East London GC - Does anyone else..

[Mike Cirba]

...think it looks captivating and fun with those tiny greens and terrific terrain?

[Jason Topp]

Mike:

I had the same reaction.  Looks like a very interesting course.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Greens look poor condition though, looks a lottery some of the putting. The pro's are not allowed to say anything though. Same architect at Woodhall Spa, Hodgkiss.

[Jason Topp]

Greens look poor condition though, looks a lottery some of the putting. The pro's are not allowed to say anything though. Same architect at Woodhall Spa, Hodgkiss.

They just look like old bermuda greens to me - the graininess of which requires significant skill to handle.  I miss that challenge now that most southern US clubs have switched to newer strains of grass. 

If you want to find out whether your stroke is solid - hit a 3 footer into the grain on one of those old bermuda greens.

[Scott Warren]

Isn't it Hotchkin, Adrian?

[Adrian_Stiff]

Scott yes thats the chap Hotchkin.
Jason, the ball is clearing bumping around and shifting. Lots of missed putts inside six feet.

[Phil McDade]

Mike:

Like others here, I thought the same thing -- anyone know the architect/designer?

[Mike Cirba]

Guys,

Thanks for your comments.   

Perhaps the bumpiness of the conditions was something I found appealing...it reminded me a bit of the rougher-around-the-edges type courses I grew up playing.

Phil, I believe the architect was S.V. Hotchkiss, circa 1891.   Not sure who all has touched it since but loved the hole corridors.

[Tom_Doak]

I flew right over it the one time I was in South Africa ... my plane from Durban down to Humewood stopped in East London en route.  The course looked really cool as I was landing; I wanted to get out and see it, but alas, did not have the time then.

I know that S. V. Hotchkin [of Woodhall Spa fame] is supposed to have worked on it, but I think that would have been years after 1891, so perhaps someone else did the original layout and he just re-did it.

[Andrew Summerell]

Didn't they change to Seashore Paspalum a few years ago? I think they were the first course with Seashore Paspalum on the greens to hold a tournament from one of the main tours.

[Tom_Doak]

Andrew:

I don't know the answer to that.  However, I do know that Durban C.C. has always had a native form of paspalum on fairways and greens.  They call it "Country Club grass" there.  I suspect that East London would have had its own native paspalum since it is also in the dunes right beside the sea ... but I don't know when or if they switched over to a cloned cultivar.

[jeffwarne]

Guys,

Thanks for your comments.   

Perhaps the bumpiness of the conditions was something I found appealing...it reminded me a bit of the rougher-around-the-edges type courses I grew up playing.

Phil, I believe the architect was S.V. Hotchkiss, circa 1891.   Not sure who all has touched it since but loved the hole corridors.

It looked great.
Do pros(or anyone else) really need perfect greens?
Somebody will still win.
Architecture looks quite good as do the rough edges

[Bob_Huntley]

Mike,

I last played the course in 1963 before my move to the US. I thought that it, the Durban C.C., Royal Durban  and Humewood were the toughest courses in S.A., but none as good as the Nchanga G.C.  in Chingola, Northern Rhodesia.

Bob

[Pete Lavallee]

Bob,

Having played both Durban CC and Humewood, Nchanga would have to be very special to top those 3 courses. Was that a nostalgic selection or is Nchanga really that good? Is it still possible to play there?