[Ran Morrissett]

...under Courses by Country and Architecture Timeline.

In a tight vote over Durban CC, Humewood emerged as the favorite course from the recent GolfClubAtlas trip to South Africa. Durban’s profile will be posted in a few weeks and you’ll see then that its dunes and elevation changes are more dramatic than here along Port Elizabeth’s coastline. Nonetheless, the uncluttered, open nature of Humewood resonated with the group in a refreshing vote that less is more.

Look at the photographs. Do you see any extraneous land having been shoved around? I don’t. Did Hotchkin capture the small natural folds in the landscape where they impact the golf the most? Yes. Don’t look for eye popping bunkering (of the sort that raters swoon over these days) at Humewood; the site is too windy for vast open amounts of sand. Not unlike my beloved Newcastle in Australia, the bunkers act more like pits and are both penal and well placed, which is what really matters. Especially in these economic times, it is great to see a) the frilly peripheral stuff dispensed with and b) that a group of golfers still appreciated the core values of what was on offer.

When the game is kept simple, it flourishes as we found on a typically bustling Saturday morning at Humewood. Unfortunately, we toured around when the sun was mostly high overhead. To do Humewood justice in photographs, you need to capture its one to five foot rolls in the early morning or later afternoon light. For those who care, the book Green Splendour: South Africa’s Finest Courses by Juan Espi has several very fine photographs that do just that. Still, we got several good photos showing some of the natural contour as well as capturing the near perfect color of its fast running yellow/tan fairways during the SA summer. Plus, as an added bonus , we have some GolfClubAtlas regulars like Bart Bradley and Bill Schulz as male models 

The overriding simplicity of Hotchkin’s design stands in (welcome) contrast to many of the modern courses in SA. Have a read and see if overall you agree that Humewood is the kind of course that you would never tire of playing. You might not rush to Port Elizabeth ahead of Australia and Paraparaumu, but once you get there, I’ll bet you’ll go back.

Cheers,

[Jason Topp]

Thanks ran.  This place seemed magical when they held a professional tournament there a few years ago.

I am going on a picture safari with the family starting next week.  The travel agent asked if I wanted to play golf anywhere.  Humewood was the spot that seemed really tempting.  I am not going to play but perhaps some day.

[Tom_Doak]

Jason:

"Magical" doesn't seem the right word to me in a constant 30 mph wind.  But the course would be very much at home in Scotland (sans pot bunkers).  You can't get a better compliment than THAT.

Ran:

My most vivid memory of the place was that there was a little bird which nested in the middle of some fairways.  (I was there in August or September, springtime for South Africa.)   They managed it simply by putting a little flag next to where the individual birds nested, and avoiding mowing those spots for a month or so until the birds moved on.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Ran, the vast amount of work you are putting into your recent profiles reflect Aristotle's notion that excellence is not an act, but a habit.

Do I infer correctly that you -- excuse me, "the group" -- preferred Humewood to Durban in part due to Durban's wild holes?

The 6th green's lines -- or should I say the 6th green *picture's* lines -- look fantastic.  The topline of the green complex with the (sod-faced) bunkers nested just below that line and in symmetry is so alluring (in a Sirens sense).  Just a classic links look -- if only they clear-cut the trees behind!

I, too, share your fondness for asymmetrical greenside bunkering, as on the 3rd at Humewood, but what makes this really work IMHO is ground movement on the nonbunkered side.  The 3rd seems to have that, as do other examples 14 Palmetto and 17 Royal Melbourne West.  I think the reason this is important is that rolling short grass gives the better golfer a challenge without intimidating the dub.

Can we see pics of the 12th? (I will search Philip G's writeup.)

Many thanks for the excellent writeup!

Mark

[Ian Andrew]

I enjoyed the profile - the course certainly took me by suprise - I did not expect a links when I clicked on the profile. I loved the image that shows everything running off the green and into the bunkers at #6  - a cool idea - to use with the right opportunity.

Is the ground game a large part of the day?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Ian

Have you seen similar to 6 green anywhere else?  I keep thinking I've seen it somewhere but when I go through my photos I find similar but not close copies.

I did track down a pic of 12 from Philip Gawith's writeup:


Where is this four-foot tall mound to which Ran refers?

Mark

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Tom,
The birds are "kiewietjies", which is the club's logo as well. We saw lots of them.

Mark,
Here a picture of the 12th from shy of the that unfortunately does not do it justice. The sun was in our face on this hole.

There is no doubt in my mind (and I was not alone) that Durban is a class above Humewood. Humewood benefits, from having any truly weak holes, which I think is why others favoured it. We also got it during an extended drought that was causing dreadful fires, which left the course in very firm and fast condition.

Ian,
For us in particular with the wind up and the firm conditions, the ground game was the clear play throughout the round.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Good stuff, Ben.

