Woking v The Addington

[Scott Warren]

I just returned home from a WOW evening at Woking. I played alone for the front nine, then joined up with two Artisan members for the back nine.

Some of those golf holes are just amazing: 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 14 and 16 just jumped out a headbutted me with how cool they were.

The greens are something else and the bunkering was brilliant in how sparse it was, yet every single bunker was in the perfect position.

Bit anyway, a question for the treehouse - Where would you rather be a member, all else being equal, Woking, or The Addington?

Going hole for hole in a matchplay sort of situation, I end up with The Addington 4 or 5 holes up, but I can't help but feel if I had to choose one to play my golf, it would be Woking. Perhaps the highs weren't as high, but the lows weren't as low either.

Thoughts?

[Sean_A]

I just returned home from a WOW evening at Woking. I played alone for the front nine, then joined up with two Artisan members for the back nine.

Some of those golf holes are just amazing: 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 14 and 16 just jumped out a headbutted me with how cool they were.

The greens are something else and the bunkering was brilliant in how sparse it was, yet every single bunker was in the perfect position.

Bit anyway, a question for the treehouse - Where would you rather be a member, all else being equal, Woking, or The Addington?

Going hole for hole in a matchplay sort of situation, I end up with The Addington 4 or 5 holes up, but I can't help but feel if I had to choose one to play my golf, it would be Woking. Perhaps the highs weren't as high, but the lows weren't as low either.

Thoughts?

Scott

I think as a total package I would prefer Woking BECAUSE it is a bit more forgiving than Addington and all the greens are very cool (and quite unusual for England), but I don't think Woking is a superior course.  Woking is lacking two things.  First, it doesn't have any really good par 5s.  The back to back combo of 14 and 15 is the weakest aspect of the course.  Addington has one of the great par 5s in England with the 16th.  Second, Woking doesn't have that controversial hole despite the centre-line bunker 4th.  The course doesn't really push the envelop at all.  Addington has controversy in spades with 8, 12 and 13.  Probably too much controversy and indeed, the 8th goes beyond the pale for me.  Both courses have a solid set of 3s without being truly outstanding and both courses have good and varied par 4s.

Bottom line for me, Woking and Addington are much better than given credit for when compared against the Colt/Fowler grandees of London and these are my favourite of The Smoke crowd.  15 plays (after 10 it was a draw): 8 Woking, 7 Addington.

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

Hard to disagree with anything you've said there.

Crazy that a visitor to London could play both courses (at twilight rates) and have change left from 100 quid! That beggars belief!

[Bill_McBride]

Sean:  what, pray tell, is "the Smoke Crowd?"   

[Sean_A]

Sean:  what, pray tell, is "the Smoke Crowd?"   

Ace

"The Smoke" is London and the crowd is just the courses of the area. 

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

Sean,

I'm interested to hear which hole you prefer between Woking 2 and The Add 13 and why?

[Sean_A]

Sean,

I'm interested to hear which hole you prefer between Woking 2 and The Add 13 and why?

I prefer Woking's 2nd for a few reasons.  It is easier than Addington's very difficult 13th.  Perhaps the 13th doesn't come at the best time in the round after the hellishly difficult 12th.  There is very little room to miss on Addy's 13th for such a long tee shot - ie it ain't hard to lose a ball.  Woking's second while difficult, is more forgiving around the green.  I spose it fits the adage of an easy bogey/difficult par.  Addy's 13th can toll a huge number with a card in the hand.  In effect, this is the main difference between the two courses.  Addy has what I would say are four holes which can inflict serious damage without hitting a terrible shot.  Woking doesn't have a single hole of this nature. 

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

Woking's second while difficult, is more forgiving around the green.  I spose it fits the adage of an easy bogey/difficult par.  Addy's 13th can toll a huge number with a card in the hand.  In effect, this is the main difference between the two courses.  Addy has what I would say are four holes which can inflict serious damage without hitting a terrible shot.  Woking doesn't have a single hole of this nature. 

Ciao

Good point. I still doubled 2 @ Wok, by bleeding it right down the hill, pitching to the upper tier, then three jabbing down to the bottom tier, but - and I guess this is why I like the courses I like and dislike the courses I dislike - I walked off knowing I made a double, not that a double was somehow inflicted upon me, if you know what I mean.

[Sean_A]

Woking's second while difficult, is more forgiving around the green.  I spose it fits the adage of an easy bogey/difficult par.  Addy's 13th can toll a huge number with a card in the hand.  In effect, this is the main difference between the two courses.  Addy has what I would say are four holes which can inflict serious damage without hitting a terrible shot.  Woking doesn't have a single hole of this nature. 

Ciao

Good point. I still doubled 2 @ Wok, by bleeding it right down the hill, pitching to the upper tier, then three jabbing down to the bottom tier, but - and I guess this is why I like the courses I like and dislike the courses I dislike - I walked off knowing I made a double, not that a double was somehow inflicted upon me, if you know what I mean.

Scott

I know what you mean.  Just imagine how difficult 13 would have been back in the day? 

I also think Woking's greens are very clever - obviously man made, but still clever.  That isn't to say Addington's aren't clever - they are, but in a more subtle way which relies on the terrain for interest and challenge much more than Woking's do.  I spose, Addy's greens are more old fashioned while I reckon Woking's could have been built yesterday. They strike me as very modern and therefore quite unique for the time they were built.

Ciao

[Gareth Williams]

For what it is worth I think Woking is in a different league to the Addington.

The Addington has around 4-5 very good holes but as a whole it is not the course it could be. On the two times I have played it this year the conditioning (Addington) was terrible - even allowing for the weather - and the greens were average at the very best. Also there are some holes that are just plain unfair (8th?) where there is no reward for risk or playing carefully.

Woking is just a lovely place and I'd be happy to be a member there....

[Scott Warren]

Only 4-5 very good holes at The Add? Which would you class as very good or better?

[Gareth Williams]

Only 4-5 very good holes at The Add? Which would you class as very good or better?

9th is a super hole Scott....and the 10th is good as well - and the par 3 7th is a good strategic hole too. I think 16th is fine par 5 too but I have to say that the much talked about 12th and 13th are (IMO) vastly over rated holes.

[Scott Warren]

How about 17, 15, 2 and 3?

17 for mine is The Add's best one-shotter.

[Gareth Williams]

How about 17, 15, 2 and 3?

IMO;

17th - the best par 3 on the course but as a hole itself I felt it was nothing special - plus the tee box being next to the 16th green spoils it for me.

15th - granted, a good hole and one I omitted from the "good holes" list Scott

2nd and 3rd - neither strike me as anything more than "ok" holes, especially the uphill 3rd. I like the latter half of the 2nd hole but, for me, the start of the hole doesn't grab the attention like, say, the 8th at Hankley Common.

What's the conditioning like there now? Do you think the new owners will invest where it is needed too??

[Scott Warren]

Conditioning was pretty good a fortnight ago, albeit the greens were quite slow. New owners? Did Altonwood sell it?

[Mark Chaplin]

Scott - The Addington used to be owned by a group of shareholding members and it was sold a couple of years ago to Ron Noades of football club owning "fame". The course had been run down as the main shareholder - who was an old lady whose name escapes me - didn't agree with watering the course. Addington was a sleeping giant for years in dreadful condition and unloved except by the 100 or so very old school, old money members.

When it was sold and became an up scale pay and play most of the existing members departed.

I haven't visited since it was sold but understand the conditioning has greatly improved and there has been heavy investment.   

[Mark Bourgeois]

Fabes.