Hidden away in a wood just off the A19, down a twisty single track, is the tranquil oasis that is the Wearside Golf Club.
Advertised as “The North East’s Hidden Gem” it surely lives up to its claim.
The clubhouse was pleasantly furnished and the staff cordial although not gushing with enthusiasm. I would have normally expected the attendant in the pro shop to have made an effort to put out the flags on the putting green instead of leaving it to us and a simple apology that the greens had just been hollow tined and sanded would not have been amiss.
None-the-less the putting competition was carried out with gusto and a suitable amount of banter with Mike Storer handing in the winning score of 36.
Well Done Mike.
Unusually the first hole was only a par 3, which gave us time to loosen up before taking on the two long par 5’s (over 500 yards each.) on the 3rd and 5th.
A deep gorge runs through the course and this provided a number of challenges when they were encountered.
Because of them being tined and sanded the greens were very slow and made for interesting putting.
Although at one point the rain did threaten to spoil the day the high winds seem to have kept it at bay and we all remained dry.
There seemed to be a lot of walking between tees with the 18th finishing someway from the clubhouse.
The meal of mince pie chips and peas followed by chocolate cake and cream was very welcoming.
After the meal the President (Jim Walker) made the draw to decide the foursome partners which resulted in Chris Morrison and Alan Port having a collected score of 63 points. Well Done to you both.
It was announced that the 2019 AGM will be held at the Northumberland Golf Club at 6.00 p.m. on Friday the 8th March 2019.
Noel Stevenson
Honorary Secretary