Factfile
Name: Catterick Golf Club
Address: Leyburn Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorks, DL9 3QE
Admin: 01748 833268 Pro: 01748 833671 Fax: 01748 831031
Email: Secretary@Catterick Web: Catterick
Directions: The club is situated six miles to the south of Scotch Corner. Turn off A1 at Brompton-on-Swale/Catterick and take the A6136 to Catterick Garrison. Continue right through town and follow signs for Leyburn. Golf course is on left just after the town centre. Buggies: Available.
Membership: Available. Full civilian/military £515; 5-day £300 weekends + £10); Senior: £415; Dual membership £260; Student £166; Junior £55; Social £29.
Green Fees: Weekday £25 per round or day; Weekend/Bank holiday £35 per round or day (limited tee times available). 2 for 1 options are available at specified times (ring for details).
Visiting Parties: Packages for parties of golfers are tailor-made to fit individual requirements. Prices depend on numbers and catering requirements which can be anything from bacon rolls to three course dinners. Ring for a special deal.
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There can't be many courses in the world that can lay claim to having been used as a prisoner of war camp. But that's exactly what happened to parts of Catterick Golf Club - situated right next to Catterick Garrison on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales - during the Second World War. The first hole still bears the name Stalag in memory of the Italian POWs who were housed here in concrete huts in the early 1940s. And that's not the only point of historical or military interest here - though the club is not resting on its past but rather aiming for a bright new era of success. Catterick was originally built as a nine-hole track by the Army for the use of officers back in 1930, and the land is still owned by the Ministry of Defence today The course was soon re-modeled by Arthur Day in 1936 and he did a super job working the holes into the natural lie of the land while making the most of the views, which take in the Tees Estuary, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorks Moors. Various parts of the Barracks can still be spotted - or heard - from different holes. Take the third for instance, which is only separated from the parade ground by a few trees, a hedge and a road, meaning the marching band will quite often serenade you up the fairway. The Mess (otherwise known as the 13th) isn't a comment on how well you did at the short par 3 but rather a moniker that honours the adjacent officer's mess. Incredibly though, due to all the trees around as well as the contours of the land, the Barracks certainly don't intrude on the playing experience and Catterick is a remarkably beautiful and peaceful parkland course. So much so, that even when the course is full you'll still hardly see a soul. The lay-out isn't long at 6,042 yards off the yellow tees (6,378 off white and 5,421 off red), but it's a very good test. That's borne out by the fact that Percy Allis (Peter's father) held the course record - a 68 - for 30 years or so. The professional best stands at 64 these days while 67 (men) and 68 (ladies) are the best amateur marks. Overall, Catterick relies on natural features to impede your progress rather than, say, huge fairway bunkers or lots of water. The most noticeable of these characteristics is the undulating nature of the terrain and the wave-like flow of the fairways as well as the wonderful diversity of the woodland. The tricky greens are also one of Catterick's key defences. They're all in great condition and fairly compact and, while on first inspection they seem flat and easy to read, they are in fact so subtle you'll need to check and re-check each putt. The course comes complete with two very nice practice areas as well as a lovely two-story clubhouse, which is virtually brand new, having been opened by local MP and then Conservative leader William Hague in 1997. The building houses the pro shop and locker rooms as well as a bar, separate restaurant and snooker room. It's a great place to have a drink - or a meal - after your round and if it's nice you can sit out on the terrace and marvel at the stunning views of the course. What's more, membership is currently available at this friendly club, while societies, groups and other visitors are warmly welcomed. Continued on page 16Continued from p age 15 The Course Things get underway with a fairly gentle looking par 4 of 394 yards (off the yellow tees), slightly uphill but with a wide fairway. Don't be fooled though as the Stroke Index 3 reveals there are hidden dangers. There's out of bounds all the way down the right, trees and rough up the left and the green sits up with a solitary bunker to the left. Play with care as it's very easy to drop a shot here. The 2nd is another par 4, this time of 363 yards with a severe dogleg right. You'll need a well-placed hit over 225 