LIVING THE HIGH LIFE

Jeremy Ellwood and GM editor Mike Harris enjoy golf up in the clouds on a whistle-stop tour of the Cotswolds

-  Mike Harris

"I have a few days off the week after next with no commitments (wife/daughter/ dog are all away) so I'm keen to play some golf! I've not really given where a lot of thought, but are you guys around?" So read the email from GM editor Mike Harris on Sunday July 31 to me and my courses colleague, Rob Smith. As it transpired, Rob couldn't make it but I had a relatively clear week. So, ten days later Mike and I found ourselves heading to the Cotswolds for a whirlwind two-day, 72-hole tour of some of the hilliest courses around in some of the very hottest weather this country is ever likely to enjoy.

Why the Cotswolds? Well, from a shortlist of three or four different areas within a couple of hours, the final choice was driven largely by Mike's desire to see what all the fuss was about with regard to recently saved Cleeve Hill, plus the chance for both of us to experience the unique set-up at nearby Painswick, about which former colleague Paul O'Hagan had told us much.

I wasn't sure we would be able to secure all the tee times required at short notice in mid-August, but miraculously everything fell into place. Day one would see us play Broadway on the Gloucestershire/ Worcestershire border in the morning, then Cleeve Hill in the afternoon; day two would see visits to Painswick and then Minchinhampton Old course laid out over the common. We hadn't factored in 30°+ heat at that stage, but it would certainly prove a blessing to be tackling our flattest course last, when energy levels were somewhat depleted!