After having been laughed at because of our check golf trousers, we head off along the road to the RWNGC before the expected flood-tide – 9 yards today. The course lies on a small strip of land between the sea and marshland. The clubhouse is indeed original – one big room with oak panelling that takes us back 100 years in time. In the 1980s a storm took 25 yards of the course into the sea alongside the 1st, 16th and 17th holes – sand dunes and all. We follow a sandy path through an iron gate and step into links heaven. Rain is in the air. The 1st – a shared fairway with the 3rd – offers classic links play with bunker walls made of turf and railway sleepers.
Greenbunker at No3 at Royal West Norfolk
The 4th – a fantastic par 3, 129 yards – has a green, which seems to be on a cake base of sleepers, surrounded by bunkers and just waiting to pounce. The 2-ball in front of us gets lost and hits out in the wrong direction disappearing 300 yards towards the 2nd green before realising their mistake. We don’t play through them, we play past them in the other direction. The 5th – par 4, 437 yards – with double marker posts as the target. The 8th – par 5, 494yards – is a supreme test. Two strips of marshland cross parallel over the course and it’s like bouncing a ball from one narrow strip of grass to the next – just wonderful.
Teeshot over marshland at No8 at Royal West Norfolk
The 9th – a par 4, 405 yards – is also exquisite at high tide, finishing with a hard to hit green. The course turns back into a headwind. The 14th – par 4, 430 yards – has a marker on top of a cauldron-like green. A links plaza of Links75 class appears – the 5th and 14th green as well as the 15th tee. The 15th, a par 3 – 188 yards – has a gigantic bunker lined with sleepers, requiring skills far outside the normal swing zone. On the 16th we encounter a black dog – cold sweat – the Hound of the Baskervilles? The 17th and 18th make for a classic finish with hidden bunkers and shared fairways. Mr L wins 1 up. With a pint of Guinness in the hand and friendly members as company, the bartender wants to see our tattoes when we answer Great Yarmouth about tomorrow morning’s excursion.
The Clubhouse at Royal West Norfolk
Brancaster is an object lesson in classic links golf.
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