Pros:
Update 30th June 2017
Thanks to the British Open a number of new tee mats have been installed and the excellent Hawks Nest tee pad on hole 6 Black Course has taken the hole to an absolute signature beast. A spectacular hole for an incredible course.
New earth works on hole 18 have turned the finishing hole into a make or break hole at the end of the round and the course is in the best condition it has ever been in with a new pro shop just installed.
taken the rating up to 4.5 it is getting close to perfect. Once all the new tees are installed so there are no more slippy ones out there this will be upgraded to a 5 star review. Must play course.
(One of the best courses in the UK)
The course was planted with holes in mind and the course has now grown into itself and Dereks dream and original design has pretty much come to fruition with a couple of great additions.
2 new holes were added in the woods in 2011 and the championship course is now a very tough par 57 that plays to an SSA of just over 55. It's tough for even the best.
There are 4 course layouts including a fun yet challenging short 16 hole course which is perfect for beginners and those trying to hone their short games
Well stocked disc shop on site and helpful staff members around
Beautifully looked after course
I'm adding pay to play as a pro here as it is just £6 to play the full course and it means you don't have to contend with dogwalkers/dog mess, people sunbathing on the fairway etc. etc..
Cons:
Prone to flooding on the bottom fields, but only after very heavy rainfall.
A couple of holes can get very muddy even in the height of summer.
Not signposted from the main roads
Nettles, and rough can be very unforgiving and easy to lose discs in from April - July in the main growing season.
Other Thoughts:
Black course layout - Hole 1 - Par 4, easy 4 playing from an extended tee from the original an accurate straight drive is required to thread a small gap to give yourself the best chance for an easy upshot through another tight gap for the 3. Pretty much impossible to get closer than 100' to the basket however far you can throw from the drive so 2's are very rare.
Hole 2 ~300' to a well guarded green with clumps of impenetrable trees to navigate past in the fairway. Suits a RHBH thrower with a flat to fade shot. one of the best birdie chances. The red bushes guarding the basket have grown up now forcing you to throw a little higher than you'd ideally like to clear them making it a trickier shot than it looks to attack the basket.
Hole 3 Tight RHFH hole ~330' OB has been moved back to the course boundary on the left leaving poor shots with a scramble oppurtunity, clumps of impenetrable trees down the right hand side, accuracy required.
Hole 4 ~330' lovely RHBH hyzer hole slightly downhill with OB close to the basket and all the way up the left hand side. Lovely straight shot window to hit through the hedge as well. Another one of the birdie ops. Wet all year round in the "fairway". Played best with a spotter.
Hole 5 ~550' a first chance to really open the arms with first the hedge to navigate and then a clump of tall trees ~ 200' from the tee that you can go left or right of you have to pick and hold a good line. OB left and right keeps you honest but a good drive can get you to a 150' upshot or better. River runs down the end of this hole and is picturesque to play. Basket is on a slope leading to roll aways. Lovely hole which leads to a lot of score variance come tournaments.
Hole 6 ~380' Throw from the elevated tee to the well guarded basket with the river on your left the whole way. Beautiful new tee has made this the signature hole at the Quarry Park course and increased the birdie count.
Hole 7. ~290' A controlled RHBH s curve shot with a strong fade is required to attack the basket in one - great hole to show off your shot shaping skills. Trees guarding basket have probably grown out a bit too far now although there is still a window high up that you can hit for the ace run.
Hole 8 ~280' the shortest hole on the course but one of the tightest. Thick woods line right and left of this downhill hole asking you to throw straight and true with the river behind - probably best chance of an ace on the course but you risk losing your disc long.
Hole 9 - ~330' first of the new woods holes - Tight, very very tight tunnel shot with a dog leg to the left at about 150' 2's are possible but require a very controlled low hyzer flip shot. Lovely picture looking down the narrowing tunnel from the ride to the basket. another large score variance hole in tournament play. There is also a longer basket position for a par 4 which is sometimes played instead.
Hole 10 ~ 360' Ostensibly a par 4 IMO still a 3 unless taken back to the original longer tee position. Tight tight tunnel shot with a dogleg right at around 200'
Hole 11 ~360' Plays along the side of the Avon and then cuts through a tight tunnel to the basket at around 250' tricky hole lots of ricochet chances from the woods and if you're drive is offline it is difficult to get to the basket in 2. large score variance in tournies. Not too many 2's are taken here. Early canopy pf trees could do with being raised a bit.
Hole 12 ~ 280' steeply uphill situated on a steep slope. LHBH dream hole asking for a flat to fade line with a chance of the ace. The fairway gets tighter every year and no chance of going over the top anymore. Every chance of adding 2 or 3 strokes through cruel roll aways.
Hole 13 ~350' difficult par 3 which gets tighter every year and plays along a slope making layups tricky. A clump of trees narrows the fairway horribly to around 18' at about 180' making almost a tunnel at that range. Top to the left is OB, large score variance in tournies. Not too many 2's are taken here.
Hole 14 ~360' uphill, fenace along left side has been repaired leading this to be the roller hole again . the old OB pen is now taken out on the right as the thick foliage now has taken its place. open up to about 100' short of the basket where the land narrows to 45' all the way to the basket OB to the left.
Hole 15 ~330' low tunnel shot through the first 60' with a mando to navigate before opening up, ob pen to the left of the basket makes approaches tricky as does the steep drop off behind the basket. Another good chance for aces here.
Hole 16 The nipple ~260' uphill to a raised "nipple" An ob pen guards the RHBH hyzer route, often played worse by the Open divison than it should be. putting in the wind can be horrible.
Hole 17 ~360' gets tighter every year with the two large "lime?" trees guarding the entrance to the neck expanding and growing yearly. Keep it straight and true for an easy 3 go for the 2 and risk the 4 or worse from thick rough left and right. Don't get stuck at the back of the two limes or in the Redwoods on the right (a risk from a poorly executed hyzer).
Hole 18 ~330' a lovely RHBH flat to fade or long hyzer shot. OB down left and right and long. should be a good chance of a 2 in front of the club house. New basket position on top of the newly installed mound. Pressure putts to finish the round in the wind.
. Great place to play, and a beautiful place to visit with the Avon river winding its way through the course. It is pay to play but definitely worth the money. The best course in the UK and previous host of British Opens, it hosts regular British tour events and competitions. Well worth a trip if you are visiting the UK.