Played by NCG 2017
When members of the NCG team are out and about doing what we are supposed to do – playing golf courses and telling you all about them – there’s only one thing we need to remember.
Namely, to prove we were there by taking a picture of our bag during the round and posting the evidence on Twitter with the hashtag #PlayedbyNCG.
Once we get back to our desks, we fill you in on the details with Played by NCG bite-size course reviews.
This year alone we’ve been as far a field as Iceland, Mauritius, Cyprus, Florida, Spain and Sweden – while the nearest course, Moor Allerton, is just 100 yards from our Leeds office.
Last year’s aim was to play 200 courses – and we came up short. But how did we do in 2017? Here is where we’ve been…
England
The Addington
The Belfry (Brabazon)
The Berkshire (Blue)
The Berkshire (Red)
Blackwell
Boldon
Bradford
Bristol & Clifton
Broadstone
Brockenhurst Manor
Brough
Camberley Heath
Cavendish
Chesterfield
Cleckheaton
Cleeve Hill
Copt Heath
Coventry
Crookhill Park
Crowborough Beacon
Easingwold
East Sussex National (East)
East Sussex National (West)
Enville (Lodge)
Fairhaven
Ferndown
Forest Park
Formby Ladies
Foxhills (Bernard Hunt)
Foxhills (Longcross)
Ganton
George Washington
Gog Magog (Old)
Heworth
Kirbymoorside
Lanhydrock
Linden Hall
Lindrick
Liphook Longcliffe
Malton & Norton
Manor House
Mapledurham
North Foreland
North Hants
Northants County
Northumberland
Oakdale
Old Fold Manor
Ormskirk
Orsett
Pannal
Perranporth
Piltdown
Prestbury
The Renaissance
Robin Hood
Ross-on-Wye
Sandburn Hall
Sandwell Park
Scarborough South Cliff
Seaton Carew
Selby
South Shields
Southport & Ainsdale
Sprowston Manor
St Annes Old Links
St Enodoc
St Ives
Stockport
Wallasey
West Surrey
West Sussex
Wetherby
Wheldrake
Whitburn
Whittington Heath
Wildernesse
Woburn (Duke’s)
Woburn (Marquess)
Woodhall Spa (Bracken)
Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin)
Scotland
Gailes Links
Gleneagles (Kings)
Gleneagles (PGA Centenary)
Loch Lomond
Machrihanish
North Berwick
Prestwick
Scotscraig
Ireland
Castleknock
Wales
Continental Europe
Penina
Salobre (New)
Salobre (Old)
San Lorenzo
Sotogrande (Old Course)
Vilamoura Old Course
United States
Champions Gate (International)
Omni La Costa
Reunion Watson
Reunion Nicklaus
Reunion Palmer
Trump Doral
Rest of the World
Abu Dhabi
Anahita
Aphrodite Hills
Constance (Legend)
Constance (Links)
Heritage
Elea
Minthis Hills
Mont Choisy
Paradis
Saadiyat Beach
Secret Valley
Total: 202 Courses
Our Highlights of the Year
Dan Murphy: On my first acquaintance, when I was younger and more foolish, Royal North Devon rather passed me by. When I went back in the late spring, it all fell into place. This is golf as I think it should be – minimalist, natural, rm underfoot, plenty of space, with subtlety of design for those who wish to seek it and, above all, fun.
Alex Perry: 2017 for me ended with a round at St Enodoc – a course I’ve dreamt of playing since I was young. It was everything I ever dreamed of. There is not a single hole out of place and it was a pleasure to play from start to finish. I also played Okehampton for the first time in about 20 years in the summer. No two holes are even close to being the same and it offers the chance for an array of shot making. I also had my first par-4 eagle and my playing partner aced the signature par-3 12th. A good day all round.
Steve Carroll: I’ve been fortunate to play some wonderful courses this year – Royal Porthcawl and Swinley Forest spring instantly to mind – but the highlight of the year has to be Royal Birkdale. The term classic links has become a cliché but how else can you describe this Open venue?
James Broadhurst: Golf in Southern Cyprus is a case of quality over quantity – there are only four courses worthy of note but they are all outstanding. Aphrodite Hills, for me, was the pick of the bunch. The par-3 7th, which requires a shot over a ravine, is just spectacular.
Played by NCG: Royal North Devon
Played by NCG: Royal Birkdale
