The Players Golf Club

Got a great deal of £39 for 9 holes on the par 3 course, lunch and 18 on the Codrington. Really good value. This is an excellent course with great par 3's, lots of water and holes that really make you think - most notably the difficult par 5 15th. The stand out holes for me were the 3rd (a tough par 4 with a really scenic approach shot over water to a tough green), 13th and 16th (both lovely short holes, again over a large stretch of water). We played on a Monday, mid-afternoon and virtually had the course to ourselves, so consequently the pace of play was good. Can't recommend this course enough. Immaculate fairways and greens - which were a little slow but probably because it was a pretty wet day.

Played the course last Tuesday for the second time with our Golf Society. The fairways were very wet but the plus was the rain had slowed the greens so that, although they remained true, they werent as frightening as previously. Anyone who has played this course will remember the third, but the stretch 12-15 will cause the very best golfers to be a little nervous. The society or 241 rates make this course affordable and I was impressed enough to consider joining.

Played both the Water Garden course and the Championship course yesterday with a group organised by the Federation of Small Businesses. Firstly The water Garden Course. The longest hole only measured just over 100 yards and the shortest around 50 yards. Club selection was therefore vital as all the holes played over water to the smallest greens I have ever seem. It was very tight and as it was so busy, with everone having a go, it made it even more intimidating. This was a really different challenge and a good hour or so can be enjoyed. Our 4 ball managed to loose 8 balls over our 9 holes (hmm). The main course was in excellent condition. All the holes were different with water coming into play on many of them. The greens were fast and undulations made them tricky. The holes were very intersting and quite challenging for a higher handicap player like myself. I really enjoyed the day and would visit it again. I would recommend it as a different type of golf day out.

Played this course over the last few months as a new £100 member and recently upgraded to the Gold. At £588 per year it is better than any club for miles and I have played them all, consider you get your practice balls for nothing, a nine hole par 3 course and next year there will be another full course that looks interesting and the greens already look great. The condition is simply fantastic and has been all year, I rarely see pitchmarks and the fairways and especially the approaches are as good as most clubs greens, the greens themselves are fast with plenty of breaks and swirls. The design is quite varied and very challenging from the medal tees, but courses need to be difficult from the back tees to test the very best. I watched the Europro event this year and there were a few 64s and a 63, so I have a long way to go with my 88 best from the backs, 83 from the yellows. Plenty of the holes have water although only at the 3rd and 15th does it really come into play unless you hit a bad shot. The short holes are all very pretty and mainly slightly downhill, there are five of them and five par five holes too, the 9th can play quite short downwind and is an easy hole to get an eagle. The rough is pretty short unless you go miles off course. The clubhouse is an old converted barn and they dont knock you for a pint of lager, its about 50p cheaper than the pubs with a decent meal for about a fiver. Can't wait for the new course, if you can play to 18 on this course you are four or five better anywhere else.Played here yesterday in a 3 ball. I'm currently off 23 and my two partners are 8 & 28 respectively We all enjoyed a well thought out course on the site of an old military airfield. In fact, there is still a landing strip for light aircraft running alongside the course. Water plays a major role on this one, with 12 different lakes coming in to play on holes 1,5,6,7,9,10,12,13,14 & 18. The tee boxes and fairways were in very good condition, there's some harsh rough as well so its best to be as straight as possible. The greens were excellent with a good consistant roll. Special mention to the starter who was very friendly and gave lots of useful advice on how to play the first, not that it helped me (scored an 8!!) For a Sunday it wasn't too busy just a couple of minor hold ups at the par 3's on the back nine We paid £31 each, plus £3 for a yardage chart which as first time visitors was pretty essential Overall, definately one I would return to, well worth an hours drive

Having read mixed reviews of The Players Club, 3 of us played the course on 19 June 2007 and were unsure what to expect. However, within a minute of driving through the entrance, you get the first glimpse of a couple of the holes and then realise that you are about to experience something special. Make no mistake, this is a very spectacular golf course and one of the finest I've played (along with the nearby Bowood and Wentworth's West course). It's also a brute of a challenge. We played the course off the Whites, just 6,800 yds and in the windy conditions we faced, it was plenty tough enough. There are a number of holes with long carries over water, the 4th hole in particular is a beauty and beast rolled into one. The course was in superb condition, from the tees, fairways and bunkers, through to the large, undulating and excellent greens. Give this course a go, as at £35 on 2-fore-1's, it is great value. Just take your A-game, as you'll need it.

