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Ganton, England |
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Ganton Golf Club
Ganton
North Yorkshire
YO12 4PA
England |  | Tom Chisholm, James Braid, Ted Ray, J.H. Taylor, Alister MacKenzie, Tom Simpson and C.K. Cotton |  | Gary Brown |
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 | +44 (0) 1994 710329 |  | A64, 9 miles W of Scarborough |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Welcome, contact club in advance. |  | Richard Penley-Martin |
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Ganton Golf Club played host to the 1949 Ryder Cup matches between the USA and Great Britain. Team Captains were Ben Hogan (US) and Charles Whitcombe (GB). The U.S. Non-playing Captain Ben Hogan raised a concern about the grooves on the clubs of some British players. A meeting was called with R&A Rules Official Bernard Darwin, who concurred that the clubs should be repaired to meet conforming standards. Despite the USA team being without three key players, Hogan’s side claimed victory after dominating the singles, USA 7 - GB 5. The Ryder Cup was played at Portland in 1947 and at Pinehurst in 1951. | To classify Ganton as a heathland course is a misnomer – one could just as easily categorise it as an inland links, as it’s situated in the rural Vale of Pickering, nine miles from the sea. This sandy, gently undulating site was once a North Sea inlet. Consequently, it has all the characteristics of a links and a heathland course. Either way, Ganton Golf Club is a perfect place to play golf.
 The Scarborough Golf Club (as it was originally called) opened for play in 1891, laid out by St Andrews’ Tom Chisholm. The great Harry Vardon became the club’s pro in 1896, the same year he won his first Open title at Muirfield. This immediately put Ganton on the map.
In 1905, Ted Ray, along with James Braid and J.H. Taylor made alterations to the layout. Alister MacKenzie Harry Colt and C.K. Cotton made further changes over the next 50 years.
Ganton is surely one of the few inland courses in the British Isles good enough to hold an Open Championship. It would make a pleasant change to break with tradition and hold an Open somewhere inland. After all, Ganton is used to holding important competitions – it hosted the 1949 Ryder Cup, the 2000 Curtis Cup and the 2003 Walker Cup.
The bunkering is quite extraordinary, a real feature of the course. With over 100 cunningly placed bunkers, some of which are simply huge, both in breadth and in depth, whilst others are small. Only lucky (or very good golfers) will avoid the sand traps at Ganton. Bernard Darwin wrote in The Golf Courses of the British Isles, that Ganton “possesses by far the vastest and generally most gorgeous bunker that is to be found, as far as I know, on any inland course. It is a huge pit of sand, with just the depths and shallows, the bays and promontories of the genuine seaside article. It is so large that, by its unaided efforts, it provides highly effective bunkering for the tee shots to the last two holes; and as regards its dimensions, I shall not be flattering it very grossly if I compare it to the bunker in front of the fifth tee at Westward Ho!”
If you blend the Old course at Walton Heath (minus the road noise) with Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin course and then throw in a touch of Muirfield (without the sea), you’ve got Ganton. Nearly 100 years ago, Bernard Darwin compared Ganton to being “a little like Woking, a little like Worplesdon; and, generally speaking, it is the type of course that one would expect to find in Surrey rather than in Yorkshire.” Occupying open, windswept heathland, it’s a supreme thinking man’s and woman’s test of golf; the fast greens and firm fairways test the very best players. Various types of thick gorse, heather and broom highlight the course during the spring and summer months.
Three short par fours provide the opportunity of a game of risk and reward for the big hitters. A minor downside is the fact that there are only two par threes but the strength of the par fours more than compensates for this. The 4th hole, a 406-yard par four, requires a solid drive to a wide fairway before an undulating green sited on a raised plateau is unveiled. The approach shot must carry across a gully and avoid a canny bunker on the right-hand side of the green. From the raised 5th tee, a short 157-yard par three, you have a great view of the well-protected green. Only an arrow-straight tee shot will suffice. Stray to the left and you will be swallowed up by one of two bunkers, stray to the right and you'll be trapped by a huge curved bunker, which wraps itself around the entire right-hand side of the green.
