As with our staff and facilities at Garforth Golf Club, our first, second and third holes will make you feel very welcome.

One of Dr MacKenzie’s design principles was that a course should have ‘two or three drive-and-pitch holes’. Here at Garforth, our two holes that fit that category come within our first three, and with a reachable Par 5 sandwiched between them, to many this is the easiest stretch of holes on our course. But don’t be lured in - the pressure to make the most of these three holes can often get too much for our members, knowing what’s to come after.

Although not long at just over 300 yards, the 1st is an easy hole to make a mess of. If you can avoid the usual first tee nerves and hit the fairway, a pitch and good opportunity of birdie await. However, if you’re just offline, as with most of the course, you can be struggling for par. Trees cut in on both sides from around 120 yards to the green, so an errand drive can be blocked out. A large bunker short right of the green and run off areas left, right and long means if you are out of position, the green isn’t an easy one to hit and if you do miss it a tricky up and down awaits.

For the longer hitter, the 2nd is a reachable Par 5 upon hitting the fairway with their drive. The fairway is one of the toughest to hit on the course though, with three bunkers at varying lengths and out of bounds cutting in close to the fairway in the left causing many golfers to bail out right. Bail out too far right however and a copse of trees is waiting for you. It’s then decision time – another of Dr Mackenzie’s principles. Do you take on the ‘heroic’ carry over Carr Beck which runs short of the green or lay up short leaving a longer third. A two tiered ‘MacKenzie’ green awaits leaving a tricky putt wherever you are.

At under 270 yards off the back tees, the third is a reachable Par 4. However, similar to the 3rd at Augusta National, it plays up hill and has a large slope short left of the green which will sweep your ball away. Favouring the right side of the fairway is key, but with trees just off the fairway to the right leaves little margin for error. Try to leave your ball below the hole on the green, as a very quick putt awaits from above the hole.

On paper, our first three holes look to be one of the easiest starts in Leeds, if not Yorkshire and birdie, birdie, birdie (or better!) starts do occur, leaving you in a great frame of mind to tackle the remaining 15 holes, starting with the very challenging 4th. Equally, standing on the fourth tee, looking at a tight tee shot with Cock Beck seeming to be a magnet for golf balls after starting bogey, bogey, bogey leaves a long way back to return a good score.

Our opening three reflect why Dr MacKenzie is regarded as one of the best golf course designers in history. His courses offer you an opportunity to make a score, but if you’re out of position or get too greedy they can come back to bite you.