2022-23 Winter Tour: Wondrous WALLASEY GC

[jeffwarne]

I love Wallasey and, given its exposure to the wind, I don't think you would want to find greens with greater contour. They are hard enough to hit and hold and many, such as the 16th, are on such superb sites that you don't need artificial contour. How was the rough?

I would concur with Mark, who has advised me on many fantastic trips across the pond.
In general, it seems many older links have greens without a lot of internal contour.


While I am a big fan of interesting green sites that feature blindness,elevation change complimenting the site, slope, tilt, interesting shapes,punchbowls, yes even tiers(least favorite) I'd say most modern links courses feature greens wth far more internal contouring than their old school links counterparts.
Given the built in wind in most links' environments, and the tendancy for modern greens and grasses to be faster, very often the excessive internal contouring is not my cup of tea.
Many experts with far more taste and experience than I. disagree on this.


Thanks for the update Sean-fine work as always.

[John Mayhugh]

I would concur with Mark, who has advised me on many fantastic trips across the pond.
In general, it seems many older links have greens without a lot of internal contour.


While I am a big fan of interesting green sites that feature blindness,elevation change complimenting the site, slope, tilt, interesting shapes,punchbowls, yes even tiers(least favorite) I'd say most modern links courses feature greens wth far more internal contouring than their old school links counterparts.
Given the built in wind in most links' environments, and the tendancy for modern greens and grasses to be faster, very often the excessive internal contouring is not my cup of tea.
Many experts with far more taste and experience than I. disagree on this.


Thanks for the update Sean-fine work as always.

Haven't seen Wallassey, but Jeff's comments are spot on. Especially about Mark Rowlinson - what a great resource he is.

[Sean_A]

I love Wallasey and, given its exposure to the wind, I don't think you would want to find greens with greater contour. They are hard enough to hit and hold and many, such as the 16th, are on such superb sites that you don't need artificial contour. How was the rough?

I would concur with Mark, who has advised me on many fantastic trips across the pond.
In general, it seems many older links have greens without a lot of internal contour.

While I am a big fan of interesting green sites that feature blindness,elevation change complimenting the site, slope, tilt, interesting shapes,punchbowls, yes even tiers(least favorite) I'd say most modern links courses feature greens wth far more internal contouring than their old school links counterparts.
Given the built in wind in most links' environments, and the tendancy for modern greens and grasses to be faster, very often the excessive internal contouring is not my cup of tea.
Many experts with far more taste and experience than I. disagree on this.

Thanks for the update Sean-fine work as always.

I wasn't suggesting there be excessive internal green contours. I don't recall issues for daily play at courses such as Deal, Sandwich and TOC, to name a few links with interesting greens. In my visits to Wallasey the greens haven't been cut short enough to pose any real issues unless the wind is abnormally strong...by that I mean something like 50mph. Its okay if you like flat greens, but don't hide behind wind as the reason 😎.

Ciao

[Brian Finn]

I recently visited Wallasey and came away impressed.  I can't add a ton to the fine work Sean has already done, but did want to share that they recently removed all of the trees to the right of the 10th hole (and a few others scattered around the property), leaving just a large sand dune, where they have sprigged some long grass, presumably intending for it to fill in similarly to how the other dunes look.  Never having seen it prior, I thought this was a positive move, opening up the course a bit more there, but the member with whom I played was unhappy with it.  Beyond that, I thought the 5th (par 3), heading diagonally toward the sea, as well as the 17th (par 4) were among the best holes on the course.  The 17th is a long par 4, playing parallel to the 4th (which fronts the sea), with a (most likely) blind approach to a beautifully sited green.  Fairly simple, but I thought a great links golf hole. 

[BCrosby]

Agreed. A couple of uninspired holes in the middle of the round, but otherwise a wonderful course. Wallasey should get more attention.


It makes for a terrific pairing with Hoylake just down the road.


