Playing the back nine at first light

There is a version of the back nine that most guests never see. It happens before breakfast, when the dew is still heavy on the fairways and the only sounds are the click of a ball and a few birds waking in the pines.

Our head pro has played this stretch of the course for more than a decade, and he still plans his week around it. The first tee time is at 6:40. By the time you reach the 12th, the sun has started to come through the trees at a low angle that makes every break on the green easy to read.

Why the quiet matters

Golf rewards patience, and early mornings reward it most. The course plays slower in the cold, the greens are at their truest and nobody is waiting behind you. You can take a second practice swing, walk the line of a putt twice, or simply stop and look at where you are.

The climb from the 13th tee into the pines is the best example. The fairway rises steadily for two hundred metres, and in full daylight it feels like work. At first light it feels like a walk through a forest that happens to have a flag at the end of it.

How to book the sunrise slot

Early tee times are released a week ahead and tend to fill quietly. Ask the pro shop for the first slot of the day and we will have coffee waiting at the starter’s hut. Bring a light layer, because the opening holes are cooler than you expect.