On Tuesday afternoon I broke a long drive from Cardiff to Newcastle by stopping at Kington. I’d planned to do this inspired by Sean Arble’s photographs and descriptions of the place. Without wanting to sound overly dramatic, I think the visit stimulated more thoughts on architecture than any round I can remember and, at the same time, inspired me in a way I haven’t been for a long time. If that is what Kington is like, I must make plans to get to Pennard!
Anyway, what was it about Kington that makes such an impact? My thoughts, for what they are worth.
It is immediately obvious that Kington has one of the most spectacular and attractive settings a golf course can have. With the land dropping off steeply all around the course, views of several major sets of hills (Brecon Beacons, Malverns, Black Mountains amongst others, I played the last 10 holes with a member who named others I have forgotten) and valleys below it is indeed a beautiful and inspiring setting. In England I can only think of Bamburgh Castle which I have played that might match Kington for the beauty of its setting.
Architecturally Kington is, in many ways, very basic but also fascinating. The predominant vegetation is ferns, with a little gorse. The fairways are cut through the ferns between maintained tees and the remarkable greens (about which more later). I understand that the club are allowed to cut back ferns and gorse to maintain the fairways (sheep keep the grass under control) and are allowed to maintain the tees and greens but cannot alter the course in any other way. There is no sand on the course and no need for it, perhaps one reason Bunkerman is so keen on this course. 5 par 3s and three par 5s make a par 70 course.
Most of the fairways slope from side to side, some steeply. Sean has commented on the indentations in the fairways, which he describes as little bowls. This is an accurate description but easier to appreciate on seeing the real thing. It’s not uncommon here for your hall to come to rest in an indentation which, though fine for a short iron (and most shots from these fairways will be short iron shots) will require something special with a long iron or wood to make good contact.
The absence of fairway bunkers or any shaping in the fairways suggest an antique minimalist approach to architecture. I was told that the club could not, even if they wanted to, construct bunkers or new shapes in the fairways as the course lies on National Trust land. The greens, however, are far from minimalist. There’s no pretence here that these greens form part of the natural landform, no chance of missing what the architect (Major Cecil Hutcinson) did. Whilst the course is dramatically contoured the greens are relatively flat (one of the flattest sets of greens I’ve seen in a while. That’s not a criticism, because these are very fine greens, with subtle but confounding breaks. The greens are also, generally, very small and, more particularly, very narrow in many cases. Many of these long, narrow, greens are at an angle to the line of the hole and that, combined with the shaping of the green sites means that attacking the green from the right angle is vital, making the right strategy off the tee and execution of that strategy essential. The 18th, much beloved of Mr Arble is a great example. Believe me, that green is narrower than the pictures Sean has posted and will only accept a ball from the right angle.
What really catches the eye about these greens, however, at least for me, is the shaping of the hazards around them. Since there is no sand, these greens are protected by the shape of the ground around them. There are many sharp fallaways (don’t miss the second green right or the 14th or 17th long!) and some of the greens are almost perched on the side of a steep hill (17 is a dramatic green site). Some of the protection is, or appears to be natural (mounds front and right of the wonderful par 3 third) but mostly what you see are striking, almost angular mounds and grass bunkers, clearly artificial. Even as I write that description it sounds to me to be something I would hate. However, I loved it. Whilst recovery from these “hazards” can be difficult (I did quite well with a 60 degree wedge, I can only imagine how a golfer armed with the equipment of a 1930s player would play from these) it is possible. However, the slopes facing the greens can be so steep and the grass on them long enough to prevent a ball running up and on to the green but not catching the ball on their slope that a chip and run recovery from wide of these hazards can be impossible. I missed the 200 yard par three 15th left and a little long. With a downhill chip or pitch to a small green, protected by one of these hazards, there was no way I felt I could get my second close. In fact getting it on the green proved impossible as my firm chip and run ran up the face of the hazard, into the air and, like a trick cyclist, flopped down in the hazard it had just promised to leave. The shaping of the greens and the peculiar hazards protecting them mean that a ball out of position can be very difficult (if not impossible) to get on the green, let alone near the hole.
I am convinced that greens like these could not be built today by an architect wanting to be taken seriously. However, they are as great a test and as much fun as any I have played recently. Three weeks ago I played the Craighead course at Crail (see Ran’s profile), a Hanse design. That has wonderful green sites (and greens) which were thrilling to play. With closely mown grass all around these dramaticaly shaped greens, the Craighead provides a challenge to the chipping and putting game that any lover of links golf would appreciate. The demands of Kington’s greens are completely different, the shots required seemingly from a different game. Both are a thrill and a challenge to encounter yet one style is modern and popular whilst an architect proposing to replicate KIngton’s green style would be likely to be laughed out of his client’s office. Yet Hutchinson had a broad range, Woodhall Spa bears little similarity to Kington. Having played both and seen the variety he was capable of my admiration for Hutchinson has grown. I will seek out his work with enthusiasm in future.
There are, of course, a number of spectacular holes. The first gives a great glimpse of things to come, with it’s steeply up hill and right to left angled fairway before an approach that must be from the right (though a steep bank right and long can be used to bring the ball back to the green). The second has a gully running down the right hand side and gives a view of the wide area containg the 16th and 17th holes which has, apparently served as a racetrack in the past. The 16th fairway has larger hollows in it which were, I was told, historically used for cock-fighting with look outs on the hill to watch for the approach of the constabulary. The planting of a line of trees between the 16th and 17th fairways is almost the only thing about Kington I would criticise. They add nothing and are out of keeping with the remainder of the course. Both these greens punish the sliced or blocked tee shot without a tree line between them to do so.
The seventh is a fine par 5 with a wonderful green. 8 takes the golfer to the brink of the hill and provides an exhilarating approach to a green which appears to be on the very edge (it is not, the ninth hole runs across and beyond it). Nine is a spectacular par three overlooking the valley (where I was told RAF fighters can often be seen flying below the course). This is the middle of what I felt was the courses finest run of holes. 10 is a demanding short par four requiring precision, 11 is a par five played to a green which runs away from the golfer. 12 is another fine par 3 (I thought the par threes were excellent. 14 may be the most spectacular hole on the course, a steeply downhill par 5, turning left to right with a relatively narrow fairway, a large false front and disaster awaiting an approach which is badly pulled or too long. 15 is a strong par 3 and 16 and 17 are short but tricky par 4s that provide a breather before the spectacular and truly wonderful 18th. I pulled my tee shot on 18 and was pin high and perhaps 30 yards from the flag. I am confident I would fail to put my approach on the green from that position 9 times out of 10. My partner, a retired watchmaker and regularly 50 yards shorter than me off the tee had an eagle putt.
Sadly I didn’t take any photos but there are plenty in threads Sean has posted. I approached Kington with keen anticipation and high expectations and left with those expectations exceeded. There should be more golf clubs like this. Basic, friendly, cheap, accessible but yet challenging and interesting. After our round I discussed bringing the family back one day, for whilst I loved this and could play it many more times I also know that my eleven year old son, with his 33 handicap could get a ball round and enjoy the game as much as me, which, in a way, says more about the beauty of Kington than anything else I can say.