Sorry to resurrect this topic, but having played Extraordinary Golf for the first time in quite a few seasons, I was pretty shocked to see the state of disrepair it’s currently in. Ignoring the fact that half of the holes are now totally out of date in terms of their themeing to park attractions, the state of the course is nothing short of shameful.
Here are just a few examples of the current issues:
- The wood all around the Katanga Canyon holes is either starting to or has already completely rotted away.
- The painting on the timber handrails on the bridges crossing the numerous “streams” is all peeling away. The same timber is rotting in many places.
- I included “streams” in inverted commas because they clearly have not run for years. They’re now just cesspits of murky puddles, strewn with weeds.
- There are in fact weeds absolutely everywhere. Not just in the landscaping but growing up through the sides of the holes themselves.
- The paths need a good pressure wash.
- There are gaping holes in many different parts of themeing, for example the traffic cones on the Driving School hole, Fuel’s tombstones and the hen’s eye on the Old MacDonald’s Farm Chicken Run hole.
- The pig sty opening on the Old MacDonald’s Farm Windmill hole is totally broken. The ball does not go through, but just lodges at a broken lip. The opening is in pieces and has long since fallen apart.
- The information boards at the start of each hole are in a state of total disrepair- they’re both falling to pieces (the timber surrounds are either hanging off or totally gone) and the diagrams are barely visible since they’re now so old and faded.
- The playing surface where you’re supposed to tee off are so badly worn that there are huge divots on every hole. They badly need replacing, but of course haven’t been.
- Every hole was covered in leaves, dirt and detritus. I appreciate it’s a difficult time of year to keep leaves off the course, but not bothering to clean it at all is not okay.
I’m truly astonished that the management and Merlin believe this is an acceptable standard to maintain an attraction in. It is an absolutely appalling reflection on the resort - they weren’t even able to supply a pencil for your scorecard.
