By James Stone -


It was summer and it was hot, and bored of the city, I headed on down to the sleepy yet refreshing breezes offered by the east Dorset coastline, where my aunt, Helen, resides in Christchurch.

There is much to do in the environs of the town for those who need amusing. One can visit the famous Christchurch Priory, potter down to one of the many nearby beaches for a spot of swimming or surfing, or strike out for Hengistbury Head, where views away to Bournemouth and Poole as well as the Isle of Wight make for an enjoyable few hours, so long as you and your dog avoid the Noddy Train. Of course, there is also the New Forest within an easy drive, where ponies, bogs and heath land provide a wonderful setting. I, however, chose to take in none of these leisure pursuits, and opted to concentrate single-mindedly on my golf swing, with Helen gamely in tow.

For the poor to average golfer there are a good number of courses to have a go at within a few miles of the coast on the Dorset – Hampshire boundary.

On the first afternoon of my visit we thought we would dive in at the deep end and drove off to the bothersome Dudmoor Farm course. This nine-hole jaunt is thick with trees, meaning a good supply of second-rate balls is required to avoid running out after the fourth hole. The course has a good mix of both long and short holes, and the par-five second is often lined by the rear ends of disinterested horses, who, one feels, have seen one sliced-three iron too many. Shot of the day was a stupendous seven-iron my aunt hit to within five-feet on the difficult third.

After an enjoyable round, and an even more enjoyable Shepherd's Pie courtesy of Helen that evening, we set out fortified for the dangers of Bashley Park the next day. On the edge of the New Forest, this course is filled by golfing caravanners on the weekends, but during the week it is a viable option. The greens are often in good condition and shot of the round was an incredible three-wood I faded on to the eighth green.

The next day, having succumbed to the attractions of a trip to Tuckton Bridge for a row along the river in the morning, we headed off to the Parley Court driving range in the afternoon to sort out my shanking problem - but only after enjoying a sizeable Cornish pasty for lunch. As driving ranges go, Parley Court is good fun, mostly due to the attraction of hitting light aircraft, attempting to land at nearby Hurn airport.

We left our best play to the last day of my holiday. Close to Hengistbury Head, the Solent Meads par three course is great fun. With it being such a warm, sunny day, it offered wonderful views of the local priory, Christchurch harbour and yachts struggling in the wind out to sea. The short nature of the 18-hole course means it is perfect for those who can't hit the ball too far, while those who can, are able to practise their short game. Solent is very popular on weekends and during the holiday season, both of which it happened to be, and we endured a slow round – although luckily we were fully stocked with sandwiches to keep spirits high. Shot of the day was a gorgeous nine-iron I clubbed in to the cafeteria on the 18th.


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