Seacroft, Skegness

Hi Di Hi and holiday camps, and the great British summer are the clichéd images of Skegness, all romance lost by association.  But don’t be perturbed.  What is in a name?

Although a major detour is required for most visitors, aggravated by the surroundings and getting less appealing as you approach, the initial impression of a suburban setting does not build a fair impression of the course that follows.  But to the local links player this is a well loved treasure.  We played, almost alone, one Sunday afternoon in June.  It is a classic old fashioned layout where an experienced eye has laid out the course with bunkers in all the right places in an 'out and back' design.  Setting off you are generally on lower, lusher land and return on sandier turf nearer the sea.  There is quirkiness and there are blind shots, hard running par fours, guileful short par fours and whimsical par 3s though sadly views seaward are dominated by turbines and hemmed by houses.  Don’t let the drive or the name Skegness put you off; this is a proper links golf course.

I liked the intriguingly named Spion Kop a stroke index 1 par 4 with a green angled and hidden behind banking.  Referencing it’s namesake the unaware golfer could easily be ambushed.  North Pole, requires a blind shot over the hill towards a well canted green.  Naming of holes can be rather monotone but I found these names thought provoking and romantic; harking back to glory days as well as defeats.   What is in a name? 

Seagulls view 24/36

Greens & Bunkers 11/18

Links experience 15/18

55/72