“There are two types of golfers – those that have played Cavendish and those who wished they had.”

Eddie Birchenough has an in depth knowledge of playing Cavendish where he worked as a caddy before embarking on a successful career as a Club Professional, finally retiring in 2013 after 27 years as Head Professional at Royal Lytham and St Annes G C, where he is now an Honorary Member.

“Every now and again you encounter a hidden gem that doesn’t just tick all of your personal boxes, it adds new boxes and then ticks them for you”. The article concludes with “if you get the impression I liked Cavendish, you’re wrong. I loved it.”

Golf Monthly, September 2014 published a golfers guide to Derbyshire where the writer stated the above.

“A well-preserved, if modest, Alister MacKenzie design laid out for the wealthy patron among the hills south of Manchester, which features several MacKenzie-style greens. The first two holes, may cause you to wonder what you’re doing there, but pay attention at the 280 yard 3rd or you’ll overlook a clever design with a fall-away green. The stretch of holes from the 8th through 11th, when a rushing brook comes into play, elevates the course to another class. At 5,800 yards par 68, it may not be for everyone, but Cavendish is a most pleasant setting and it’s comforting to know that not every club has caved in to the pressure to standardise.”

Tom Doak also rated Cavendish in the Top 10 courses in the world par under 70; he also cited Cavendish 10th in his best 18 holes from courses that aren’t on anyone’s Top 100 list and the 10th as one of the best 18 holes designed by Alister MacKenzie.

“Over many years playing golf on many different courses in many different countries, I have evolved my own grading system for golf courses. It’s a simple method whereby after some time has passed, I attempt to recall each of the 18 holes on the course. If I only have a recollection of a handful of holes then I won’t rate the layout very highly. If however, I can recall all 18 holes, then I would be inclined to give the course top marks. At Cavendish I can not only recall all 18 holes on the course, I can clearly remember every shot I hit.”

“Anything stereotyped should be avoided on the golf course. All construction work should follow the irregular lines of nature.”