Leatherhead

 1st hole was a fun short par five that had a creek running in from the right about 80m short, with a bunker in front of it, creating a few decisions for the golfer whose drive leaves them 200ish out

The 11th is a par four of 260 yards or so with a plateau green that makes the second shot one of the more difficult 40-yard flicks you'll ever play. The pin was cut on a small shelf at the back, with a bunker hugging the edge of the green and OOB behind it

 The par four 17th, with a tiger tee moving the drive to a 45-degree approach from the right, tightening the fairway and bringing the bunkers more into play 

Course name: The Leatherhead Golf Club 

Location: Leatherhead, Surrey 

Four Word Course Review: Half-par holes galore 

All day long at Leatherhead - which twists and turns through thickly-wooded countryside - it seemed I was faced with decisions. 

Have a crack at the par five first in two (which didn't work out so well), or lay up? Risk the driver on the 5th to give myself a chip and a tap in for birdie (which did)? Take on the hill at the 270-yard 11th? Try to fly the green-front creek on the 260-yard 13th? Hit a high cut on the tempting 15th and 17th holes for a mere flick to the green, or play an iron to safety?

On top of that were 450-yard par fours, 210-yard par threes and tight doglegs that tempted you to reach for the driver when you knew it wasn't wise.

Even when the course offered up some pedestrian holes, there was enough there to keep me engaged - a 90-degree dogleg at the 7th, the par three 9th that strongly favoured a running, drawn approach, a scintilating plateau green on the par five 16th... The holes offered variety, difficulty that betrayed a pedestrian scorecard length and interesting bunkering.

My one major complaint concerns the mowing patterns. On the 3rd, the temptation to risk driving past the centre-fairway tree 200 yards from the tee is destroyed by the fairway stopping at the tree.

At the next - a 440-yard par four from the yellow tees - there is an inexplicable strip of rough crossing the fairway 140 out from the green.

A similar mowing style is emplyed on the short 13th and 17th holes, where ample bunkering and water are enough trouble in their own right.

All in all, a pleasant wander through the forest on a gorgeous spring day.