Mid May in Macclesfield, 16 miles south of Manchester, and on the edge of the Peak District. It’s a town historically most famous for its silk production, counting 70 mills at its height, and which endures 150 years later through the football club’s ‘Silkmen’ moniker. Major employers since have included Hovis, whose first factory was based in the town from 1886, and AstraZeneca, whose pharmaceutical factory employs nearly 5,000 people.
So it’s with silk, drugs and granary rolls on the mind, that we head to Macclesfield Golf Club, which claims to be the second oldest golf club in Cheshire… beaten only by Royal Liverpool, who began life 2 decades earlier. MGC was formed in 1889, with the first competition won on Boxing Day that year, by a clear 35 strokes… somewhat unsurprisingly by the one person who’d played before! A move to the current site followed in 1901, but it took until 1993 before the ambition to extend to 18 holes was fulfilled.
It’s not our first visit to the club, having made a foolhardy trip as novices for what turned out to be a long old afternoon. So we return, to exorcise our demons, and take some pretty pictures. Sadly though, we’ve inadvertently picked a grey and drizzly day, so the anticipated chance to see across 5 counties will require a return visit. But those views nevertheless are pretty special, providing a moody backdrop and a gritty industrial vibe to the rows of houses and factories beneath.
First impressions are positive, with the friendly tone on the ‘phone in advance continuing in the pro shop on arrival, and with the few members we encounter pre-round. Even better, the packed car park we’re met with following our hill climb, transpires to be as a result of a morning comp in its latter phases, leaving a vacuum of empty tee boxes and greens in their wake. An afternoon playing millionaire’s golf in Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’? Why not!
The round starts in solid fashion, with the first 2 (if not 3 or 4) shots being blind, up and over the brow of the hill, and then onto the green tucked away high on the left (note: DON’T get drawn to the more obvious green – the 10th as it transpires – straight ahead!) It’s a great opening hole that sets the scene for an interesting course, with the 3rd, 8th and 9th our other picks, featuring nervy tee shots, pretty streams and picturesque greens that even the grotty weather can’t spoil.
Despite the weather’s best efforts to hamper proceedings, the course is in truly fantastic condition. The greens are claimed to be ‘open all year round’, no doubt at least in part due to their altitude, and sure enough they’re in remarkable shape. It’s not a long track, but the undulating landscape makes for a beautiful setting, a good workout, and an endlessly fascinating challenge. Shots are frequently taken from below the feet, across hazards, and onto small, sloping greens.
The back 9 passes a little less memorably, but presents a fun test nonetheless, with the finale a fun par 3 downhill, that on a dry day invites a short right iron shot off the tee that with a touch of fortune can funnel down nicely onto the green. But with soggy fairways and soft greens, it’s more of an opportunity for target practice, with one of our group understandably proud to show off Exhibit A, that took a short hop within ‘a whisker’ of a hole in one!
Key Info
Holes: 18
Par: White / Yellow: 71. Red: 73
Yards: White: 5,994. Yellow: 5,755. Red: 5,326
Slope: White: 137. Yellow: 133. Red: 134
Visitor Green Fees: £28 / £22 with member / £18 with Cheshire Card
Website: https://www.maccgolfclub.co.uk/
Location
Prices correct at time of writing (May 2024).
Find out where this course ranks on the list of toughest courses in Cheshire here, see all of the county’s courses plotted onto a Google Map here, and try our fun quiz to find your perfect course here!
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