News:

This discussion group is best enjoyed using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari.


Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
HINDHEAD GC: The 2012-13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« on: April 30, 2013, 07:02:29 AM »
Being founded in 1904, Hindhead was very much part of the heady days of the heathland design movement. Although, it would seem the club flew under the radar possibly because JH Taylor is the man given credit for the design; not that Taylor was a nobody! Of course, he was famed as a member of the Great Triumvirate (along with Vardon and Braid), this trio dominated golf during the turn of the century.  Besides his golfing prowess (five Open victories), Taylor was a founding member of the British Professional Golfers’ Association, a staunch supporter of public courses and had the honour of captaining the 1933 GB&I Ryder Cup side (all English players) to victory. 

If Hindhead is known for anything it is the dramatic site.  The two nines are wildly contrasting with the front nine playing through deep glacial valleys draped in heather and pine. The holes coming home play over a large plateau.  It is certainly the land which dictates the design for the man-made architectural elements, with some excellent exceptions, are rather subdued.  The greens have some tilt, but are generally flat.  For many, Hindhead will likely be more famous because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a founding member of the club.  A keen golfer, Sir Doyle seems to have retained membership at more than a few clubs! 

Sir AC Doyle in 1905.


The opener, while of good quality, is much in keeping with the back nine.  With the home hole to the left, this is a large flat area defined by heather.  A drive to the left leaves a safe approach inside a large bunker short and right of the green.


The real fun begins on the 2nd, the first of the valley holes.  Tee shot in 1918.


This photo is taken from just in front of the tee, proving there is a fairway down there!  Its a shame the shaping to the left is buried in trees.


The approach is excellent.  I suspect the earthworks running to the bottom-right of the green is fill from the left. 


We now climb up the ridge to the right of the green for a superb short hole.


The 4th plunges to a fairway well below the tee. The hazards aren't attractive, but they are well placed.  A good, straight drive can bound miles past the sand leaving an opportunity to reach this three-shotter in two. 


As seen from the 5th tee, the green is very long.


As there is a long climb out of the valley after playing #5, it strikes me this may have been a compromise in the design. The hole runs through a valley and isn't poor by any means, but I don't believe it adds anything to the course.  The practice ground is above the tee and leads to the 6th tee.  I can't help but wonder if this wasn't a good opportunity to break up the valley holes with a hole on the high ground.  On to the 6th, given the terrain, a drop shot hole was bound to appear at some point. 






The side runs out through a long valley, the highlight of which is the long one-shot eighth.  That isn't to say #s 7 & 9 aren't good, its just that one may have had his fill of valley holes.  The compelling 8th.


#9...check out the squared off green.


While having a reviving cup of tea in the handsome halfway house, the view of the attractive 10th wills players to carry on. This is also the spot at which one can head back to the house via #s 17 & 18, thus creating a good loop of eleven holes.  Though I suspect some would play the 10th then doubleback to the 17th!






The eleventh is a straight-away par 4 while the 12th turns right rather abruptly and ends even more abruptly.  I think the drive is good except that one can ignore the leg and hit into the 13th fairway!  There is a rebuilt bunker blocking this line, but I suspect a few more bunkers are needed in this area.  I thought the fairway was going to flow neatly into the green and played my shot accordingly....but some serious and hidden hair foiled me.


Behind the green shows off the ha-ha effect.


The following two are are short 4s; the 13th being a blind hole. It would seem the green has recently been reduced to make driving the green more difficult.  I wonder if a nasty bunker beyond the green wouldn't have been more effective.


#14 plays between or over sentinel bunkers.  It looks intimidating, but on most days many should comfortably carry the sand. 


The approach.


The final short hole - #15.


The par 5 sixteenth is a very curious hole.  From the tee the drive looks wide open with the only miss being to the right on the OOB line.  This is not at all the case.  Heather pinches the left side and further up is a large tree blocking out the left side.  In fact, the drive is one of Hindhead's most demanding.  Below is a look at the driving zone.


Going for the green in two is possible, but fraught with danger.   


#17 requires a heroic drive which can seem impossible into a cold winter's breeze.  Unfortunately, the green doesn't do the tee shot justice.


Similar to the 16th, the final hole features a hedge down the right which in a way creates a feeling of playing down a valley.  Below is the uninviting approach after either a short or long drive.




As this photo demonstrates, approaching from the left of the fairway requires an absolutely spot on shot.   


The house in 1907 & 1923.




