By Salisbury Plain, Ian Pemble found a drop hole that would lift any round, plus a seventh-heaven 11th

I WAS looking forward to playing at Erlestoke and, despite a run-in with the weather, was not disappointed. The man at the other end of the telephone had been true to his word; I had the course to myself until the 17th, and caught that four-ball only because they were sheltering from the storm.

The course, on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain, is on two levels separated by a strip of mature woodland. The higher part is on a plateau that is below the plain, but still 100ft or more above a lower section that slopes gently north and has at least one spring feeding the water hazards.

This is the first full course designed by West golf architect Adrian Stiff, and it's no surprise that it is long, medium and short all at the same time. He likes to put in several tees per hole so the length of the course can be varied to challenge all golfers: off the blue, championship tees, the par-72 course measures 6,759 yards, off the whites 6,485 yards, and yellow 6,102 yards. The ladies play it as a par-73 over 5,602 yards.

I was nursing a bad back at the time (trying to hit a golf ball too hard on the driving range, since you ask), but with muscles that have clenched up I know that exercise can work miracles, so I got out of the car, straightened my back in stages, clenched my teeth instead – and set off. A medium par-4 and an interesting, uphill par-3 (173 yards, with the tip of the flag just visible) leads to a fine sweeping par-5. This hole curves to the left, with the ground dropping away to the right. The hedge along the right is home to a rare species on a golf course – the lesser-spotted TV aerial. However, they serve two purposes: good reception for the houses in the valley below, and "between the second and third mast" can narrow the search for a wayward ball.

There are some nice, rolling holes on this upper level, but my back hadn't yet signed up to the "exercise is good for you" theory. Nevertheless, and despite my poor tee shot(s), I was delighted by the par-3, drop-hole seventh with its green 100ft below and through a gap in the towering trees. It measures up to the ones at Castle Combe, and that is praise indeed.

There had been a strong south-westerly breeze on the plateau so the par-5 eighth, now sheltered by the woods, offered some relief.

Further away from the trees, the wind picked up and helped me to my first par back down the ninth, produce a seven at the 10th and then, wind behind once more, a reasonable bogie five at the 416-yard, par-4 11th (a lovely pond in front of the green makes it my favourite hole).

This lower part of the course, with several water hazards and fairways that run up and down, as well as along the gentle slope below the woods, has plenty of mature as well as newer trees (the course opened in 1992), and complements the plateau section well. But the fact that the course is an 18-hole loop means that playing a shortened round will almost certainly leave them out – I assume members in a hurry will play one to eight and then 17 and 18, which is a shame.

I got only as far as the 15th tee before the storm hit, arriving faster than expected and with a roll of thunder and flash of lightning.

Suddenly, back or no back, exercise became a necessity and I galloped for the safety of the woods, got my waterproofs on and umbrella out and waited for a break in the clouds – but when I did make a run for it, I got drenched by a hailstorm.

Mr Stiff has done the golfers of Erlestoke proud: he has taken full advantage of every contour on the upper slopes and worked wonders with what was surely some soggy fields at the bottom. I still like the 11th best, but for those of you who like to collect special golf holes, the seventh is worth a visit all by itself.

Address: Erlestoke Golf Club, Erlestoke, Devizes, SN10 5UB

Telephone: 01380 831069 (office); 01380 830300 (pro)

Website: erlestokegolfclub.co.uk

Email: info@erlestokegolfclub.co.uk

Getting there: Erlestoke is on the B3098, east of Westbury (A36) and a few miles short of the A360 Devizes to Amesbury road.