The Course
Based on an article by Allan Boughey, published in GOLF North East

Things get off to a nice start with a par 5. The land slopes away right almost straight from the tee with the green tucked away further right behind a protective stand of tall and thick trees on top of the next rise. But, with some careful positioning, it's reachable in two and a birdie is certainly possible.

The tee-shot on the 2nd takes you back across the deep incline you encountered on the 1st. The green is a truly treacherous test of your putting skills with several undulations giving it an almost wave-like appearance.




You have to be very accurate with your tee-shot at the 3rd. The fairway is only 15 yards across and the green is tucked away round to the left, and so a conservative approach is probably best.

The 4th is the first of Richmond's five par 3s. They're all tough little gems in their own right and this one requires a really accurate iron. Anything slightly left will be swept into a dense thicket while there's a steep bank on the right together with gorse and a bunker.

The 5th is the course's stroke index 1. It's not a long par 4 but the tee-shot is downhill and blind thanks to some well-placed trees. If you can get your tee-shot in the right place though - somewhere over the trees on the right of the fairway perhaps - you'll have a nice looking approach into another tricky green.

The par five 6th requires a good tee-shot into a sweeping valley. If you get across to the upslope, you have a chance of making the green with a long second, but it's not easy. Some nice solid, straight hitting will really pay dividends here.



The 7th is the second of the par 3s and is another beautifully thought-out test. The elevated tee box affords lovely views across the course and down into the Vale of York beyond with the North York Moors often visible in the distance too. The green sits up on a bank the other side of the valley so your tee-shot has to fly the whole way and then hopefully sit down fairly abruptly.

The 8th has an almost 90 degrees dogleg left. You hit across another little valley and up on to the fairway beyond but if your drive is straight you could easily run out of room and go into the rough and bushes. The best route is to fly the trees that march uphill left from the bottom of the dip and cut the corner. If you can do that you'll have a nice approach in, though beware the strategic mound to the left of the green.

The front nine concludes with another testing par 3. Tall trees close in from both sides and there are more strategic bunkers up near the green, making a good straight hit up the right side of the narrow channel absolutely vital.

The par 5 10th shares its tee-box with the 1st, though this time you hit on to the flat top of the hill rather than its slope. There's a generous amount of space to drive into and the big hitters will be able to reach in two with a couple of firm strikes, but mortals will find more conservative approach will afford a little extra time to take in some spectacular views of the nearby Zetland estate.

The 11th is another lovely little hole. This Par 4 doglegs right at a pretty severe angle but it's possible to bend one round the corner if you are confident enough to flirt with the trees & out-of-bounds. If you can find the right line the land slopes nicely downhill to the green and could take your ball on the putting surface - or very near to it. The green, though, is another tester, so keep those concentration levels at peak.

The 12th is the shortest hole on the course but can't be taken lightly. The green is protected by a long crescent-shaped bunker to the front and right while a tree halfway down on the right also encourages you to fire left. Don't be fooled though, as that route will only see your ball fall away steeply towards the next tee-box if you don't hit the green.

The par 5 13th is Richmond's feature hole - a classic banana shape and its steep undulations give it a tremendous flow. Your tee-shot is blind and uphill. Too far left or right and you'll easily be in tree trouble. Once up on the top of the hill, your second will be across another rolling dip to the tricky green that, once hit, is likely to sweep your ball right into the light rough. If you want a birdie here you'll have to get to the right of the fairway and then come in underneath the flag.

You are now in the most picturesque part of the course and the 14th has an elevated tee-box from which to enjoy the views. Don't be too distracted though. The fairway is nice and wide and if you can get one nice and central, you'll have a nice-looking approach to the green that sits above a little ravine.

The 15th is the second toughest hole on the course, largely because there's a pretty testing uphill drive here with a dense wood up the right and lighter trees all the way up the left. The green sits up in a little glade on top of the hill and again boasts some tricky borrows - so beware!

The 16th again features some links-like undulations in the centre of the fairway that make it pretty difficult to judge where your tee-shot will end up even if it's nice and straight. It does need to be straight though, as there are thick trees down the right and the old quarry left.

The closing two holes make for a very interesting 20 minutes or so.
The par 4 17th is reachable but if you are going to drive it you'll need to produce a real peach of a shot. Having said that, from the tee there doesn't appear to be a fairway as such, and so laying up is a tricky task. The hole is dominated by a series of small hillocks that bump along, with bushes here and there, to two fearsome looking bunkers to the left of the green. You certainly need to plan a line of attack here.



And that's also the case at the last - a par 3. A thick, tall wood separates the tee-box from the green, with just a narrow path cut through the middle that gives no more than a glimpse of the green and flag - and the clubhouse beyond. A high, straight clip is what's required though you will need to hold your nerve, its a great way to finish.

 Course Card