Recently Mark Rowlinson asked, “Where are the great UK parkland courses? Well this is the best I know of. Set in an ancient dear park with majestic Oaks upto 700 years old, it features holes in splendid isolation with a feeling unlike any other course I’ve played. The ground is silty and drains well but the ball doesn’t run like it would on sandy heath so the course plays all of its 6490 yards.
There a really good club history that details the changes to the course. Originally Colt with Alison it opened in 1921. Braid redid some bunkering in the 20’s and the layout today was finalised by Alison in 1938.
Thorndon Park would be much better known if it was on the other side of London. It offers a real contrast to Heathland golf and has a great routing, and a really strong set of Par 4’s. Interestingly for a Colt the par 3’s, whilst all interesting, fail to set the pulse racing like his work at say Sunningdale. However its location must explain why it didn’t even get a look in for modern guides by Doak or Finegan.
In June 1967 the PGA Close Championship was held here. Pat Ward-Thomas wrote. “The appeal of the course was immediate. It lies on the folding, wooded farmland between Brentwood and the Thames Estuary. The views are spacious across the gentle hills o Kent, and nowhere are the trees too confining. .. All round there is pace, light and beauty, and the course in its fashion, is a gem.
It is far from long by modern standards and, as it was playing yesterday, is a perfect instance of the fact that length is not the only defence against low scoring.”
The low attendance meant the event was not repeated. Ward Thomas also made comment of the true and swift greens and in recent years they have had some problems with these, but hey still play very true. As a set they are on the generous side and with some undulation.
Thorndon Park deserves to be better known.
First green, downhill opener. I believe that Colt didn’t put his most testing holes first and this is a solid hole.
2nd par 3, with bunkers al around but there is space behind them. The prevailing wind is from the right and at some time a pot bunker has been added at the right front edge – it’s incongruous with the rest. A good hole.
3rd is the most famous hole on the course. You hit diagonally across the lake, those who can hit long and close to the lake land on a downhill ski pad. Those who play safe will have over 200 yards to the green with their next shot.
4 Lovely strategic hole, landing area is severely downhill to a stream and those bunkers are positioned in a way that confuses you in their relation to the green.
5 par 3
6b plays up a hill to reveal the green. Nice Mid length hole superb bunkering.
7 a lovely roller coaster ride with a stream jus short of the green.
8 challenging, gently uphill all the way longest 420 yarder I know.
9 a glorious sweeping hole over lovely terrain the feel here is completely different to Heathland.
10 Need to be on the left hand side of the fairway here, and then make sure you don’t push your approach right.
11 lovely sweep, fairway moves left and then right. A good tee shot needed
12 uphill par 3
13 –my favourite, plays downhill dogleg left with a row of bunkers to tempt you to play near.
14
15
16
17 another good drive sets up an approach to this elevated green.
18 –that’s the new clubhouse on the right! Good finish.
Over many years the upkeep of the Old building became too much for the club to manage and it reluctantly sold off the clubhouse in the depressed 1970’s and build the new one. It must still pain some of the older members to look up on the 18th.
Members over time included Sir Michael Bonallack and to day Beverly Lewis seen below practicing hard on the Sunday evening before the last round of the US Open.