Wincanton Golf Course

**Disappointing and Unwelcoming Experience** We had an incredibly frustrating experience at this golf course and would not recommend it to anyone. Before we even made the long 2-hour drive, we made sure to call ahead and ask if dogs were allowed on the course. We were told, very clearly, that as long as the dogs were on a lead and kept off the greens, there would be no problem. So, we packed up our gear and our dog, confident that everything had been arranged. Upon arrival, we were immediately met by an extremely unfriendly and dismissive older woman who seemed completely uninterested in providing any sort of customer service. She took one look at us, clearly judging us for not being members of the club, and told us in a very rude tone that dogs were not allowed on the property. We politely showed her the confirmation we received, which clearly stated that dogs were welcome under the conditions we mentioned. She glanced at it dismissively, almost sneering, and then proceeded to shoo us away without offering any form of refund or apology for the inconvenience caused. This whole experience was incredibly frustrating and felt like we were being treated like second-class citizens just because we weren't members. If you're not a member, expect to be treated poorly and given zero respect. I would strongly advise looking elsewhere for a golf course that values their customers and upholds the commitments they make. A complete waste of time and money.

Situated in the middle of the Wincanton Racecourse is Wincanton Golf Club. Still relatively young (constructed in the early 1990s), the racecourse owners built this course, which shows. It’s no pushover as there is a couple of very long pars 4’s, and the wind, due to the course having no protection at the top of the hill, does affect your play. 

Course - Consisting of 6 par 4s,2 Par 3s and single par 5, there is some variability in holes, and due to the length of the holes this is no pitch and putt. Due to the course being inside a horse racing track, it’s flat, very flat. I assume this is, so the grandstands have a view over the entire track. There are bunkers, quite a few in fact, and from 1 bunker I experienced, in surprisingly good condition. The same can not be said for the fairways, which still appeared to be suffering from the hottest summer on record. Patches of dead grass and dried dirt littered the course. On the day I visited, there was a strong westerly wind (according to the lady in the clubhouse, was expected). This took a while a get used to, but due to the lack of hazards and openness of the course, it didn’t trouble me. The most exciting hole would probably be the Par 3 5th. 3 bunkers protect a raised green to the left of the clubhouse and in front of the car park.

Clubhouse - With almost a farmhouse appearance, the club is rather large for the course. An average selection of drinks and snacks was available at the counter, along with a coffee machine. There appeared to be a restaurant, but as I was the only person in the building, I didn’t venture deeper. Changing rooms were sign-posted, but I didn’t require them.

Staff - I received a warm welcome from the lady who appeared to be there alone. She apologised for the greens’ condition and lowered the fee to £5.

Highlights - The views across to the Somerset levels are excellent, but this would depend on the day you visited.

Lowlights - The course is incredibly flat, and I hate to say it, rather dull. You might put yourself in danger if you are chasing a low score, but otherwise, you can quite easily plod around and bank a decent score.

If you are passing by and you fancy a quick nine holes of golf and not wanting to break the bank, then Wincanton will tick that box. It’s not worth a long journey just for itself.