Ganton is a friendly club that opens its doors warmly to visitors (providing you have a handicap). If you are a serious golfer and have never played here, we strongly recommend it. | |
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If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |   | | | We had a nice day to play Ganton, with just enough breeze to make the course interesting. I pushed my approach shot to the first green and finished in a bunker, it was at least 7 feet deep. I hit a greenside bunker on the second which was only 3 feet deep, much easier to escape. The third was almost drivable and set up a simple birdie three. The greens were very slow but the ball rolled straight. Obvious advice is do not miss the fairways as the gorse is rather dangerous, although there are some tough fairway bunkers that also need to be avoided. The finishing stretch is very strong with a downhill par 4 over a massive bunker, though an avenue of trees to a large green. The 17th is a par over the entrance road of 240 yards – it was into the wind. Finally the 18th is a dogleg par 4 over the road, my advice is a 3 wood off the tee and aim to the right of the fairway. However this brings me to the biggest let down of the day, the club has ridiculously strict dress code in the clubhouse; without a jacket and tie you can only go into the changing room and one other room. There may be a plethora of history on the walls but I couldn’t see it. So to summarise, excellent course, good fairways and tees, poor greens, no idea of the what the clubhouse is like. |
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| 28 May 2013
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| Response: | | | Michael Graham | 28 May 2013 | | Words fail me. | | | Hugh | 29 May 2013 | | Many great golf clubs have strict dress rules... think yourself lucky you managed to play Ganton. Most US clubs of Ganton's quality don't allow visitors unless accompanied by a member and most of these have strict dress rules too. Anyway, the rating rules of this site are about the golf course not the dress code. Excellent course = 6 or 5 balls at least. | | | El Gringo | 29 May 2013 | | Huh? | | | Richard PenleyMartin | 31 May 2013 | | I’m sorry that your visit to Ganton was not what you expected. It is true that the greens are slower than we would normally have them at present, only stimping somewhere in the 8-9 foot range, but this is due to the very cold spring we experienced & as a result all the courses in the UK are 4-6 weeks behind where they normally are at this time of the year. We appreciate that our dress code is different to that which you will experience in the more modern clubs, but that is how the members like it but we can accommodate those golfers who like to be a it more relaxed as well as those who like the formality. The Club’s dress code is published on the website & sent out to all visitors, so golfers are aware of it. However, despite our best attempts we know from experience that not all society organisers distribute it to all players. Something outside our control. When you return to Ganton next time please just ask the Caddiemaster or myself, the Secretary, & we will give you a tour of the Club’s history (regardless of whether you have chosen to bring a jacket & tie or not!). |
| | | Fabulous, strategic layout with one of the best back nines I have ever played. Add a friendly welcome from Gary in the pro shop, Paul the caddiemaster and the Ganton members, and you have one of the greatest places on Earth to enjoy your golf. |
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| 24 March 2013
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| | Sensational course and very friendly and helpful Pro shop. The layout is great especially the back nine which I thought was really solid. Course in pretty good condition and the bunkers were really impressive but in poor conditions, which is a real shame. The walls of numerous bunkers were in terrible condition which is a shame for such a fabulous course. Definitely worth a visit.
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| 10 September 2012
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| | Well played here today in the Junior Open in wonderful weather but was yet again very disappointed! Still shocked at how this course is ranked in the top 10 in England ahead of nearby Moortown, Alwoodley and especially Woburn Marquess! The bunkers were a joke, every bunker on the course (in which there is a lot) had plenty of sand in them but were coated in millions of stones, rocks and shells. Im so glad I didn't go in one otherwise id have plenty of chipped/scratched clubs! Another negative was the greens, a course rated so high should greens reading over 10 at least on the stimp whereas these were about 8 but never the less ran true. And my final moan is the stroke indexes, how is the 17th ( a 250yard par 3 up the hill into the wind) stroke index 10? Crazy stuff! The only positive is the weather was much better than last year and I shot Level my handicap playing reasonable! |
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| 24 August 2012