On the plus side this is without doubt a seriously tough layout with several sets of tee boxes to challenge players of all levels. The greens are seriously tricky with some wicked breaks in them and the speed is generally quick. On the negative side the conditioning is not great especially the tee boxes which are very poor quality for a championship course. The impression on the first tee should set the standard for the whole course It would be nice to see a yardage sign on each tee for the different tee colours. I would also hope they finish off all the pathways which are a bit of a mess. The new par 3 could have made more use of the surrounding land also. THE WORST POINT OF ALL WAS THE POOR DRESS STANDARD. I OBSERVED SEVERAL GOLFERS BEING ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH SHIRTS PULLED OUT AND CAPS BEING WORN BACKWARDS WITH METAL SPIKES WHICH BREAK THE CLUBS RULES. SORRY BUT THIS GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU CATER FOR PUB SOCITIES NOT FOR SERIOUS GOLFERS SO PLEASE GET A STARTER AND PUT A STOP TO THIS AS IT RUINS THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE AND DOES NOT GIVE THE RIGHT IMPRESSION.

Played 2 days running when a society visit was planned. Did not think the required green fee on a Sunday pm was indicative of the course, and we paid a members guest green fee! However the day following when the whole society was present gave really good value for money. Had we just played the Monday it would have been worth the 3 hour journey to play, but the Sunday rate did not seem to be value. Certainly would not have enjoyed paying £90 to play on the Sunday instead of the price we did. Food good, booze typical pub prices. Tees not as good as you would like, fairways ok a lot of divots either not replaced or picked out by the birds, greens subtle in their borrows but not very good grass. All in all if you can get a reduced green fee or better still visit as a society then do so, individually or in pairs think again.

I visited The Players Club last summer and again two weeks ago and to be honest they have made changes and some minor improvements to both the course and practice facilities. The course is a very tough challenge from the medal tee's never mind the championship tee's. I note that the club talk's about getting a full European Tour event but from what I have seen the playing surfaces from tee to green are no where near the quality required and they are very under resourced and budgeted in the greenkeeping department. The quality of the tee boxes are more like a cheap council run municipal course and there are still pathways not finished nearly 4 years after opening. One of the green keepers even admitted that the course was no where near top class. As for the club house it is to small for such purposes and does not even have lockers to put belongings in for security. I think that the owners have created a great pay and play course for socities and relatively cheap golf but it would virtually take millions and possible closure for a lenghty period to turn the place into a top class venue. Great shame the owners have missed a golden opportunity as per a previous comment mentioned that the Grove has only been open 3 years yet it's a 100% better. If I were an owner I would take a trip to the Grove to see how they compared then at least you know where to improve.

Having been a member at numerous other golf courses in the Bristol area. I can honestly say that The Players golf club is the best I have played in the area. Too many other courses put emphasis on the club mentality, when really it comes down to the course and whether it's a challenge. This course more than lives up to that.. Sure, time needs to be given to allow the course to mature, but give it 10 years, and you will find it hard to beat this course. Infact, in the future, it would not surprise me if this course hosted a few other tour type events. Keep up the good work lads. Every year the course matures, and you can see constant investment being made.

