Day 224 - Banstead Downs 1

This week, I am on a string of golfing days away from Burhill: after Hankley yesterday, now it was the turn of Banstead Downs Golf Course. This is not quite in the same league in terms of setting nor quality but it is still a decent track. The Club is celebrating its 125th year and has a proud history.

I was there with Bryan to take the opportunity for a practice round ahead of our match there on Friday.  I was staggered with how easily they accepted my Captaincy status, with its associated courtesy of the course - very trusting!  Bryan too was allowed the County Card rate, all of which made for a very reasonably priced day's entertainment.

The course itself is set on a chalky base, has some attractive holes and lots of opportunities to lose your golf ball (I lost 3, which is very unusual...).  There are some very long holes, made even longer today by the unusual north-easterly wind - and lots of strategically placed fairway bunkers too. One par 5 at 577 yards into the wind was particularly memorable.

We had a good match, though I was always on the back foot and ended up losing on the 16th hole. We did though mix and match well - and would have been tough opponents in a better ball format: I hope that this augurs well for two days' time...