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| Response: | | | Marty B | 25 August 2012 | | With being a junior it appears you need a few years of education to understand to true merits of Ganton or other traditional courses. To the educated, Ganton is a delightful days golf on and off course. I've said before respect and enjoy these places. To hold the Ryder Cup, Curtis Cup and Walker Cup it is clearly the held in the highest regard by golfs elite. | | | Aidan | 25 August 2012 | | I understand that it is highly regarded and that's why it has hosted so many major tournaments. But for a course that is ranked so high and the praise it recieves which in total respect it does have some cracking holes and a great layout, I just felt both times ive played it the condition of the course was not up to the correct standard. For example the sand in the bunkers compared to Woburn and Moortown and the greens weren't quick enough for a championship standard golf course. | | | am | 27 August 2012 | | I am suprised at the number of reviewers who appear to regard stroke indices as a ranking of the difficulty of the hole. Stroke Indices are principally for match play, hence the need for even spread of allocation. This is all explained in the CONGU Unified Handicap System booket. Clubs often have odd numbered indices on one nine and odds on the other. A long par three may be a diffcult par for low handicap players but a relatively easy bogey for the higher handicapper. | | | Nipplefish | 01 September 2012 | | Ganton is one of the classic courses of England. The sand is proper seaside sand and plays brilliantly. I wouldn't worry about scratches on my clubs there only a lump of metal used to get the ball in that hole. Go back in a few years and Im sure it will have grown on you. | | | Vorndron | 08 March 2013 | | So you're saying Moortown should be ahead of Ganton? What planet are you on? Ganton has it all AND can be played all year round unlike the courses you mention | | | moreski | 01 May 2013 | | One needs to remember that the sand (and at times stones)in Ganton's bunkers is all harvested from the course, it is simply what lies beneath the turf. This is one of the factors making this a true links course and unfortunately, stones will make their way up to the surface as bunkers are dug/raked. There is a limit to the amount of de-stoning that can be done (although there is perhaps something in this person's review for the greenkeepers to take note of). The comparison to AWGC/MGC is misleading. Try not to worry about nicks in your spin milled wedge - they don't really matter in the grand scheme of things, just enjoy being one of the lucky people who has had the opportunity to play this superb course. |
| | | Travelled here on the 16th of August, as a fourball from sandmoor golf club with the assistant pro- firstly what a course! Played in immaculate weather, with a strong breeze which made the course extremely difficult to play. The condition of tees and fairways was superb, the greens firm but unfortunately slow and the rough long! Perfect conditions ahead of the junior open next week, though the bunkers could do with a bit more sand in. Apart from that a fabulous course and must play, though a real toughie if you don't have your "A" game! A thinkers course and not one for a driver on each tee!
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| 16 August 2012
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| | After playing it last summer in torrential rain for 5 hours it was very hard for me to enjoy the experience. Not that impressed with the condition of the course with greens very slow and bobbly, and the 10 foot deep bunkers not having any sand in them made it quite tricky! Hopefully Ganton will change my opinion when I return next week for the Junior Open and hopefully get some nice weather this time!! |
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| 13 August 2012
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| | Played the course on 24/7/2012 on the £45 twilight rate. What a bargain this price is. We were blessed with lovely late afternoon weather and a course in outstanding condition.
The welcome from everyone at the club, the pro, caddiemaster and lady behind the bar was very friendly and everyone was very helpful.
The clubhouse is very welcoming and full of memorabilia depicting the great and good who have played Ganton over the years.
As for the course itself it is right up there with the best, in my humble opinion. I have read the debate about other courses and how they rate compared to Ganton. I feel that Ganton is certainly on a par with Woodhall Spa and is a notch above Hollinwell and well above Sherwood Forest. The latter two are great courses but they are simply not in the same league.
For an average handicapper like me this course is tough. It is not long but it is narrow in places and you have to be on target with your tee shots at all times. The bunkering is outstanding, strategically placed on all holes and very difficult to escape from. Favourite holes for me were the 4th, a par 4 to a small green with a well placed bunker to take your approach shot (which it did with mine), the following downhill short par 3 surrounded by bunkers and water on the left side of the green, the par 5th 9th which seems tight from tee to green and the daunting tee shot on 16, which sees you carrying the largest fairway bunker I have ever seen, although I admit it is only a 130 yard carry.
The only weak hole for me is 17, a 235yd uphill par 3 from the yellows and a 248 yard par 4 from the whites! This should be shorter from the yellows but it is certainly a challenge.
The greens ran very true but were a little slow, very much like links greens.
