[Scott Warren]

I spent the day at Worplesdon on Sunday and searching on here beforehand I saw lots of mentions of this great heathland course, but not a single photo, so here are a few.

I'll keep it brief but there are some more thoughts here.

Two things:

1. The road crossing is one of the most terrifying I've seen (there used to be a much worse one across four lanes of traffic at Eastlake GC in Sydney, but they built a bridge after six golfers - over a number of years - were hit). The road crossings at Walton Heath and New Zealand are nothing compared to this!

2. The gunfire was ridiculous. It seems from doing some Googling there is a company that runs clay pigeon shoots in a field adjoining the 14th hole. It really put me on edge playing the 10th-14th in my morning round and had been audible from the 3rd at the far end of the course.

Woking, next door, gets a lot of love on here, but in my mind Worplesdon is the equal of it (even the club aspect, which Woking gets a lot of praise for, was as good as Woking, I thought).

The par fours may be better at Woking but I would say the threes and fives at Worplesdon are better sets. The 2nd at Woking is probably the best par three on either course but I don't really care for its other short holes.

I'd split 10 rounds between the two courses at 5-5. They are remarkably different courses for being on neighbouring properties.

Abercromby and Park are both credited. Having played only a couple of each of their courses I am a mere neophyte, but I see a lot more in the design that says Park than I do Abercromby.

1st - par 4 - 367y
A great way to start the day - a hole that just says "let's play golf". From the tee you can see a steep drop-off at the left of the green, but it's hidden from the driving zone.




2nd - par 4 - 405y
My playing partner, amusingly, hadn't realised by then I was just a nerd who likes pictures of golf holes and kindly posed - unprompted - for a happy snap!



3rd - par 4 - 387y
The centreline bunker is right in the driving zone about 100 yards from the green. I love the spaciousness around this green and the way the bunker is benched into that ripple running across the fairway.


4th - par 3 - 171y
Long and uphill to a green protected front right by sand and with a steep slope at the left that runs 30 yards down into a creek.



5th - par 4 - 405y
The drive is diagonal over a sea of heather on the right and a LHS fairway bunker. These undulations make it even harder to correctly weight your approach to a two-tiered green that's higher at the front.



6th - par 5 - 486y
Downhill to the green, with three bunkers behind it to collect anything hit too hard - making it more of a risk to have a crack at getting home in two.


7th - par 3 - 185y
A cool ridge starts at the front right of the green and runs diagonally back towards the tee and to the left, catching anything that lands short of the green.


8th - par 4 - 378y
A massive step up to the back tier, which has a steep downslope behind it and to make accessing that back section with a running shot more difficult, the approach is downhill and likely to be played with a mid-iron.



9th - par 4 - 383y
The bunker right makes you err left, but there's a horrible little gully over there to gobble your ball up and leave a tough chip. Quite an imposing drive between the sand and water.



10th - par 3 - 139y
Why are holes like this so prevalent on the heathlands?


11th - par 5 - 527y
A fantastic par five that rolls over really undulating land. Does anyone know the story behind the two carvings behind the green?



12th - par 5 - 471y
Another great par five with a well-guarded green and a really fantastic drive.





13th - par 3 - 173y
Great to have some space around the green allowing the bunkers to dominate the view.



14th - par 4 - 452y
The bunker short is about 60 yards from the green, but makes the approach feel really tight.


15th - par 5 - 486y
Blind drive down over the hill and then you should be in range for a tilt at the green.


16th - par 3 - 183y
There is a heap of room at the green, but those fronting bunkers are terrifying.


17th - par 4 - 395y
Another great two-tiered green after a well-bunkered drive.



18th - par 4 - 438y
A blind drive and then a tough second to a green that runs hard from the left edge all the way to the bottom end of the carpark 100 yards away!



The Clubhouse
Pay attention to the captains' board - Prime Minister AJ Balfour, The Prince of Wales and Roger Wethered. Not a bad selection, that.

[Mark Chaplin]

Nice photos Scott, fortunately the guns are every other Sunday and must affect West Hill and Woking as well.

Worplesdon have removed 1000s of trees over the last couple of years and the course is much the better for it.

I'm guessing the pond on 10 is natural as the entire property drains down to it.

