Ryan
I respect Burnham more than I love it. That is why it always features higher on my quality lists compared to my favourites lists. The course evolved over many decades and the result is an out and back course split in the main by dune ridge which is rarely used. I am convinced that land contains a more daring and better course. So there is that. Secondly, I do not like the cut lines of the course. There are so many places where the fairway has been dragged in tight for no apparent reason. I think the course would actually be better as a wider version of itself, but of course that doesn't matter much in the winter with the rough down.
Niall
Imagine the 7th clearing on every hole! If you like what you see on 7 the same should hold true for most of the course. An example of trees mucking things up. #2, the daily tee is stuck down on the right where it used to be left of the 1st green. There difference in the tee shot is incredible. When firm and playing from the left tee, it is difficult to hold the reverse camber fairway. Why, because trees encroach well inside the tree line down left so you can't play for skirting the rough in case it you hung up there and blocked out. Of course, I expect those that don't want to see trees come out will say there is a path left of the fairway so trees encourage golfers to stay right...which is very difficult in summer. Solution, play the right tee and forget about what should be a very cool tee shot. 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13 & 14 all have bad tree issues. Then add the nasty rough in conjunction with trees and the course becomes too restrictive imo...too much dictated play. We also mustn't forget the muted effect of wind due to the trees. I have long been convinced the Fowler design is among the very best of English inland golf, but his vision has been trampled upon.
ATB
Your point about Kington hits home. The course does need to be firm and accompanied by wind to get the full impact of the design. I can't say that is as much the case with the courses I placed above Kington. Still, top 25 is remarkable...no?
Mark
Worpy simply has too many good to excellent holes to ignore. 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16 & 17. Plus, other holes add to the test of the course sometimes with funk as in 6 & 16, sometimes with challenge as in 2, 15 & 18, sometimes with pleasurable excitement as in 10. The entire package is imo very special and one not to be missed when near London. It is only the greens which tip me toward Woking, but Worpy has some cool greens as well. Nope, Worpy gets easily overlooked among the heathland darlings, but it shouldn't.
Ciao