The Course

Caldy is a fantastic course with breath taking views across the River Dee to North Wales and Hilbre Island.

Hole 1 – Westward Ho

Par 4 | 388 Yards | Stroke Index 9

Par 4 | 369 Yards | Stroke Index 9

Par 5 | 364 Yards | Stroke Index 9

Par 4 | 348 Yards | Stroke Index 9

Hole 1 – Details

An opening hole requiring your full attention. Bunkers, rough and timber await any tee shot drifting to the left. Trouble comes into play on the right and centre for long hitters. A well guarded long green slopes from back to front. The hole is named after its previous green approach direction, it now faces southwards.

Hole 1 – Pro’s Tip

“A wide open inviting first drive, but do not be fooled, the drive needs to be down the right side to avoid the fairway bunkers. The second shot is slightly up hill, from the middle of the fairway you cannot always feel the full force of the prevailing westerly wind that will move the ball from right to left once it is over the green.”

Hole 2 – Little Eye

Par 3 | 181 Yards | Stroke Index 13

Par 3 | 152 Yards | Stroke Index 13

Par 3 | 146 Yards | Stroke Index 13

Par 3 | 140 Yards | Stroke Index 13

Hole 2 – Details

A tough par 3, made even more difficult by an uphill approach and the usual head-on prevailing wind. A well struck shot is required as bunkers protect the front left of the green which has a steep fringe at the front. The hole is named afer the smallest of the Hilbre Islands which can be viewed from the 6th.

Hole 2 – Pro’s Tip

“This hole plays longer than it looks; the gorse behind foreshortens the green. A well-designed golf hole that requires a precisely struck iron shot to find the green, anything right will feed away from the green.”

Hole 3 – Sands of the Dee

Par 4 | 409 Yards | Stroke Index 5

Par 4 | 346 Yards | Stroke Index 5

Par 4 | 327 Yards | Stroke Index 5

Par 4 | 314 Yards | Stroke Index 5

Hole 3 – Details

A daunting dog-leg right with a Dee-view from the high white tee. Considered by many to be our signature hole, the fairway sweeps around three sets of bunkers to catch both short and long hitters. A good tee shot will still leave a demanding approach shot to the well guarded green, which has a severe run off at the back. The hole has a stunning backdrop over the River Dee.

Hole 3 – Pro’s Tip

“Cross the bridge to the seaward side. Stop and take in the view of the River Dee towards Wales, to get a commanding view of the hole up to the green, a dogleg to the right. The long hitters will carry the bunkers but they must make the fairway, the rough to the right is thick and it is difficult to keep the ball on the green with your second shot. A tee shot played close to the fir trees (avoiding the side bunkers) gives you the option to play a high shot or a low running shot into a green that sits close to the River Dee.”

Hole 4 – Red Banks

Par 4 | 342 Yards | Stroke Index 15

Par 4 | 331 Yards | Stroke Index 15

Par 4 | 275 Yards | Stroke Index 15

Par 4 | 308 Yards | Stroke Index 15

Hole 4 – Details

A straightforward par 4, made tougher when into a prevailing wind. Fairway bunkers run left and right along the approach to the green and are in driving distance. The green is surrounded by bunkers with a pond sitting back right. The origin of the hole name is not known, it was changed from ‘Estuary’ and may refer to sandstone coloured earth which abounds.

Hole 4 – Pro’s Tip

“A drive to the right side of the fairway gives you the option to go the high or low route into a long green with a slight tier, which makes it difficult to get the ball pin high. Avoid the hidden fairway bunkers.”

Hole 5 – Hilbre

Par 5 | 544 Yards | Stroke Index 7

Par 5 | 532 Yards | Stroke Index 7

Par 5 | 468 Yards | Stroke Index 7

Par 4 | 400 Yards | Stroke Index 7

Hole 5 – Details

The cliff edge and rough running right down the left from tee to green, makes this an intimidating tee shot! With trouble also on the right in the form of a copse, pond and two fairway bunkers, three straight hits are required. The green with a severe slope rising at the back, has bunkers cutting in at the left and right, narrowing the approach. Magnificent views can be enjoyed from here of the Hilbre Islands (which name this hole), the coast of Wales and the Irish Sea. The cliff top holes run alongside the River Dee, with its many sailing and fishing boats.

