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Blithe BEVERLEY GC

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Sean_A:
A Minster town in Yorkshire’s East Riding, Beverley is handsome and historically important. The current Minster has roots back to the 1200’s and is considered one of England’s best examples of Gothic architecture. Even though Beverley Minster is larger than some cathedrals, it is but a parish church!  This demotion from a collegiate church came during King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1548. To this day the twin towers of the Minster is an imposing sight from the plains surrounding the town.

Fellow GCAer Giles Payne knew of my proclivity for rustic golf and his recommendation is the reason  I found myself in Beverley. The Beverley and East Riding GC is perhaps a mile from the Minster and thus the centre of town and about the same distance to the Beverley Racecourse. Both the Minster and the race course can be seen from the golf course. Sadly, I know nothing about the golf course other than it was founded in 1889, making it a fairly old English club. It was originally located at Black Mill then moved to its present site at Union Mill in 1906.

Laid out on Westwood Common which was granted to locals in 1380 and now owned by the borough council, the golf course is as one might expect; fast running fairways with beautifully cow kept rough and greens fenced off at an uncomfortably high height for those under 6 foot. The soil is a mix of chalk and clay, which was used for building foundations and fertiliser. Limekilns and chalk pits were scattered about the common, but the last one was destroyed over 200 years ago. 

While bovines provide necessary maintenance, the charming institution of pasture masters is carried on at Beverley. These are twelve town Freeman (and now women) who are elected annually in the Guild Hall. The pasture masters employ two neatherds for daily maintenance of the common while pasture masters collect rents and manage bye-laws. You can be sure that this system is more complicated than imaginable.

Seventeen holes are across the B1230 from the house. However, the view on the walk to the 1st is uplifting.


The opener is a fine hole bending sharply right. A bunker guards the right side of the sloping left green. A hollow on the left awaits the pulled approach.


A rather dull hole follows, but the third is a thrilling par 5. Playing downhill the entire length of the hole, the drive is obscured yet our instinct tells us to keep a bit right. If the tee shot isn't a visual delight, this view of Black Mill and the Minster surely is. 


After playing through rough bisecting the fairway, we encounter this downhill approach. Who knows what the run-out will be, but long is dead.


The curious short 4th.


Many tee shots wind up in cow country by the road.


Behind the miniscule green.


A look at the kick-in area for the tee shot.


More to follow.

Ciao

Thomas Dai:
Glad you’ve gotten to play Beverley.
Grazing animals. Yippee! :)
Atb

Clyde Johnson:
Looking forward to the rest of this tour Sean, I know nothing of Beverley.

Sean_A:
BEVERLEY TOUR CONT

The 5th climbs the hill in the manner of a dogleg left. From the tee it looks like right is dead and that drives will bounce hard to the right! I elected to play to the left in the rough. It transpires that the angle to the green from the left rough is undesirable because the terrain around the green moves right. I am not sure I like this hole, but it does require shotmaking.


The severe drop shot 6th holds no particular interest for me.  It is the long two-shotter 7th back into the trees which is absorbing.  Very much like the 4th, the green is tucked between trees with a kick-in on the right. The cows won the few minutes stand-off. I moved my ball  ;) .


Even with a short  iron in hand the target is ill-defined.


I am usually adverse to trees so close to greens, but it seems to work at Beverley.


The short 9th. There is an unmistakable air of golf fitting into the landscape at Beverley. It's a shame the land behind the green is close to the road; looks like a cracking green site.


More to follow.

Ciao

James Boon:
Sean,


Thanks for this tour!


The Secretary at Beverley is a good friend of mine, but to my embarrassment I've not managed to get there for a game yet, we just always seem to play at my place or his other Ganton... You may remember Andy as he joined us there for a game at Ganton a few years back!


I love the look of this though and will make a concerted effort to get there soon!


Cheers,


James

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