The Bacchus Course

SUMMIT : This can be a difficult tee shot due to the ground sloping from left to right. The ball will always kick to the right, so it's best to land the ball on the left side of the fairway or make a draw shot so the ball is hitting against the slope. A troublesome ridge runs across the fairway at about 230yds. Please bear this in mind as it may come into play with your 2nd shot. You do not want to be long or to right of the green as the land falls away at the back and to the right which would leave you with a tough chip shot. The green is a large MacKenzie green, par is a great score especially if the pin is on the back tier.

Always check the wind direction by looking at the flag outside the clubhouse. Try and keep left all the way up the fairway as everything feeds right even onto the green. The ball will always want to go right with the lie of the land and with the ball being below your stance for a right hander or above for a left hander. Right really is not good on this hole especially with a new deep pot bunker on the front right of the green.

LITTLE BENT : A very inviting driving hole, the fairway slopes slightly to the left, bunkers guard the fairway both left and right at about 200 and 240 yards. The approach is blind so it is all about club selection as the length can be deceiving, you don't want to be big or left on this hole. The green slopes front to back and is guarded by a bunker to the left.

You can see the green from outside the Pro Shop and gents locker room so check where the flag is when you're passing to help with club selection on your approach shot. Golfers always come up short on this hole, the ball will kick forward towards the green but also towards the bunker front left of the green. Club selection is key.

RADCLIFFE FOLD : A great looking hole from the tee, a gentle slope to the right from tee to green. The fairway sits left to right with some interesting hollows at around 230 yards from the tee. There is an out of bounds that runs all the way down the right of this hole. Cottages line the fairway on the right from around 250 yards to near the green. The approach to the green is protected by a fairway bunker, some 50 yards short of the green. There is a slight bank to the left of the green which feeds the ball towards it, but if you're too far left it will stay up. A large green, but is protected by a new large bunker that runs from the front of the green and around to the right.

Try and keep a left line from the tee as the fairway slopes to right and to also keep away from the out of bounds. A safe approach shot would be left as the ball filters down onto the green but if it stays up it’s a simple shot onto the green. For those who want to attack the green be wary of the huge new bunker that protects the green!

QUARRY : An uphill par 3 with an old quarry hazard on the left, a bunker on the right and a green that sits back to front.

This is a very tricky hole, it’s uphill and plays always at least 1 to 2 clubs more than the yardage! There is a new deeply dug bunker front right and anything right of the green will kick hard right down the slope. The play is to aim left and let the lie of the land bring the ball back onto the green, but in doing this you bring the hazard into play as you have to hit over it. Once on the green it is vital you are under the hole, anything past the flag will leave a quick sloping downhill putt. The most 3 putted green on the course. Club selection is key.

PYLON : For the men this is a par 4 and the stroke 2 hole on the course. For ladies a par 5. The fairway slopes from right to left and there is out of bounds running all the way down the left side of the hole. The second shot is a challenge over a water hazard from a sloping lie. A large MacKenzie green is protected by a bunker at the front left of the green.

Always favour the right all the way along this hole! Out of bounds looms down the left all the way along and the slope kicks the ball left. The second shot will be on a lie above your feet as a right hander and below for a left handed golfer, which means the ball will always want to go left towards the trouble. To make things worse a good strike is needed as you're playing over a water hazard. There is a huge run off left of the green, but space to the right of the green from where the ball will feed down towards to green. Don’t play it too safe though as there is thick rough if you venture too far right of the green.

LOW END : You are playing a drive over a gorge onto the left fairway towards a cross bunkers at 300 yards. A second shot that plays a little uphill to a small flat green with no bunkers, but some subtle breaks.

The fairway runs slightly left to right so aim up the left. Again for the approach shot the ball will kick slightly right. If you play left to be safe you will either be lucky and kick onto the green or be on the fringe. Missing to the right will leave you an awkward uphill chip as the green will be raised above you.

BIG BENT : A long par 4 with tee shot over the marker post. The fairway is very generous so you can open your shoulders, it kicks slightly right to left. Your approach shot will often be a long one to a well protected large green with a run off left, which slopes front to back and is protected by 4 bunkers, front left, front right, half way along on the right and at the back to the right.