All in all a wonderful golf course that I cannot recommend enough. Peaceful and quiet with few other on the course. Golf does not get much better. |
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| 31 July 2012
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| | Wow...amazing...what a course!! I played GANTON last week on Tue afternoon. After an early finish at work I managed to get there by quarter to five which meant I only paid a £45 green fee. Amazing value. This is a genuinely wonderful course. Challenging, requires a well through strategy, and incredibly beautiful. I just loved it, and I was playing on my own in a constant drizzle. So the conditions weren't conducive to the fantastic experience I was lucky enough to enjoy. There are only a few clubs that I have left anf thought that i would love to live nearby in retirement: Ganton has just joined the list which includes Rye, Porthcawl and Dornoch it is a pretty special list in my mind and this special club deserves its place. There are a number of stand out holes for me: 7, 10, 15, 16 and 18. The course condition is top notch although, spoiled as I am at my club, I thought the greens were somewhat slow although none the less very true. It is worth the trek across the country to play here. You will absolutely not regret it!! |
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| 07 July 2012
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| Response: | | | Marty | 08 July 2012 | | Ganton is one of my favourites. A wonderful old institution which I hope will stay that way. Many courses greens are not as fast this year due to the wet weather but when dry and slightly burnt out you will be hoping just to keep your on the green. Any serious golfer must make the effort and experience Ganton sometime. Worth a 6 ball rating any day. |
| | | Played 36 holes here in early june and after the recent weather we've had I thought I'd better ring on the morning we were playing to see if the course was open... I needn't have bothered!! The course was in excellent condition, no standing water anywhere and the greens ran very true. The course is brilliant, very tough if you're off line with your tee shots but very fair.....a perfect test of golf. I saw in the club house a score from Michael Bonallack shoting a 61 in the english amatuer championship.....I think it must be a mistake!!!! If there was a 7 ball option I'd give Ganton it. |
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| 09 June 2012
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| | I played Ganton on a breezy summers day this july off the yellow tees, so the review is slightly flawed, although I think only five holes would be slightly tougher off the championship tees. Firstly let me say the course and surrounding areas were in fantastic condition, the fairways were like posh carpets and greens although a little slow were excellent. It is a fine golf course but in my view too high in the rankings. It is not as tough or as interesting as Woodhall Spa, Notts or Sherwood Forest which are of a similar ilk. Yes the fairway bunkers and gorse are penal, but not with todays equipment, they only punish really really bad shots and please higher in the rankings than wentworth west, not a chance. one is a classy brute and the other is a classy stroll. For me the stand out holes were the 4th, 9th, 15th, 16th and 18th the rest were very much the same or weak holes. The par 3s were nice but I don’t get the 17th at all, and the par 5s too short especially the 6th which as a par four would be one of the best on the course. Worth a visit, because it is a fine old traditional golf course with a pedigree, with a lovely setting but I think technology has caught up with it, and it has lost its teeth. Not the test it obviously once was, I found all the above courses more challenging, but this is a nice day out, with an abundance of history and enjoyment. I am sure the course could be laid out to be a much more tougher challenge, but that can be said about every course. I just didn’t stand on the tee and think that looks tough on any of the holes and I think a true championship course you should at least five times. But well worth a visit. |
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| 24 July 2011
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| Response: | | | Vorndron | 06 September 2011 | | You didn't think when stood on the tee that any of the holes looked tough?? Did you play the 16th?? You must be one hell of a player!! Sorry but I think Ganton is superb and isn't high enough in the ranking's. | | | steve | 09 September 2011 | | i wasnt talking about my ability to play, i was expressing my thoughts of what i saw when i stood on the tee and how the holes looked to me compared to other championship courses, in the top 100 that i have played.yes the 16th is a fine hole along with others. for example when i stood on the 3nd, 4th, 15th and 17th at Wentworth, it made me take a deep breath and a sense of awe, | | | Vorndron | 15 May 2012 | | I'm going to play Ganton again in a couple of weeks so thought I'd check this website again to see if any more reviews had be posted. I again read the review of Sunday 24 2011 - and I again just couldn't believe what I was reading!! I haven't played Sherwood Forest but have played Woodhall Spa twice and Notts twice and although they are very good courses they are a notch down from Ganton. Some of the comments in the review are just simply not true. All the holes with the exception of probably the 12th, which is by no means 'weak', are superb. The par 5s are great, yes reachable in certain conditions, but if played from the white tees certainly not. The course flows effortlessly and both the condition of the course and the setting is second to none. Go to Ganton, you'll probably have the place to yourself and if you are a serious golfer you will want to go back year after year like I've been doing since I first played back in 2005. | | | steve | 10 July 2012 | | Can I just start by saying that this review was written on what I felt at the time of playing the course along with two other players whom also generally felt the same. You say it would be a stiffer test off the back tees. Well it is only 200 yards longer than the yellows which just about equates to a club a hole. The longest par 5 is 522 yards off the back tees and the shortest is still only 449 yards. It has a par 4 off the back tees shorter than a par 3 off the back tees at hollinwell. The yellows at Woodhall and Hollinwell are basically the same distance as the back tees at Ganton, the back tees being 500 yards further again, which equates to nearly four clubs difference. Two holes at Ganton increase by about 50 yards each, the other 16 grow by between 3 yards and 10 yards not really much more testing. Some drives at Woodhall require a carry of upto 150 yards over thick heather to reach the fairway protected by more heather and very punishing bunkers. Hollinwell except 3 or four holes is tighter to play than Ganton in my opinion and a lot more interesting tee shots that get the pulse racing. I appreciate that length does not make a hole better or stronger, it is all about the layout and challenge that it gives you, but the other two courses are tough and enjoyable before you make them tougher by playing the extra distance. I questioned the challenge and rightly praised the course and setting if you read it properly, but for you to say it is a notch above Woodhall which on this site and others has in the past and present been voted UKs BEST (No 1) inland course is quite astounding. |
