It may not be the most well-known in the county but the golf course at Withernsea is not one to approach lightly, as Andy Mortimer discovers . . .

One of the many bunkers at Withernsea Golf Club

To some, the rather remote trek across the flatlands of Holderness to Withernsea Golf Club will not be the ideal start to a round of golf. There are none of the hills or drops of North Yorkshire and, as the wind increases the nearer you get to the coast, neither is there the glamour of the pretty parkland courses elsewhere in East Yorkshire.

Located off Chestnut Avenue, and celebrating its centenary this year, it offers its 200 or so members something completely different to the usual golfing mix. Okay, it may lack length – it is, after all, only a nine-holer with an added 10th green making the back nine slightly different – but those who play here regularly claim it makes up for this in character, atmosphere and a collection of holes on which you will never – and I mean never – score easily.

I visited Withernsea for a round with last year’s club captain, Jack Hornsby (57), and 2009 captain, Martin George (71). And on entering the course I was, in all honesty, slightly underwhelmed.

The clubhouse is a low-ceilinged building encompassing a bar, restaurant area, locker room and toilets. But don’t seek out the pro-shop; there is no such thing at Withernsea. So, as first impressions go, it wasn’t the best, but as I had previously learnt at that little gem of a course that is Burstwick Golf Club, near Hedon, the facilities are much less important than the golf. So, happily warming up with Jack and Martin on the first tee, I learnt a little about the course itself.

Jack, a former health inspector with Hull City Council and who was taught at school by retired teacher, Martin, said: “Withernsea can’t compete with the big players in the region in terms of our facilities and the course and we know that. But what we do offer is a service and a friendly atmosphere that I believe you won’t find elsewhere.

“We are in the middle of refurbishing our clubhouse and the locker rooms and its the members who – through their membership fees and by donating their spare paint and time – are getting the work done when they can. We all muck in here because we can’t afford to do anything else.

“But it’s not a negative thing. If anything, it brings us closer together.”

The opening hole is relatively straight, 331-yards in length off the competition tees, with a ditch 160-yards down the fairway and bunkers surrounding the green. Martin, an 18-handicapper, shot a little right and slicey and finished just short of the ditch while Jack and I matched each other, landing over and to the left.

“I’ll see you on the green,” laughed Martin as Jack and I crossed the ditch to our balls. Both shooting just short of the green with our second shots – the wind was really whipping up around us – Jack gave me a few tips about conquering the 6,209-yard course.

“People come to Withernsea thinking it’s really easy and expecting to rip it up,” he said. “But it’s not as simple as you think. It’s on very undulating ground, so you either have an up-hill or down-hill lie and our greenkeepers certainly know how to put a good course together.”

The Withernsea Golf Club greenkeepers, father and son, Steve and Steven Dale, are the current English Pairs Golf Champions after winning the International Pairs competition in Carnoustie, in Scotland, last September.

“This is the hidden gem of Holderness, in my opinion,” added Jack.

Hidden gem it may be but neither Jack, Martin or I could claim to be hidden gems of the golfing world! A relatively easy par-four opening hole descended into farce as I duffed my chip short of the green and struggled for a five while the local pair also fluffed around for similar scores. It was not an auspicious start and, as we made our way to the second tee, 50 metres or so to the right of the green, I had a couple of concerns about the course I desperately hoped weren’t going to continue over the next 17 holes.

I must make it clear now that being a nine-hole course doesn’t matter to me – there are a number of great nine-holers around and I do enjoy repeating holes as it often improves your score somewhat – but the fairways were often hard to define from the rough while the sand in the bunkers was hard and rough and even I, who has recently improved my bunker play, was dreading my first ventures into them.

The greens, however, proved very, very impressive, particularly for winter, and well up to Martin’s claim to be some of the best in the county.

On to the second hole – an example of one of the few types of hole to really get me nervous. A long par-three, 233-yards off the white tees and directly into the wind, it is, for the shorter hitters, almost impossible to par.

This, of course, is not a bad thing as we all need to be challenged, and I did rather enjoy the appeal of driving a three-wood off the tee, only to find a slice leaving me some 50 yards right. Martin said: “The good thing about Withernsea is that if you do go a little wayward there aren’t too many trees blocking your way back to the green.”