Bob

[john_stiles]

Was fortunate to play Wallasley a second time in 2019. 


I'll skip the hole by hole and go directly to a 10-er.... Wallasley 6 - Holyake 4.


Many interesting green sites and the up and down stretches of the holes won me over the flatter Hoylake.
[/size]
[/size]Thank you for the photos.  Should have bought a copy of the BJ portrait on my last visit.

[Sean_A]

I recently visited Wallasey and came away impressed.  I can't add a ton to the fine work Sean has already done, but did want to share that they recently removed all of the trees to the right of the 10th hole (and a few others scattered around the property), leaving just a large sand dune, where they have sprigged some long grass, presumably intending for it to fill in similarly to how the other dunes look.  Never having seen it prior, I thought this was a positive move, opening up the course a bit more there, but the member with whom I played was unhappy with it.  Beyond that, I thought the 5th (par 3), heading diagonally toward the sea, as well as the 17th (par 4) were among the best holes on the course.  The 17th is a long par 4, playing parallel to the 4th (which fronts the sea), with a (most likely) blind approach to a beautifully sited green.  Fairly simple, but I thought a great links golf hole.

Wow, no love for the 11th?

I note the 12th is being rebunkered. Is there an archie involved with the recent work?

Ciao

[Brian Finn]

I recently visited Wallasey and came away impressed.  I can't add a ton to the fine work Sean has already done, but did want to share that they recently removed all of the trees to the right of the 10th hole (and a few others scattered around the property), leaving just a large sand dune, where they have sprigged some long grass, presumably intending for it to fill in similarly to how the other dunes look.  Never having seen it prior, I thought this was a positive move, opening up the course a bit more there, but the member with whom I played was unhappy with it.  Beyond that, I thought the 5th (par 3), heading diagonally toward the sea, as well as the 17th (par 4) were among the best holes on the course.  The 17th is a long par 4, playing parallel to the 4th (which fronts the sea), with a (most likely) blind approach to a beautifully sited green.  Fairly simple, but I thought a great links golf hole.

Wow, no love for the 11th?

I note the 12th is being rebunkered. Is there an archie involved with the recent work?

Ciao

I thought highly of the 11th, for sure.  I really enjoyed the opening 6 holes (including the short, flat, par 4 6th)...the 8th, which forced a conservative tee shot, due to all of the OB right, then revealed a terrific green site upon approach...11 and 12, which you highlighted nicely...and I thought the the finishing run of 15-18 was terrific.  Relative to the better holes on the course, the three par 5s on the flat (7, 13, and 14) were a bit bland, but not so much that it took away substantially from my overall impression of the course.

I can't recall the architect overseeing their recent work...to be honest, more than half of the courses I visited were about to embark on winter work that involved fairly heavy machinery (S&A being the most substantial from what I could tell), and I heard the names Mackenzie & Ebert more than once, but I can't recall right now who was working where.

[Brian Finn]

I just read that Clayton, Devries, & Pont have been appointed consulting architect to Wallasey.  What a terrific combination of two class organizations that will be.  I look forward to what CDP will recommend at this already outstanding course.  Congratulations to all involved.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I just read that Clayton, Devries, & Pont have been appointed consulting architect to Wallasey.  What a terrific combination of two class organizations that will be.  I look forward to what CDP will recommend at this already outstanding course.  Congratulations to all involved.

Yes intriguing that CDP just got the gig when I believe M&E were already in there.


No idea the brief but given this doesn’t hinge on a restoration (I’m guessing), it will be interesting to see what Frank Pont (for he will lead) does differently to what Martin Ebert might have done.

[Duncan Cheslett]

I played Wallasey in October with a couple of members and was very impressed with the work that had been done since my last visit, presumably under the direction of Martin Ebert. It mainly involved clearance of vegetation and the introduction of grass paths -  there were even a couple of trademark sand scrapes!


