Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Sean_A on October 22, 2018, 08:41:18 AM
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Somewhat similar to Prestwick's evolution, Westward Ho!, or more properly, Royal North Devon GC, had its day in the sun over 85 years ago. Although, much to the consternation of Herbert Fowler, RND’s light never shone so bright as at Prestwick for it never held an Open. Yet, three Amateurs were contested over the common land known as Northam Burrows. The first, held in 1912, was fittingly won by the immortal John Ball of Hoylake...his eighth and final victory coming at over 50 years of age. Who knows, if not for WWI perhaps Mr Ball might have won another Amateur. The run of RND’s Amateur’s was over all too quick for the last was hosted in 1931.
John Ball, 1913.
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Westward Ho! is steeped in the history of English golf as it was the first golf club to be founded by Englishmen, the first links built in England and the oldest course in England still playing over the original site.
RND was one of approximately 15 English clubs founded up to 1879. The 1880s saw the English game push on with approximately 100 clubs existing by 1889. Even up to the advent of WWI, which encompassed the English golf boom, RND was a bit unusual in being an 18 hole links. By 1914 it is thought 85% of English courses were parkland and 78% started as 9 holers!
In recent years the course seems to be much maligned and this despite possessing one of the best front nines in the country. However, when the club was founded in 1864 and after Old Tom Morris worked his magic in that same year and later in 1887, the course was deemed suitable by the PGA to host an Open. Why this never happened remains unclear.
With the coming of the Haskell in 1902 Herbert Fowler was called in to toughen the examination. When reading Hutchinson's tome, British Golf Links (1897), it is clear Fowler made radical alterations to the course including the addition of signifcant length. Over the past 90 years the course has remained largely as Fowler left it. Hence the shock among the old guard when the club announced a new three hole plan in response to the alarming erosion due to battering winter storms. The club has approved a design by T Mckenzie which will include new holes for 7, 8 and 9. The new 7th will follow the current corridor, but instead of legging left over the rushes, the hole will carry on to a green forward and right of the current 8th tees. The 8th will play over the high ground above the current 8th green...away from Bideford Bay. The new 9th will play over low, often flooded area and reconnect with the current 9th fairway as a dogleg left using the same green. Work is expected to begin in May 2019 with the holes put in play when necessary.
Westward Ho! has the distinction of not only having two of the finest names in architecture associated with the club, but also for producing two sons which were supreme golfers; Horace Hutchinson and JH Taylor. Hutchinson first came to prominence when at the sweet age of 16 he won the Silver Medal and thus became the Club Captain. There being no rules about such matters, HH dutifully took the Chair and presided over the General Meeting. The rule was changed the following year to preclude such youthful influence in the future.
Perhaps unfairly known today mainly as a student, teacher, author and all round servant of the game, Mr Hutchinson was a fine golfer who won back to back Amateurs in 1886-87. The defence of his title required a win in the final over the great John Ball...at Ball’s home course...Hoylake.
Horace Hutchinson, Vanity Fair, 19.07.1890.
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Golf can make strange bed fellows and in the case of one house boy working with the Hutchinson family it certainly did. Coming home from Oxford during the summers etc Hutchinson would employ this house boy, one JH Taylor, as a caddie. JH would eventually graduate to the green keeping staff as he learned the game and learn he did. It was very fortunate for the game of golf that the military refused to enlist JH due to poor eye sight; quite ironic for a man with the reputation of straight hitting. After beating Andrew Kirkaldy in the Challenge Match Play it was clear that JH was destined to win on the big stage. Four years later, in 1894, JH won the first of five Opens. Like the other members (H Vardon & J Braid) of the Great Triumvirate, Taylor was a golf all-rounder who was skilled at many aspects of the game. When the British professionals organized they looked to Taylor to help found and chair the British PGA in 1901. It was also JH who captained the 1933 Ryder Cup team to victory, the only Captain from either side which never played in the matches. Golf is truly a blessed game when a man of such humble origins can rise to the greatest heights.
