Northamptonshire County (revised)

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It had been nearly five years since my last visit to Northamptonshire County, and returning proved to be a very wise decision.

My game in 2020 took place during a brief respite from the full Covid restrictions, a time when even touching a golf flag or enjoying the camaraderie of clubhouse hospitality was forbidden.

This most recent experience, however, offered the full immersion into a course clearly thriving from substantial investment and a wonderfully convivial club atmosphere. 

Northamptonshire County Golf Club was established in 1909 and embodies the essence of a classic heathland layout.

It boasts a distinguished pedigree, having previously hosted regional Open Championship Qualifying rounds and other prestigious amateur competitions.

I had been drawn against a London-based member of the esteemed Press Golfing Society in our knockout competition, making Northamptonshire an ideal, centrally located rendezvous for our match.

Unlike some modern venues, tee times are not pre-booked at this traditional club; instead, golf balls are respectfully placed in a chute by those awaiting their turn to begin.

Once out on the course, the investment is strikingly evident, largely attributable to the introduction of a state-of-the-art irrigation system, meticulous clearing of encroaching trees, and thoughtful rejuvenation of the bunkering.

The vision has been to restore the course to the principles of its distinguished architect, Harry Colt. Later, James Braid refined the bunker placement and ingeniously repositioned the 18th green in 1947.

Northamptonshire’s opening hole presents a formidable challenge: a 454-yard par-four with dense woodland on the left and strategically positioned bunkers on both sides of the fairway.

My favourite sequence of holes unfolded around the midpoint of the course, commencing with the demanding par-four seventh. 

This hole demands a confident carry over rugged rough to an ascending fairway. Those players susceptible to a fade might find their ball nestled within a bunker on the right. 

The subsequent approach requires a precise strike down the left, targeting a steeply sloped green while deftly avoiding a deep bunker crowned with heather. 

I ripped a three-wood but the ball flew past the target. I found the putting surface so fiendish, I contrived to three-putt and lose the hole.

The eighth, mercifully, yielded a touch more satisfaction. This delightful, short par-four gracefully sweeps from left to right. 

Mature trees, dense bushes, and a winding bridleway conspire to make this hole deceptively intricate.

It is then followed by a menacing downhill par-four, plunging into the farthest corner of the property.

This hole commands a precisely threaded drive between hazards on either side, with the approach shot requiring a bold carry over a winding stream to a green featuring a deceptive false front.

A tunnel beneath a railway line ushers players into a sequence of high-quality holes, commencing with the 10th. 

This curving par-four necessitates a wide, left-biased drive to avoid the lurking bunkers on the right.

Similarly, on the 11th, which runs intimately parallel to the railway track, the ball must be kept to the left. 

The approach into yet another undulating green presents a particular challenge, with cavernous sand traps guarding both sides of its entrance.

Lovely, layered tee boxes introduce the 12th, a superb par-three where pinpoint club selection is paramount to avoid scattering shots into the bunkers or dense bushes encircling a subtly sloping green.

Characteristic Colt diagonal bunkering prominently features on the 13th, a 392-yard par-four demanding a carry over swathes of gorse. 

By this juncture, our match was beautifully poised, and both of us were striking the ball well.

However, my day unravelled on the 15th – another charming short hole spanning a meandering river that flows directly in front of and to the right of the green.

I suffered “the curse of being let through” by a preceding fourball, witnessing my tee shot clatter into a tree on the left. 

I expected it to have plummeted into the water, but one of the quartet insisted he had seen it lollop ten yards forward. 

Alas, despite a thorough search, we couldn't locate it, and I conceded, falling two holes down.

Defeat was sealed on the 16th when I attempted to unleash a powerful drive down the lengthy par-four but the ball faded into a copse on the right. 

Any lingering hope of staging a comeback with my provisional ball was swiftly extinguished by my opponent’s sharp finish on a green distinguished by a hogsback-style ridge bisecting its middle.

Although our competitive game had concluded, we opted to play out the remaining holes, particularly relishing the home hole – a par-five punctuated by restored rustic bunkers, set against the impressive backdrop of the grand clubhouse veranda. 

This final hole perfectly capped a round that powerfully underscored the benefits Northamptonshire County has reaped from its recent investment. 

It also unveiled to my playing partner what he enthusiastically described as a hidden gem, well deserving of its top 100 ranking, having experienced it for the first time.

I certainly would not argue with th