West Sussex

West Sussex, ENGLAND

6^th hole, 225 yards; This downhiller is almost on the same scale as the 9^th at Yale and the 5^th at Pine Valley. but the similarity with the back to back par threes at Cypress Point may be the best. A wetland/pond is 30 yards shy of the green and must be carried. Originally, the green ran much closer to the pond but as it is today, the green is none too big a target. The green is pinched in from the left by a hillock with out of bounds just over it and a pair of bunkers on the right. Suffice to say, a chip and a putt is generally the best the golfer can hope for.

The 6th green is just to the right of the distant heath covered hill and to the left of the men on the 7th tee.

13^th hole, 380 yards; The hole plays uphill to a convoluted green located out on the heath. Three deep bunkers cover the front of the green, so the approach needs to be flown well onto it. The architects used the natural slope of the land to create the most severe green on the course. The hole location on the back right shelf takes real skill to get near.

The uphill approach to the impressively defended 13th green.

14^th hole, 430 yards; As the 13^th rose up the slope, so the 14^th plays back down. Once again, the hole has a slight bend to it, this time to the right. A fade over the heather and gorse will do nicely. The approach may be the most testing on the course. Cross bunkers cut across the fairway at the 100 yard mark but the real difficulty is in hitting the narrow green. It is magically tucked in its own little nook, with a bank on the left to kick balls away and a bunker front right.

16th hole, 365 yards; When first stalking a piece of property looking for the best holes/routing, should an architect look specifically to find holes that don't require any bunkers? If he is successful in finding such holes, doesn't it by definition suggest that he is maximizing the natural features of that site? Four of the holes at West Sussex are bunkerless, including this one, and the authors reckon that speaks volumes about how Major Hutchison, Sir Campbell, and Colonel Hotchkin approached the design of this course.

Can you imagine a more natural green site than the one at the 16th on the far, heath covered hillock?

Sir Peter Allen noted in his book: 'I think if I had to choose one example to demonstrate the best sort of British inland course, to explain what it was trying to do to provide entertainment, and why it had to be so different from a links, to some men from Mars or a group of intelligent Americans, I think I would pick Pulborough, much as I love Woking, Liphook, St. George's Hill, and a dozen others.'

Unfortunately, this is the last first-rate course under 6250 yards to have been built with which the authors are familiar. Appreciating how enjoyable a 2 1/2 hour round here is, it makes you wonder where the message was lost.

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