Open your shoulders on the tee shot. A long tee shot will be needed to get to this green in 2! If you have a really long shot into the hole the sensible thing to do is lay up short right and let the ball feed back to the middle of the fairway, I would advise laying up and trying to make par with an up and down because it is fraught with danger around the green with bunkers protecting it and a big run off left. The majority of amateur golfers will get a shot on this hole. A nett par or 2 stableford points on this hole is always good!

PIPERS CLOUGH : A dog leg hole, left to right with unbelievably amazing views of Manchester in the distance. A hole which offers 2 options off the tee a lay up to the marker post leaving 166 yards from the marker post down hill to a small green or a long tee shot across the corner over the big drop off and very long rough.

This hole is all about the tee shot, anything right there is a huge steep drop off andyou do not want to be here. The sensible play would be to hit a tee shot of around 200 yards straight down towards the marker post leaving a down hill second shot from around 170 yards to the green. The other option is not for the faint hearted but makes the hole a lot easier if you can pull off the tee shot. A tee shot aiming at the reservoirs in the distance will leave a short pitch into the green. The tee shot has to carry at least 240 yards though and even further if you go right. If you don’t pull this off it will result in a lost ball!

MONUMENT : A short down hill par 3 to a small green. This hole looks straight forward but getting your club choice right is vital. This green is protected by old stone walls to the left and beyond the green which are out of bounds! A miss left leaves an easy chip shot but brings in the wall! There is lots of room right but this leaves a nasty chip to a raised green.

This hole looks straight forward but can often ruin cards if you don’t think it through. The hole plays well down hill but with out of bounds long. My advice would be to always play for the front left of the green with a lower flighted shot!

BUNGALOW : Aim for the marker post in the middle of the fairway. The marker post is some 146 yards from the centre of the green. The approach to the green is blind, so take care on club selection.

A fairly wide fairway where you can open your shoulders. For your approach shot there is a bungalow behind the green protected by a large wall, it is sensible to walk to see where there flag is and pick a point on the bungalow as an aim. This hole drops off to the right green side but will feed in from the left.

PUNCH BOWL : A short hole which offers 2 options off the tee. A a shot of no more than 180 yards to lay up short or right of the hazard or for players who want to drive over the hazard to get near or onto the green a tee shot of over 200 yards. The danger with being aggressive on this hole is the wall on the right which is out of bounds and runs all the way along the fairway and is only 5 paces right of the green. The green is small with slopes on it.

Risk and reward! The sensible play would be to lay up and leave yourself a second shot of around 70 to100 yards, BUT the hole only plays 250 yards so it’s a great chance for a birdie! Taking the risk brings the hazard into play which you have to drive over and also brings the out of bounds into play. There’s plenty of room left past the hazard up to the green.

SUMMIT : This can be a difficult tee shot due to the ground sloping from left to right. The ball will always kick to the right, so it's best to land the ball on the left side of the fairway or make a draw shot so the ball is hitting against the slope. A troublesome ridge runs across the fairway at about 230yds. Please bear this in mind as it may come into play with your 2nd shot. You do not want to be long or to right of the green as the land falls away at the back and to the right which would leave you with a tough chip shot. The green is a large MacKenzie green, par is a great score especially if the pin is on the back tier.

Always check the wind direction by looking at the flag outside the clubhouse. Try and keep left all the way up the fairway as everything feeds right even onto the green. The ball will always want to go right with the lie of the land and with the ball being below your stance for a right hander or above for a left hander. Right really is not good on this hole especially with a new deep pot bunker on the front right of the green.

LITTLE BENT : This is the same hole as second, but with a different tee shot this time. For the men a very inviting driving hole over the trees from the top tee and for the ladies a long tee shot from the corner tee. The fairway slopes slightly to the left, bunkers guard the fairway both left and right at about 200 and 240 yards. The approach is blind so it is all about club selection as the length can be deceiving, you don't want to be big or left on this hole. The green slopes front to back and is guarded by a bunker to the left.