And that’s a very fair point. Obviously designed for the higher handicapper without making life too easy for the scratch player, Withernsea is forgiving so far as errant tee shots are concerned. My wild drive ended up as a respectable five and if you aren’t taking the game too seriously, this is a bonus.

The second is followed by a couple of 400-yard plus par-fours before a lovely hole, the 148-yard fifth appears on the radar. Kept snug in the corner of the course, the best method is to shoot under the wind to a green that is surrounded by bunkers and kept out of the rain by trees to the back and right.

This was a my favourite hole thus far. The bunkers in front of the green prevent you running up, while the strong and swirling wind made club selection a chore if you are a high shooter. I chose my club incorrectly and hit my eight-iron short and left into the bunker. Chipping out – as mentioned before the bunkers were too hard for real bunker shots – I scrambled a four and looked back on the best hole so far.

Martin, Andy and Jack at the second hole

Following the fifth is the hardest hole on the course and, also, one of the hardest I’ve played this year. The par-five 475-yard sixth may not seem overly difficult on the scorecard but with tight out-of-bounds right and a near 90 degree dog-leg left over heavy gorse, it is not one to take lightly.

On my visit I wimped out completely, shooting two five irons to the corner before pulling it round on to the green while Martin and Jack visited opposite sides of the fairway before meeting me at the hole. A collection of nicely laid-out holes finish the first nine, including the 283-yard par-four seventh, which on a warm, sunny day would be possible to reach from the tee. Ending the first nine are a couple of longer holes, again with tight out-of-bounds on the right, although relatively straight.

From here we were back at the clubhouse and ready to return to the first for the 10th hole. Jack, who I had learnt on my round was a former player, coach, manager and chairman of Withernsea Town Football Club, was departing for the clubhouse with a sore knee while Martin and I agreed to play another nine holes to make up the 18.

The tee placements for the final nine holes at Withernsea vary to differing degrees to the opening holes. On some occasions, such as the first and 10th, a couple of yards separate, while on others, such as the fifth/14th the difference is huge, adding some 30 yards and three clubs to the tee shot.

There is also a 10th green to negotiate with the 11th hole becoming a short, 134-yard par-four, but despite these differences, the test was pretty similar to the front nine. In an attempt to alter this, a new green is planned for the fourth/13th and new tee for the sixth/15th but Martin said not all members were in support of this, such is the traditional nature of many of the players at Withernsea.

Martin, who at the time was captain of the Withernsea Elderly Gentleman Golf Society (EGGS), said: “Some of the members are for the changes while others want the course to remain the same. There is an even test for people at Withernsea and a lot of the members, who have been here for years, want to keep it as it is.”

And despite my initial reservations I can’t see this as a bad thing. Withernsea is a members-owned club and as such doesn’t have the money to compete with the Burstwicks or Cottingham Parks of the county, but there is a warmth within the members that you wouldn’t find elsewhere. Speaking to Martin I learnt that the club has a thriving EGGS section while the club captain also tutors Withernsea’s juniors each week – a great way to introduce them to the club and the sport.

As we wandered around, too, a one-ball behind us was invited to join in with us and, despite the often, rugged nature of the course I did enjoy my round. Perhaps a better course for summer golf, but very reasonably priced and nicely laid out. Plans are well in hand for the centenary celebrations of the club. Several major competitions and events are currently being planned. For more information, call: (01964) 612078.

Verdict: Not the most attractive course in the region but there are some great holes to enjoy. The par-three fifth is a particular stand-out, surrounded as it is by trees and numerous bunkers. A good course to learn how to play in the wind and not as easy to score on as you would first believe.Withernsea Golf Club is in Chestnut Avenue, Withernsea, HU19 2PG.

Membership fees: Full-playing gent under 65, £430; over 65, £353; lady under 65, £380; over 65, £317. Five-day gent over 65; £331; under 65, £383; lady over 65, £291; lady under 65, £345. Juniors over 21 pay £106 and under 21, pay £65. There is currently no joining fee.

Green fees: Weekdays, 18 holes: £5. Weekends, 18 holes, £10. Juniors under 16, £3. A midweek package is available with a bacon sandwich and coffee on arrival, 18 holes and a two-course meal, £13.