Hindhead being in the same neighbourhood as Liphook, Hankley Common and Blackmoor make it an attractive and obvious stop when on tour. Even though I am not all that enthusiastic about the course, Hindhead is unquestionably good.  For me, the flattish greens and number of valley holes are difficult to overlook, but I can readily see another person finding the front nine to be immensely attractive.  The overall consistency of the design, the few stand-out holes (#s 2, 3, 8 & 18) and the other compelling shots such as the tee shots for 10 and 17, make for a very enjoyable day.     2013

Other stops on the Winter Tour:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37725.msg777627.html#msg777627  Temple

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30965.0.html  Beau Desert

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,36467.0.html  New Zealand

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,54349.0.html  West Berkshire

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51321.0.html  Sutton Coldfield

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42178.0.html  Stratford upon Avon

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49796.0.html  Cleeve Cloud

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32228.0.html  Huntercombe

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,44266.msg963781.html#msg963781  Broadway (front 9 only)

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38973.0.html  Little Aston

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49714.0.html  Hunstanton

Woodhall Spa (no photo tour)

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,55186.0.html  Seacroft

Ciao
« Last Edit: July 28, 2021, 03:59:20 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

John Mayhugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Hindhead GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2013, 07:44:58 AM »
The area that Hindhead is in also offers quite a bit of competition, doesn't it?

I really like the look of the 3rd, but the heather on the hill might be more intimidating than just running down the slope. 

How close did you have to get to the 11th green before you could tell there was a punchbowl effect in the front? The picture from behind the green makes it look like the green just drops below the end of the fairway.  Is that the case?  I like the appearance.

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2013, 10:43:00 AM »
Sean,

Thank you for this tour. Very enjoyable reviewing it. The valleys on the front-9 are certainly very pronounced. Presumably walking up and out of them is physically pretty demanding at times, especially if a player uses a pull-trolley. Nice to see lots of heather generally in play and around the greens too - comment noted about the haircut. Some of the bunkering on the back-9 appears to be of a somewhat different style to the rest of the course and I wonder how much time the maintenance team need to spend to keep the hedge on the 16th-17th in order, would I be correct in assuming the hedge is there for safety reasons?

All the best

Alex Miller

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2013, 11:22:09 AM »
That front 9 looks so interesting!

Do you know which sand color they will be moving toward in the future? If it's the bright white I hope it is tempered to some degree, though the shaping and routing both seem very nice.

Paul_Turner

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2013, 11:30:33 AM »
Nice Sean!  I think some tree clearing has happened.  Obviously new bunker rebuilds here and there, good to see the heather is in reasonable shape, if not as thick as below.  

Some old pics:


6th.  Green was a bit bigger to say the least



« Last Edit: April 30, 2013, 11:44:07 AM by Paul_Turner »
can't get to heaven with a three chord song

Paul Dolton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2013, 12:56:37 PM »
Played Hindhead a few years ago and really enjoyed it. It did seem a bit of a shame all the valley holes were on the front nine.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2013, 01:23:46 PM »
Tucky

I thought the 11th was a punchbowl from the approach, but the bank is hairy.

Alex

None of us could get our heads around the new bunker sand colour.  It doesn't look right at all.  I don't know what the future plans are.

Thomas

The A287 runs along 16 & 18.  With the greens that tight to the property line I would think the hedges are necessary.

BMS

Yes, the valley holes are probably better as a set because the front nine has most of the best holes.  I just wish the holes could have been broken up a bit as my suggestion for a different 5th would provide.  Mind you, a few more interesting greens thrown in on the plateau holes might change my opinion.

The course was in very good nick, firm and reasonably fast with true greens.

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 28, 2019, 12:55:06 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2013, 02:00:56 PM »
Well Sean, you've finally done it. When I have asked for comparable holes to the valley holes at Astoria CC, no one has really come up with an example that I thought matched them.
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,26002.0.html
Now here you've gone and done it with HINDHEAD GC.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Paul Gray

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2013, 07:57:05 AM »
Must revisit Hindhead this year. Haven't been for a very long time.

I always loved the front nine. It's certainly a shame however that the front nine and back nine don't blend somewhat more. Nonetheless, subject to further review this year, it remains for me well up there in the higher reaches of top second tier courses.

That new sand does look horrible though......
In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Robin_Hiseman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2013, 05:13:01 AM »
I was lucky enough to play with El Gringo when he took these photos.  We stood on the 1st tee and saw this brilliant white sand bunker in the far distance.  "That must be the liner", I said, "that MUST be the liner!"  It wasn't the liner...