JH Tayor, 1912.
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A portrait of JH Taylor hanging in the house.
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The map of the course as it was after the house was moved to its present location. Place names such as Goosey Pool (was there swimming in this water?) and Inland Sea no longer seem to exist. Although, there is a bit of a marsh near where Goosey Pool was located.
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Players Cigarette map.
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The Old Tom Morris design placed the rather functional clubhouse near the Pebble Ridge which necessitated a rather long walk to the burrows. In 1888 it was decided to build the current house above the links. As is often the case, changes beget changes. To play from the new house, it was necessary to bookend the links with four new holes: 1, 2, 17 & 18. These are difficult, but comparatively dull holes. It is unclear who designed these holes over flat, heavy turf, but one gets the impression the goal was to enter and exit the proper holes quickly and with a minimal amount of fuss. Moving to the third, the course turns right and plays along the Pebble Ridge. While the opening two holes are fairly wide, they are framed by ditches and what seem like mini-rushes.
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The opener looking back at the house.
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#1 is a reachable three-shotter.
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Standing on the third tee, it is the lack of definition which is disquieting for some. Perhaps it is this freedom which has placed Westward Ho! at odds with the modern golfer.
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More to follow.
Ciao
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Looking forward to this, Sean.
I agree that the best of the course is bookended by lesser holes, but still enjoyed those. The first is reachable, but a layup is complicated by the diagonal hazard and the lack of definition.
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Four of us played in an open Stableford years ago around a Buda. We stared great witch couple of birdies on #1 then proceeded steeply downhill thereafter. The course is a mixed bag, flat with some interesting features and an equal number of nuisances, but I am very happy for the experience. We did the two or three course dinner option which was what the doctor ordered after a long round. I got a kick out of the locker room and the several well-dressed men visiting the club. The societies were present in force, donning their bright colored garb and carrying on with gusto. Quite a social experience, boisterous but not football (soccer) obnoxious. We had a very enjoyable day.
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For years I had an overseas membership. I loved the course because it is so different from anything I had ever played, including GB&I links courses. The first hole is over some heavy earth but the design is wonderful. Starting with number three The course just gets better. I know Sean doesn't care for the great sea rushes but they are distinctive to RND. Four through ten are nothing less than stupendous. Five, six, and nine are three of my favorite holes anywhere.
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Looking forward to this, Sean.
I agree that the best of the course is bookended by lesser holes, but still enjoyed those. The first is reachable, but a layup is complicated by the diagonal hazard and the lack of definition.
Tucky
Yes, the opener is complicated by the water at an excellent distance shy of the green. The second is probably the least engaging on the course.
Westward Ho! Tour Cont.
H Rountree Watercolour.
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Wills Cigarettes Card 1924
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Back of the card.
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The 4th, or Cape, so named for the hulking sleepered bunker, looks as if it has been there since time immemorial. However, the Cape Bunker was once far larger, stretching some 40 or more yards toward the tee as an intricate maze of sand culminating in a high carry.
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Cape looks more formidable from fairway level.
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Back in the day, this photo must be about 100 years ago and demonstrates the far more complex bunker Cape once was.
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Another old photo from the 1912 Amateur, won by John Ball over Abe Mitchell on the 38th hole.
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There is much hoopla concerning Cape, but with modern equipment reducing its impact, the second shot is where Westward Ho! begins to delight.
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The excellent short 5th turns against the flow of the front nine and requires a fairly precise aerial shot.
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The bunkers are very different today.
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Behind the 5th tee a JH Taylor commemorative structure. I have never seen anything like this on a course.
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Certainly a candidate for the favourite hole of many, the 6th is a wild landscape of boundless width and beauty. This is the only hole where Bideford Bay is on display. Across the River Taw, Saunton Sands can clearly be seen. Athough, I suspect views will be available from the new 8th and new 9th tee.
