The course winds its way around the ancient flood plain and has been designed so as to avoid the up-and-down effect that lesser courses succumb to. It drains amazingly well considering its low-lying position and the areas that have previously struggled to absorb Mother Nature’s damper moments have been recently drained to make Withington playable all year round without wellies.

The first half of Withington’s 18-hole track has two par 5s, the first of which comes at the fifth. 487 yards away the green is situated just over a stream and nestles beyond a tree standing guard over any low approach. It’s not a long hole, but easily earns its pseudonym as Withington’s second toughest hole.

Withington has everything; dog-legs, short par threes, long par threes, long, straight par fours – the lot. It’s a very challenging and well-crafted layout that requires excellent course management throughout. The River Mersey meanders its way along the outer perimeter bringing with it a plethora of wildlife. For a course a stone’s throw away from the buzzing metropolis of Manchester, it really is one for nature lovers everywhere.

The layout keeps you focused throughout your round and the clever design brings in the unpredictability factor allowing you to get nicely disorientated within the confines of the 100-acre site, as any good course should.

The low-lying course is a relatively easy walk, but don’t be fooled into believing it’s going to be an easy golf course. At 6,364 yards, Withington will no doubt test your approach play but the accommodating putting surfaces will receive any well-struck shots and a well-read putt is sure to drop on the beautifully manicured greens.

The course retains the same theme on back nine with some cracking features reminding you of the age of this fine establishment. Raised tees, with a backdrop of beautifully groomed fir trees, set off and define the holes, whilst ornate ponds divide the fairways asking even further questions of your course management skills.





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