Have to admit to being surpised by comments that state that "various levels of membership because this is not the done thing at a course that is supposed to be high class." Having just taken out when of these "bronze" membersships I am personally delighted that it offers be a reasonable price on such a high quality course as and when I want it, and would reccomend it to anyone who lives in the area. I apologise for my lack of class. I find the course an absolute beauty, whilst it of course does not have the maturity of an older established course it contains an enormous amount of variety and for a course that seems to get a lot of stick about it's length, It requires a lot of thought and course management. As a mid handicapper I only play it from the yellow tees, but have never got the driver out before the 6th hole. The comments about the 15th and 16th inticing you in to holes of lower quality are odd to me as well. I agree the 15th is the best hole on the course, but would said that the variety and quality on many other holes right through the course offer terrific variety and challenge (especially the feeling after a par on the 4th!) In summary, no it isn't perfect yet. But as a relatively new golfer who appreciates the chance to play on a quality course (and can get a tee time with just a couple of days notice)I think the players if an absloute gift to the Bristol area.

I played the course for the first time last weekend and must say I was very impressed with the design & layout although would concur with some previous comments about condition. There are some stunning golf holes and it is a refreshing change to play a course which requires a lot more brain than brawn due to numerous obstacles on virtually every hole. The greens were fast & true although slightly firm making it difficult to hold a long iron but overall a fine course. It will be interesting to see how it develops as it has huge potential and if well maintained could become one of the best courses in the South. Paid £45 on a 2-FORE!-1 which is reasonable value on a Saturday in July and am looking forward to a return trip and making a few more sensible club choices!

Ray, The area you are refering to that needs grassing is the new 1500 sq metre short game academy, when you start construction you often find that there is a month or so while the grass germinates. There are permanent markers, they are set in the tee and also at the short holes a 150 yard post so you can check further. The White tees or Yellow tees are seldom more than 10 yards away from their designated position. The course has markers in the middle of the fairways that show the positions to the centre of the greens at 100, 150, 200 and 250 yards, I am suprised you never noticed these. The planner you picked up was the 'caddies' planner (which was produced by Seves ex caddie Iain Wright) I agree they are not glossy but they are the ones the tour pro's use. We also have glossy planners. We do have black and white scorecards. I was always taught when 'the members moan about no water in your ball washers, you know the course is good' Come back and give us another try.

Having played the course for the first time only recently (July 2004) it is a real shame to see that the course is still not yet finished. To update on previous comments, the clubhouse has been built and looks wonderful. However many other areas still require more work. All around the course there are mounds of debris which are awaiting removal or grassing over. Work is just beginning (I presume for a permanent driving range). Currently its just a big field. The tees have no permanent yardage indications. So although you know that you are teeing from the white tees, because there six tee-off positions you have no-idea of the actual yardage you are playing. The obvious answer is to purchase a yardage book you say. Well for £5 you can have a postcard sized booklet that has been hand drawn then photocopied and stapled together with a couple of pieces of green paper. Very Blue Peter and very expensive! My final gripe is the scorecard, very flimsy plain white card with plain black print. No colour, no mini-map, no guidance for players not even yardages for ladies tees. Not helpful at all for visitors or members finding themselves in unfamiliar spots. The greens are beautiful and are amongst the best I've played on. The course is aptly described as challenging, verging on intimidating if you're not playing with a member whose a regular player and willing to point out every danger that lies ahead. £70 for visitors is steep. Other courses that charge these amounts have a pedigree and history to them. I paid £35 as a member's guest which considering the points I made above, is still expensive no matter how good the greens are. I'll reserve judgement on how well the course plays until after I've played it at least one more time. But it does seem that they've included all the marketing gimmicks..... 'Britains longest course from back tees'...'a 638yard hole'.... 'water on xx number of the holes'.. etc. Still the course is worth visiting just so that you can make up your own mind. Whether you do it now or wait until all the facilities are up to scratch is your decision.

