Two Heathland Courses

[Tony_Muldoon]

I’m pleased the Heathland courses are getting more recognition on here.  We have new member of our club from Ireland who is a great player and very knowledgeable about golf and has played every Irish course I heard about on here. He has been knocked out by the quality of golf available around London. Before coming over he admits to only having heard about Wentworth and Suningdale.

Each time these course get discussed I always feel the 36 holes at The Berkshire tend to get overlooked.  (I’m also feeling guilty about not giving The Red my 3rd place on the other thread.)

They are at the Western extremity of the sandy Heathland that has Wentworth, Sunnigdale, and Swinley Forrest as neighbours. Indeed the later is less than a par 4 away at the closest point.  I’ve posted one or two of these photos before on other threads and got the id’s wrong in one case –I’ve discovered it’s not a good idea to download and leave pictures for 8 months before looking at them, so I welcome any corrections.

There is a famous amateur competition played here, just look at the Winner’s board which is just about the first thing you see when entering the clubhouse.




The two courses were laid out by Herbert Fowler in the late 1920’s. The Blue plays to 6260 yards par 71.  I

It starts with a tough par 3 and Marc Haring has a great photo of it which I hope he’ll add.
The fourth is a lovely par 3 of 153 yards.  Some Heathland courses have flattish green but not the Berkshire.


5th green and 6th fairway

[Tony_Muldoon]

10th green long par 3 199 yards played down hill


11th



This is what you see on the tee of the 12th



I'm standing on the rear section of the green showing the massive fall to the back of the green. 355 yards


13th green


15hth green


16th 454 yard par 4


16th


17th


New tee’s for the 18th adding a little length and making it a bit more of a dog leg left.


18th green as with all the photos they flatten this out and the green is much more elevated than it looks.

 

[Tony_Muldoon]

any clues as to what's up with the pictures?

At the time this pictures were showing corruppted.  now that I can see them I can see the captions are out of line. Haven't the time to fix it now but will do it tonight.

[Tony_Muldoon]

6th green


7th approach to a raised green on a 364 yard hole.  “Loverly”


7th green – great short par 4 363 yards doglegs left



9th green on a short par 4

[Tony_Muldoon]

The Red course. Famously this features, 6 par 3’s, 6 par 5’s and 6 par 4’s.  This gives it a unique flavour and keeps you in surprise as to what the next hole will demand, it really does have a different feel to any other course I’ve played.

The pictures were from the second time I played and this time we had to start on the 12th so again any errors please correct me. This time al distances given are off the yellows giving a total of 6139 yards (but really it’s slightly longer than the blue).

I haven’t seen a more inviting opening hole. Most of the Heathland courses are really attractive and this features a down hill shot where the fairway tilts from right to left. Who could miss? 512 yard par 5


Great short hole 139 yards


two  more


Great par 4, 371 yards. Difficult to hit that green


6th? (Marc knows)


7th 181 yards


10th a corker.188 yards, miss right and you’re in deep trouble, so I took an extra club and missed long. S***!


12th short par 4, 319 yards. Great.


This mirror works really well. You shoot over a small hill to a blind angled fairway, and it allows your partner to tell you when it’s all clear and to follow the path of the ball



13th 472 yards


15th 468 yards par 5


16th 205 yards to a really testing green



17th 420 yards


17th green showing the slope.


Mr Fowler found 36holes with tremendous variety. Strongly recommended.

[Tony_Muldoon]

ARRRRGH it gets worse.  I'm going to have strong drink.  Bloody technowloegy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't see anything  so I can't check if the captions are vaguely relevant to the (currently) very artistic pictures. Will try again tomorrow.

Please feel free to comment if you think that abstract photos have a place on GCA

[Mark_F]

Tony,

I don't know why you think there is anything wrong with the pictures.

Aside from the first one of 17 Red being underexposed, they are great.

They have certainly made me put The Berkshire on the must play list next trip, whereas I have never considered them before.

[Kevin Pallier]

Tony,

Whilst the 2 courses at The Berkshire aren't in the same field as those at Sunningdale which IMO are the best 36 holes holes from the one club in the country - let alone the 'heath-belt' they do represent a great day out.

The Red course is the better of the two for mine but the 1st on the Blue has to be one of the toughest opening holes anywhere....a long shot across a valley to a deceptive green with drop-offs on most sides !!!

Thanks for the photos they bring back some good memories.

Regards
KP

[Marc Haring]

Sorry for the delay but I’ve got the picture of #1 on the Blue you were after Tony.



I love this bunker on 13 and I think it is very unchanged from the original. I’m sure Paul Turner has an old picture with a couple of ladies playing or something and I’m sure it is almost identical. It’s a pitty that some of the other bunkers have lost their way somewhat but nothing a little thought couldn’t put right. Just so long as they don’t get the same team in that is ‘upgrading’ the St Georges Hill ones.


Bit like your picture Tony. #16.


#7. A super short four. Maybe an example of the need for a bit of bunker rethink.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Tony,  the more heathland course I play the more I grow to love and respect them.  While links golf is my favorite golf heathland is not far behind.  Both are missing in the US. While some US inland courses have heathland type concepts we have few that play the same way British heathland courses do.  And certainly heather is in short supply over here.

I played at the Berkshire two years ago and felt that the two courses measure up well against it's mighty neighbors.

[Tony_Muldoon]

NAf your chance to add to the Berkshire debate.  

Sorry but some of the numbers above are still clearly wrong but I can't see the pics on my home computer and I'm supposed to be doing something else right now.