Britain from the air 2

[Mark_Rowlinson]

A few bunkers today, and a lack of them.



The Hotchkin course at Woodhall Spa has a reputation for having some of the fiercest bunkers in British golf.



So does Ganton. From the air Ganton’s bunkers look more formidable and they are generally more visible and intimidating as you play towards them, but Woodhall Spa’s deepest pits are savage.



When it opened in the 1920s Fairhaven was said to have had 365 bunkers, one for every day of the year. It has around 100 now. The design was by a local golfer, JA Steer, with advice from James Braid. Fairhaven is only a few hundred yards from Royal Lytham and it is on even flatter sandy ground giving good playing conditions all year round. It is used for final qualifying when the Open comes to Lytham.



Royal Ashdown Forest’s Old Course is renowned for having no bunkers. There are all manner of pits and hummocks, falls away and ditches should you fail to find the putting surface.



Piltdown is only a few miles from Royal Ashdown and is also bunkerless, enjoying occasional outcrops of heather.



Berkhamstead is another prominent club with no sand bunkers. The card reveals a goodly number of short par 4s, yet Peter McEvoy says of it, ‘I can assure you that it is very difficult. I still cannot put my finger on why.’ I have not played it for a long time, but I remember it with great affection. It’s gravelly soil, making for excellent winter golf. Gorse is a frequent ball swallower. An unusual hazard is the ancient earthwork Grim’s Dyke, a 6-ft high bank covered in heather accompanied by a 3-ft stony trench. It’s well worth a visit.   

[Sean_A]

I think the bunkers at Woodhall is interesting not only because of their ferocity, but also because of the variety of patterns and how some of these essentially create doglegs out of straight holes.

Mark, thanks for posting.  Do you think you could stick up an aerial of Kington?  I would be interested to see what that looks like from the air.

Ciao

[Rich Goodale]

If I'm ~20 miles away from Woodhall Spa in August, is it worth the trouble and strife of sneaking away fom the family for 18 holes?

[Sean_A]

If I'm ~20 miles away from Woodhall Spa in August, is it worth the trouble and strife of sneaking away fom the family for 18 holes?

Rich

According to MRG (Modified Rihcelin Guida) Woodhall Spa earned a 1* which means its worth a one night detour.  As far as the Trouble and Strife, I suspect you need to seek out a more complicated measuring device.  I know that AwsHuckabilly is always on about the balance of doing what his wife dictates and doing the unstated things his wife dictates.  Perhaps he should be consulted?

Ciao

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Rich, Make contact with Richard Latham - one golf author to another - and you'll get the Rolls Royce treatment. It is well worth playing at any cost. leave them pottering round Lincoln while you play.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Sean, Your wish is granted. your fairy godmother has posted Britain from the air 3.

[Rich Goodale]

Excellent suggestions, Mark and Sean

It looks as if Josie has decided that spending 3 days at a draughty manor house with 40 of my fellow party animals who spent 6-months there in 1966 is not her cup of tea, so I may have free reign.  If I do, I'll surely get in touch with Richard L. as I have talked to him about GCA before.

Rich

[James Boon]

Mark,

Thanks for starting up your aerials again! I'm familiar with most of these courses but Berkhamstead is a new one to me which looks interesting, so thanks for bringing this one up!

Cheers,

James

[Mark Pearce]

I played Berkhampsted a few times when I lived in Buckinghamshire.  I always really enjoyed it.  Another bunker free course in Hertfordshire is the 9 holer at Chorleywood, which is short and quirky, with very small greens protected by shallow, narrows grassy trenches which are a serious issue for the short game.