The Hollows Of HUNTERCOMBE: 2023-24 Winter Tour

[Mark Pearce]

Sean,

Have you driven down the M40 from Oxford in the morning?  Henley is also historic, doesn't have arsey students (I should know, I was one) or chippy towneys and is an easier drive to the club.  Oxford's a great city (and despite all the above comments, I love it) but I think Giles is right, Henley might be the better BUDA base.

[Adam Lawrence]

You wouldn't go down the M40, rather the A4074/A4130 Reading/Henleys road to get Huntercombe from Oxford, but Mark's point still applies - that is a horrible journey, despite looking fairly short. Plus Oxford hotels, in my experience, are either terrible or expensive, there doesn't seem to be much in between. Henley a better choice, though far from cheap.

Great Milton isn't too far away. Block booking at the Manoir?!

[Mark Pearce]

Adam,

What a splendid idea.  Presumably that booking would need to be made many months in advance?  It remains a regret that, 20 years ago, when my in-laws were choosing venues for our Wedding reception, le Manoir made a short list of 2 and was then, for reasons I can no longer remember, cut.

Mark

[Sean_A]

You lot are probably right - its only that Henley is soooo twee.  Oxford is far nicer place to spend time.  

Manoir??? is right.  I can only imagine what a room costs there and isn't it just outside of Oxford near the M40?  


Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

The answer to that problem, then, is to stay in Maidenhead and see if Heston has room for us all at the Fat Duck.

[John Mayhugh]

I still think Huntercombe would be a good Buda venue, but I suspect it will take a member to get the ball rolling with organization.  I would be willing to get back in the fray of organizing with the support of a member.  I am not sure there needs to be a second venue, but as I wrote before, if there is one it makes sense to make it heathland doozy.  I don't see many folks from overseas getting too pumped for Beaconsfield, indeed I am guessing Huntercombe may be a tough sell because of the lack of eye candy.

Not a tough sell at all.  Even if people were less than enamored with Huntercombe (which I cannot imagine), there are plenty of add on courses nearby. I think a Buda Huntercombe would have more demand than capacity.

[Ulrich Mayring]

The right thing to do from a GCA perspective would be to include Sunningdale. 36 holes Old & New - what could be more appropriate?

Ulrich

[Bill_McBride]

The right thing to do from a GCA perspective would be to include Sunningdale. 36 holes Old & New - what could be more appropriate?

Ulrich

Agreed. It would add expense but worth it. Although in line with BUDA going to slighlty non-mainstream venues, the Berkshire would also be ideal and the lunch there is as good as anywhere.

Both courses one day = 280 quid.

Add three rounds in two days at Huntercombe at member's guest fee and the average cost isn't too bad!   70 quid?

[Sean_A]

The Winter Tour marched on yesterday at Huntercombe.  Most impressive conditioning given all the rain we have experienced.  See the updated pix. 

Previous Stops on the 2013-14 Winter Tour:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49796.0.html  Cleeve Cloud 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49998.0.html  Worcester G&CC 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35648.0.html  Whittington Heath 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57487.0.html  West Hill 

Walton Heath Old 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57349.0.html  Sandy Lodge 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,26579.0.html Tadmarton Heath 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51321.0.html Sutton Coldfield Recommended in Winter Only

Next Scheduled Stop: Minch Old

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Huntercombe receives much praise herein and following a couple of recent visits is somewhere I have also taken a great liking too. A really peaceful and relaxing course to play with some lovely features and green complexes to keep the interest level high and the game on its toes. I must also say how well the course played given the recent extremely wet and rainy period that the UK has gone through. Courses built on free-draining land, can't beat them!

Below - 4th green - photographed from front right of the green - humps and bumps and hollows and no need for sand. Lovely stuff.



Below - 4th green - photographed from in front of the green

Below - 4th green - photographed from left front and from the 5th tee



Below - 8th green - photographed from the left side with the famous bank and rear plateau. There is a section of the ridge that butts forwards a little and this makes the feature and the shotmaking required more interesting than if it were a simple straight-line ridge.

When viewed from the side it is apparent that the higher rear plateau is not flat but actually slopes downwards and over the back at its rear.