[Sean_A]

Scott

I think you are right that there isn't much to choose from between Woking and Worplesdon, but there is something about how Woking hangs together which puts it in a different class from Worplesdon.  I wish I could put my finger on it, but I suspect it is just a feel factor thing.  Mind you, I haven't seen Worp since its tree reduction/undergrowth work and this may make a huge impression on me.  The holes which impress me most at Worp are:

#3 - I love the backdrop 1st fairway which sort of makes the hole look much longer than it is.  I wish more courses had holes played perpindicular to other holes to create space - its a neat trick.  

You don't show the 4th, but it is a excellent uphill par 3 heading back to the house.

#s 12 & 13 are a fantastic combo of long and short even if the 12th is a bit too short as a par 5.  

#17 is a very cool green which takes a deft touch to hold the back level.  Because of this the temptation to bounce one in is strong even after a long drive.

I think the front nine really lacks something especially with the stretch of holes from 6-9 (and the 10 continues this sort of blah run, but I like it more than you do) and I am not terribly keen on the 1-2 opening sequence.  None are bad holes, but that is a lot of land to not add much to a course. Fortunately, the back nine is wonderful despite the road crossing and a few blah holes.  Woking doesn't seem to have this problem with a sustained run of holes not doing much to create interest - it just hangs better than Worp.  Anyway, Worp is a fine course I would like to play again some time.  Thanks for the pix.  

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

Mark: I would guess, having seen where the shooting is done, that Woking is the least affected as it's the only one that doesn't border the A322.

Sean: Pic of 4 didn't load along with 7, 15 and 18. I will prop them up tonight.

Regardless of the par on the card, I love that approach to 12. You'd have to be a shotmaker to hit it with anything longer than a 5i, I think, and so the lay-up becomes crucial, with the area you're hitting to likely to be blind from where your drive ends.

11-17 really is a hell of a stretch.

[Sean_A]

Yes, hitting into the 12th is a highlight of Worp and should be of grave concern to those playing #13 - tee hee.  It may be my favourite hole on the course. 

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

Funny you say that, my partner in the morning foursomes went for the green in two at the 12th (with a 3 wood) and I played our third from the 13th tee!

[Mark Chaplin]

Scott my partner had 195 in and was using an iron, beef up laddie!! Starting on 11 last year Earlington went 3-4-3 on way to his 68.

Sean - standing on the 11th tee you can now see the 12th and 13th which is a delight. The tee shot on the 12th is one of the finest in heathland.

[Kevin Pallier]

Scott

"Just" ?

Have you seen West Hill yet ? For mine it's a level below Woking and Worplesdon.

You are indeed right about the Eastlake comparisons at Worplesdon.....mind you - I hope they dont ever build a similar styled bridge. Surely one could have gone under the road instead 

[Tom_Doak]

Scott:

I like Worplesdon as much as you do [although I like Woking more than you do].

My only quibble would be in calling it just another great HEATHLAND course.  Last I saw it, Worplesdon had almost crossed over the line of being a parkland course, in the nature of its turf.  In your pictures it's much browner than it was for me, but is there still much heathery character left?

[Scott Warren]

Scott:

I like Worplesdon as much as you do [although I like Woking more than you do].

My only quibble would be in calling it just another great HEATHLAND course.  Last I saw it, Worplesdon had almost crossed over the line of being a parkland course, in the nature of its turf.  In your pictures it's much browner than it was for me, but is there still much heathery character left?

I know Woking, Worplesdon and West Hill have been fighting to regenerate their heather with varying degrees of success of late.

In areas Worplesdon probably felt a bit more parkland than heathland (1-3, 9-10, the bottom of 15) but around the areas of 4-8, 16-18 and 11-14 had a strong heathland feel, I thought.

It strikes me typing the above that it was the low areas of the site that seemedost parkland-like. The turf on the other areas I mention was crisp and tight and while not exactly like the turf at, say, Walton Heath, still in the same ballpark.

There were strong "seas" of purple on 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 18.

Having not seen it before last weekend I can't say whether that has increased since the tree clearing. Mark Chaplin plays there a fair bit, so perhaps he might chime in with some comparison of then and now.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Thanks Scott look forward to seeing pic of no 4.


