COURSES North Wilts

Ahealthy number of the 24 clubs listed on the Wiltshire Golf website offer up excellent year-round golf because of their downland settings. Among them is the thoroughly enjoyable course at North Wilts Golf Club, which was founded in 1890 and which climbs to 700ft at its highest point. There is a real feeling of space here, with far-reaching views everywhere you look.

The layout is bisected by a road midway between Calne and Devizes, with the opening ten holes lying across the road from the clubhouse. You start on an inviting par 5 across a sideslope, before a short par-4 2nd that will fill you with hope... until you catch sight of the unusual two-tiered green with its small, awkward rear shelf.

You climb steeply on the 5th - and again on the 8th - with the short but devilishly tricky par-3 6th occupying the highest ground. When the wind is blowing, this exposed 118-yarder could be one of the toughest tests on the course.

From nine to 18

North Wilts started life as a nine-holer, with Harry Colt then tasked with making improvements to the existing layout in the early 1930s. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that hopes of an extension to 18 became reality, with work starting in the early 1970s and the new holes opening for limited play in 1971.

When you cross the road after the 10th, the course takes on a slightly different character, with the holes a little more tree-lined and self-enclosed. You’re still high up, though, so the views remain mesmerising, especially from the tee of the classic dropdown par-3 13th.

Coming home

The 14th hole, a short par 4 up the valley, is then a bit of an unexpected shock to the system as its narrow, two-tiered shelf green will test your approach play to the full. The fairway pinches in, too, perhaps encouraging a cautious strategy off the tee, but you simply can’t afford to be going into this putting surface with too much club.

This fine course finishes strongly with a chance to score on the par-5 17th, which sweeps round to the right. The 18th then plays markedly longer than its 413 yards thanks to a testing uphill approach.