Durban's so-called flat holes: well, a few of them are legitimately flat, but there is actually beautiful movement in some of them, both from tee to green as well as the greens.  (I think Pete Lavallee made this point on the ZA thread of a few months ago.) Here's a pic for example of one of those purportedly flat holes, the 10th:



That's not to say Durban is without genuinely weak holes, their weakness made obvious by the great holes.  Like Cruden Bay, it's an uneven course but I think its great holes make it worth the effort to see.

The course I really would like to hear opinions on is Pinnacle Point.  I expect it was very polarizing; it's more like a video game than a real course. But some of those shots are total blasts!

Mark

[Philip Gawith]

It is good to see South Africa finally get its name on the GCA board - with the famous Y-fronts flag! You will go a long way to find a better two-shotter than the 13th. As Ran aptly says, it is a good reminder that the lie of the land produces the best land. The short holes also stand out as a really excellent collection.

Port Elizabeth is not know as the windy city for nothing, but even by their standards the wind was clearly pumping on the day the GCA team visited.

It would be good to know to what extent the Hotckin legacy is still evident in the other courses where he advised. Of the ones noted only East London I think is still held in high regard.

[John Mayhugh]

As each course profile from South Africa gets posted, I can say.......damn it why didn't I go?   

It may be worth a trip just to play that 13th hole.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Those fairways and the conditioning look fantastic - very unfortunate for the droughts and fires.
The greens look a little tame - not in keeping with the fairways.

I hope y'all had some drinks in that little pool.

[Bart Bradley]

Mike:

That pool was about 60 degrees...we would have had to have several drinks BEFORE we got in there.

All:


Humewood was my favorite course on the trip.  The fairway undulations on many of the holes were fantastic.  The greens were a bit tame and needed some interior contours.  The course was just about to close to allow for green renovation/turf update at the time of our visit so I hope they will add some additional interest to the greens when performing the update.

The turf at Humewood was an absolute delight...the proper links "thud" with every fairway strike...just a lovely sound and feel.

The course was presented with minimal, if any, fuss.

Noone in my group lost a ball despite playing in 30-40mph winds.  The fairways were generously wide, as is appropriate for a windy site.  If one missed the fairway there was some difficult rough and then further afield there was some sandy scrub where the lie was a bit more random in playability...just as a links should play, in my opinion.

I would like to clarify that I thought Humewood was the best course on our trip, not because Durban had poor holes, but because of Humewood's quality.  I think the 13th hole was arguably the best hole on our trip, but would be open to other perspectives.

Check out this fairway:




Bart

[Ian Andrew]

Mark,

I have seen other instances where this is used - I'm fearful of the idea for amintenance reasons - but there certainly is an opportunity to use this sparingly in the right site.

Ben,

Cool, that must have been fun, particularly with some of the approach shots. I'm finding it facinating how many of you prefered Humewood over Durban - did you as well Ben?


Ian

[Bob_Huntley]

Not having played there since I left Africa in 1963,  I always thought that contrary to popular opinion, that Humewood was the better test.

Bob

[Tom_Doak]

Bob:

I would agree with you that Humewood is the better test of golf, though I wouldn't personally rate it as the better course.

Ian:

With many of these opinions, EXPECTATION comes into play.  Durban CC has been promoted for years as the best course in South Africa, and expectations are very high for first-time visitors ... so there are a few holes that are bound to be disappointments.  Plus, conditioning has never been outstanding there.  Humewood, on the other hand, comes with no expectations, and the linksy conditions are a pleasant surprise to everyone.

However, if you go back and think about how many outstanding golf holes each course has, Durban usually wins that argument.  I think that's what Ben tried to say above.

[Sean_A]

Bob:

I would agree with you that Humewood is the better test of golf, though I wouldn't personally rate it as the better course.

Ian:

With many of these opinions, EXPECTATION comes into play.  Durban CC has been promoted for years as the best course in South Africa, and expectations are very high for first-time visitors ... so there are a few holes that are bound to be disappointments.  Plus, conditioning has never been outstanding there.  Humewood, on the other hand, comes with no expectations, and the linksy conditions are a pleasant surprise to everyone.

However, if you go back and think about how many outstanding golf holes each course has, Durban usually wins that argument.  I think that's what Ben tried to say above.

Tom & Bob

What does "better test of golf" mean? 

Ciao

[Tom_Doak]

Sean:

For me, "better test of golf" means either a course that is more difficult, OR a course that requires more shotmaking.

The windier conditions at Humewood account for much of my description.  You'll have to play 3-4 long-iron or fairway wood approaches in a typical round there, and you'll encounter a bit of crosswind as well, though many of the holes (especially on the back nine) are back-and-forth along the line of the prevailing wind.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Ian,
The tally was taken on the final night and Humewood won by a couple of votes. I preferred Durban and did not feel it was a close contest. Humewood was incredibly enjoyable and would make a wonderful home club.
As Tom mentions, Durban suffers a bit from expectations, but also from a dramatic mix of holes. Durban has 10-11 holes that are great, with nine of them on really interesting, heaving land. The negative comments have always related to the "flat holes", which are the weaker holes. First, these holes are not as "flat" as people make them out to be (see Mark's photo of the tenth). Secondly, while they are not over dunesland, they are for the most part strong.

