Royal Waterloo Golf Club, the venue for this week’s Telenet Trophy, has received huge praise from the Challenge Tour stars for its testing old-style lay-out and its ability to not only withstand some difficult weather conditions, but to flourish in spite of them.
The home course of Nicolas Colsaerts has played host to the tournament every two years since 2007 and always proves one of the most popular venues on the schedule.
Established in 1923, the course boasts the style of a traditional old European track. While it is just under 7,000 yards in distance, it has certainly been no walk in the park for the players this week, with markedly tight fairways making it a real test from the tees.
Stuart Manley, who shared the lead entering the final day for the second time in his career this year, believes the course suits his game down to the ground and was thoroughly enjoying the tough but fair challenge it provides.
“I really like this course,” he said. “I think it’s a really fair course. It’s in great condition considering the weather. It’s very tight so you can’t spray it everywhere, you need to pick your way around the course and I quite enjoy that.
“If we could have more of this type of course on the schedule throughout the year I would love it.”
Luke Goddard, the leader after the opening round, agrees with his Welsh counter-part and goes ever further, saying it is one of the best courses he has ever had the pleasure of playing.
“It’s a beautiful course,” he said. “It is definitely the best we've played this year, in my opinion. It’s probably one of the best I’ve ever played and considering the amount of rain we had, the greens have been solid so it’s great.”
Meanwhile, Robert Dinwiddie of England, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt and Manley are set for a battle of the nations as they enter the final day tied at the top on nine under par.
