Golf de Granville Est. 1912

Laid out by the incomparable Harry Colt in a huge expanse of open, treeless duneland, Granville is everything you expect a links golf course to be. The fabulous front-nine loop meanders through the dunes, its inherent challenges matched by the deft, understated simplicity of Colt's design. The holes effortlessly follow the natural rolling contours of the terrain; the demands of tee and approach shots always clear to see, but not necessarily as easy to execute - especially if the wind is blowing. Crisp, sandy soil fairways, whispy rough, a mix of pot and more expansive bunkers, and several pudding-bowl greens, all underline Granville's thoroughbred links credentials. Between the square-cut tee boxes and top-quality, subtly undulating greens, the fairways and rough roll along in a suitably rustic manner. The sublime front-nine loop hands over to a more inland back-nine, which had to undergo some alterations following local road changes. Although retaining solid links golf characteristics, a few holes on the inward-nine can feel a little more contrived. The par-3s at 10 and 16, and the par-5 14th, with its green-fronting stream, do not quite measure up to the classic links holes of the outward nine. As with many courses laid out on sand-based links land, one "big dune" seems to stand out above the others. Here at Granville such a dune provides not only the tee-box at the glorious par-4 6th, but also a rare opportunity to enjoy views out across the sea and along the coast to the town of Granville.