The Grove, Hertfordshire

[James Boon]

As a newbie I'm not sure if you guys have discussed The Grove by Kyle Phillips yet? I played it this weekend and thought I'd post a few photos. Hope you like them? Also a link which may be helpful:
http://www.thegrove.co.uk/golf/course_map.aspx

Hole 1
Cart path running just in front of the green is hidden from view in a hollow.


Hole 2
Down hill approach shot.


Looking back from behind the second green.


Hole 3


Hole 4
Should be a good hole, but with this part of the land being so flat you can hardly see the stream short of the green!


Hole 5


Contours on the approach to the fifth green


Hole 8
Bunker detail.


Hole 12
A very square edged green.


Hole 13


Hole 15
Bunker and mounding to left side of the fairway.


Hole 16


Hole 17
Into the setting sun so glad I hit my shots down the middle! An interesting greenside hollow.


Very expensive but an enjoyable round.

They work very hard to keep it in good condition but as its not a members course there were loads of pitch marks not repaired on greens. Also lots of GUR for new drainage on fairways and too many cart paths everywhere! I liked the bunkers and their surrounds which seemed to be made to look as if they had been there a while with collapsed edges and the variety of run off areas around the greens made for some fun when chipping. Some of the fairways had a little too much movement which may have worked well on a links like Kingsbarns, but not always so successful here?

I'd be interested to know what anyone else who has played it thinks?

[Tommy Williamsen]

The course looks better in you pictures than it did on TV.  The greens and green sites look excellent.  But it is interesting that courses that manufacture the look, regardless how good, don't give the same feel as those where the land is more natural.  It doesn't take away from the course but is just an observation.

Why did you think that the "movement" in the fairways was too much for an inland course?

[Dean Stokes]

Is that England in April?

a) it's too sunny
b) the course looks in too good a shape for this time of year.

I like the look of the green complexes. Not too undulating like most new golf courses. Nice and simple with run off areas for a poor approach. How much to play this place James?

Give it a few years for some of the planted trees to grow and these pictures will look much better. Cheers.

[Sean_A]

Thanks for posting James!

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

I just looked at the website.  £155 for a round.  Dear God.  I can have a day, including lunch at THe Berkshire for that and have change for dinner.  A day at most of the Open Riota courses is in the same ballpark.  That's 4 times the cost of a round at Silloth.  I cannot imagine circumstances where I would pay that much for 18 holes in the UK on a course not acknowledged as one of the all time greats (and even then I struggle to believe I would).  Who is paying to play at the Grove?

I've often wondered about this course as I drive past it every time my eldest son and I make the pilgrimage to Vicarage Road to watch the mighty Watford FC.  Looks like I'll continue wondering.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Thanks for posting James.

I've only seen The Grove on TV when they actually had a WORLD Golf Championship event outside of the US.  Given the comments re the level of the green fees I think thats the nearest I will get.

[James Boon]

Tommy,
It seemed to me the the humps and hollows that Kyle Phillips had created at The Grove were not subtle enough for an inland course? Wentworth, Sunningadle etc do have some movement in the fairways but its all gentle and not the more severe slopes etc that you find on a links course which obviously inspired Phillips at Kingsbarns but I thought they needed to be a bit more subtle at times here.

Dean,
Yes, the weather suprised me too! They seem to work hard to keep it in really good condition so its a shame some of the people playing it don't look after it as well!

And it is way too expensive! Someone else had paid for the hotel so I thought it would be worth playing a round of golf and I'm glad I did, but I won't be rushing back at those prices! Still, IMO this is one of the best inland courses built in this country for quite some time so if you have played most of the other heathland courses in the area, its worth a go.

[Mike Policano]

James,

I played The Grove in July '06.  I was there a couple of days and played three rounds.  I thought the fairways had excellent movement, the greensites were very interesting with shelving, false fronts, and some good shelving.

There were great chipping areas to generally large greens.

I thought the fairway bunkering was fairly benign. 2, 6,9,10, 15,17, had either no or very little in the way of fairway bunkering.

My buddy and I both thought that greens (once you got on them) had much less movement than they appeared when viewed from the fairway.

I was struck by the hundreds of trees that were planted.  There were trees planted in straight lines between 2 and 16 I think.  There were also trees planted that will block views of other holes, separating other holes and behind greens aiding depth perception.

I really liked the back nine especially 10, 11, 12, 14 and 17.

The hotel is great.  The food is excellent.  The rooms are a very good size.  Of course, one should only stay there if on an expense account or the recipient of a large inheritance. Or doing estate planning.  Your estate will be smaller after you visit.

Cheers