THE LUFFENHAM HEATH - Rutland's only Colt course in Autumn

[Tom MacWood]

Ben
What year was Braid involved at Luffingham?

[Ben Stephens]

Tom,

It says on the club website that Braid came back numerous times in between 2 World Wars and made recommendations for course improvements. I do not know the exact dates when he was involved

Cheers

Ben

[Tom MacWood]

Ben
Don't you think many of those features in your photos look older, especially the mounding? Wouldn't the more likely candidate for those features be Jack White?

[Paul_Turner]

I think those mounds are original features.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Ben

Thanks for the photo tour.  Luffenham Heath looks interesting, irrespective of who designed it.

I'll have to try and get down there some time. Another one to add to the list (sigh) 

[Tom MacWood]

The other course that I was thinking about, with Colt and White involved, is Leamington & County.

[Sean_A]

The other course that I was thinking about, with Colt and White involved, is Leamington & County.

Tommy Mac

I don't know the story, but L&A is no longer as it originally was.  I can't recall who did some significant work to the course, but it wasn't that recently so probably Pennink or one of the first two Hawtrees (maybe the middle one) or some else back in the day, but I don't think it was Steel.  Anyway, the course is very missable, as are nearly all in my neck of the woods of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

Ciao   

[Paul_Turner]

Yes Leamington (1908 so pretty early): a lot was changed after the war, by Hawtree (I'm guessing the elder), due to significant land loss for agriculture.  Most (13)of the original greens look to be in play but the routing and shapes of the holes is quite different.

[Gordon Irvine]

Ben    great to see the photos of Luffenham Heath I have joined the team there as Consultant to help greenkeepig department so looking forward to working on this great course.

[Ben Stephens]

Gordon,

I have sent you a IM re: LHGC.

Cheers
Ben

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Thank you so much for the pictures - I used to play there quite a lot - breaking the journey from the north-west to Cambridge. You could usually simply turn up, pay the green fee and walk out onto the course. i don't think I was ever turned away because of a competition or other event. Does the RAF course at North Luffenham still exist? I think the air base is closed, but i remember playing with some RAF people at Waddington and they said that North Luffenham was the best of the air base courses.

[Ben Stephens]

Thank you so much for the pictures - I used to play there quite a lot - breaking the journey from the north-west to Cambridge. You could usually simply turn up, pay the green fee and walk out onto the course. i don't think I was ever turned away because of a competition or other event. Does the RAF course at North Luffenham still exist? I think the air base is closed, but i remember playing with some RAF people at Waddington and they said that North Luffenham was the best of the air base courses.

Mark,

RAF North Luffenham is renamed St George Barracks - it has become an army base. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_North_Luffenham
The golf course still exists as 'North Luffenham Golf Club.' It is independent from the army base paying rent to the MOD who is still the landowner. I play there every year in a Charity Texas Scramble competition which is probably the best format to know your way round.

North Luffenham Golf Club is in between Rutland Water GC and Luffenham Heath. 3 golf courses within 5 miles of each other!
RAF Cottesmore in Rutland also has a 9 hole course.

Cheers
Ben