Painswick Golf Club

Never have I played on such an awful course.Signposting to next tee non-existing. Loose probably 2-3 balls a month, lost 5 today. . Ridiculously greens hidden - no chance of seeing where the ball lands.

Then hordes of walkers, usually with their dogs running on the greens. Had to wait a good 20 minutes to get a clear path. In all it was an experience not to be tried again

We chose to play Painswick because we had read that it was quirky and posed interesting challenges. We were not disappointed. The course makes full use of the terrain, rising to its highest point where the 360 degree panorama is exceptional.

We were warned that maintenance week on the greens had recently taken place and we found them slow but playable.

More of a challenge was the number of dog walkers, some of whom completely ignore the fact that there are golfers around.

Buggies would not be suitable on the rugged, and in some places, narrow paths.

More signage for the first time user would be useful. Several times we missed the location of the red tees.

All in all if you are in the area do play it. You won’t forget it quickly. It is also extremely good value for money.

This course is defiantly not for the faint hearted, you need a lot of stamina on this seemingly constant up-hill course. Well worth it hopefully we will play the course again when we are in the area. This is a must play course.

Played here earlier with my wife. Course in good condition despite a few small areas being protected on a few greens.

Our problem was lack of signage to ladies tees on the 5th and 11th. My wife had paid the same price so deserved the same information.

This didn’t spoil a great afternoon on the course and we received a warm welcome in the clubhouse.

Th it s course is very rugged and hilly snd not for the faint hearted but is a great challenge. Really unusual holes snd lots of challenging lies on the fairways but really enjoyed this.

The o ly issues were a lack of signage to the tees and as lots of holes and fairways cross over or share fairways it made it difficult to comprehend for a first timer. Also, the walkways between holes were very rocky and barrow and difficult to get trolleys over.

Overall though a great golf venue and the views are spectacular!

What great fun this layout proved to be. Everyone should play this unique course once in their life. I am glad I did.

Wonderful course, enjoyed the views, the lack of bunkers and the design that still makes this a challenging course.

Haven’t played here for 49 years, but the challenge and thrill on a number of holes is still there. The Clubhouse facilities/ bar are good and the green fees are cheap ( less than £20) this is excellent value for money.

Bar service was mediocre, staff were less than welcoming. Had to wait 15 mins for 3 drinks even though there were very few customers, when drinks arrived the Carling larger was warm and while it was promptly replaced it was still warm.

I'll start with the positives:

- the course is full of holes with plenty of character, making it a really interesting challenge.

- the views are incredible

- the clubhouse was lovely

- the staff were really friendly and welcoming

- fellow golfers were helpful in finding our way around the course.

However, the layout of the course was crazy. Every hole seemed to have a path either running alongside the hole or across the fairway, with lots of walkers, cyclists and runners seemingly oblivious to the fact they were on a golf course and the dangers that come with it.

Couple this with the fact that a handful of the holes share a fairway with another hole, often hitting directly at each other, with no signage on any of the holes to indicate right of way or any guidance on how best to navigate it, and no bells to indicate when it was clear to hit on any of the holes with blind shots. The scorecards do show who has right of way on each hole, so make sure to pick one up.

This meant that we ended up waiting for either another group or walkers to pass on most holes, making it a frustrating round. The 4th hole has one of the most ridiculous tee layouts I've ever seen, as you face the tee for the 13th which is about 15 yards in front of you. Why not just switch them around and make both holes 15 yards shorter so you don't have to keep waiting for other groups to tee off?

The 9th hole was possibly the most dangerous hole, with a blind tee shot over a ridge onto the same fairway as the players on the 8th will be walking down in the opposite direction, and with a public path running alongside it, so you hit your tee shot with no idea of who is stood where and if anyone is in danger. Best bet is just to shout fore regardless and hope for the best.

The 16th is the first hole with any clear signage, advising that there are cars passing through the fairway. However, this is slightly pointless given the road is 200 yards away and the visible section of road is probably no more than 30 yards, so even if there is a car coming you wouldn't see it in time to avoid hitting it, and likewise if you can see a car it would have disappeared by the time your ball reached it.

An incident on the 17th pretty much summed up the whole experience. The group in front of us teed off just as a couple of walkers decided to cross the fairway without checking it was clear. The ball then took a huge kick after bouncing on the road and rolled passed the couple about 10 yards from where they were stood. Nothing the golfers could do as they couldn't see them, and it was a fairly straight tee shot. The couple then proceeded to shout abuse at every golfer in site, spanning 3 separate groups, saying they could have been seriously injured. Well don't walk down the middle of a golf course then. Sadly, I can only imagine this is a common occurrence given the layout of the course and the apparent lack of awareness of the locals.

All in all, I just couldn't enjoy the round for fear of causing someone an injury. I am a fairly competent golfer, but found myself more concerned about hitting the ball away from crowds on each hole rather than down the middle of the fairway. It's a real shame, because the holes should be such an exciting challenge with how they are designed and the terrain, but I'd only want to play the course again if the surrounding mile was closed to every other individual.

So my advice if you do choose to play the course:

1) take out an insurance policy before you play

2) read the guidance on the scorecard on every hole

3) choose as quiet a time as possible to play - maybe a rainy day when there's less walkers or 8am on a Wednesday in the middle of December.

4) enjoy the moments when there is no-one around, because there is a bit of enjoyment to be had out there somewhere.

A beautiful course that works its way around and over an ancient iron age hill fort.

Watch out for the walkers, and horse riders though.

Amazing views.

The course was is brilliant condition.

Painswick is a very interesting course. We enjoyed much of the hilly terrain. All golfers on the course were very helpful in finding our way round as there was little signage. This is not a course to walk with any mobility problems. We noticed a few single buggies on the course (it looked as though the routes would not allow a double). Due to lots of unsighted shots greater number of balls lost. Fabulous views from the high points. Finished off with a delicious light meal at the Waypoint, well worth a visit whether you’re golfing or not. Overall an enjoyable round but not suitable for all.

Really interesting challenge. Probably most scenic course I have played. Holes you won’t find anywhere else. Friendly staff, great service and unforgettable views. Well done Painswick!

This course is a challenge, it's not the longest yardage you will ever play but it has many blind shots over hills to greens, long carries over quarries and narrow par three's. Stunning scenery and course in good condition, Hilly in places. Staff friendly and knowledgeable. Recommended