| | | I love this course and club atmosphere! The club is located 45 minutes drive from york in a beautiful countryside setting. It may not be next to the sea but this is or at least can be at times a links course. A well played game on this stern test deserves a couple of pints on the terrace (if the weather is nice). Great variety and collection of memorable holes. A real "gamers" course. |
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| 24 July 2011
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| | Ganton is pretty much pancake flat. There is no standout "signature" hole. The greens, with one or two exceptions, are very subtle rather than significantly contoured. The scenery is very pleasantly bucolic but not dramatic. BUT!! about half-way up the first fairway it becomes apparant that this is a "proper" golf course - one that requires that elusive combination of clever strategy and excellent execution, from the first tee to the final green. For me Ganton is comaparable (in standard) to Royal Aberdeen - two very different course where every single hole can comfortably be classed in the "good" to "excellent" range, no "fillers", no "breathers", just pure quality. I haven't yet played too many courses where that can be said. I also loved the very slightly dog-eared (sorry, "traditional") feel to the locker room. The history in the clubhouse was fascinating and the people friendly. Ganton fruitcake with stilton is an interesting combo ("when in Rome" and all that).There is a tangible feeling that you have stepped back in time a wee bit at Ganton and being 42 coming on 82 i like it! Enjoy the cake, enjoy looking at all the old pics, meet nice Mick the Caddie master but most of all go play that course! Derek, Edinburgh, June 2011 |
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| 14 June 2011
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| | Up there with the best. The bunkers outbunker Woodhall Spa, the setting is equal to any and the test as difficult and enjoyable as any inland course. The final holes a real challenge, the oddity being that the 17th is a par 3 of 217 yards and off the whites a par 4 form 10 yards further back! If you have the chance play Ganton, Yorkshire's finest |
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| 07 June 2011
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| | My party was blessed with unseasonally fine and warm weather for a day at Ganton in early April. A pleasant welcome from starter and bar staff but this is a traditional club and, as it was the weekend, jackets and ties were the order of the day. This was fair enough - it added to the sense of occasion. Splendidly vast practice area where it was a pleasure to warm up. The course itself looked as pretty as a picture in the sunshine. Though we were encouraged to use the white tees, we sensibly opted for the yellows and after only a hole or two realised that the bunkers were to be avoided at all costs lest a stroke or two be lost. How refreshing to experience genuine hazards and not just visual trimmings. Standout holes on the front 9 for me were the 4th for the lovely setting of the green up on a plateau, the 7th for the cunning angles involved in playing the hole and the 9th through the chute of trees and gorse. If anything, the back 9 is stronger and 15 to 18 are very good holes indeed, with 15 and 17 requiring very solid blows to keep the GIR stats in good order. I didn't manage it! However, singling out holes is almost missing the point. It is the whole experience that counts here and, having wanted to play the course since watching the Walker Cup here in 2003, Ganton did not disappoint. The Sunday lunch was superb and unbelievably good value too. Highly recommended. |
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| 18 April 2011
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| | Played here second week in November after last playing three years ago and all I can say is that this it too long a gap. The course is absolutely superb, and I only really appreciated how good it is after playing it again. Its a real test of your game and the design is amazing with the bunkers placed very strategically. The condition of the course was excellent and the greens were very ture but not lightening fast as they are in summer. Definatley make this an annual game now. If you are a serious golfer do not miss playing at Ganton its simply brilliant. |
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| 17 November 2010
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| | Played on Sunday 28th March 2010 in glorious spring sunshine with a howling blustery gale. There is not much more than can be said about this course that the previous reviewer. This is one of the world's great courses, The greens were superb for the time of year and lightning fast. They are very true indeed and I putted well, not to do so would be an insult. The bunkering never fails to impress me as any shot slightly wayward is gathered into one. I play off 12 and managed to bogey my way around the first eight then birdied nine and parred ten. The back nine was just as difficult given the challenge of the day. The sixteenth is one of my favourite holes and followed by the tough seventeenth and eighteenth there is no letting up, to simply have to play good golf all the way to the end. The clubhouse is always friendly and very traditional. This is one special place to play golf, no wonder I want to join it! |
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| 02 April 2010
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| Ganton is special. Very special. I’ve had the pleasure of playing the course many times and as of yet I’ve yet to find any faults. I must declare an interest though before you read on, because I’m a member. However, don’t let my clearly biased view put you off reading further as I’d like to take you on a journey around the course to introduce you into one of the best in the world.