P Dickenson's sketch.
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It seems a pity to disturb the exquisite landscape with features such as bunkers.
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The great and ill defined golf continues on the 7th. Due to severe erosion, the new three hole plan (7-9) is fully implemented. Now a par 5, a right bunker can be seen from the tee, but another down the left on the short-cut to the green is blind. The sea rushes make a quick appearance, as if to foreshadow what is to come. The big change is a new green further from the coast and closer to the low area which the old 8th played over. The new green straightens the hole a bit. Being common land, the parishioners of Northam have the right to graze their sheep and horses on the land. In recent years an agreement has been reached which limits the number of grazing animals.
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The element of rushes was preserved for those who want to cheat up the left. I think this new green green is a bit more interesting than the old green.
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The 7th green as seen from the 8th tee. The old green was beyond the rgeen on the right, not far from the rushes.
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At this point we are hard on the pebble ridge and can see the damage of winter storms to the old 8th tee area....it has practically disappeared. We essentially walk by the old 8th hole to the high ground for a completely new hole. The tee is above the old 8th green. This new hole is undoubtably better than the previous iteration. The green is far less receptive these days.
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In days gone by there was a group of housholder parshioners known as potwallopers. The test of a householder was having a separate fireplace for cooking. Potwallopers had the right to graze their animals on the common in exchange for throwing pebbles washed up to the burrows from high tides and winter storms back onto the ridge. Not long after 1900 the practice became sporadic before it was eventually banned in 2008 by Natural England.
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More to follow.
Ciao
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A local give me a piece of essential advice on playing this imo wonderful course - “whatever you do, don’t touch the tips of the extremely spikey sea rushes!!”.
As to the course itself, despite the flatness of the terrain the 1st and 2nd, particularly the 2nd, are not the easiest of starts given that the prevailing wind is against and from the left. The upturned saucer green on the 2nd is not the easiest to hit and hold either, and there are a few more similar type greens to come later on in the round.
As to the 3rd, the road in front of the tee can be a pain, waiting for the traffic at busy times etc. Super greensite though.
And the 4th, when played into the wind, requires a damn good thump from the tee to carry the Cape, which is much higher than it appears in photos.
On the par-3 5th, the prevailing wind comes up and over the dune behind the green and as such a ‘floating flight’ on the tee shot may not result in the hoped for outcome.
Kickplates on the left side of both the 6th and 7th greens are features that can be used to the players advantage and some hidden from view bunkers need to be negotiated in getting to the greens, as do some of the painful spikey rushes on the 7th.
Atb
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Are they astroturf bunkers? The idea seems somewhat at odds with the course’s standing.
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There are some, and they're very badly built. The top layer of natural turf has eroded, leaving the artificial turf in clear view, and they look crap
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There are several sorts of bunker faces at WHo!: sleepered, riveted, grassed, and indeed astro. There are also a few native sandy areas/pits.
As was explained to the GCA'ers present on this trip, the use of astro is to limit/alleviate the damage to the bunker faces caused by the hoofs of the horses and sheep that graze the course (as is also the case at some other grazed courses where it's used, like Southerndown and Pennard).
As mentioned above, the tie-in between the astro and the grass is a problem area but the club are experimenting with different methods to try to improve the tie-ins. Time and experience will tell I imagine.
As to the faces themselves, once they've become a little discoloured they become a bit less obvious to the eye.
Overall whilst I'm not a massive fan I am prepared to give them a chance to prove/disprove themselves where the grazing animal issue is a factor.
atb
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WESTWARD HO! CONT
Turning away from Bideford Bay, the 9th could well be the best hole on the course. This hole too was radically changed. The new tee is beyond the new 8th green on high ground. Due to lost yardage the hole is now a par 4. Legging severely left over low, marshy ground, the hole teases its way around the rushes to the outstanding green. There are two pots gurading the left and one well short of the green a bit right of centre. Old & New tee shots.
