You may never get to play the course that hosts the Masters but you can experience a hint of what it’s like on the exquisitely-designed course at Basingstoke Golf Club.

If you’re a golfer passing through Hampshire on the M3, I don’t suppose even the exotic-sounding Bohemia, Little London or Palestine will do much to tempt you to take your foot off the pedal and enjoy a little diversion, but a little piece of Augusta? Now that’s a different matter.

Turn off at junction 7, take a two-minute cruise down the A30 and, hey presto, you pass through some impressive gates to a green golfing nirvana.

This small, private enclave houses the centuryold Basingstoke Golf Club. The name may not have the same glamorous ring to it as the home of the US Masters, but, for anyone who has been lucky enough to visit the Bobby Jones classic in America (which, a few years ago, I was fortunate enough to do) the design cues of this tricky course certainly bring to mind a corner or two of the venerable Augusta National.

Funnily enough, the 1st hole is somewhat similar to Augusta’s tough opener. It’s about the same length at 499 yards from the white tees and 488 from the yellows, has virtually the same shape and has bunkers in similar positions and because it’s a par-5 (Augusta’s is a par-4!), it provides a nice chance to pencil in a solid par or even a birdie at the start of your round.

Basingstoke also has its own Amen Corner (holes 11,12 and 13 at Augusta). This course’s tough mid-round test comes at the 10th, 11th and 12th holes. This superb trio of holes will test every club in your bag and every ounce of emotional stamina you have - unless you’re playing your socks off!

The 10th is a long, straight but narrow par-4 of 417 yards from the white tees. It demands nothing less than your best drive if you are to make a par or better. That will leave you with a strong mid-iron shot to a green closely protected right and left by bunkers.

The 11th is my personal favourite, a long (425 yards) downhill par-4 to another green closely protected by sand. It very much reminded me of Augusta’s 10th, albeit as a mirror image of



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