Nicky Gold

Club Champion
2007

Bonnyton Course Record holder (63)


Nicky has given us the benefit of his many years of playing Bonnyton in this series of Course Notes. Click on the name of each hole in the scorecard to reveal Nicky's Notes

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	331	4	9
	326	4	9
	320	4	9
Nicky's advice: "Whether you play from the Tiger tee, or the ordinary tee, an accurate tee shot is required. Longer hitters should use an iron to play short of the humps in the middle of the fairway. Then a challenging approach to a narrow green front to back - best to take a club more than you think as it's all uphill."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	375	4	5
	360	4	5
	323	4	5
Nicky's advice: "A tee shot drifting right can catch the burn - anything left is sure to see you restricted by a tree - position your tee shot below the hill middle to left of centre. Approach shot to a plateau green with bunkers positioned on LHS ready to catch anything pulled slightly left of centre and front right to pick up a stray push. Be sure to take enough club as anything coming up front left of the green may well come back down the slope leaving a difficult pitch back up the green."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	285	4	17
	279	4	17
	258	4	17
Nicky's advice: "A short hole but with a severe 2 tier green requiring an accurate distance control approach to ensure a birdie opportunity. Best drive is left of centre avoiding the fairway bunker."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	145	3	15
	143	3	15
	126	3	15
Nicky's advice: "A well-bunkered short par 3 with a ridge running up the middle of the green. Make sure you are on the correct side of the ridge or you face a difficult putt - the green slopes from back to front and if you're behind the pin you can leave a very fast putt."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	533	5	3
	523	5	3
	490	5	3
Nicky's advice: "Road Hole - as it says, the out of bounds runs all the way down the left hand side of this par 5 - drive should be on line with the marker pole or even slightly right of this. The longer hitter can go for the green with their 2nd shot or for most, a sensible lay up short of the double bunkers leaves a 100 yard approach to a long green. If you miss to the right you face a difficult up and down from a steep hollow."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	489	5	13
	478	5	13
	385	5	13
Nicky's advice: "Another par 5 - straight away - best to keep to the right half of the fairway as a long drive can be blocked out up the left by an outcrop of trees. A generous green with some strong breaks. Bunker on left hand side of the green will catch any pulled approach shots and a large bunker front right will catch the bail out approach."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	390	4	7
	385	4	7
	374	4	7
Nicky's advice: "One of the best driving holes on the course - accuracy is at a premium. Any drive down the left will normally result in you being blocked out from sight of the green and a drive leaking right will normally run into the trees which run for 280 yards. A hidden ditch guards the approach to this small green approx 15 yards before the putting surface."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	402	4	1
	395	4	1
	295	4	1
Nicky's advice: "Stroke index 1 - a long 2 hits up the hill to an elevated green which is well-bunkered front left and right. The short line is up the left of the fairway but you may find yourself in semi-rough. Too far right and you will have line of sight blocked by large trees. A 4 is always a good score here."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	161	3	11
	157	3	11
	125	3	11
Nicky's advice: "A well laid out par 3 with a ditch in the hollow 20 yards before the green to catch that miss hit. Well-bunkered green which runs some 30 yards front to back. Good club selection is vital."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	503	5	12
	499	5	12
	439	5	12
Nicky's advice: "Some of the best views on the course welcome you as walk down this majestic par 5. The drive requires you to keep to the left of centre to avoid running into the thick rough to the right. Your second shot requires you to avoid 2 well positioned bunkers which gather up any straying shot to the right. It's all there in front of you to see."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	384	4	4
	375	4	4
	306	4	4
Nicky's advice: "A tricky dog-leg requires either a sensible drive towards the marker pole or the long hitters can try and cut the corner to gain those few extra yards - however, you will find yourself in semi-rough should you take this route. The approach requires good selection into this long green which again has well- positioned bunkers both sides - too long and there is a steep drop behind the green."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	161	3	10
	153	3	10
	145	3	10
Nicky's advice: "A testing par three with 2 halves to this green - the bowl to the left with a steep bank at the back and the raised section to the right. You must be on the right side of the green with your tee shot. 3 large bunkers are there to catch you short and to the right."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	296	4	18
	265	4	18
	253	4	18
Nicky's advice: "A short par 4 from a raised tee - if the wind's behind you can go for glory and try and drive this small, well protected, green. If not, a straight drive into the middle of the fairway leaves an approach shot requiring a good touch to hold the green."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	174	3	2
	170	3	2
	143	3	2
Nicky's advice: "One of the best par 3s you will ever play - uphill tee shot to a long and very narrow green with a steep slope off to the right and a difficult run off to the left. If the pin is on the bottom it can play harder even though it is 2 clubs less than if the pin was at the back - a 3 can often feel like a birdie."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	346	4	16
	340	4	16
	294	4	16
Nicky's advice: "Downhill par 4 - short but with well-positioned fairway bunkers both left and right. Best to hit your drive to the right of centre if you can carry 220 yards. The approach is to a well-guarded green which is probably the smallest on the course. A hole you think you should be picking up a birdie but so often you can walk off with 5 or more."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	477	5	6
	472	5	6
	381	5	6
Nicky's advice: "A testing par 5 that offers lots of different options. A large lake, not visible from the tee, lies approx. 240 yards up the fairway. A drive heading towards the left hand marker pole will more often than not run into the lake. A fade is the desired shot. The gap between the lake and the start of the burn on the right hand side is only about 25 yards wide - be careful. The reward for a good drive is a chance to go for the green in 2. Be careful though as another burn lies 60 yards short of an elevated green ready to catch that miss hit 2nd. Best to lay up 200 yards, hit another 200 yard shot onto the plateau and give yourself a 90 - 100 yard approach. The green again is in 2 halves and is not the deapest green you will ever hit to. Anything coming up short will suffer a long run off back down the slope resulting in a difficult pitch."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	367	4	8
	365	4	8
	322	4	8
Nicky's advice: "A super par 4 with 2 options off the tee depending on the wind. A wide ditch runs across this fairway approx 230 yards from the tee - if in doubt, lay up short. The approach shot requires both accuracy and good clubbing. You have to avoid the large bunker on the left hand side that cuts into the green. A well judged approach will be rewarded with a good birdie opportunity as the ball is gathered towards the hole from left to right."

	YARDS	PAR	S.I
	366	4	14
	355	4	14
	274	4	14
Nicky's advice: "A blind 18th means there is no rest on this short but testing course. Short line off the tee is left of centre - you will end up in semi-rough but it's not too thick - anything to the right will either stay on the slope leaving you a difficult stance with the ball above your feet or it will run down into the semi rough. The approach will be blind unless you have driven the ball 280 yards. With a large slope to the front right you can get a generous kick onto the green but don't rely on this. Pick a tree behind the green and aim for that. Keep to the right of centre of the green as everything runs off to the left to waiting bunkers."

For many years the Board, Members and Greens staff at Bonnyton Golf Club have been dedicated to creating and maintaining a golf course of which everyone concerned with the Club can be justifiably proud.

The Course is surrounded by dramatic, rolling, heather-covered moorland and has been landscaped to combine the relaxing pastoral feel of mature woodland with the drama of its natural surroundings.

As can be seen from the scorecard below, Bonnyton is not particularly long, but that doesn't diminish the challenge. Many greens are elevated, protected by perfectly-situated bunkers and lie at the end of tree-lined fairways, making careful course management a priority.

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