Join us for a round at Roseberry Grange Golf Club
Every golf club offers something different and at Roseberry Grange, you’ll find a club at the heart of its community and a course that is tremendous fun.
Opened in 1987 and just a few minutes from the A1, the course measures 5,987 yards from the back tees and is packed with quirks – from demanding shots to ones which can take dozens of tries to get right. There’s little to catch you out here, though being wild from the tee will get you into trouble.
Wrapped around a steep slope and boundary fence on the left, the 354-yard opener presents one of the toughest tee shots of the round. You can’t even be cautious and play out to the right as a pond and ditch lie at the foot of the hill. The second shot is played uphill to a plateau green with a bunker at the front.
The slightly shorter, and far simpler, second can yield birdies. Just 331 yards from the back tee, long hitters can get close at this dogleg left hole and leave a short pitch to an elevated green with a single bunker at its front right corner.
The longer par four third introduces you to the elevation changes here. Playing from an elevated tee, you must reach the plateau of the fairway to give yourself a look at the green, while favouring the left side to avoid the slope down to the trees. Two fairway bunkers on the left can catch out shorter hitters, while the small green is well guarded with a steep drop on the left and a bunker cut into the slope on the right.
At just 449 yards, the par five fourth can offer birdies. Stay straight off the tee to make the most of the slope while avoiding the gorse left. The fairway narrows slightly as it heads up to the green complex – which has a short, steep rise at the front.
Set into the hillside and surrounded by trees, the 175-yard fifth asks players to make it up the hill and find the correct portion of the green. Those who don’t will face a tough second shot from the rough or the bunker on the front left corner of the green.
Measuring just over 300 yards, the sixth asks for accuracy over length. There’s out of bounds left, a ditch some 90 yards short of the green, and a steep climb up to the putting surface. A pair of bunkers narrow the entrance to the green.
Named The Pond, avoiding the water left of the fairway is your top priority at the 438-yard seventh. Having done so, and missed the two fairway bunkers flanking the landing area, you’ll face a long approach up the hill to a very generous green.
Playing downhill, the 253-yard par four eighth is tremendous fun. The pond is in play again on the left, though you’ll find plenty of room out to the right. From this side you must play over a bunker on the right of a long green which slopes from back to front, while a second trap lurks on the left side.
An equally fun challenge follows at the 556-yard ninth. Having found the fairway, you must pick your line over the edge of the steep drop and bounce down to the tiny green. With many undulations, a front right bunker and thick rough at the back of the green, there’s a lot that can go wrong here.
Back on the flatter part of the course, the 427-yard 10th is a real test. The fairway is generous between the trees and you must find it to get a good look at a well-defended green with a large, deep bunker on the left and catchment area out to the right.
Framed by the trees, the par three 11th features a heavily contoured green and club selection is key here. Two bunkers narrow the front section, while the rear half features the most severe slopes.
The short par four 12th doglegs from left to right and can yield birdies when played sensibly. Play into the corner to get a full look at the green and avoid the bunker some 70 yards out. A small target is guarded by just one bunker on its right side.
The 393-yard 13th features a ditch some 110 yards from the green which can catch longer players out, while the bank to the left will help you navigate the turn. The green lies beyond two big front bunkers.
A 265-yard par four from the white tees (or a 142-yard par three from the yellow tees), the 14th will once again test your ball striking and ask you to hit confidently up a steep slope. The green, perched beyond three bunkers, is a small target and club selection is key with plenty of trouble waiting close by.
Having climbed the hill for the last time, you’re rewarded with the tee shot at the dramatically downhill 15th. Using the slope, you can get the ball a long way down here – providing you avoid the bunker, trees and ditch on the right side and the boundary fence on the left. Having avoided those, a short approach to a wide green which is flanked by bunkers is all that’s left.
Back on the flatter section of the course and heading for home, the long par three 16th is demanding. Steer clear of the ditch short and left, and make sure you make it up to the enormous elevated green which slopes left to right and back to front. Two bunkers on the right and one on the left are all cut below the green’s surface.
A late birdie chance follows at the par five 17th. Played from an elevated tee, you get a great look at the fairway at this 485-yard hole. A confident tee shot avoiding the ditches and fairway bunker on the right side will open up a shot at the green in two, or a simple lay up. The fairway narrows as you approach the green and you must stay clear of bunkers 90, 65 and 10 yards short. Two more bunkers are set into the bank on the left side of the generous green – a bunker shot to a back flag from here is very tough.
Played in the shadow of the clubhouse, the 152-yard 18th should be a simple finisher – providing you make it over the ditch 20 yards short and stay out of the bunker on the right side.
OUR VERDICT
A relatively short course with plenty of demanding shots, plus some really fun ones which we could spend all day trying to master, this is a tremendous place to test every part of your game.