Re the 17th green.  I can't think of another steep two tier green where the top section then slopes middle to back, i.e. the ridge long the middle his the high point and any pin placement near there is hard to get to . Probably a little unfair on a longish Par 4, but in play it’s outstanding.


I was very surprised to see brown, the lushness of it the 3 times I've played always made me feel vaguely uncomfortable as if I was playing through the back gardens and not on the course.  I may have to revise my views because at the moment I have it 3rd of the 3 w's, but it's always good to hear about it's virtues.

[Tom_Doak]

Tony M:  Wentworth West used to have a couple of two-tiered greens where the higher back tier fell away from the line of play.  If I remember right, the seventh hole was the really severe one ... I saw Seve hit a wedge shot from the bottom tier to the top in the World Matchplay back in 1982.

[Scott Warren]

I've just added a heap more pics. Too many probably!

[Mark Chaplin]

Scott the 18th used to be a par five with the green at the bottom of the car park.

It's too early to say if the tree clearance is changing the grass quality or improving the heather. There are areas on the course that get pretty damp especially 8, 9 and approach to 15. The network of ditches and ponds show how much water is collected. 5, 12, 13 & 14 are some of my favourite heathland holes.

Worplesdon is a quiet members club with comfortable facilities, good food and relaxed pace  of life (apart from xing the road!!).

[Andrew Mitchell]

Scott
Great photo tour, thanks for sharing.

Having seen photos of Woking and having played New Zealand recently it emphasises what a great selection of heathland courses there are in that small area south west of London, particularly when West Hill and St George's Hill are added to the mix.  I guess the courses I've mentioned are all covered by a five mile radius?

I seriously need to spend more time playing the London heathland courses. Shame about work and money 

[Scott Warren]

That's pretty much on the money, Andrew.

The 3 Ws, NZ and St George's Hill are within a 6mile x 2mile rectangle that also includes The Wisley.

[Sean_A]

Scott my partner had 195 in and was using an iron, beef up laddie!! Starting on 11 last year Earlington went 3-4-3 on way to his 68.

Sean - standing on the 11th tee you can now see the 12th and 13th which is a delight. The tee shot on the 12th is one of the finest in heathland.

Chappers

Talk of tree clearing really peaks my interest in seeing Worp again.  Is the course now more like St Georges Hill with the undergrowth cleared out?

I would like to see Woking's new 6th as well.  I suspect I will try to organize the Christmas Doo again at one of these two clubs - likely whichever offers the best deal. 

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

Sean Worplesdon is worth another trip and we now have a few more member friends there, likewise with Hankers.

[Andrew Mitchell]

That's pretty much on the money, Andrew.

The 3 Ws, NZ and St George's Hill are within a 6mile x 2mile rectangle that also includes The Wisley.

Tony M warned me off The Wisley.  I wasn't desperate to meet any Premiership footballers!

[Mark Chaplin]

Andrew to be fair Wisley is a very successful club and has a diverse membership including the odd sports and TV personality. The course is always in immaculate condition and although it is not to my taste I enjoy an annual game there. I believe they are rebuilding all three nines over the next year or so.

[Gareth Williams]

Sean Worplesdon is worth another trip and we now have a few more member friends there, likewise with Hankers.

As someone local to the Three 'W's I'd be very much up for a game there with any fellow GCA members.

[Gareth Williams]

Nice photos Scott, fortunately the guns are every other Sunday and must affect West Hill and Woking as well.

Worplesdon have removed 1000s of trees over the last couple of years and the course is much the better for it.

I'm guessing the pond on 10 is natural as the entire property drains down to it.

Are you referring to the Rifle range at Bisley Mark as that sound carries around the local area? - it's about 3 miles from the Three 'W's

[Scott Warren]

Gareth, the shots I am referring to were being fired adjacent to the 14th hole.

[Steve Kline]

A former golfing partner of mine (he was originally from Northern England) was a member at Worp. He invited to play there but I never had the chance to go. He's since moved back to Switzerland. After seeing this photo thread I really wish I had gone with him. I really love the look of heathland courses. I'm not sure what it is about the look but I think it has something to do with the course looking "settled". I guess it's the lay of the land look, nothing seems forced, etc.

[Gareth Williams]

Gareth, the shots I am referring to were being fired adjacent to the 14th hole.

Ah, that will be the Grouse moor next door then............

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