Future plans seemed to centre around a new practice ground situated between the 1st and 2nd holes, with a new 2nd fairway being planned out to the right off the tee to make room. I asked my friends about the 7th, 13th, and 14th and they knew nothing about ME having submitted any proposals for these holes - generally though of as a little dull in comparison to the rest of the course. This surprised me at the time - I would have thought improving these holes was far more important than creating a bigger practice ground.


I have high hopes that Frank Pont will come up with something imaginative  - particularly for the 7th hole along the road. It is such a pedestrian downer of a hole after a great opening stretch. I'm surprised this wasn't the first thing Martin Ebert addressed. A fake dune between the fairway and the road a la Hillside's new 1st would make a huge difference!

[Alex Miller]

Just returned from a trip to the west coast of England and I must say I came away wholly impressed by Wallasey.


It seems that since last year there are a couple minor updates to share for the course. #1 has been impacted by some road work which seems to have impinged drainage of the rough patch breaking up the first fairway, and overall this may push the club toward the proposed re-working of #1-2 and a practice area. Considering those holes in the context of the rest of the course this could yield an improvement overall.


Some winter work has cleaned up the right side of #6 and others with some open/waste bunkers added. These seemed like an improvement to playability and along with some new fairway bunkering on 13 fit reasonably well with what was already there. Also #12 has come in nicely and I strongly prefer it to the 17th at Royal Liverpool in terms of reworked par 3's on the Wirral.


3 is exceptional, 4 and 17 dramatic and a very good arena of golf, 5 an interesting and scenic par 3, 8's OTM green is wonderful, 10 is coming in nicely and is truly a risk/reward drivable par 4, 11 a true links 4, 13 and 14 solid opposite facing 5's despite being on flat land, 15 a wonderful greensite, 16 is a gem, and 18 a fine finish with the backdrop.


From the plays on my trip, the only course I would favor to Wallasey is Royal Lytham, and would tip the scales to W up against Hoylake, Birkdale, Formby (closest), and West Lancashire. No doubt the other Royals have their merit and the infrastructure to host The Open, but for my tastes as a home club Wallasey ticked all the boxes for me. A Can't Miss if making your way to this part of the UK.

[Sean_A]

I just read that Clayton, Devries, & Pont have been appointed consulting architect to Wallasey.  What a terrific combination of two class organizations that will be.  I look forward to what CDP will recommend at this already outstanding course.  Congratulations to all involved.

Yes intriguing that CDP just got the gig when I believe M&E were already in there.

No idea the brief but given this doesn’t hinge on a restoration (I’m guessing), it will be interesting to see what Frank Pont (for he will lead) does differently to what Martin Ebert might have done.

There can't be a restoration. Loads of land beyond 5 green and 6 fairway was nicked by the War Office before the war. I think this is how 4, 5 & 17 came to be.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

There can always be a restoration, Sean. Just depends what date you restore to.


Anyway, my post was 15 months old. What work have CDP done and do people think it’s good?

[Sean_A]

There can always be a restoration, Sean. Just depends what date you restore to.

Anyway, my post was 15 months old. What work have CDP done and do people think it’s good?

Wallasey has been radically altered over the years. There is no going back.

I don't think CDP has done anything yet. There is definitely scope for big improvements. I think the club wants more visitor money, so there may be a willingness to lean into changes.

After a three year layoff the 2022-23 Winter Tour stopped by Wallasey. Much like Hillside, I like the improvements. Unlike Hillside, I am not sure the course is much better. See the updated tour.

Previous stops on the 2022-23 Winter Tour

Hillside
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35092.0.html

Whittington Heath
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35648.0.html

North Berwick
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,59363.0.html

Kings Norton
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71728.0.html

Minch Old
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48765.msg1100536.html#msg1100536

Welcombe Hotel - no photo tour

Painswick
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51629.msg1181534.html#msg1181534

Planned Tour Stops

Formby
West Lancs
Southport & Ainsdale

Ciao