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Now truly amidst the rushes, the 10th is not the hole of terrors I remember. There is much more space than my memory allows and the rushes seem lower. So much for memory! Anyway, I think the 10th is a high quality hole which is more influenced by the many fairway mounds and severe dogleg left angle than by the rushes. Needless to say, it is a busy hole!
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More exacting then the 10th to my eye, the 11th features a demanding drive over and between the rushes. The green too is well protected by sand.
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Breaking free from the rushes, the 12th doesn't look as if there is much room, but one can practically hit the ball anywhere except for left. However, if the wind is up, there is a single well placed bunker which guards the right side well short of the green. The 13th should be called plains...was there ever a flatter hole built? However, as is the case a few times when playing lengthy holes over the flat, the green is a beautiful surprise. Perhaps more incredible is how the design hides the raised green until one is quite close. I won't say this is the best hole, but it may win the most clever prize.
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More to follow.
Ciao
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I like the course however the current state of the bunkers let it down. The majority of the course is rustic however the bunkering is far too artificial for my liking on this particular strip of land.
Here is another version (quick rough outline) of the cape which is more eye-catching/natural than the slippered version
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Perhaps I'm unusual in this respect but I rather like the generally flatter holes that play over and through the sea rushes. A different sort of golf to the norm, thus maybe needing a different mind-set, but still plenty of merit imo, especially when the holes have challenging green sites like the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th do. As to the 13th, it may be a dead flat fairway, take care with the crossing bunkers into the wind though, but the green and the deception before and around it are wonderfully cunning and rascally.
As to the 4th hole, here's the Cape bunker as it once was -
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Not sure of the date of the above photos but it sure isn't that recent!
And below, two more photos of the splendid 13th green. The first photos also shows the 14th and 5th greens. The second photo shows the degree of right side slope.
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atb
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It has been eight or nine years since I last played RND. The change to number eight is stunning. It wasn't a great hole but I found it difficult to hit the green from the back tee. The bunkering on the hole was pretty good, but I think I won't miss the old one when it is redesigned.
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I like the course however the current state of the bunkers let it down. The majority of the course is rustic however the bunkering is far too artificial for my liking on this particular strip of land.
Here is another version (quick rough outline) of the cape which is more eye-catching/natural than the slippered version
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/bsdesign/Westward%20Ho%204th%20alternate.jpg) (http://s241.photobucket.com/user/bsdesign/media/Westward%20Ho%204th%20alternate.jpg.html)
It is better looking, but given where it is, it would be a nightmare to keep up after a wind/rain event.
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I like the course however the current state of the bunkers let it down. The majority of the course is rustic however the bunkering is far too artificial for my liking on this particular strip of land.
Here is another version (quick rough outline) of the cape which is more eye-catching/natural than the slippered version
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/bsdesign/Westward%20Ho%204th%20alternate.jpg) (http://s241.photobucket.com/user/bsdesign/media/Westward%20Ho%204th%20alternate.jpg.html)
It is better looking, but given where it is, it would be a nightmare to keep up after a wind/rain event.
I’m not sure I’ll agree with Tommy on this one. There’s something austere, imposing and fitting about the sleeper backed monster. I like it.
That’s not to say I wouldn’t like some natural edges, just not ones that have to be maintained and manicured the whole time. Natural edges disappeared from many links courses because they changed over time (through the weather) past the point of maintenance. So another solution was made to keep maintenance low. That’s the way it should be now. Other than sand maintenance, bunkers on links courses should be allowed to change with the weather. There’s nothing less natural looking than an over-designed or maintained “natural” bunker.
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Surely the sleepers are there to stabilise the sand and alleviate/minimise maintenance issues? No sleepers and the shape of the terrain would be rather different? Sleepers are fine by me. In fact, I’d be happy to see more of them on sandy terrain courses.
Atb
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There are several sorts of bunker faces at WHo!: sleepered, riveted, grassed, and indeed astro. There are also a few native sandy areas/pits.
