Have you ever played a new course and it seems like it's just another course blending with the many others that you played over the years. You know the course name may be new and different but the holes, layout and feel just seems to blend with all those courses you've played in the past. A "unique creation" is a difficult task for any course designer.

Well if you appreciate the "different" and embrace the "unique" then the links styled layout of Bristow Manor Golf Club is just what the doctor ordered.

We have many self proclaimed "links style" layouts in the Mid-Atlantic but few measure up to the fairway mounding, firm conditions and ever present high heather grass at Bristow Manor. For the purest at heart it’s the way the game was intended to be played. The bastardized version of what has morphed into American golf would probably be laughed at by the games fore fathers on the other side of the pond.

The most notable difference discovered once on the course is the firm setup of the course. The ball runs both down and through fairways; the ball bounces and runs off greens making you thin on each and every shot. You have to consider pin position, you have to consider middle of the green and you must consider roll off the tee.

Approach shots to the green play totally different when hit from the fairway or from the rough. If in the rough you almost always have to think middle of the green and depending on where the pin position is placed you have to consider hitting one less club at times to allow for roll out once the ball makes it to the green.

The second most notable difference at Bristow Manor is the need to gauge down and think about club selection on the tee. If you play the course soon I would even recommend playing a tee length behind your normal length. If you normally play the whites, consider stepping back and play the blues. With the amount of roll and trouble and rough that lurks beyond the fairway the smart play is to always think fairway instead trying to get to aggressive.

The third most notable difference at Bristow Manor Golf Club is the bunker setup. All the bunkers both greenside and along the fairway have a thin layer of crushed red brick sand. This took some time to get used to and plays totally different than what we normally see in most bunkers in the Mid-Atlantic.

The good news is it made escapes from the fairway relatively easy but greenside shots were very difficult. You can't power down and through the ball; you have to open the blade up and trust your ability to slide the blade under the ball.

It's truly a unique course in every fashion, if you're looking for something different then there is no better place to make your next tee time than Bristow Manor Golf Club.

Amigos Favorite Hole: With a few of holes vying for favorite at Bristow Manor we chose the 467-yar Par4/5 7th signature hole as our favorite.

As a 4/5 there is a plethora of ways you can approach the hole. If you’re playing it as a Par 5 you can safely maneuver around the dogleg right with a hybrid, iron then wedge to the green. If you're playing the hole as a Par 4 or possible birdie hole as a Par 5 then you have two options at the tee.

First, you can cut the corner of the dogleg with an aggressive drive. If you can hit a fade it really comes in handy at the 7th tee. This will leave you with a mid iron to the green and a good chance at birdie or par. But considering your target this is a very risky shot.

The fairway does narrow at the top of the dog leg and with the firmness of the fairway you can easily run though the left side fairway, rough and into thick grass. If you choose a more aggressive line cutting the corner then any sliced or pushed shot will likely end up in the water or woods on the right. Even if you’re lucky enough to find your ball, you'll probably have to lay-up because any shot to the green will be obstructed.

Your last remaining option is to use a fairway wood off the tee. This will leave you in position to then use a long iron or hybrid to the green. This is the safer option allowing more protection against an inaccurate shot off the tee.