So my journey to find the finest golf club bacon roll in the south and south east of England begins on a bright and very chilly Friday morning at Foxhills Club and Resort. Local to my girlfriend in Virginia Water it is a golf club I have grown very familiar with over recent years and it seemed appropriate to start my exploration on friendly soil.
Having thrashed out an hour of high powered talks with golf operations guys Sean and Richard I wasted no time in marching to Bar Nineteen to appease my salivation. I have long been a fan of the pre and post golf facilities here and Bar Nineteen was once again its cosy yet vibrant self. There was a healthy mix of lady members, casual male visitors and a number of 1 on 1 business meetings dotted throughout. No one was quite brave enough to plant themselves on the defrosting terrace area but on my summer visits I like nothing more than relaxing there with a pint overlooking the 18th greens of both the Longcross and Bernard Hunt courses. It is perfect for a group booking. The same has to be said for the upstairs area with its large balcony suitable for those looking for a private area.
I took residence at a comfortable dining table and perused the menu. 
Bacon or Cumberland Sausage Sandwich, in thickly sliced granary bread or soft white bap. As will become evident as I tell my story I have certain bacon roll rules. Number 1) bap/roll ahead of sandwich 2) brown sauce….okay so I only have two rules but there are several minor details within each. I was greeted promptly and politely at my table and my order was placed. The stopwatch was started. Within two minutes my pot of breakfast tea arrived. I was asked at this point if I would like any sauces. Big tick. My brown sauce arrived instantly in a small ramekin with teaspoon. Huge tick in bold and underlined. I can’t stand having my bacon roll arrive and then have to wait for sauce minutes later.
The main event arrived 8 minutes after ordering. Perfectly acceptable.
A light dusting of flour sat on top of a slightly lopsided fresh bap. The two rashers of bacon were thick cut and seemingly un-smoked whilst the bap laden with a “healthy” smattering of butter. I know this is to personal taste but I like a combination of crispy and soft fat. Something they had achieved by what I imagine to be luck rather than design. Onto sauce application, and this is where the ramekin/spoon combination is of paramount importance. Like many of you I am sure the sauce is plopped onto the underside of the top layer of bap, then the reverse side of the spoon used to evenly distribute the sauce in a clockwise motion around the face. The lid is replaced. A further positive and where many have gone wrong before is operating a too large a bap policy. Nobody likes a bread only mouthful from a dough border, there needs to be some bacon overhang of about 1cm to 2cm on either side. So double handed I dived in and whilst it was good it wasn’t great and that was purely down to the sauce not being HP. It was a brand I had tasted before but never been able to name.
As I devoured I checked out the remainder of the menu which of course included the classics such as the club sandwich and ham/egg and fries but there were a number of real treats on there. My particular favourite was the pork tenderloin in Jamaican jerk dressing with sweet potato and maple syrup mash and sweetcorn cob. There was a “Spa” menu with array of health kick offerings perfect for those January dieters amongst us. Wow, golf club food has come a long way in a very short time. Long may it continue. I settled my tab at the bar; £4.75 for the bacon roll and £1.50 for the pot of tea. Edging on too expensive for the food alone but the ambience is a factor in Bar Nineteen. I packed up and left quietly feeling quite content with my mornings hard graft.
Foxhills Golf Club is an excellent two golf course venue in Otterhsaw, Surrey. Sandwiched between Queenwood Golf Club and Wentworth, Foxhills Club and Resort has some rather illustrious neighbours in terms of keeping up appearances. The Longcross course is a fantastic layout with narrow and tree-lined fairways whilst the Bernard Hunt course is more forgiving to the wayward big hitter. Both golf courses are impeccably maintained all year round and with easy access from London/M25 a tee time is well worth the money.
I am huge fan of the golf club on and off the golf course and would suggest a visit here in 2012. Please keep an eye on http://www.teeofftimes.co.uk/foxhills-golf-club/default.aspx for the very best online green fee offers and let me know what you make of your day.
Rob