As was explained to the GCA'ers present on this trip, the use of astro is to limit/alleviate the damage to the bunker faces caused by the hoofs of the horses and sheep that graze the course (as is also the case at some other grazed courses where it's used, like Southerndown and Pennard).
As mentioned above, the tie-in between the astro and the grass is a problem area but the club are experimenting with different methods to try to improve the tie-ins. Time and experience will tell I imagine.
As to the faces themselves, once they've become a little discoloured they become a bit less obvious to the eye.
Overall whilst I'm not a massive fan I am prepared to give them a chance to prove/disprove themselves where the grazing animal issue is a factor.
atb
David
It's fair to say that Mark, the general manager, wasn't a huge fan of them but recognised that needs must. He also offered that some of them had been built too steeply and would be rebuilt in due course. All in all a practical and pragmatic response to what is obviously an issue for them.
Niall
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Perhaps I'm unusual in this respect but I rather like the generally flatter holes that play over and through the sea rushes. A different sort of golf to the norm, thus maybe needing a different mind-set, but still plenty of merit imo, especially when the holes have challenging green sites like the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th do. As to the 13th, it may be a dead flat fairway, take care with the crossing bunkers into the wind though, but the green and the deception before and around it are wonderfully cunning and rascally.
As to the 4th hole, here's the Cape bunker as it once was -
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Not sure of the date but it sure isn't that recent!
atb
What this shows is there was a bunker before the bunker that is there now. I'm not sure if that is what Ben is trying to recreate but in terms of the face of the bunker, I'm perfectly happy with the sleepers that have been there for ever. They are a landmark of the course and to change would be like replacing the clock faces on Big Ben with a digital clock.
I also tend to think a lot of these new frilly edged bunkers are a bit insipid. They often look as though layers of turf have been draped over the face of the bunker rather than eroded faces or the appearance of chunks have been gouged out of the turf.
Niall
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WESTWARD HO! CONT
The short 14th.
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Turning toward home and despite rushes lurking left and right, the 15th offers an abundance of space to drive the ball. It is the approach over/between three bunkers which is elemental. I have seen an old photo of 15 showcasing a massive bunker. It is conceivable the low gound right and shy of the green used to house this bunker.
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The approach.
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The short 16th plays more difficult than its yardage suggests. The hole is cut in a superlative position for which only fools or great golfers should take on. A pair of bunkers, one being blind to the rear, collude with excellent green shaping to create a devious hole. To top it off, the plateau green (yet the hole is called Punch Bowl!) is somehow disguised, perhaps the rushes and/or Cape prevent the golfer from getting the full picture. This is also our last chance to see the striking terrain along the pebble ridge.
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More to follow.
Ciao
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There’s a lovely raised spine running all along the length of the right side of the 14th green with what seems pin-able putting surface to the right of it. Nasty looking spot.
On the 15th there’s a tall marker sign to the right that seems to be indicating the direction off the tee. Maybe it does for a bomber but for mere mortals aiming way, way left is much more preferable. It’s also a green, and there are a few at RND/WHo!, where a chip or pitch from behind the green is easier than from short of the green so taking plenty of club wth the approach shot ought to be advantageous.
As to the 16th, it’s a right sneaky/evil little par-3, usually downwind and off the left. Fine hole. Short should have some evil to them!
I suspect that the sandy gulch in the old photo of the 15th, as posted above, might well be an extension of the sandy gulch that once stretched right across the 4th (but quite a distance in front of the Cape).
Atb
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Sean
I love the old photos. How much more interesting those holes would be if they reinstated those bunker/waste areas. Considering the course is still grazed, it does make you wonder why they aren't still like that ? I was under the impression that one of the reasons why there was less sandy waste areas on courses these days was because they were no longer grazed but maybe that's not the case.
