De Vere Carden Park (Nicklaus course) Est. 1998

Carden Park, located in the heart of Cheshire's pleasantly rolling countryside, is home to two contrasting 18-hole championship golf courses (as well as a 9-hole par-3 course and a teaching academy). With Nicklaus designed courses something of a rarity in England, Carden Park is able to boast a layout that contains all the hallmarks of a classic Golden Bear golf course. The water-laden closing stretch, as on many a Nicklaus design, is capable of giving your scorecard something of a mauling. Much of the layout is relatively open, almost links-like at times, with grassy earthmounds and plenty of pot bunkers giving good definition to the holes. Water hazards are threateningly in play on over half the holes, providing several testing tee and approach shots, not least at the 6th and 14th, two very good short par-4's. Holes like the par-4 15th and par-4 7th reinforce the layout's reputation as a "thinking man's golf course"; on both occasions you need to decide which side of the split-fairway to aim at, hopefully avoiding the water that runs down the middle. Especially on the closing stretch, a greater premium is placed on course management than wayward hitting from the tee. Variety of golfing challenge is at the heart of this excellent Nicklaus design, which to all intents and purposes, fits well into its picturesque, rural environment. Apart from a few longish green-to-tee walks and a modest climb back to the Clubhouse from the final green, the course is not too onerous to walk, even if the majority of golfers seem more at home driving round in golf buggies.