I would suggest that MK gives The Players another chance, afterall passing judgement on anything having experienced it just the once can lead to a cursory review. The course, like any, is a different beast on different days depending on the weather and conditions. In the winter months some of the holes can be quite a stretch, but given the fact there are 9 tee boxes on some holes and it measures merely 6,400 yds off the yellows I think you could argue that the club have tried to be accomodating. The 4th, which MK describes, is currently playing as a very reachable par 4 with a 4 iron off the tee and a 6/7 iron approach, and I'm not a 'big-hitter'. The course is a very welcome addition to Bristol and will only get better. The club house is now open and offers a full range of facilities.

Without a shadow of a doubt the best inland golf course in the West Country, the greens are heavily contoured, the surfaces are bentgrass, fairways watered, layout is awseome, bunkers consistent, practice faciltys galore, great 9 hole par 3 course, clubhouse stacked out with old golf photographs and artifacts, it is exactly what it says on the tin. THE PLAYERS CLUB. £39 Society day was the best value we have had and the proshop staff cant do enough for you. The 4th hole is a stunning not as MH described it and the course is a mixture of linksy holes and modern holes with water, the par 3 holes are fantastic and its hard to find fault with any hole. It is not easy but neither is Carnoustie. A cert to hold a European event, apparently loads of pros use this for practice.

I would put this Golf Club in the same bracket as clubs like The Belfry, Slaley Hall, East Sussex National, Celtic Manor and any other modern course which has held a European Tour event. I've played all those courses and although the off course facilities will catch up in the near future the Golf Course itself is already the best of the bunch, great thought has gone into the design, every hole is easily recounted days after you have played the course, 4 great par 3's, 4 proper par 5's, 1 drivable par 4 in each half, plus long par 4's that would make even Tiger scratch his head.This course has the greatest variety i've come across in the last 20 years, the greens have plenty of burrows although nothing silly but they are of the highest quality, the equal of Burnham and Berrow if not slightly better.

Like most golfers the thought of playing the Wentworths and St Andrews of the golfing world is an exciting prospect. However cost and availabilty are only two of the many considerations. Imagine being able to play these types of courses before thier notoriety made playing them restrictive. The Players is certain to become one of the countries great courses. Its concept of length tempered with opportunity for all standards of golfer, plus some of the most memorable holes anywhere in the country, mean it really should be on any golfers `must play` list. Although it is a challenging 18 holes the various tee positions mean anyone can play the course and enjoy the various degrees of difficulty created by the designers.Most courses boast about thier `signature` hole? I have played the course a few times and still cannot decide which of the 18 holes should become the star attraction!I have been fortunate enough to play many of the countries leading courses including the afformentioned Wentworth and the Old Course. The Players would certainly be in my top 10 of UK courses.

I think MH (10.04.03) is harsh in his criticism of the course. The fourth hole, for example, can be (and often is) played as a par five which means that a tee-shot of only 130 yards is adequate. Further, the ladies tee requires only one carry over water (100 yards) as opposed to the men's two carries. Granted that most of the par threes involve water but it is possible on all of them for a straight shot from the yellow tees to land on the green without crossing the boundary of a water hazzard. All of the par threes can be played as easy fours. As for (the solitary) horseshoe greens and "twee little rockeries", well I suspect that MH wasn't very happy with his score at the end of the day! The Players is a challenging course but experience and local knowledge does count when playing it. The greens are in excellent condition and are very receptive to the flighted ball. The course is long and green-fees are not cheap but the big bonus from these attributes is that it's rarely busy! The course could do with a proper club house (planning persmission has been granted recently) but the temporary one (a large wooden shack) is adequate and there's free coffee there after the round. Definitely my favourite course in the Bristol area.

Played the course with a member and they were right, the greens are fantastic, obviuosly a lot of money spent on them and it shows. Lots of hidden dangers on some of the holes and you need to play with somebody who knows the course. WAS very quiet on the saturday we played and at times there were more marshalls than players! NOTE - only allow soft spikes on the course. Cost £35 with a member which I thought was steep, it is a lovely course and great condition, but with no clubhouse (yet) and the suroundings still to mature feel its a lot. It will be a fantastic course once it matures and settles, very challenging and a credit to the owners. Worth a visit if you can afford it.