Hole 5 – Pro’s Tip

“The tee is on the edge of the cliffs and the player feels the full force of the NorthWest wind. Hook your tee shot, you’re in the River Dee a sliced tee shot and you’re in the trees. A nest of fairway bunkers make the second shot challenging.”

Hole 6 – Donga

Par 4 | 413 Yards | Stroke Index 1

Par 4 | 384 Yards | Stroke Index 1

Par 4 | 322 Yards | Stroke Index 1

Par 4 | 365 Yards | Stroke Index 1

Hole 6 – Details

An extremely challenging hole, the furthest on the course and the last one along the cliff edge. A tight tee shot is needed to avoid the thick rough on the right, with rough and out of bounds over the cliff on the left. A long hitter will have to negotiate the fairway bunkers. The ‘Donga’, a dry ditch running in front of the green will swallow up any ball not pitching on the green. The hole is named after the dry ditch in front of the green, a name in common use in South Africa. The Boer War was still in memory when the course was opened in 1907.

Hole 6 – Pro’s Tip

“Here a drive down the left avoiding a bunker in the fairway and the out of bounds left will give you the best opening into the green. From the fairway the carry over the Donga for the second shot will be shorter and the green will be opened up.”

Hole 7 – Wirral

Par 5 | 541 Yards | Stroke Index 11

Par 5 | 479 Yards | Stroke Index 11

Par 5 | 450 Yards | Stroke Index 11

Par 5 | 469 Yards | Stroke Index 11

Hole 7 – Details

At the extremity of the course, this tricky par 5 is especially long off the whites. The tee stands beside the Old Clubhouse, now a private residence. The Wirral Way, an old railway track (out of bounds), runs along the entire length on the left guarded by rough. Rough is also on the right between this and the 6th fairway. A good tee shot will require a positional second, where fairway bunkers may come into play. A pond short of the green gathers up all balls pitched short and right. The green is bunkerless but has some very difficult borrows. Our beautiful peninsula names this hole.

Hole 7 – Pro’s Tip

“The trouble on this hole is the Wirral Way; a disused railway line out of bounds all the way up the left side, coupled with the natural contours of the fairway which can give an awkward lie. The second shot needs to be placed as close to the left side as possible to take the pond out of play. The third shot is played to a large green protected by subtle breaks and mounds left.”

Hole 8 – Simon’s Bridge

Par 3 | 154 Yards | Stroke Index 17

Par 3 | 142 Yards | Stroke Index 17

Par 3 | 129 Yards | Stroke Index 17

Par 3 | 115 Yards | Stroke Index 17

Hole 8 – Details

A short par 3 from an elevated tee. The key is a good club selection as it is essential to carry the front bunkers, pitch central onto the green and avoid running into the additional bunker at the back. Careful study is required to judge the subtle borrows of the green correctly. The hole was originally a par 5 to the present 9th green, its name is taken from the bridge behind the tee.

Hole 8 – Pro’s Tip

“Played from a plateau tee to a green that runs diagonally away from you left to right. Plays shorter when the pin is on the left and longer than the yardage when the pin is on the right.”

Hole 9 – Spinney

Par 4 | 430 Yards | Stroke Index 3

Par 4 | 404 Yards | Stroke Index 3

Par 4 | 372 Yards | Stroke Index 3

Par 4 | 367 Yards | Stroke Index 3

Hole 9 – Details

A gentle dog-leg right. The thick wooded area on the right containing a pond, followed by heavy rough will punish any shot drifting right (better re-load!). Long hitters can take a tighter line over the edge of the woods, but a safer option is to lay-up short of the fairway bunkers on the left. This leaves a second to a long green, bunkered right with a large pond back left.

Hole 9 – Pro’s Tip

“A dogleg right, the natural contours of this fairway will effect your club selection to a very long flat green. The pond to the left of the green is visible from the fairway and awaits the overstrong pulled shot to the green. A very long green, difficult to get the ball pin high.”

