Reading has well-designed greens, a bit pock-marked on the par 3s with unrepaired pitch marks, but chipping and putting perfectly. The course has mostly excellent holes, interspersed with a few disappointingly weak ones, particularly the sharp dogleg right 16th. The ugliness of the adjoining housing complex overlooking this hole spoils a pleasant round. There are just three 5s, and the pair on the front nine, 4 and 8, which run parallel to each other, are average to say the least. But all the par 4s are impressive (other than 16) and challenging — especially with ditches and penalty areas bordering fairways — which is something you don’t find away from the top-ranked courses. And a strong set of 3s, of which No 11 at 185m with a raised green is terrific. Locker room has had a welcome upgrade.
