- “I knew it was going
to be good, but not this good – it’s everything I had
hoped for and more……St. Mellion is potentially the
finest golf course in Europe.”
– Jack Nicklaus at opening of course in July 1988
-
- A tough challenge in any weather, but probably one of
the best presented and well maintained courses played by
the Society over the years. It plays very long from any
tee and is quite tiring to walk with its undulating
fairways and long walks from green and tee.
-
- There is never any let up
on this course designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in
July 1988 and used in the past for the Benson and Hedges
International and English Amateur Championship. No two
holes are the same with some being very memorable, there
are 4 excellent par threes with the 11th
probably being the best, at 146 yards from the daily tee
you play from an elevated tee to a wide but no too deep
green that has water at the front.
-
- The four par fives are
also very challenging, the 12th at 514 yards it
is not overly long but accuracy is at a premium running
through a valley with trees on either side of the fairway
makes the hole look visibly narrower than it is, a stream
running all the way down the right to capture any pushed
or sliced shots also grabs your attention. Once you have
found the fairway you must then select you next club
carefully so that you are left with a comfortable distance
for your third that must clear the stream as it runs in
front and down to the left of the green.
-
- A view of the score card
would have you believe that the shortest par 4 on the
course, the 5th at only 300 yards is a possible
birdie hole, but water directly in front of the tee and
require a carry of 150 yards to a fairway that dog legs
from right to left and runs out very quickly for any
overly long straight shot, once over the a second requires
an approach to the one of the most undulating greens on
the course that has water some 40 yards short of the green
and then runs to the left.
-
- Altogether St Mellion is
a very enjoyable experience and can be played at a very
reasonable price, certainly one of my favourite courses in
the UK, and one I never get bored of playing.
-
- Reviewer: Andrew Webber
- Date:
April 2004
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