I dread this hole. It is very long. For a newer player, who doesn’t hit as far as the veterans, and can be sure to ‘duff’ at least one, or even four shots, it never seems to end. In summer its openness exposes you to a long hike in the sun. In winter the wind races across, freezing.

Although the fairway is open and wide, and fairly flat apart from one left-sloping gully halfway along its length, it is quite astonishing how often you can find yourself off in the rough among the trees. In autumn, trying to find your ball among the fallen leaves can be… tiresome. In high summer, you might aim to stay closer to the right to get some shade, but there you take the risk of hitting one or more trees. A few weeks ago I hit a ball into a tree, and it stayed there. I could see it, high up in the foliage, but I couldn’t reach it.

I once managed to play this hole in 8 shots, but only because I had a ‘crow’ (chipped into the hole from off the green), a rare event indeed. Mostly I can count on at least 10 or a dozen shots from tee to hole. Depressing.

But there is a loo at the end of this hole, which is sometimes needed, a bubbler tap if you’ve forgotten your water bottle, and a seat where you can rest a moment from your labours on this longest hole, at approximately halfway around the 9 holes.

Golf Club enquiries: braidwoodgolfclub@gmail.com or call Michelle 48422108