College Pines Golf Club Review

Located near Worksop in north Nottinghamshire, College Pines Golf Club is a heathland layout that sits on a swath of sandy soil, meaning its drainage defies even the wettest of winters, so much so that the club prides itself as being open every day, on full greens and tees.

It has built itself a reputation in the area as the one to head for when every other course is closed. But it has become more than just a "winter course" - its quality has been steadily growing as one to match its peers whatever the weather.

As its name suggests, this course is set within an open landscape dotted with pines, deciduous trees and a fair share of gorse making it beautifully defined, but not too tight. It is located in the Dukeries, between the idyllic surrounds of Clumber Park and Worksop College, in a landscape famous for its scenic backdrops and views.

Golfshake visit March 2024 - reviewed by Sam M, Derbyshire

Pre-Round Thoughts

College Pines is Highly Recommended by the Golfshake Community so we were looking forward to our visit, April 2024.

Immediate impressions bore out what others had said. There is a huge car park, an extremely friendly clubhouse and pro shop, where the head pro and his staff provided us with useful information about the course. They went out of their way to ensure we had everything needed to enjoy a fun day on the course. The staff also gave us a breakdown of the tee sheet, which provided us with an idea of just how busy they were for early summer golf. 

The clubhouse is built in the style of a log cabin with beautiful scenic views and tables outside to enjoy drinks, food and relive your round. The clubhouse also boasts a restaurant/bar along with a dining room. It has everything you require for pre-round/post-round entertainment. The driving range sits in an elevated position, overlooking the property.

College Pines

• Parkland, 6,801 yards, par 73
• Green fee: From £20 a round, £30 a day
• Range balls from £2 per basket

Front Nine Overview

The front nine starts with a flat dogleg left par five measuring 527 yards. The following hole pretty much defines the course - a tricky par four with a well-placed fairway bunker on the right ahead of a well-protected green. 

The third is another long hole, a daunting par five of 509 yards. As you work your way out from there, you will come across a nice mixture of par threes and fours featuring well placed bunkers and a number of trees growing in places that hinder ill placed approach shots.

The par three 181 yard seventh hole was my favourite. It was probably the steepest hole we played all day. But upon finishing the hole it offers an amazing view of the entire front nine.

Hole 8 is a somewhat short par four at 294 yards of the whites, and according to the score card is the easiest on the course where the biggest hitters will be tempted to thrash one towards the bunkerless green.

Back Nine Overview

The back nine starts off straight away - there is no "turn" or halfway hut. The intensity of the round continues seamlessly, but it lets you off the hook with a few short par fours and a par three on which you should expect to score well. It opens up a little bit more than the front and there are not quite as many trees off the fairways.

The tenth is a 455 yard dog leg left that demands a well struck and well placed tee shot, while the thirteenth with its bunkerless green is much more demanding than its yardages suggests.

Most challenging are the sixteenth and seventeenth, back-to-back par fives measuring 514 and 562 yards respectively from the back tees.

A drainage channel running diagonally across the fairway on the first of these present a choice of laying up ahead of it, leaving a long third shot in, or alternatively going long and over it.

The eighteenth hole finishes to the left of the clubhouse completing a round of much interest and challenge. I enjoyed the back nine a little bit more than the front nine, there are a few more quirks and wrinkles that present unique challenges in certain holes. I also thought it was a tad easier than the first half of this excellent layout.

Verdict

I loved my experience at College Pines. You could not hope for much more in terms of the course condition and it represents terrific value for money. All 18 holes were in good shape, and we did not have to worry about saturated ground or having to hit off a mat, which is common elsewhere in the UK over winter.

College Pines was fairly easy to walk and relatively flat and open, meaning you have a bit more room to "miss" off the tee. You probably won’t find the course to be exceptionally difficult, but it definitely challenges you at points, particularly on the shorter par fours.

The course is secluded from any major roads or houses, so you really do feel like you are escaping the world for a few hours, which offers a tranquility that is all you can really ask for on a golf course.

I would highly recommend College Pines for anyone looking to play 18 holes during any part of the year. There are courses that only really suit low-handicap golfers but this is a fair test for golfers of all abilities. The hospitality, staff, food, and drink could not have been better.

We drove a good hour from Derby to get up to play this course, and it was well worth the trip.

Overall Rating - 9

Course (Conditions) - 10

Course (Hole Variety/Layout) - 8

Course (Green Condition) - 10

Course (Challenge/Difficulty) - 8

Club Facilities & Clubhouse - 8

Practice Facilities - 7

Friendliness/Hospitality - 10

Pace of Play - 9

Value For Money - 9