Carden Park Golf Resort – Cheshire Course

Carden Park is not Jack Nicklaus’ greatest, but it’s by no means his weakest creation either. It is a fine – if not too exacting – example of a parkland layout in a magical countryside setting with several memorable holes, including a couple of do-or-die, risk-reward par 4s and a stunning penultimate hole which finishes slap bang in front of the 192-bed hotel.

Afterwards it’s well worth chilling out in the magnificent Georgian-style clubhouse brimming with Nicklaus memorabilia of course.

Please Note

2-FORE!-1 is available Saturday and Sunday subject to prior approval with the Club. PLEASE ring to check before turning up to play.

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After a 14-year management contract with the De Vere Group, the four-star Cheshire resort Carden Park has become a fully independent hotel (November 2014). Located within 1000 acres of Cheshire countryside the newly independent Carden Park Hotel offers a wide variety of facilities including 196 bedrooms, award winning spa, two championship golf courses, 18 meeting rooms and onsite team building. The transition from a brand managed hotel to an independently managed hotel will be supported by a refurbishment of the 196 bedrooms and public areas which will be completed in early 2015. Refurbishment work already completed includes the Cheshire golf course bunkers and the Carden Spa area.

The 6,653 yard, par 72 Championship Cheshire course hikes through the wooded fells behind the Clubhouse. A wealth of natural hazards make this a highly technical course and will test your skills throughout. Building to a dramatic and scenic finish, with tough 16th and 17th holes followed by the 18th tee atop sandstone cliffs overlooking the resort and Welsh hills. It certainly ensures a round of golf to remember. A Longest Drive competition is ideal on the 9th hole, with the 15th proving popular for Nearest the Pin, which keeps even the flagging players competitive spirits up right until your return to the Clubhouse. An average fourball can expect to complete the Cheshire Course in 4 ½ hours. 

The Carden Park driving range boasts 13 covered bays and 8 uncovered bays plus enjoy a short game with 3 practice greens and 3 greenside bunkers.

• Course has: Bar
• Course has: Buggy Hire
• Course has: Driving Range
• Course does not have: Practice Green
• Course has: Pro Shop
• Course has: Restaurant
• Course has: Trolley Hire
• Course has: Dress Code
• Course has: Club Hire
• Course has: Handicap

• 3 out of 5 Never again 21 October 2012

  By oli2449

  We played the Cheshire course yesterday. The course itself is well laid out and challenging, but what we didn't like was the fact that the greens had been hollowtined, which we hadn't been advised of when we booked.  Also it seemed to be overcrowded.  At times there were two to three groups of players waiting to tee off and also we were following a four ball who were drinking cans of lager and getting louder at each hole.  This seems to be encouraged by the course itself by the selling of beer at the halfway house.  At the end of a very long (5 1/2hr) round we were very glad for the ordeal to be over.

• 3 out of 5 greens were not good 18 November 2011

  By JUJITSU

   played with 2 pga pros today and we were not impressed, Ok we didnt have to pay but they r doing £25 a round with coffee and bacon butty, the tees were at the front of the ladys and the greens had just been hollotined so had 10mm holes all over so of tee driver then wedge on all par fours and driver then mid iron on rar fives. par 3s were of mates and were so close on most of them you hit wedge to 56degree. you could not put or even wedge close as it just ran anywere. i glad we didnt pay as i would of ask for my money back.  

• 4.5 out of 5 very welcoming 13 December 2009

  By JUJITSU

  had a great day out. good condition even with all the rain will play again

• 4 out of 5 very good 11 September 2009

  By tigertaylor09

  Played the nicklaus and cheshire in recent months. The cheshire is much better than the nicklaus. The course has more character and is more of a test. The amount of trees mean you have to be quite accurate off the tee. The greens are much better kept also. Don't know why big jack put his name to the other course because the cheshire is the better challenge.