David
On reflection I think you are right about the inward holes and that there is probably a good bit more to them than you appreciate on first hit. It also occurs to me that if they are losing the par 3 due to erosion, that rather than trying to fit another one in there and adapting the next hole (9th?) to suit, that they would be better trying to fit a par 3 in somewhere at the far end where the inland holes are (11th/12th ?).
Niall
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The 13th should be called plains...was there ever a flatter hole built? However, as is the case a few times when playing lengthy holes over the flat, the green is beautiful surprise. Perhaps more incredible is how the design hides the raised green until quite close. I won't say this is the best hole, but it may win the prize for most clever.
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This photo of the 13th is fantastic. I took loads of them, but what a difference better light (and likely a better eye) makes.
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Sean, is 13 still a par five? I thought it made an interesting par five. The yardage would warrant a par four but the green is so clever and difficult to hit or even chip to, I made many moire fives than fours.
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Looking at the visualization on the RND website, it looks as though they are changing the green on nine.
https://www.royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk/course/course-changes-7th-8th-and-9th
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Tommy,
That was the original plan. Although I heard that they had second thoughts, partially to do with the number of comments they had about how great a green it was. I’m disappointed I couldn’t make this trip with Sean, Robin, Adam, Niall and David. I am convinced that Westward Ho! would be my type of course.
Primarily for my own satisfaction, I might also clarify what I meant by the natural bunker comment earlier: I love rough edged blow-out style bunkers on links courses. But the natural evolution of such blow-outs means that they will change shape over time. The easiest and best way to stop that erosion is to shore up all or part of the bunker (by sod or sleepers). Almost by definition, bunker bays are eroded / wind blown more than noses. So a partial shore-up could mean building sod in to some eroded bays whilst leaving the noses rough edged. Think Castle Stuart.
So when we talk about natural bunkers on links courses, the most natural are those where nothing has been done to maintain them and nature is allowed to let them morph. Perversely, I consider the second most natural those where partial sod walls have been inserted to stop certain parts of the bunker eroding. What I don’t consider natural is a frilly edged bunker that needs daily maintenance of its edges to keep it the same shape as it’s always been. Just because something is frilly edged does not always mean it looks like it fits. Guess that’s my point.
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A bunker combination on the left side of the 7th fairway. I wonder if there are more sleepers that are not visible?
Marker stone, sea rushes and Saunton Burrows in the far distance on the other side of the river. Bliss :)
atb
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Apparently, Westward Ho! was noted for its bunkering back in the day. I liken these vast dug down waste areas to walk in closet versions of those that are being dismantled at Aberdovey....very attractive, meaningful and with random punishment.
Tommy...yes, 13 is par 5...not that it matters.
Tucky...Thank you, but I highly doubt my eye is better than yours.
WESTWARD HO! CONT
A par 5, the 17th is sort of a heading home version of the 1st with lots of space and a major hazard shy of the green. Yes, one of these obstacles is a road and it does overshadow a menacing ditch. The road is fairly busy on days with folks heading to the pebble ridge and Sandymere...which was once the inland sea on the above map.
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The road leads to several villages squeezed between Bideford Bay and the River Torridge, among them is Westward Ho!, named for the famous C Kingsley novel published in 1855. The beach is very fine, but if one is seeking a charismatic town, then some 12 miles further down the coast is Clovelly...a must see.
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The home hole isn't attractive, but the marshy ditch shy of the green plays its part.
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While the round is over, the day isn't quite complete without a perusal of the homey clubhouse; very basic, fascinating and charming it is!
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It took me a while, but I found JH Taylor's locker.