I agree, the sand does the course no favours at all.  All the existing bunker sand is this beautiful fawn colour, all the natural sand is this beautiful fawn colour.  I just don't get why this blinding white sand has been selected.

I really enjoyed the course.  The valley holes are very dramatic and get the course off to a fast start.  There is more than a hint of repetition by the time you get to the 9th green, but it is a very engaging landscape.  I liked the contrast of the back nine, playing along the top of the ridge.  i thought there were some strong holes up there, with a nice degree of quirk.  I really liked the sunken 11th green.  Very reminiscent of 9 at Painswick.

Playing Hindhead again would be no hardship.  I think it would be a lovely day out on a nice summer's day.  We played it in close to freezing temperatures and it was still enjoyable.  Very nice halfway house too.
2023: Aberdovey, Liphook, Mill Ride (x9), Hillside, Lytham, Delamere Forest, Formby, Birkdale, Carya, Maxx Royal, Cleeve Hill, Sunny (Old & New), West Byfleet, Hoylake, East Berks, RSG, West Sussex, Hollinwell (x2), Alwoodley, JCB (x2), Beau Desert, Painswick (x2), Stranahan, Belfry (Brab & PGA)

Colin Macqueen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2013, 03:41:38 AM »
Sean,
Another understated but delightful wee course. Given your propensity for good value what did 18 holes cost on the likes of this course.... if you don't mind me asking?

Brian,
"Do we have pics of the halfway house?"
You are combining yer gowf with yer victuals with a vengeance these days!

Cheers Colin
"Golf, thou art a gentle sprite, I owe thee much"
The Hielander

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2013, 04:42:53 AM »
Martin

Sorry, no pix of the halfway house, but its a goodun'. 

Col - Yes, I think Hindhead is pricey for what it is.  Its no better than Camberley yet its £20+ more.  I wouldn't pay full whack, but on the co card its good value.  I think we paid £30. 

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Paul Gray

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2014, 05:34:21 AM »
A recent trip to Hindhead led me to bump this excellent Arble tour by way of providing a little update.

Disappointing. Hindhead is an excellent layout, the front nine being more bold but the back nine more thought inducing. At the time of playing however, i.e. mid July, and despite a reasonably good Summer in the south of England thus far this year, the course is currently a little green and slow. Sean's tour shows a course looking fairly firm by May. Unfortunately it was nowhere near so firm on the recent visit. I played the course almost exactly one year ago and the difference was striking. Lads were seen this year wielding large water hoses and spraying all around, giving the course an almost parkland feel. Also, a few trees on the 14th need managing, and by that I mean removing. The same could be said for some trees down the left of the 5th.

A case of style currently winning over substance all round.  

£50 now with a county card. £75 otherwise or £95 on Friday and the weekend. A bit much perhaps.

« Last Edit: July 18, 2014, 09:24:20 AM by Paul Gray »
In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Josh Stevens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2014, 05:49:51 AM »
wonder where they are getting their sand from, some of those new bunkers are so white as to be blinding.  Hope they mellow in time

Ryan Coles

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2014, 04:32:42 PM »
The sand is from St Austell. It's plays and drains excellently, particularly in British winter. Agree that it looks horrible.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #15 on: July 11, 2020, 03:55:46 AM »
Wondering if anybody has seen the course recently. After looking at some recent photos, colour of sand excepted, the bunkering may be better than I first thought.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Robin_Hiseman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2020, 05:35:59 AM »
Played there a week or so ago. The bunker sand has mellowed a bit, but is still a whiter shade of pale. The biggest change in recent times is a brand new 8th green, which is small and raised up on a pulpit. Currently the hole plays from the original tees, which puts it in the 240-yard range and tougher than 16 at Carnoustie. It will be moving to a shorter tee on the other side of the valley in due course.


A fair bit of clearance has been done, which renders some of the holes with a very expansive feel, particularly the 2nd, which covers an enormous breadth for a single hole.


I should have been taking more notice of the new bunkering. The fact I didn't hints at it not being too objectionable, but is still nowhere near as memorable as the pictures taken long ago.