Firstly, when you arrive at the club you’ll receive a Ganton welcome which is both warm and sincere. Whether you’re a lord or a whatever the welcome’s the same. The Club house oozes quiet confidence and a distinct air of quality and when you read the board of the world class tournaments that have been held at the club over the years you’ll know why.
By the time you arrive at the first tee you’ll be ready for a great round of golf on a top quality course. A straight drive is required, slightly angled to the left will keep you away from the first of the bunkers you’ll meet which are a key feature of the course. The refurbished greenside bunker might as well have a sign saying ‘welcome to Ganton’ because if you land it you’ll do very well to rescue par. The second, third and fourth are so different you’ll need to plot your way around very carefully to card a good score and if the greens are running as fast as they normally do your putting touch will need to be as light as a feather. The fifth is the first par 3 and needs a perfect mid iron shot to get on the putting surface as there’s danger all around. The sixth is the first par 5 and is easily reached in 3 or 2 for the big hitters and is a real birdie chance. The seventh is SI 1 and for very good reason. It’s a classic risk reward hole with a dog leg, well protected by 4 very well placed bunkers at the corner. Don’t even think about it into a brisk easterly wind.
If you get to turn unscathed you’ve done well and things start to get significantly harder! An accurate tee shot will be required to get on the dance floor of the tenth Par 3 otherwise it’s a potential card wrecker with bunkers all around. The tenth, eleventh and twelfth require every shot to be judged very carefully to score and if you miscalculate, believe me you’ll pay for it. As ou’ll find out, landing in a bunker at Ganton is a proper penalty. The big hitters will all have a go at the Par 4 fourteenth but beware it bites if you get it wrong. A long iron short of the bunkers and a wedge onto the green is the smart choice. The last four holes are without doubt the best finishing holes on any course in the north of England. The long fifteenth followed by the signature and really beautiful sixteenth require a level of skill to score well that escapes me most of the time. The greenside bunker on the sixteenth is almost worth going in just to have a go to see if you can get out. My friend’s 6 feet 7 inches and after climbing down the ladder comfortably disappears below the rim! The famous seventeenth is, perhaps, one of the most painted and photographed of all holes on the course. At 240 yards it’s an eye wateringly long Par 3 which well protected by the ubiquitous Ganton bunkers. Finally, the eighteenth is a blind drive, which needs precision or you’re either blocked out for your second shot to the green or the distance is too great.
With the club house beckoning you’ll have just finished one of the most enjoyable and memorable rounds of golf in your life. If you managed to score to your handicap you’ll have done very well. The main trouble is you’ll want to start all over again. |
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| 21 February 2010
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| | Great course... we were very warmly welcomed by the caddie master and the clubhouse staff were friendly and very helpful. Ganton is a bit like stepping back in time, but it is a classic vintage. The course is fantastic, it's bunkering is challenging and the layout is not at all contrived. I can understand why it is a design classic on a fantastic natural layout. The greens were superb in early June; firm and fast with lots of subtle borrows.
Bring your A game and a plentiful supply of balls. The rough is penal! |
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| 05 June 2009
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| | Played 36 holes yesterday, having had it on my 'list' of courses to play for some time. Was not disappointed - good practice facilities, very peaceful setting, and what a tough course! Condition was immaculate, fastest greens i have played on perhaps ever. Course was very quiet too, on a sunny sunday, which also added to the enjoyment. Would have given it a six, only donwside for me is that there are not any really memorable holes, but most are very good. Oh, and the clubhouse is a bit snooty, but i guess that's not too important. Looking forward to a return visit, we paid £88 for 36 holes. |
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| 27 April 2009
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| Response: | | | moreski | 02 June 2009 | | Excellent review but I think your analysis of 'memorable holes' is slightly wrong. The finish is difficult to beat in Golf - 15 with the elevated tee, 16 the tightest tee shot on the course with an inviting yet nail biting second down to a green surrounded by pit bunkers to the front and gorse to the back, second shot on 18 into the long, sloping green with clubhouse and terrace to your right.... and it's two years/far too long since I played there.
