Hartlepool Warren

The railway cuts you off from suburban cares. Drop through the tunnel and onto the warren, like Alice you pop up into a different world, a world of calm and golfing fury. 

The first is a classic linksy short par 4 before a couple of meandering, agricultural holes set you inland and then back towards the sea.  Four is a great hole but five pits you against the North Sea and the marram grasses. Six is blind off the tee to a dell and sharply left uphill to the green.  Make sure you know your bearings from the tee box as mountainous dunes will snaffle your ball on one side and meadow flowers will hide your ball on the inland side.  It must be said that the wild flowers around this course were diverse, colourful and beautiful.  A real haven of species and very photgenic.

Seven, appears on the card to be rather short but stand atop the dune and dare your ball into a sky owned by the North Sea winds and it isn’t quite so simple.  Hit it flush and the Norse winds blow kisses.  Should contact be slightly off centre and they will blow raspberries that will destroy your equilibrium and your card.  Eight is not the hole to try and rectify any previous hole errors as the ravenous corner is deceptively gaping.  Nine eases you back before the tenth.  It is similar to The Island; a not overly long straight par four between two tall mounds to a not yet visible green.  Did I mention that it is into the teeth of the wind?  Cresting the ridge between the mounds to see your ball on the green must be a proud sight but not one available to your correspondent.  Use the contours and a good putt to bring you your par.  A lengthy par 3 follows over a coastal ravine and up the hill.  Sturdy shots required.  And then a downhill par 3 towards the clubhouse.

The next holes are wonderful as you are drawn towards the coast.  Across the slope at 13 and up to the bowl green.  Then climb the dunes for, perhaps, my favourite hole arcing along the top of the shore.  You feel on top of the world and a thousand miles away.  I felt that the course rather petered out after that climax.  But I was heartened to meet fellow players on the next holes who donated their loose change to support my cause.  The club too gave generously and let me pay my green fee to Alzheimer’s Society.  Thank you all for your generosity and for letting me share your beautiful course