A better track than Camberley Heath in my opinion and the reverse of Hollinwell in respect of the fact that Hollinwell is a long course that doesn't feel so, but Hindhead is a short one (6350) that feels so much more. I like it, but still prefer the more strategic back nine to the spectacular, fairground holes of the front.
2023: Aberdovey, Liphook, Mill Ride (x9), Hillside, Lytham, Delamere Forest, Formby, Birkdale, Carya, Maxx Royal, Cleeve Hill, Sunny (Old & New), West Byfleet, Hoylake, East Berks, RSG, West Sussex, Hollinwell (x2), Alwoodley, JCB (x2), Beau Desert, Painswick (x2), Stranahan, Belfry (Brab & PGA)

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #17 on: July 18, 2020, 07:01:21 AM »
Doc

Thanks for the update. Overall, it sounds like the course is better than when we played it several years ago. 

I too prefer the back 9, more variety.

Ciao
« Last Edit: November 27, 2020, 04:55:46 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Dónal Ó Ceallaigh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #18 on: November 27, 2020, 04:25:07 AM »
Stumbled across some really good videos of the recent renovations to a few holes. I never played the course, but it looked like they had a lot of issues with flooding at times.


8th hole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp4lRvuFIds

6th hole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XNlliJO1Rk

15th hole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Iz-zpvqYY

Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #19 on: November 28, 2020, 10:24:06 AM »
Donal


Thanks for posting those video links. For someone like me who has only ever made a fleeting visit to courses under construction or renovation it was interesting to see the build process from start to finish, and the before and after as well. The 8th certainly looks like a big improvement. Really good to see although the musical accompaniment was a bit off putting.


For those that know, can they talk me through what they were doing with the bunkers. What was the purpose of the black layer ?


Niall 

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #20 on: November 29, 2020, 02:34:51 PM »
....cos
Black liners matter?





(Sorry Ran I'll award myself a one week ban).
Let's make GCA grate again!

Robin_Hiseman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #21 on: November 30, 2020, 04:43:26 AM »
Niall


Whilst Tony gets his coat, the black layer is recycled rubber crumb, bound together with a tight bonding resin. It is for drainage and sand retention. Helps to prevent bunker drains clogging with silt washed off the face of the bunker.
2023: Aberdovey, Liphook, Mill Ride (x9), Hillside, Lytham, Delamere Forest, Formby, Birkdale, Carya, Maxx Royal, Cleeve Hill, Sunny (Old & New), West Byfleet, Hoylake, East Berks, RSG, West Sussex, Hollinwell (x2), Alwoodley, JCB (x2), Beau Desert, Painswick (x2), Stranahan, Belfry (Brab & PGA)

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #22 on: November 30, 2020, 08:44:57 AM »
Niall


Whilst Tony gets his coat, the black layer is recycled rubber crumb, bound together with a tight bonding resin. It is for drainage and sand retention. Helps to prevent bunker drains clogging with silt washed off the face of the bunker.


We use tons and tons of it as safety surfacing underneath play equipment. It's much bouncier than the traditional tarmac of our childhoods! Comes in a wild variety of colours too.
F.
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Duncan Cheslett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #23 on: November 30, 2020, 09:30:13 AM »


We use tons and tons of it as safety surfacing underneath play equipment. It's much bouncier than the traditional tarmac of our childhoods! Comes in a wild variety of colours too.
F.


I'm old enough to remember when tarmacked school yards were sneakily overlaid with a thin layer of loose gravel. This ensured that when you took a fall wearing the mandatory grey shorts you not only scraped the skin off your knees, but fine pieces of stone embedded themselves in the exposed flesh. I suspect I still have such shrapnel in me 55 years later!
« Last Edit: November 30, 2020, 09:32:12 AM by Duncan Cheslett »

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: HINDHEAD GC: The 2012/13 Winter Tour Comes To A Close
« Reply #24 on: November 30, 2020, 12:02:24 PM »


We use tons and tons of it as safety surfacing underneath play equipment. It's much bouncier than the traditional tarmac of our childhoods! Comes in a wild variety of colours too.
F.


I'm old enough to remember when tarmacked school yards were sneakily overlaid with a thin layer of loose gravel. This ensured that when you took a fall wearing the mandatory grey shorts you not only scraped the skin off your knees, but fine pieces of stone embedded themselves in the exposed flesh. I suspect I still have such shrapnel in me 55 years later!


 ;D
Playing Schools footie on a Red Blaes pitch in the depths of a Scottish Winter. It’s no wonder I decided on Volleyball!!!
 :P
F.
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Tags:
Tags:

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()
Back