On the edge of the Peak District, we meander our way to Disley; a place that sounds like the ultimate let-down for kids mishearing their next holiday destination! But for those of us on the quest to find the best golf courses around, it’s anything but. Disley village transpires to be ruggedly beautiful, though seems to have something of an identity crisis, being Cheshire historically, Greater Manchester officially, yet only a smooth pitching wedge away from Derbyshire.
Whatever. Hopes are high as we pull into the club car park, being in the hotbed of challenging hilly courses, with rewarding views… Marple, New Mills and Macclesfield all being in the local vicinity. Founded in 1889, the course was designed by renowned James Braid, 5 time winner of The Open (in a 10 year spell, early in the 20th century, part of a run of 38 consecutive appearances!), and responsible for designing or remodelling up to 400 courses, most notably Gleneagles.
We’re well prepared for our round, having studied all 18 of the ever-helpful flyover videos on Disley’s website, and are optimistic of scoring well, noting seemingly mid-range distances, and a distinct lack of water – we’ll only need to take one ball, right?! Wrong. The rendered graphics don’t quite capture the never-ending undulations, meaning tee shots are about the only strokes played off a flat lie.
But complaining, we are certainly not. The hills make for a series of challenges, a beautiful rolling landscape and surprises over every summit. And the views! Wow. OK, we got lucky with a glorious sunny day, but still. Everywhere we look, there’s the most astounding far-reaching vistas… Manchester’s cityscape on the distant horizon, juxtaposed by the dozen or so miles of patchwork countryside in the foreground, in 50 shades of green.
The award for best hole sparks fierce debate, such are the number of contenders, but in the end we settle on the 14th, a par 4 which at 273 yards is theoretically drivable for the big hitters, and a conundrum navigating the huge cavernous mini-quarry (see pic) that runs from 200 to 225 yards, for the rest of us.
The club setup includes a bar with a terrace to take in those views, basic practice facilities, pro shop together with a team of pros with impressive credentials, and an indoor academy. Sadly, our schedule this time doesn’t permit us to explore any of these, but having had one of our most enjoyable afternoons of the year, it’s only a matter of time before we’ll be heading back!
Key Info
Holes: 18
Par: White / Yellow / Red: 71
Yards: White: 6,002. Yellow: 5,773. Red: 5,162
Slope: White: 124. Yellow: 122. Red: 120
Visitor Green Fees: £20-30 (deals spotted on club’s website for off-peak times)
Website: http://www.disleygolfclub.co.uk
Location
Prices correct at time of writing (September 2023).
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!
Where shall we review next? Let us know here.
Golf Cheshire 