I think most holes are excellent, a couple could be argued as being only good and none are weak - that's the reason that it is difficult to pick out the great ones. |
| | | Just played this course on a very windy but sunny Spring day - an absolutely fine test of golf which is quite rightly mentioned in the same sentence as The Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa. Greens had been recently top-dressed but still rolled fast and true - apparently day tickets are on offer this summer for £78 per person which in my mind is AMAZING value if you plan to play 2 rounds. Without doubt, the best course in Yorkshire. |
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| 29 March 2009
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| | A truly great all year round golf course. Even in December the course was incredibly well drained and the greens were in particularly good condition- far too quick for me! |
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| 20 January 2009
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| | Played Ganton for the first time yesterday. The proud, friendly welcome was only surpassed by a great course, worthy of an Open championship and a place of rare tranquility. If you are serious about your golf you should spend the day here |
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| 03 April 2008
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| | Ganton is quite simply unbeatable in every respect. The course is an excellent test and always in immaculate condition. Good shots are rewarded and bad ones punished the golf course is there in front of you. And best of all even in summer you can have the course to yourself. Off the course the clubhouse is heaped in tradition and the Ganton cake and stilton is not to be missed. You will not be disappointed with your Ganton experience. |
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| 06 March 2008
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| | As good as it gets anywhere in the world! This is a special place, I hope they never change a thing at Ganton. Do whatever you can to play here at least once and do bring a lot of golf balls you will go through them. It is rumored that fairways do exist at Ganton just not many have reportedly found them... Nasty rough and gorse everywhere. Has to be one of the hardest courses you will ever play. Under stated club house which fits perfectly with the clubs location, quality and value for the price. This course should be ranked higher! The course reminds me of Walton Heath, Woodhall Spa, and certainly of a strong links course. When the greens are in good shape and the course is playing fast and hard this is a slice of heaven on Earth. No commercialism here. |
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| 10 February 2008
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| | A wonderful experience even in the torrential Yorkshire rain of January 2008. The heathland turf is a joy to hit from and this encourages crisp approach shots to the green. For me the start of the course (first four holes) dare I say it, are not that difficult and may make you score better than you play – in saying that you have still got to get the ball in the hole. The course has a very strong finish indeed and from the 12th hole all the way to the 18th those friendly early holes are now a distant memory. Special mention to the par-4 16th which is a brilliant hole – drive the ball further right than you think, it will help your approach. Plus the 17th a 250 yard par-3 and then a 450 yard par-4 18th – This is a very tough finish and like I say the course builds from a ‘comfortable pair of indoor slippers to a hard working pair of hob nailed boots.’ The clubhouse will be celebrating 100 years in 2009 and is just a wonderful building, with a traditional warm welcome from the members and staff. |
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| 23 January 2008
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| | An ok course - amazed it is in the top 100. Greens were furry, and needed a cut. Very unwelcoming, and stuffy.
I might go back....rustic charm in its favour, but sooooo over rated.
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| 17 July 2007
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| Response: | | | Chris Thomson | 13 March 2008 | | Dare a say a comment from a 'higher handicap' and less well travelled golfer. Or was it just a bad day! | | | Antony | 21 October 2009 | | Are you serious? Think you must have been on drugs whilst playing if you think its rated as poorly as you have done! | | | Daniel | 03 August 2010 | | I would love to know what you class a good course | | | Vorndron | 15 June 2011 | | Are you serious??...a 2 ball rating?? I can only assume this was a typo !!! |
| | | I have been fortunate enough to play Ganton on a few occasions as a visitor. It is by far the finest course that I have ever been privilleged to play on. By far the best part of the course is the bunkers. It is so refreshing to play a course where the bunkers aim to really catch you out. I recently played a supposedly top course in Portugal called Quinta do Peru but felt that the bunkers let it down. A normal fairway shot could be played out of the shallow bunkers and the wayward driver often found he had a better approach from the bunker than a person who had hit the centre of the fairway. At Ganton, you know you're looking at an ominous wall in front of you and you can't see out of the bunker! I note several comments relating to the dress code. I think it is refreshing to see a club strictly enforcing its dress code and maintaining its traditions. Upon one occasion when I had forgotten my jacket, the steward kindly directed me towards the drying room where I managed to borrow a rather tasty sports jacket which looked like it had last been worn in the 1949 Ryder Cup. Outstanding. |
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| 27 June 2007
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| | A real test even for long hitters as there are bunkers all over the place.You play here in the middle of nowhere on a real Championship course.What a treat!!A great experience when we got to meet very friendly members.In fact the only disappointment comes from the steward in the bar of the clubhouse who undelicately reminded us that weekend means shirt and tie in Ganton... |
