Brampton
The course, founded in 1909, is everything that somebody who loves adventurous golf could wish for. It is sporty in nature to say the least with lots of twists and turns along the way.
This rolling moorland/heathland/parkland course has a fabulous routing which leads us across the bold landscape in a thoughtful manner and leaves some very memorable and unique holes in its trail.
As you might expect in this part of the country the views are outstanding. They include panoramic vistas from the high points and a view down on the 65 acre Talkin Tarn lake.
The first, a downhill par-three is a rather innocuous opener which favours a kick-in from the right but we are then into a nice stretch of holes over the some flowing land with natural green sites. The drive at the fourth and approach into the 6th are the highlights.
Holes 7 to 15 are located on the other side of a country lane and this is when things start to get a little wild, in a similar mould to another Cumbrian gem, Windermere. These nine holes have some crazy movement in the land but it all comes together really well to produce some solid golf holes where not only good shots are required but plenty of imagination too.
Although the course can stretch to 6,418 yards (par is 72) there are quite a few short/drivable par-fours and the 7th is the shortest and most fun of them all. At just 277 yards it seems to plays through both a valley and a hogs back at the same time with a clever little dip before the green.
The 7th green takes us to the highest point on the course and when you look down at the 8th it really does stop you dead in your tracks with what is the most memorable hole on the course. From a high tee you rapidly descend to a fairway with what appears to be a huge pimple in the middle of the it. You must make sure you get far enough to get on or over the pimple which then dips down before the green prior to rising up sharply once again. It is difficult to describe but it’s an amazing hole and at 331-yards I’m sure it will have been driven.
Other holes of note on this side of the road are the 11th, with a sharp dogleg which is played over a ravine and the 15th which again is only a dozen or so paces over the 300-yard mark and plays blind to a sunken green.
Blind summits, marker posts, old stone walls and bells are just a few things you are likely to stumble across at Brampton.
After re-crossing the road we have yet another short par-four (310 yards) and again with it being downhill the brave could have a go for it but the large bunker guarding the front will make it near on impossible to find the putting surface.
A quick word should be made of the excellent bunkering. Some of the hazards are quite deep pits but they merge into their surrounds really well and is a strong point of the course.
17 is a par five and played ‘up and over’ through a huge saddle before we finish the round with a more conservative two-shotter.
The greens were very good on my visit in June 2023 and after a prolonged dry spell the course was very dry and playing superbly. Because of the undulating terrain I’m not sure how it will play during the wetter months.
I believe comparisons are often made to nearby Carlisle Golf Club which I also played on my visit to Cumbria. I have them neck-and-neck overall but if you like your golf a little on the funky side then Brampton is the one to go for.