Tree clearance has been mentioned on this thread and there was evidence that some, although not a lot, was being undertaken. A couple of tees were also being rebuilt. One aspect of the course I found curious was that the dew was not removed from the greens until around midday, the timing of which seemed a little surprising to me.

Below - 13th green - photographed from the left side. Nice subtle green this, ridges angled diagonally across the front and the green generally falling away towards the rear.


Below - the 13th hole photographed from behind the green looking back towards the tee


MORE TO FOLLOW

atb

[Thomas Dai]

Huntercombe cont'd

Below - the 200yd par-3 7th - photographed from the rear of the green and looking back towards the tee. Humps and bumps and hollows galore. Splendid stuff. Hidden somewhat in the semi-shade is a subtle ridge running along the length of the green (just to the left of the flag position in this photo).


Below - 17th green - variously photographed from the right front and right side of the green. Only a short 280 yd par-4 but a nasty wee two tier green if you're out of position from the tee.




What you see a lot of at Huntercombe - Red Kites, the clubs emblem I believe.


atb

[Richard Hetzel]

Sean,

Great looking course, thanks for the pics!

[Sean_A]

Thank you Richard.

Thomas - which elements of Huntercombe did you appreciate the most? 

Tom D - what did you think of Huntercombe?  You were scheduled to visit, but I got the impression you were running out of gas at the end of the trip 

Ciao

[Mike Hendren]

Only two more months...

Bogey

[Mark Fedeli]

What a fascinating course. Thank you for bringing this thread back to life.

[Seb Hickman]

The trees have just come into leaf in the last few weeks, which really gives a sense of encroachment - especially on the drive at 18 from the Whites! Brian, is there anywhere in particular that you would cut trees down - or just all over?

[Seb Hickman]

First post indeed! I think that change, if any, will be gradual.

[Sean_A]

Sheehy - the penny drops    I was smitten by Huntercombe from the first play.  It wasn't until I got into the habit of playing the course in the winter when I realized just how tight the course is due to lumber because on beautiful sunny days we were often walking in shade down the middle of fairways    There is no question gobs of trees should be removed, but the members don't seem overly  bothered.  If the work behind #1 doesn't convince the members then nothing will.  I realize that playability and agronomy issues are at the fore here, but the saddest thing for me is the walk in the park.  There are so many fantastic specimen trees that can't be seen for the forest of rubbish trees.   Anyway, I still have a lot of time for Huntercombe.

Ciao

[Ulrich Mayring]

One issue with tree encroachment, that has only occurred to me recently, is that the hole may be completely open for play, but the shadows and the trees around it can still affect the experience. Here's a great par 3 from the classic course at Köln (Cologne) that I played recently. The trees don't come into play, not even the one behind the green (picture taken around 1:30 PM):



They're hosting a European Seniors Tour event there, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to make more room for spectators

I'm going to play Huntercombe on June 8th, probably with Sean, so I'm looking forward to see the tree situation there.

Ulrich

[Sean_A]

Ulrich

The tree situation isn't good and I don't expect it to ever change.  Of course what doesn't get mentioned is that because trees push in, the rough pushes in.  On many holes the fairway pinches in shy of the green so wide shots are usually played from rough.  I am convinced there is a great and much more beautiful course buried between green walls, but thats Huntercombe.  One can take it or leave.  I choose to take it because the design is so unusual and better still, unusually simple.

Ciao

[Bill_McBride]

Huntercombe is the antiquity museum (Louvre?) of golf.   Every round is a lesson in the history of golf, and it's still great fun to play. 

[Thomas Dai]

Even museums need to be dusted and have any cobwebs etc removed.

Much as I admire the course, the curtains need to be opened - even just a smidgen wider - to let in the light. That way folk can really see and appreciate what's special about the exhibit.

atb

[Bill_McBride]

Even museums need to be dusted and have any cobwebs etc removed.

Much as I admire the course, the curtains need to be opened - even just a smidgen wider - to let in the light. That way folk can really see and appreciate what's special about the exhibit.

atb

No argument. 

[BCowan]

keep the photos of Huntercombe coming, please!  and thank you

[Mike Hendren]

I found very little to criticize at Huntercombe, including its shagginess.  Perhaps if we're so adament about clearing the brush and thinning the trees we should approach the club about forming an artisan's club tasked with doing just that.  Sean?

Bogey