister
The 14th – a par 3, 158 yards – offers sleeper-lined bunkers and a cauldron green – birdie. We continue along 15th when suddenly a member comes hurrying and suggests we pick up our ball and go to the 1st and play the course in the normal order even though we won’t have time to get to the 1st before the day’s large company will tee off. We look puzzled but he counters with, “You can pick up at the 17th and then head for the 1st.” We get moving and follow the course. When we get to the 1st tee it is empty. We tee off on the world’s only hole where a racetrack has to be crossed twice. Obviously we get stuck in the US Open rough. The 4th – par 4, 444 yards – has a covering row of sleeper-lined bunkers in front of a hill and sighting marker – excellent! Mr L wins 5 and 4. The 15th plays blind and has a fantastic 5-yards high wooden periscope. We finish on the 8th – a 466-yard par 4 – which is definitely a better closing hole than the 18th.
14th at Great Yarmouth & Caister
Once inside the bar the chef explains, obviously with tattooed arms, that he has been working since early morning and is too tired to cook more food. We order a Guinness and wonder about the notice in the locker room that explains that if you recruit a new member you get a £25-tab at the bar. In the end we buy a second-hand ball with the course logo and we drive our rental car out through the meandering racetrack course.
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