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Royal North Devon's moods change that much and often that it has a little something for everyone. You want to play fiddly chips over humpty bumpty terrain...check. You want to open the shoulders...check. You want to be tested with precision...check. You want unusual hazards...check. While the reputation of the course may have waned in recent decades, there can be little doubt Westward Ho! is essential golf. As such, it is a required experience for any who admire the history of the game, the museum piece of architecture, but also and likely most importantly, the simplicity of the golf. Despite the royal title, there are no airs about the membership, the course nor its maintenance. I once stated that all people who fly into England with golf clubs should be made to pay a £5 golf tax to support Westward Ho!...one of my better ideas. 2024
Ciao
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There is certainly some wonderful memorabilia in the RND Clubhouse and as to a £5 golf tax to support Westward Ho!, what a wonderful idea! :) :) :)
atb
Later edit - two recent photos and a photo/plan showing the course circa 1930
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On the basis that you can't get enough photos of RND/WHo! here are some olden day photos now colourised.
atb
Edit - coloured photos added by later edit
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Tommy...yes, 13 is par 5...not that it matters.
Ciao
I know it is not supposed to make a difference, but it does make a difference when I walk off the hole with a par as opposed to a bogey.
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Tommy...yes, 13 is par 5...not that it matters.
Ciao
I know it is not supposed to make a difference, but it does make a difference when I walk off the hole with a par as opposed to a bogey.
Well, if it makes you feel better then OK, it matters for you. Here is what I know. A 5 is a 5 no matter what else you want to call it
Ciao
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Tommy...yes, 13 is par 5...not that it matters.
Ciao
I know it is not supposed to make a difference, but it does make a difference when I walk off the hole with a par as opposed to a bogey.
Well, if it makes you feel better then OK, it matters for you. Here is what I know. A 5 is a 5 no matter what else you want to call it
Ciao
So you telling me that bogey or par doesn't matter to you?
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I did this little RND YouTube piece a bunch of years ago.
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Tommy...yes, 13 is par 5...not that it matters.
Ciao
I know it is not supposed to make a difference, but it does make a difference when I walk off the hole with a par as opposed to a bogey.
Well, if it makes you feel better then OK, it matters for you. Here is what I know. A 5 is a 5 no matter what else you want to call it
Ciao
So you telling me that bogey or par doesn't matter to you?
No.
Ciao
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For those, like me, who are fans of Westward Ho! here are some photos taken during the 1912 Amateur Final as recently published on the RND social media account.
Golf seems to have got easy as the decades have by!
atb
The first two are of the 4th and 5th holes
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Nice find, Thomas. I often wonder how the course played for that amateur. It is an historic club and course and one of my favorite places to play.
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All
See the significantly updated tour. I am very impressed with the new work on 7-9. Now if we can get the club to reinstate the old bunker style!
Something to note, into a strong east winter wind three of us failed to carry the Cape bunker.
Previous stops on the 2023-24 Winter Tour
Cleeve Hill
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49796.0.html (https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49796.0.html)
Huntercombe
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32228.0.html (https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32228.0.html)
Minehead
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,72699.0.html (https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,72699.0.html)
Planned 2023-24 Winter Tour Stops
Notts
Goswick
North Berwick
Kilspindie
Renaissance
Ciao
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Thanks for the update.
I’ve played the new 7th and it’s a fine hole. Bit sneaky into and around the green. New 8th wasn’t in play for my most recent visit, fine views from near its tee though, and the tee for the wonderful 9th didn’t seem to have been finally decided upon.
Atb
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Thanks for the update.
I’ve played the new 7th and it’s a fine hole. Bit sneaky into and around the green. New 8th wasn’t in play for my most recent visit, fine views from near its tee though, and the tee for the wonderful 9th didn’t seem to have been finally decided upon.
Atb
The 7th has a massive amount of space right. The green is detached from the rushes, I miss that. However, the raised green is more interesting than the old version.
8 is much better on the ridge. I thought it was an average hole before. It doesn’t fit the rest of the course. The new hole doesn’t really fit either, but the green is better.
9 is merely a function of the new 8th. The tee shot over low ground is more attractive, but I don’t think the hole was improved. That said, the left bunkers make more sense now. Yet, there isn’t that sense of possibly flanking the green right anymore unless one hits a long ball. The very small green remains the star.
Ciao