There’s a new, extended tee box on the ninth hole. I noticed because it’s a long walk back there from the eighth green. It stretches this excellent dogleg right par 4 to 394 metres. It’s only the fifth longest par 4, yet tricky. You need to judge the dogleg carefully, the tee shot requires a fade. Anything too long runs down a slope into the trees on the far side. From there you have no shot at the flag. The green is lengthy and narrow, guarded by a prominent bunker on the left. The new tee, opened December 2022, was thoughtfully dedicated to Derek de Smidt, a big part of the club for 30 years as pro and manager until his passing in 2021. A memorial bench alongside the tee is a nice touch.
