I had the opportunity today to walk the West course at Wentworth and met Chris Kennedy at a number of points along the way.
I did not have a camera and even if I had i doubt whether my fingers would have worked the buttons. We have had 8 days of no rain but a biting north east wind with ground and air temperatures little above freezing.
The course will be unrecognisable to any one who who knows it from before. The owners mission was to create a difficult course capable of challenge to the pro game and my my how they have gone about it.It is now very very difficult.
Yet for all the changes, to my eye the new course sits well within the old landscape, even the 18th which now requires a high 230+ yard second if they are going for it in two, looks stunning. In construction, Els hit 10, 5 woods and got 7 on the green. I wonder how many will try it in competition.
There are only two maybe three greens which can be reached by a ground ball. Every approach shot will need to go in high to carry the guarding bunkers and deep swales around the putting surface. The greens are generally smaller and although they retain the old, prevailing contour this has been broken by the use of diagonal and lateral ridges.
I suspect the pros are going to find it a minimum of 2 if not 3 shots harder than before and I would expect many complaints about it's severity when the tournament starts in late May. There is no sterner inland test in the UK and to that end the architect and construction team are to be complimented for fulfilling the brief.
I think off 2, I would be happy to break 80 off the medal tees. From the back 85 would be good. I have to confess that I liked it but there are going to be many who will not for it bears no relationship to what went before and is, a pro tournament golf course.
The proving rounds start at the end of this month, 15, 4 balls per day through April. When I go back in April I will take the camera.