yards to be able to have a go for the flag. The undulating fairway rises gently up to the green, with thick woocdland on the right and patchy coppices on the left, with just a single bunker guarding the putting surface. The 371-yard par 4 3rd has out of bounds all the way along the right and trees, aplenty at first and then more intermittent, up the left while the raised green has bunkers left and right. It's SI 1 rating shows what a tricky test this hole is, whether you can hear the band playing nearby or not! The 4th is the first of Catterick's two par 5s - and at 559 yards (574 yards of white), it's a bit of a monster. There are great views across to the Tees Estuary from the raised tee box with the fairway sweeping away right in the foreground. This is a lovely looking hole with plenty of trees and some devilish contours to navigate before you reach a green, which is protected by mounds and banks but no sand. The 156-yard par 3 5th looks simple enough with just two small bunkers but the sweep of the land can literally coax your ball off somewhere you hadn't planned. Take care and just play for the middle of the green regardless of pin position. The par 4 6th only measures 297 yards but doglegs left. What's more it's almost impossible to cut the corner due to some high trees early on and thicker woodland beyond. The green is also protected by a couple of sizeable bunkers. The 7th is a par 4 of 355 yards. Again, it doglegs left at a fairly severe angle and so it's essential to get a good, accurate tee-shot away, though you might want to lay up. The second shot can be deceptive so it's best to get a good distance reading before playing. The par 3 167-yard 8th is another tricky proposition. The green is protected by three bunkers as well as some natural contours, so you'll need to carry all the way if you can. The front nine concludes with a 396-yard par 4 that again offers nice views across to Teesside and the Moors. Concentrate on your golf though as there's out of bounds tight in on the right and odd tress and nasty rough on the left. At this point you might be glad to make use of the halfway house facilities in a lovely stone-built Dales cottage - further testimony of Catterick's friendly and hospitable disposition. The back nine is slightly different in character to the front. By and large the trees are more mature, the fairways sweeping rather than undulating and there's a very lush, established parkland feel. The par 4 10th might measure just 301 yards, but it's a tough little hole. There's out of bounds on both sides while the fairway dips in the middle and sweeps down to the right. Get your line wrong here and you'll have a nasty shot uphill to a green that is well defended by a steep bank in front and a thick coppice to the right. The 461-yard 11th is the second of Catterick's par 5s and requires careful planning. The dogleg right means you might want to take on the corner and the out of bounds, but go down the middle of the undulating fairway instead. If you get your drive right it's clearly reachable in two, but you still have to carry to the green or run the risk of your ball being swept back down the slope in front of the green. The par 4 12th is another hole that looks a generous proposition and the big hitters will be thinking they can carry the valley between tee and green all 254 yards - but there's out of bounds both sides and very tight in to the left of the green. The 13th is a 148-yard par 3 with out of bounds on the right. It's all downhill buy the big bunker right across the front of the green means you can't chip and run but rather have to carry the whole way, though don't go too far as the green drops away into a wood. The final five holes are all par 4s. The 14th is 389 yards and the fairway will sweep your ball right towards the out of bounds so try to stay on the left. The 15th is 345 yards in length and though there's a tight tee-shot through the trees, the fairway is very generous and you should be able to get into a good position up on the green. The dogleg 377-yard 16th is one of Catterick's most scenic holes. With out of bounds beyond the thick wood on the right and trees all the way down the left, you do need to get into a decent position off the tee here. The fairway is fairly wide though before it sweeps downhill towards the green. The 17th is somewhat chillingly called The Destructor. At 341 yards it's not long but natural hazards abound with contours, trees and out of bounds on the left. Again, the hole's title really gives away the menace lurking to wreck you card on the 18th - Devil's Elbow. With a sweeping dogleg right, you need to pick a good line to finish in style. There are lots of trees up the left as well as out of bounds and a thinner stand of trees up the right, so take care. Now, you can relax in the clubhouse with a well-earned drink and watch as others tackle the Destructor and Devil's Elbow. | 
Golfing Destinations