Hole 10 – Bridge

Par 3 | 188 Yards | Stroke Index 12

Par 3 | 179 Yards | Stroke Index 12

Par 3 | 170 Yards | Stroke Index 12

Par 3 | 171 Yards | Stroke Index 12

Hole 10 – Details

Any shot finding the centre of the green on this challenging par 3, is a good one! A long green is angled slightly, allowing the right half to be protected by bunkers. The wind is normally across from the left, making good aim crucial.

Hole 10 – Pro’s Tip

“A tough par three. From a sheltered teeing ground, the tee shot usually calls for a fade aimed at the left-hand side of the green, avoiding hidden pot bunkers that protect both sides.”

Hole 11 – Hollows

Par 5 | 520 Yards | Stroke Index 6

Par 5 | 509 Yards | Stroke Index 6

Par 5 | 485 Yards | Stroke Index 6

Par 5 | 497 Yards | Stroke Index 6

Hole 11 – Details

An undulating par 5 which sweeps up and around woodland. The key to a good tee shot is down the left to avoid being blocked out by the copse on the right or being drawn towards the out of bounds. The green is deceptively long making it difficult to get the ball to the hole when it’s cut in the back third. En route you will pass the hollow, caused with similar depressions on the course by bombs dropped during the blitz of the 2nd World War by the German Luftwaffe.

Hole 11 – Pro’s Tip

“This hole tempts the golfer to hug the right side off the tee and the left side on the second shot. This line is fraught with danger and will give no reward unless the wind allows you to reach in two shots. Better to aim left side of fairway from the tee then aim at the clubhouse with your second as there is plenty of room to the right. The green is well protected so a pitch and run third shot up a very long green that slopes from front to back is a good option.”

Hole 12 – Covertside

Par 4 | 437 Yards | Stroke Index 2

Par 4 | 425 Yards | Stroke Index 2

Par 4 | 417 Yards | Stroke Index

Hole 12 – Details

A big test is offered by this uncompromising par 4. White posts hugging the gardens on the right signify the graveyard of many a good scorecard! Danger also lurks on the left in the form of a series of bunkers. The drive (if you are good enough) is a draw along the hedge line which angles out to the right. A big second hit is usually required to reach in regulation. After the new Clubhouse site was moved from besides the 7th tee, the hole name “Links Hey” was changed to a more rural title.

Hole 12 – Pro’s Tip

“The green can not be seen from the tee as the ground falls away, but a straight drive will bring its reward. A series of bunkers on the left with out of bounds gardens on the right. Gardens on the right are out of bounds. A difficult approach shot into a green that slopes from back to front. The trees behind the green foreshorten the approach, trust your yardage.”

Hole 13 – Steeple

Par 4 | 352 Yards | Stroke Index 18

Par 4 | 337 Yards | Stroke Index 18

Par 4 | 320 Yards | Stroke Index 10

Par 4 | 320 Yards | Stroke Index 18

Hole 13 – Details

A short par 4 which belies its stroke index. An accurate tee shot is rewarded by a good chance to score well on this hole. The fairway sloping to the right accepts a fade willingly which could bring trees into play. Fairway bunkers are well placed along the left to catch long hitters. The solitary greenside bunker on the right gathers up balls pitched short, courtesy of a large fairway slope. You can just see the steeple of Thurstaston Church in the distance.

Hole 13 – Pro’s Tip

“Fairway slopes left to right and the green is protected on the right side by a large bunker and a fall off from the green. All the way up the right side there is long rough and trees, so drive up the left side, avoiding the fairway bunkers and you will be rewarded.”

Hole 14 – Hummocks

Par 4 | 400 Yards | Stroke Index 10

Par 4 | 372 Yards | Stroke Index 10

Par 4 | 340 Yards | Stroke Index 2

Par 4 | 354 Yards | Stroke Index 10

Hole 14 – Details

The tee shot is made tricky by the dry hollow stretching diagonally across the fairway catching drives of various lengths. It should be avoided as it can create an awkward uphill or downhill stance compromising the second shot to the green. The safest option is to the right, short of the ditch hazard. An interesting history of the land can be seen here (as on the cliff side holes), of prominent high and low ridges crossing the fairway, a result of ploughing up to the 19th century in order to drain the crops!

