Bunker Britannia

[Paul_Turner]

We've seen the modern gimmicky bunker shapes: Mickey Mouse, Dick Tracey...

But was Colt the first to succumb at Wentworth?



Actually I think this bunker is pretty cool.   I think it must be the 18th East (can't be the West); what remains of it today. I wonder how long the Isle of Wight lasted!?

So what are the best pin positions? (the pin in the photo is just about where I grew up in Bedfordshire).  Personally I like the pitch and run over the bunkers and chasing up to the Scottish Highlands!
  

[Tom MacWood (Guest)]

Paul
It looks good - I wonder if you didn't know, would it come immediately to mind?  Did Colt actually build this, isn't the evolution of Wentworth fairly checkered? When was the photo taken?

[RT (Guest)]

"World's End" an impossible one to even put a pin on.  This is certainly intriguing as if it is the 18th East then where is the clubhouse in the background?  Look at all the action to the right of the photo.  Very curious indeed. Or this is taken from behind the green?, but looking backwards this is not the vista or groundforms to the tee.  Curious.

[Bill Brightly]

Where is this course?

[SPDB]

Virginia Water, England

[Tom_Doak]

Better knock one point off Colt's score in Matthew's competition for best architect ever.

[TEPaul]

A green that emulates the British Isles, topgraphical undulations and all? How cool is that? Talk about a highly natural emulation!  

Why not just make all the area surrounding the green water instead of sand to emulate the surrounding seas and such of GB?

I wonder what the correct strategies are to play to that green. I'd assume the extremely high risk strategy might be known as the "Spanish Armada" approach shot.

I'll tell you another thing. I'd bet good money that photo was taken immediately after opening or construction. Bunkers with that remarkably fine and sharp grass to sand line look simply do not last long with that particular look. If a course like that ever wanted to restore that particular look and hold that look through time the first thing the club would need to do is double their maintenance crew!  

[Paul_Turner]

I forgot about that!  The green looks enormous.

The article states "18th hole" but I can't see Wentworth East in that pic.  It could be the original Wentworth West 18th since that was rerouted in the 1930s.

The club doesn't seem to know much about its own architectural history (including Ernie Els ); Renton Laidlaw's club history book has virtually nothing on the courses.  But there might be something in their archives to shed some light?