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Philip Gawith

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Harold Hilton courses
« on: September 02, 2005, 10:15:13 AM »
How many courses did he build and what sort of reputation does he have has as an architect?

I ask because I had the pleasure last week of playing at Ferndown, outside Poole in Dorset, which he designed. On the basis of that experience, I would certainly seek out his other courses. (The course ranks about 72 in Golf World's tope 100 UK courses).

Although the course, which I suppose would be described as heathland, is a bit on the short side, it is full of strategy, variety and pleasure. The fairways are generally wide and accommodating, with the challenge of the course lying in the approach shots. He also used dog-legs a lot; indeed, there are probably only 2-3 holes where there is not a significant turn in the hole, which helps combat the lack of length.

It is also a course which definitely favours the ground game - there is a lot of run, most greens have open entrances, and many also have very tightly mown areas in the 40 or so yards short of the green.

The holes I remember best were the par 3 5th, the 6th hole back up to the club-house, the 8th, an excellent short par 4, and the 15th and 16th, both shortish, dog-leg par 4's.

Mark_Rowlinson

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Re:Harold Hilton courses
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2005, 01:26:35 PM »
I think the amateurs Hilton and John Ball, plus John Morris (early professional at Hoylake) had quite a hand in early golf on the Wirral and into North Wales.  But I don't think much survives.  The best example I can think of is the back nine at Ormskirk - wholly unlike Ferndown in style and scale, so I don't know whether one can detect a consistent style.