Durban suffers because of comparison of its best to worst holes. Not unlike Pebble Beach, whose detractors always point to the weak holes as a sign the course is somehow lesser. Like Pebble, Durban has more than a handful of world-class holes and a few, which although not bad, would never be considered of an elite level.

Humewood by comparison has one world class hole and a bunch of rock-solid ones. I think that were Humewood's highs higher, the lows (17 and 18 among others) would also stand out more.

Our straw vote was not entirely scientific and upon reflection, I know a vote today would favour Durban, for the reasons Tom alludes to.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Thanks for the comments, Ben.

From the perspective of "how far would you travel," I would put DCC high on the list, for both the strength of its best holes and the uniqueness of the overall experience. (Meaning: overall architecture, not "monkeys by the halfway house" etc.)

I have not played Humewood, for the simple reason that, although it looks like a winner, I am uncertain how much it would contribute to my golfing education.

(This is the same reason when looking at the golfing map, I turn right from the US East Coast and go to the UK rather than to Bandon.  It could also be why Pinnacle Point, for all its failings, combines with DCC to make ZA a compelling destination. You may not like PP, but as George Peper writes, it simply must be seen.)

Mark

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Mark,
If PP must be seeing, than Humewood, must definitely be seen. It would certainly be educating, as would a trip to Bandon in my opinion.

The one thing there was less dissension about in the group was that Humewood and Durban were what really made the trip worthwhile from a golfing standpoint.

[Pete Lavallee]

Another great review, sorry we couldn't join you, but both Janice and I thoroughly enyoyed our two rounds at Humewood. Once again GMBF pinpoints the key aspects to one of the World's most enjoyable links experience. Certainly the use of Bermuda grass instead of the Kikuyu that is more prevalent in the Cape Town area makes for a keener ground game. The course is indeed judiciously watered and one is often left pondering whether to clip it or run it!

I did notice that the GC had converted the practice green to bent grass and was contemplating changing the current versions, which feature Cyndon Transvaalensis and Cynodon Dactalon; apparently two local bermuda strains.

I would wholeheartedly agree that the economy of bunkers, in the windy conditions prevelant, make the course a joy to play; Sean A. would indeed be proud of the Major's accomplishment's here. As Ran states the modern ZA courses all seem to be bunkered on both sides of the fairways and greens, leaving the average golfer little hope in the ever present winds the Cape Region receives. Whether they guard the windward side, where you would most like to land the ball, or the the leeward side where you'll most likely end up, golfers are given just enough rope to hang themselves!

In regard to the comparison of Humewood with Durban CC it's very close in my mind between the two courses. My wife, who is a competent 20 handicapper, and hits it 170 off the tee had a lot of fun at Humewood and won one of our two matches there. At Durban CC she was miserable, never reached a green in regulation and was completely confounded by the uneven lies (granted that is her least favorite type of course). Even though Humewood plays 5903 yards she had a much better chance playing "her game" than at the 5885 yards of terror that Durban presented. Although both courses rely on the reputation of being a "Championship Course", it seems that Humewood gives every class of golfer a chance that should they play with skill and cunning, they can return a good score. There really should be more course like this in the World!

[Paul Jansen]

Ran,

I am a bit late on this post.
It was great to hear your thoughts on Humewood and in particular some history on the late Col Hotchkin. I myself, hold Hotchkin in high regard. His work in the U.K (Woodhall Spa and to a degree West Sussex) is testament to his skill.

Golf pioneers like the Colonel, Bob Grimsdell, Laurie Walters, George Waterman put South African golf on the map. I guess the likes of Player, Locke, Els, Goosen and the rest of us have these guys to thank. Golf has grown into an incredibly popular sport in South Africa.

I have been lucky enough to visit Humewood a couple of times on route to a project we are currently involved in some 1 1/2 hours north of PE. 

To reiterate Tom Doak if it were not for the temperatures you would think you were in Scotland. The golf course itself is fun to play (although less so when it blows a gale). I cant think of an abundance of stand out holes - maybe the short 6th (the secretary told me this hole was based on the 12th at DCC), the 10th, the 13th, maybe 14, perhaps 18 from recollection - but this does not matter each hole provides its own test whilst giving every level of golfer the opportunity to score. I never once felt beaten up by the golf course and I think this is important - a bit like West Sussex - the kind of course you would want to be a member of in retirement.     

I thought since the subject is South Africa and Humewood I would download some pics (since this is my first time could someone fill me in on how I do this). Also, I am looking forward to your review on DCC given I have played there many, many times in my youth.

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