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| 22 June 2006
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| | Ganton is so understated, so subtle - apart from its bunkering, but more of that later… Like all true classic courses, holes change direction all the way round and there a couple of delightful surprises at the end thrown in for good measure. The championship pedigree of Ganton is exceptional, from Curtis to Walker to Ryder Cups and, if the R&A ever moved away from using links for Opens then this would surely be a leading contender to host that event. It was a surprise to discover there are only two par three’s on the card (the first a very photogenic hole beside a pond on the front nine holes) but there are other surprises with a couple of short par 4’s near the end of the round at holes 14 and 17 – the latter being my favourite hole on the course. I used to think this type of hole was a waste but disaster often lurks when you think you can open up your shoulders with the driver to make birdie or better at what you think will be an easy hole. The 18th is a blind drive, dogleg left which crosses the road back to the clubhouse – a really quirky, exciting finish to your round. Did I mention bunkers earlier? I have never played a course and had to use my sand wedge so often – they are so strategically placed (and often enormous) that you will do very well to go round here and avoid all the bunkers – buy a course guide and pay very close attention to the hazard placements if you want to score at all. Hats off to Michael, the caddiemaster who was courtesy, friendliness and good advice personified, a real gentleman. Ganton must be played by any golfer who is serious about playing the great courses of the British Isles, simple as that. James McCann |
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| 21 June 2006
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| | Played the course with my father-in-law who lives only 20 minutes from the course. What a stunning location & course. Every hole is a true challenge - even the short par 4 14th - it poses a big question - Do I lay up or do I have a go for the green? Needless to say i went for it & ended up in trouble! It was the best day of the year weather-wise and I got to experience the course in all its glory. Very friendly place with visitors very well looked after. My only disappointment?......I've been visiting my father-in-law for over 25 years now and it's the first time I've played Ganton. I'll be visiting more often from now on! |
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| 04 June 2006
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| | I played this course in the final of the junior match play last year and had an amazing time. The course was fantastic and I will remember my time there for a long time. I will hopefully be back there again soon. I highly recommend playing it if you haven’t already. |
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| 26 April 2006
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| | My favourite inland course (just ahead of Woodhall Spa). A fabulous course that is well worth the trip there (assuming you don't live locally).
One gripe - we had to channge into jacket and tie to eat our soup and sandwiches at lunchtime.
Looking forward for my next visit. |
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| 26 January 2006
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| | This course is as close to a links course as you'll find inland - second only perhaps to Hankley Common in the South Region. Bobby Locke himself described Hankley Common as the closest inland course that resembles a links feel, but Ganton is mighty close indeed. A gorgeous feel to the place, awesome views and lovely playability to add. If you get a chance to play it, TAKE IT. Rightly rated as highly as this in your list. |
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| 17 January 2006
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| | Probably the greatest inalnd course with links style in the world. Need to be long and very straight. If you see your ball going toward the ever present gorse it is in the gorse. if it goes in the gorse your ball is lost. I love it and so do the many nternational events that have been hosted there. |
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| 14 January 2006
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| | Simply top drawer. A combination of links land but in a heathland setting. A good variety of testing holes particularly the 6th. The 17th, along with the 16th at Carnoustie, has to be the most difficult Par 3 in Britain. A very traditionally club that, quite rightly, has no truck with the professional game - Gentlemen only no BMW drivers! |
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| 16 July 2005
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| | One of the friendliest and most welcoming clubs I have ever visited - they made my day when I last visited with truly personal service. The course itself is a complete dream; only the sea is missing from this perfect place. In a similar vein to Woodhall Spa, you need to plot your way round here and stay out of the gigantic bunkers. Even if you do stay on the straight and narrow you'll need your finest putting game to score well. Ganton is an honest course set in a delightful spot. If I lived in this neck of the woods I'd want to be a member here. Simply magnificent. |
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| 12 April 2005
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| | This has to be one of the friendliest clubs that I've ever visited - it's also one of the best. Stay out of the collosal bunkers and the rough and you've got a fighting chance to play to your handicap...on the other hand even if you do stay out of trouble, this is a tough course to negotiate - especially if the wind is up. It's also one of the most unusual and varied course that I've played...it feels linksy, heathland and moorland. Either way, this is the genuine article and should be played at least once. |
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| 21 July 2004
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