Fulford Golf Club

One of golf's most famous shots was by Bernard Langer from halfway up a tree at the side of Fulwell's 17th green.

Indeed, indulged in a pre-game bacon sandwich and coffee beneath a giant photograph in the clubhouse that captured the drama of the 1981 Benson & Hedges International Open.

The same room houses an honours board that recalls wins by 1970s and 1980s heroes such as Tony Jacklin, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Greg Norman, Sam Torrance, and Sandy Lyle.

Fulford is situated in a beautiful village a couple of miles outside the historic city of York.

The prettiness of the vista from the clubhouse veranda towards the flower-framed practice green and 18th hole lifts the mood before teeing off on the par-four opening hole.

Langer was not the first or last to find trouble in trees at Fulford – they are everywhere and, alongside its many bunkers, are the course’s primary defence.

The greens have well-manicured runoffs but are mainly flat and consistent, holding fewer perils than most top 100 courses.

Thus, keeping the ball on the fairway of this slope 142 course reaps significant rewards.

Fulford is on a tight strip of land on either side of the busy A64, and the sixth and seventh holes are inside a loop from eight to 13 on the opposite side of the road.

Its course manager is seeking to increase the heather on the course and first evidence of the cuttings brought from Sherwood Forest Golf Club is on the lovely par-three tenth and around the tee on the par-five 11th..

And there is so much more to the 360-yard 17th than Langer’s tree antics.

The drive needs to be wide left because a straight one will require hitting under a much bigger tree towards a green guarded by a stream.

I tried a runner under branches only to see my ball flop into the water.

Incidentally, every hole at Fulford is named after a winner of a tournament on the course, except the 17th, which bears the moniker of the chap who made it famous.

The 18th is a par-five which I liked because it can be reached in two and I can imagine match-play games being decided with birdies or even eagles rather than muck-ups.

It completes a course in excellent condition and plenty of challenging holes.

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Fantastic challenging course for all abilities and the greens are exceptional all year round. They have made some great changes and remodelled a lot of their bunkers. A must play in my opinion.

The course, located close to the city centre of York on flat land, begins as a fast-running parkland course as it heads away from the clubhouse towards the busy A64 that dissects the course into two distinct parts. Cross the road and you enter a more wooded setting with a touch of heathland about it before re-crossing the road and playing the final five holes parallel to the opening stretch.