Jack's Hill
Gravely, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Chesfield Downs Golf and Country Club is located at Jack's Hill, Graveley, near Stevenage in north Hertfordshire. The facility comprises an 18-hole main course and a 9-hole par three Lannocks Links course, both designed by Jonathan Gaunt and developed from 1989, with the club opening around 1991 to 1992. The main course plays to a par of 71 over 6,646 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 72.4 and a slope of 123. It is built on chalk downland and classified as an inland links, with the freedraining soil allowing year-round play in conditions that typically keep the course open when wetter venues close. The Lannocks Links is a compact nine-hole par three layout of 975 yards, designed as a short game and beginner facility.
The main course is laid out across gently undulating downland with open, expansive fairways and a recurring links character. A dry gravel ditch or rill meanders through sections of the course, functioning as a notable hazard in front of and around several greens and providing a distinctive feature that rewards careful course management. The wider fairways suit longer hitters, though several par fours exceed 400 yards from the yellow tees, and the greens are built to USGA specification. Panoramic views across the Hertfordshire countryside are a feature of the back nine in particular. The course carries a slope of 121 from the yellow tees, indicating a fair but demanding test.
One notable piece of club history is that Ryder Cup player Ian Poulter was a junior member and assistant professional at Chesfield Downs in his early career, winning the club championship in 1993.
