Warren Golf Club - "a true links course on the South Devon coast"

The 2015 Tour kicked off at Warren Golf Club in Dawlish Warren. The website states that 'visitors are welcome anytime" and we were certainly made to feel welcome as we gathered in the clubhouse before the off.

Competitors fed and watered, the Tour got underway. The wide open spaces of the first don't really give you a clue about what's to come. Paul walked off the first green with four points and the Tour lead which was as good as it got for him.

The front nine is quite tight in a lot of places. the gorse lining the fairways meaning a wayward shot is probably lost. Paul and James struggled to keep it in play and even their high handicaps weren't enough to score points in large quantities.

The seventh is a cracking hole with the beach in play if you push it right and there's an elevated green on the par three eighth making it play longer than it looks and bringing the front bunkers very much into play.

The course then opens up a little bit, giving the poor drivers some respite. There's still plenty of trouble to find but there are a few safer areas to aim. The par five 12th has a ditch down the left which can trap the unwary (Kevin) quite literally!

It's then straight onto the shortest hole where the wind can play havoc with club selection. Then we're back to tight and tricky again with the sea on your right and the target not always obvious before we're back we're we started. The 18th fairway is the same as the first just in the opposite direction.

This course is a real challenge and a lot of fun with it. The wind was blowing (although the locals said it wasn't that much!) and as it was cloudy I don't think we quite saw it at its best. It doesn't give up points lightly that's for sure.

Best scores

37 points - Stuart (off 36) 2015
36 points - Kevin (off 9) 2015
34 points - Simon (off 21) 2015
32 points - Ben W (off 8) 2015
32 points - Matthew (off 13) 2015