Pros:
Private custom built course with a range of different holes purpose cut through the mixed woodland.
Lovely bordered woodchip tees and superb signage along with the best baskets in the business Disc Golf UK Castles! (showing my bias again!)
Massive range of wildlife on the course with two large areas set aside as wildlife conservatories. Expect to see deer, foxes, badgers and a huge range of flora around the course.
Fun relaxed golf in a beautiful woodland setting with some views out across the Warwickshire countryside.
Pro shop, carparking and toilets on site.
Cons:
Not a lot really. Tees need to hardstanding, and this is the next project.
Pay to play? Not a con for me.
Car Parking might get a bit crowded at busy times.
Lack of elevation
Unfortunately we can't use the two ponds for ecological reasons.
Other Thoughts:
REVIEW UPDATED 4TH AUGUST 2022
This has been an incredibly long project with a first walkaround all the way back in early 2018.
As a private Woodland we had to go through the rigmarole of a full planning permission change of use which is both expensive, bureaucratic and long winded.
In the late Autumn of 2020 the go ahead was finally given (albeit with quite a few restrictions!) and the work could start.
Gilly's is a 50 year old Bluebell woodland in the heart of Warwickshire just 5 minutes from Stratford Upon Avon the birthplace of Shakespeare. There is a great mix of trees in the woods and some older oaks and Beech in amongst the newer pines and Ashes.
Each hole has been lovingly cut through the woods to create the holes we wanted to see and Matt the owner has spent countless hours of backbreaking work brining it all to fruition.
The woods are set up with a central Ride (greenway) separating the East and West Side. We have started on the East side and created a 12 hole White Course with a 12 hole beginner Orange course playing alongside through shorter tee positions and with some unique holes as well.
The White course plays around 920 rated to par. As families and schools are expected in large numbers on the beginner course the shared holes have been kept quite short and visible from the tee for safety reasons but there are a few longer holes where the courses deviate (holes 8,9,10,11) with the signature a 156 meter dog leg par 4 weaving in and out of the oaks.
The Blue course on the West side of the woods opens next weekend (12th August) This course is beautiful and I have just finished my first round there. Holes are challenging but fair and range from a 65 meter high stalling RHBH hyzer shot to a 150 meter sinuous par 4 requiring two great shots to attack the basket
For competitions and quiet times there will be an 18 hole amalgamation layout playing across both sides playing around 980 rated to par with further planned Tee positions taking this to over 1000 rated to par
This has jumped in as an easy 4.5 for me and will hit 5 star as soon as the tees are all finished to the standard Matt intends which will probably be towards the end of 2023.
In the meantime this is a destination course, go and play!