• 4 out of 5 Much better than the Nicklaus 28 May 2009

  By hindmarshsl

  When played off the yellows it is actually longer than the more prestigious Nicklaus course. Although a Par 3 start is not for me the best way to get off things quickly got going. The 3rd was a tricky little Par 4 with water and sand a plenty. The ninth leading back to the clubhouse is a mammoth of a Par 4 measuring 430 yards from the yellows with plenty of sand to make it more tricky! However the back nine truly made the course for me. The 11th and 12th were fantastic with ditches and water galore! Then the 14th provided an eagle or double bogey hole as it is a Par 5 of only 425 yards from the yellow tees yet the hole has no less than 13 bunkers protecting a narrow fairway and raised green. However the last three holes made it for me! The 16th was by far the best hole on the course and looked like it had been taken directly from Wentworth. The 17th was a long Par 3 of over 200 yards well protected by bunkers and then there was the 18th… Possibly the most inviting tee shot I have ever played! Taken from at least 40 ft above the fairway it was breathtaking! In all well worth a visit and better than the more esteemed Nicklaus! 

• 4.5 out of 5 Best Course I have played this year 11 May 2009

  By pro_golfer

  Was suprised by the course played yesterday. Really friendly staff/memebers. Best Club House/Pro shop Iv'e seen so far. Buggies have GPS Sat Nav which measures the distance of your ball etc... Greens/Tees in superb condition, course well maintained. A few goods holes & lots of obstructions making it difficult at certain areas. Would go back again

• 5 out of 5 Fantastic 20 February 2009

  By 999Steve

  Played The Cheshire on Monday 16th February 2009 and was very impressed. Every aspect of the day was first class from the welcome at reception, the top class changing rooms, quality trolleys and the course itself. Winter Tees were in operation on many holes and Holes 4 & 5 were extremely wet, however the weather was fine and the company great. The course itself is full of surprises and gets better and better the further into it you get, the final four holes are a fitting climax to a really well laid out course. As a high handicapper (26) I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, yes there were times when i was punished for a wayward shot but i walked off with 31 points and a smile on my face

• 5 out of 5 Great course a must play 30 August 2008

  By djchrisg

  Playes 3 times now and I must say its one of the best courses I have played and I am a member at the Belfry. Better than the Nicklaus corse. The scenery is superb and the condition is always in good nick. Its that good I am playing in a mens Open today travelling 70 miles(30/08/08)...Its a must

• 4 out of 5 Typical Nicklaus course 10 June 2007

  By Dave_O

  Great layout, typical Nicklaus course. The greens were not great but still had a enjoyable day. Not sure if the £50 cost is value for money though.

• 5 out of 5 Cheshire Course 01 June 2007

  By stevemav

  'Cheshire - Excellent course with truly great finish' Design and condition: Good course design with only one or two weak holes eg don't like opening with a par3 but perhaps that's just me. Course condition was generally excellent with good true greens, well positioned and playable bunkers, and good quality well maintained tees (although two of the par 3 tees had not been moved often enough so were a bit "scabby"). Brilliant finish to the round 16th - tight tree lined uphill par 4, followed by picturesque par 3 in the trees and finishing with a driveable par 4 from an elevated tee with a pond from 240yds to 275yds from the tee. Playability: Many of the holes narrow down at 250 to 300yds from the tee so if your going to hit long then you need to be accurate. Second shot to short par 5 14th is more club than you think. Overall better to be straight than long. Facilities and welcome: Fantastic facilities - driving range, practice short game area, academy course several practice putting greens.Good locker room with lockers and free to use towels. Superbly stocked pro shop - not cheap but not over the top prices either. Good clubhouse bar with balcony above pro shop with hotel priced drinks (£3 a pint) but very reasonably priced good quality food.(full breakfast only £5.95) Brilliant value for money at £20 (2for1 deal) but would happily pay the regular £40 to play it again - actually going back next week!!!

• 3 out of 5 Nicklaus? 30 May 2007

  By sadgat

  Played the Nicklaus course on a very wet sunday afternoon, it is a very nice well looked after course which will get better with maturity and is a fair test for all standards but my advice would be to play the Chesire course which we did on Monday, this is a much more mature,pretty course which we all found a little more testing,the only disapointment was that it did not appear to be as thoroughly looked after as the more lucrative Nicklaus 18,on site hotel and facilities were excellent