You can see the green from outside the Pro Shop and gents locker room so check where the flag is when your passing to help with club selection on your approach shot. Golfers always come up short on this hole, the ball will kick forward towards the green but also towards the bunker front left of the green. Club selection is key.

RADCLIFFE FOLD : You are playing to the same green as the third hole, but from a different tee which makes the hole into a dogleg right. The fairway sits left to right with some interesting hollows at around 230 yards from the tee. There is out of bounds that runs all the way down the right of this hole. Cottages line the fairway on the right from around 250 yards to near the green. The approach to the green is protected by a fairway bunker, some 50 yards short of the green. There is a slight bank to the left of the green which feeds the ball towards it, but if you're too far left it will stay up. A large green is protected by a large bunker that runs from the front of the green around to the right.

With the tee being more right it almost commands a fade shot. Remember a slice will result in out of bounds though. A safe approach shot would be left as the ball filters down onto the green and if it stays up it’s a simple shot onto the green. For those who want to attack the green be wary of the huge new bunker that protects the green!

QUARRY : The same green as the fourth hole, but for the men played from a different tee further back making the hole play 178 yards uphill and now directly over the hazard. An uphill par 3 with an old quarry hazard directly in front of you and a bunker on the right and a green that sits back to front.

This is a very tricky hole, it’s uphill and plays always at least 1 to 2 clubs more than the yardage! My tip is always take plenty of club!! There is a new deeply dug bunker front right and anything right of the green will kick hard right down the slope. The play is to aim left and let the lie of the land bring the ball back onto the green but in doing this you bring the hazard into play as you have to hit over it. Once on the green it is vital you are under the hole, anything past the flag will leave a quick sloping putt. The most 3 putted green on the course. Club selection is key.

Again this is the same green as the fifth hole, but from a tee lower down and further left making it more of a dogleg left. For the men this is a par 4 and the stroke 1 hole on the course! For the ladies it is a par 5. A hole with the fairway sloping right to left and out of bounds running all the way down the left side of the hole. The second shot is also a challenging shot over a water hazard from a sloping lie. A large MacKenzie green is protected by a bunker on the front left.

Always favour right as out of bounds looms down the left all the way along and the slope kicks the ball to the left. The second shot will be on a lie above your feet as a right hander and below for a left handed golfer, which means the ball will always want to go left towards the trouble. To make things worse a good strike is needed as you're playing over a water hazard. There is a huge run off left of the green but space to the right of the green which will feed the ball down towards to green. Don’t play it too safe though as there is thick rough if you venture too far right of the green.

BEACOMS : A straight hole with a fairway sloping left to right. Your second shot again should be either on or to the left of the green as your ball will once again move from left to right on landing. A large green has no bunkers but is protected to some extent by the steep slope to the right hand edge of green.

Always aim left up this fairway. The lie of the land will take the ball right and the same with your approach shot it will all want to kick right if you don’t land it on the green. You don’t want to miss this green right owing to the big drop off. Aiming left the ball will always bring the ball back towards the green. I would always aim a little more left to because the ball will be below your stance for a right hander and above for a left hander, this will make the ball want to curve right, so aim more left than you think!

BIG BENT : For the men this is the only par 5 on the course, a long hole to finish! You are playing the same fairway and to the same green as the 7th hole, but for the men this time it's from a tee much further back. A tee shot over the marker post is required, the fairway is very generous so you can open your shoulders, it kicks slightly right to left. Your approach shot will often be a long one to a well protected large green with a run off left, which slopes front to back and is protected by 4 bunkers, front left, front right, half way along on the right and at the back to the right.

Open your shoulders on the tee shot, a long tee shot will be needed to get to this green regulation or in 2 shots for big hitters. If you are laying up you have 2 options, lay up on top in line with the bell which will leave you around 140 yards, or hit it further down to leave a pitch shot. For both shots aim right and the ball will kick slightly left. Longer hitters can get to the green in 2 but be reminded from playing the green first time round that it is surrounded by bunkers and all kicks left if the green is missed left. There is also out if bounds right of the wall.