After all that learning, Andy needed a relaxing round of golf at The Belfry...

Andy Roberts's picture
Andy Roberts
Fri, 10 Feb 2012
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The newly-remodelled par-4 sixth

Playing 442 yards uphill and into the wind with a fairway the size of the bread aisle in Tesco, the best place to hit the drive at the daunting par-5 fourth is ‘anywhere but left’.

I inadvertently ignored Gary’s advice and it took close to five minutes to find the ball in the undergrowth. A hack out with a swing I’m not even sure was legal, left me some 230 yards away from the pin. Another bogey.

Another dropped shot at the uphill par-4 fifth was followed with another at the re-modelled par-4 sixth, featuring water all down the left side of the hole. It’s probably the signature hole on the front nine - a risk and reward hole that leaves you indecisive about how much of the dogleg to take on. I was forced to aim up the right-hand side and play it as another three-shotter.

My Belfry experience was hampered by heavy rain meaning several of the par-4s were out of reach unless you could boom your drives and hit fairway woods with precision accuracy.

It was certainly not a day to challenge Martin Erlandsson’s course-record 63 at the 2007 British Masters.

Inspired by my childhood recollection of The Belfry’s 10th, I finally found my game on the inward half. Going through the same thoughts as many greats of the game, I tried to imagine what Seve was thinking in 1978 when he plucked a persimmon-headed driver from his bag and the crowd held its breath. I can still only imagine... I pulled out the 6-iron!

Brabazon’s 10th hole has undergone significant bunker reshaping and has had railway sleepers inserted around the water’s edge for a new, smart look. It really does look sensational.

With wedge in hand from 110 yards, I woke up by clearing the sleepers to find my first green in regulation. It was a special moment walking across the bridge with putter in hand. Sadly, I missed my birdie attempt on the low side.

Gary’s back nine took a turn for the worse when his Motocaddy disobeyed his command and trudged off the 11th tee into a watery ditch. The sight of four of us chasing after it would have done justice to any episode of You've Been Framed.

We quickly recovered to take on some terrific par-3s at the 12th and 14th. The former demands a phenomenal 208-yard carry across a lake and I was relieved to flop a shot close for a tap-in par.

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