Hole 14 – Pro’s Tip

“A ridge called the Hummocks runs diagonally across the fairway. If carried at its furthest point the second shot would be a mid iron, but be careful if you push your shot slightly as there is a ditch and rough waiting. A shorter tee shot down the right hand side avoids the Hummocks leaving a longer iron shot to a tough green protected by out of bounds close behind.”

Hole 15 – Dawpool

Par 4 | 345 Yards | Stroke Index 14

Par 4 | 334 Yards | Stroke Index 14

Par 4 | 326 Yards | Stroke Index 14

Par 4 | 321 Yards | Stroke Index 14

Hole 15 – Details

A sharp dog-leg to the right. A well positioned tee shot should be to the corner just left of the bunkers, of which there are many. Beware of the copse up to the corner on the right which can block out a second shot. The green is particulary dangerous being protected by bunkers on the left and pond on the right. Called “Dawpool” since construction in 1935. Dawpool was a small hamlet near Thurstaston.

Hole 15 – Pro’s Tip

“A dogleg right. To see the green. an accurate tee shot left is called for. Immediately to the right of the green is a pond that will catch the pushed second shot.”

Hole 16 – Rubbing Stone

Par 4 | 411 Yards | Stroke Index 4

Par 4 | 401 Yards | Stroke Index 4

Par 4 | 350 Yards | Stroke Index 4

Par 4 | 387 Yards | Stroke Index 4

Hole 16 – Details

This last par 4 is long and unforgiving. Once again the Wirral Way (in or over is out of bounds, see Local Rules) runs along the right as do fairway bunkers. Trees and rough guard the left. After a straight tee shot, the hole opens up with pleasant rural views. The green is set at an angle making it difficult to find. Balls landing right of centre tend to roll off the side.

Hole 16 – Pro’s Tip

“A great view of Thurstaston Hill to the left. One of the most difficult par fours on the course. Out of bounds on the right (The Wirral Way) and rough to the left. The tee shot played short of the fairway bunkers will give the best opening for the second shot to the green. The Rubbing Stone (an immovable obstruction) and the left fairway bunker are well short of the front edge of the green causing many golfers to under club. The right front edge of this green falls subtly to the right.”

Hole 17 – Thor’s Dyke

Par 3 | 156 Yards | Stroke Index 16

Par 3 | 145 Yards | Stroke Index 16

Par 3 | 100 Yards | Stroke Index 16

Par 3 | 136 Yards | Stroke Index 16

Hole 17 – Details

Caldy’s 17th is a dramatic par 3. From an elevated tee, the shot must hit the green over the stream lying in wait for anyone pulling up short. The green is on two levels, so club selection is important to judge the carry and position. This hole has the only Championship black tee left on the course. The hole is named after the stream which originates from Thurstaston Hill on the left. Thor’s Stone stands on the hill where Vikings who populated Wirral from the 10th Century were said to have gathered.

Hole 17 – Pro’s Tip

“A stream runs in front of this green and demands the right club to find the middle of the green. The green slopes to the stream so an overstruck tee shot is penalised with a nervous chip towards the stream. A great 17th requiring skill and good nerve.”

Hole 18 – Badgers’ Sett

Par 5 | 503 Yards | Stroke Index 8

Par 5 | 495 Yards | Stroke Index 8

Par 5 | 415 Yards | Stroke Index 8

Par 4 | 394 Yards | Stroke Index 8

Hole 18 – Details

A fantastic finishing hole. Out of bounds threat exists along the right hand side of this dog-leg right par 5. From the tee, the fairway bunkers at the top of the hill is the line for shorter drivers, whilst longer hitters may benefit by taking a tighter right hand line following the edge of the trees. Beware of the gorse, out of sight on the right, in and after the dip. The macho route is over the corner, but not if you have a winning card! A cautious second up the left is sensible with an eye on the deep fairway bunkers. The green is bunkered left and right with a large run off at the back. The hole is named after the mammals which inhabit the Wirral.

Hole 18 – Pro’s Tip

“A thinking man’s par 5. A hole that requires you to make a decision on every shot. Be aware of the out of bounds all along the right hand side of this hole. A long straight drive can run out of fairway which ends past the bunkers visible from the tee. The second shot is often played from a sloping lie, so avoid the out of bounds which cuts in right and could destroy your scorecard.”

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