St George's Hill
An enormous tract of hilly land close to Weybridge came onto the market in 1911. It was acquired by a local builder, George Tarrant, who had the remarkable prescience to build not only a private estate of very desirable residences, but also to weave through it a golf course. It is certainly the earliest example of such a development in Britain. He was advised to call in Harry Colt for the design, and there are some who rate St. George’s Hill as his finest. Tarrant crowned the golf course with a thatched pavilion giving majestic views over the course and a good deal of Surrey as well. Sadly the building was ravaged by fire in 1920, the thatched roof and upper floor then done away with, and the current battlemented citadel brought into being. It may not be so pretty but it is at least as imposing and the views are unimpaired. 36 holes were built but 9 disapeared during the Second World War, so today's 27 holes are divided into 3 nines, the Red and Blue making up the main course (6496 yards par 70), the Green Course running out at 2897 yards and a par of 35.
1st, 384 yards, par 4. The opening drive is thrilling, out over banks of heather and a road to the bottom of a wooded valley. Then it is up, quite steeply, through a narrow entrance between heathery banks to the small green.
2nd, 458 yards, par 4. The drive is encouragingly downhill, though the second shot will need to climb not to perish in the big bunker short and right of the green.
5th, 390 yards, par 4. Uphill hole with broad fairway but a wide cross-bunker some 60 yards in front of the green can still catch out higher handicappers on their second shot (I know from bitter experience!).
6th, 468 yards, par 4. Drive needs to clear 180 yards of heather to a sloping fairway. Green is guarded by bunkers and a depression running all the way across the front.
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8th, 179 yards, par 3. On a first acquaintance the short 8th is quite intimidating, though absolutely gorgeous to behold. The green is an isolated table top on the far side of a deep gully. Fall short and there are five wicked bunkers, though a landing in one of these may be preferable to an uncertain fate on the heathery upslopes. The putting surface is only 28 yards deep, and there is a drop off behind. Hard to photograph into low, autumnal sun.
8th from a different angle.
8th looking from green to tee.
9th, 372 yards, par 4. This brings play back to the clubhouse handsomely, first downhill past a pond and then up over a bank to a domed green even shallower than the last, only 26 yards deep.
As this document will get too big to post I'll split it here.