Five Lakes Golf Resort

The inaugural North vs South Ryder Cup Challenge event took place at Five Lakes Resort in Essex, The South being the ‘home’ side, although much of the team had travelled up from Kent and London. Five Lakes is a modern hotel venue boasting two 18 hole courses, set in rather barren countryside out towards the Essex marshes.

The hotel itself was very smart and comfortable and most of the players’ needs were well-catered for by helpful local staff. Indeed, the luxurious ambience was only slightly spoiled by a rather nasty bottle fight which broke out late Saturday, not, we hasten to add, involving any of the Ryder Cup participants – some North players were however extremely helpful in aiding the police with their subsequent enquiries.

Five Lakes Hotel

Friday night had seen most of the group out on the town in nearby Colchester, a location scouted the previous evening by a small party from The North. Famously a garrison town, the nightlife was discovered to be consistent with the cliches associated with such places, and a fine time was had by all.

As to the courses, the opening Fourballs on the Friday were played over the 6,181 yard, Par 71 Links Course which featured some very unforgiving, scrubby rough and was a severe physical challenge in what were extremely hot and dry conditions.

6,768 yard, Par 72 Lakes Course

More enjoyable to play was the 6,768 yard, Par 72 Lakes Course where the players headed for the afternoon Foursomes and were to return Saturday for the concluding Singles. Characterised, as the name suggests, by plenty of water hazards, this Championship course was well kept (save for some accumulation of duck droppings on the back nine) and presented a difficult but fair challenge to the two teams.

The general feeling at the end of the event was that Five Lakes had proven a well-chosen venue and the challenge was effectively laid down to the North to find an equally suitable location for 2005.