I had the opportunity to play three rounds at Southerndown early last week, and wanted to get some of my observations on cyberpaper. Since I played one day when the course was burnt out and very fast and firm, another when it rained and softened and a third when the wind shifted 180 degrees, I think I am Macdonald/Mucci qualified to at least make a few comments…..
Overall, Southerndown is a very seriously good golf course. Outside of the first hole, which serves only to get you from point A (the clubhouse) to point B (the plateau on which all the rest of the golf, save the 18th green, is located) there are nothing but interesting and challenging golf holes, routed compactly and with care.
It is a par 70 (SSS 72) with four 3’s and two seemingly short (>500 yard) 5’s, but the latter have tee shots that are fraught with dangers (diagonal cross bunkes) and greens which have narrow entrances and are severely sloped from back to front. There are significant but not heart-attack inducing changes in elevation, which (with the wind) makes the course play longer than its ~6400 yards. You always have to factor in the slopes and the wind when making club selctions. In my 3 days I hit a 7 to a 220 yard par 3 and a 4 on a 140 yard fairway shot, both with only moderate wind.
Because there is such an amazing consistency of quality to the holes on the course it is very difficult to single any of them out. Nevertheless, I did particularly like:
2—a downhill 440 yards with an uphill blind tee shot and a fairway that then rocks and rolls seemingly forever down to the green. The second shot must be played 20-40 yards short when the course is firm, but into the wind when it is softer, you can go for the pin. Missing the green, however, can be death as the ground slopes away at all angles.
3--Cool because it is a reverse mirror image of 2—a seemingly benign drive over a marker post, but then a daunting shot up the hill to a false-fronted green that takes at least 2-3 clubs more than the yardage would say.
5—a 166 yard shot over a chasm, where it is obvious that if you hit just a bit short you are going to be sleeping with the sheep, 50 yards short of the green. With bunkers and ex-bunkers filling the hill behind the green, going long is not advised.
11—a hole very reminisecnet of Spyglass #11, with two very solid shots needed to hit an uphill green. Left is the line as the green is protected right, but left is where the gorse is.
16—another uphill 4 with a shoulder 30 yards short of the green on the left which you know you should aim for and easily carry, but leaves you in a horrible place if you slightly overcook it which somehow forces you to bail out right, from which a par requires deft chipping and putting skills.
18—a really great finishing 4 with two runway fairways separated by a 10 foot slope (left to right). Left is the best for distance, but right is the best for the angle to the green. The really big boys in our group hit it past the runways to open ground (about a 280 carry) giving a SW to the green. This seemed pretty good until one of the lady members advised us that in the Duncan Putter earlier in the year, one of the flat bellies drove the green (423).
Some other observations:
--lots of false fronted greens. A punchbowl or two might have been a nice respite, but the greens all seem to fit naturally into the land.
--While 4 of the giants have had their hand on the course (Fernie, Park, Fowler and Colt), I can’t identify the hand of one or the tother. The course has a oneness that is rare. Ooommmmm….. Maybe others who know the history of the course better (Paut T./Noel F.?) can tell us more.
--the conditioning of the course is marginal. Yes I know it has been a dry spring, but of the little grass which resided on the fairways and greens numerous species, many of which looked moss-like were in evidence. Mother Nature will work on this over the next few months, one hopes.
--the views from the clubhouse (and from certain parts of the course) over the Ogmore estuary are spectacular.
--there are at least another nine great holes weating to be built up on the downs, if the club even wishes to expand. Doubt it, since they seem a bit sleepy, even for Wales….
And………..Southerdown is significantly better than North Berwick!