If you picture the quintessential English village in your mind, there’s a good chance it resembles the idyllic Castle Combe in Wiltshire. The village takes its name from a 12th century castle and it lies within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. No new houses have been constructed since the 1600s and it’s often referred to as the prettiest village in England. I must admit I was taken aback when I walked through it for the first time.
The Manor House Hotel sits right in the heart of the village and is a majestic five-star property adorned with multi-coloured foliage on the outside. The 14th century structure is set in 365 acres of parkland and its 21 bedrooms and suites are complemented by 29 sumptuous cottages.
The Golf
The Manor House Golf Club – one of Golf Monthly's Top 50 UK&I stay-and-play venues – is situated about a three-minute drive from the centre of Castle Combe. I’m struggling to think of a layout where fun is more to the fore – a product of the risk-reward nature of the course and the many changes in elevation, which are particularly prevalent on the par 3s. One word of advice, though: get a buggy (and this is coming from someone who loves to walk). The distances between some greens and tees are extreme.
After a relatively gentle opener, the par-3 2nd is the first taste of those elevation changes. It’s only a pitching wedge or a 9-iron, but shots are hit from a raised tee over a stream to a green site overlooked by hills and giant trees. It’s an incredibly pretty spot with the autumnal shades out in full force. It clearly inspired me, as my tee shot landed two inches from the cup and spun back to a foot.
As a side note, Manor House GC enjoys fantastic drainage, making it an excellent year-round golf destination. I played after days of torrential rain when many courses up and down the country were closed – including ones in the vicinity of Manor House – but only one green was partially affected. I couldn’t believe it was in such good condition.
The stretch from the 3rd to the 5th is tough – you face the narrowest of drives on the par-5 3rd, before a long, uphill par 3 and a fiendish dogleg-right par 4 played to a green flanked by water. On paper, the 6th and 7th holes present good scoring opportunities – two par 5s coming in at less than 470 yards. However, there’s water to deal with on both. Over the course of two rounds, I lost six balls and recorded a solitary point.
The 8th tee is one of the best spots on any golf course I’ve played, and it presents an extremely enticing drive. The green lies some 280 yards away and significantly below the level of the tee, with the vast acreage of the course in evidence beyond the putting surface. It’s an easy hole on paper, but drives must avoid the river to the left of the fairway.
The Back Nine
The 9th, 10th and 11th are nice holes, but the 12th and 13th take things to a different level. The 12th is one of the most unique par 5s I’ve ever played. You’re faced with a choice off the tee – lay up with an iron to the generous portion of fairway to the right, or pull out the big stick and take on the 250-yard carry (admittedly significantly downhill) to clear the trees and water. There’s also a pond to the left. If you choose this option and produce anything less than your Sunday best, a bogey is probably the best outcome. However, if you pull it off, you’ll have an iron to a raised green protected by bunkers carved into the slope to the right of the green.
The 13th is a driveable but steeply uphill par 4. You hit over a stream and you can’t see the green as it’s obscured by a towering tree in the middle of the fairway. It should be a simple mid-iron and wedge-on scenario, but it’s far too tempting to pull out a 3-wood or driver. If you hit a good tee shot, you’ll still be left with a tricky uphill pitch to a two-tiered green. If the pin is at the back, it’s very difficult to get your ball all the way there.
The 14th is on the cusp of driveable for the big hitters, but again, there’s much to ponder with OOB lurking down the left side. It’s followed by the long par-4 15th, where a blind bunker in the driving zone can cause anguish when you feel you’ve hit a good tee shot. The 16th is a short but tricky par 4 where placement off the tee is vital.
Then comes the 17th, arguably the signature hole. It’s only a wedge, but judgement of distance is so difficult as it plays severely downhill to a green protected on one side by water. Which side depends on the green in play – there are two to choose from, with a stream flowing between the two sites. As I stood on the tee in November, with sunshine hitting the towering autumnal trees on the hillside behind the putting surface, I felt like I was in Canada.
But there’s no time to dwell on the 17th as the closing hole is a tough test. It’s not a long two-shotter, but the drive is tight and the tree in the middle of the fairway complicates matters even further. If you’ve managed to find the short grass, an approach awaits to a long, narrow green flanked on the right side by a pond. Make par here and you’re very happy.
Away From The Fairways
After golf, you may wish to stop for a drink in the sizeable bar and clubhouse, but the call of The Manor House Hotel might be too loud to ignore. It’s quite simply a stunning locale. It’s genuine five-star luxury and the decor reflects that throughout. The rooms and suites are as good as anything you’ll find – how often do you get a screen in the wall so you can watch TV while you soak in the bath? – and the on-site restaurant, Bybrook, offers Michelin-star dining in the most exquisite of settings.
If you want something slightly less formal, The Castle Inn, which is owned by the Manor House, is situated just seconds outside the gates of the hotel. It has two AA rosettes in its own right and possesses all the charm of the best village pubs you’ve experienced.
When you have a thrilling golf course and a first-rate hotel set in the most beautiful of villages, it all adds up to a golf break that’s pretty close to perfection. If The Manor House wasn’t on your radar before, it should be now.
