Shanklin and Sandown Golf Club

What a shame. A long term failing to recognise that the narrwoing of playing corridors as a result of ever growing trees is nothing less than malpractice has done great damage to this course. It really is dissapointing but perhaps inevitable that golf course architects have not been brought in to rectify the situation. Presumably it's been the usual case of committee after committee guessing at what they believe to be best. Shanklin s not now the course it should be.

The club describes itself as heathland. If it ever was, there's not much evidence left now as the invasion of deciduous trees, many possibly planted by committee members who wrongly assumed trees to be a good a thing for the course, has left the course as a shadow of what he could be. A not too significant restoration project could probably see the course returned to better days but, as it stands, it's a poor imitation of what it should be and possibly that's why the club has ended up on discount teetime sites.

Played the course on Sunday during a family holiday to the Island. You'd expect it was sunny. Not a bit of it - we started (on the 10th) in a gale and hailstones! Luckily, the conditions did gradually improve so that we finished in sunshine but the wind never did let up so it was not the most enjoyable of rounds. Nevertheless, I was left with a favourable impression of the course and it has a good variety of interesting holes, including two quite quirky short uphill par-threes. The greens were really nice, much better than those on many courses in Kent at the moment, and the rest of the course was also in nice condition. The £32 green fee seemed a little steep but just about worth it.

AFTER MANY VISITS TO THIS COURSE STILL I RATE IT AS ONE OF THE BEST.PRO AND STAFF IN CLUBHOUSE ALL VERY FRIENDLY,BREAKFAST WAS BRILLIANT.COURSE WELL MAINTAINED ALTHOUGH VERY DRY ON THE FAIRWAYS.I WOULD RECOMEND THIS COURSE TO ANYONE.