British Masters at Close House (Colt Course)

[David_Tepper]

Unless I am mistaken the Colt Course at Close House is hosting its first Euro Tour event this week. I can't recall any discussion here  about the course in quite some time. Has anyone played the course in the last year or so? Any thoughts or comments? 

[Mark Pearce]

I played it earlier this year.  I remain of the view that it's an excellent course on a tricky site.  The uphill par 5 10th (played as the 6th this week) is a slog but just about every other hole has something going for it and I like several of them a lot.  2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17 (as played by the members, subtract 4 to get the hole numbering for the way the pros are playing it) are all very good or excellent holes, 8 and 13 are great examples of interesting steeply downhill par 4s.  I'm really looking forward to spending a bit of time this weekend seeing how they play it.


Sadly, it's likely to be a while before I play there again, changes to regulatory rules in the audit industry mean that my usual host there has lost his corporate membership and I'm not paying the regular green fee!

[Scott Macpherson]

Hi Guys,


Yes, the Colt Course is hosting the British Masters (BM) this week. I designed it in the 'style' of Harry Colt. We started construction in 2009 and it opened in May 2011. The land has 300 foot in elevation change from it's highest point (hole 11, playing as 7 for the BM) to the lowest point (Hole 18, playing as hole 14 for the BM).


The course sequence has been changed for the BM to cope with the infrastructure demands of a big event. So players are playing the holes in the same order as normal, except they start (Hole 1) on what is normally hole 5. The change is working really well for spectators and players – especially because the practice academy is central so the players can warm-up and get straight out onto the course. I should also say, that due to the size of the field, it's been a two tee start on Thursday and Friday – that that works well too. The normal 14 hole (a par 3), is acting aa she 10th hole.


I have to say the green keeping team has done a fantastic job preparing the course. The head green keeper – Brian Clark – has been outstanding. He has a good team and about 25 extra volunteers this week.


The greens are being cut at 3mm and start off the day running at 10.6 on the stimp. They slow down a bit during the day, and with any rain, but the European Tour have told me 10.6 is about average speed for European Tour events. Some events have greens running at 9, others about 12.


For the event a couple new tees and bunkers were added, but there's not been any significant change.


Feedback I'm getting from the players and media is that the greens are providing a lot of challenge and interest (great!) and hole 14 (normal 18th), is one of the favourites. This is a delightful surprise to me because it features a low stone wall in front of the green – which is obviously an unusual hazard. The hole in the event that I like them playing is 17. It's a short par 4, and normally the 3rd hole, but I think works well as the 17th as it could give up any score from an eagle to double bogey.


Cheers,


Scott

[David_Tepper]

Scott -

Thanks for your response. Glad to hear the course is being well received. I will try to watch it on TV over the weekend.

DT

[Tom_Doak]

For the event a couple new tees and bunkers were added, but there's not been any significant change.

Scott:


If it's not going to get you in trouble, would you mind answering why these relatively insignificant changes were deemed necessary for a one-time event?  What problem did they solve?

[Mike_Clayton]

Scott,


Was one of the new tees on the 2nd (6th)? I remember it as a drive and pitch hole and they seem to be hitting longish shots in there. Of course a 'longish shot' on tour now is a 7 iron.

[Mark Pearce]

Scott,


Any idea why they're playing 13 (9 as they play it) so far forward?  One of the most interesting tee shots on the course, in my book, and they've turned it into a long par 3.

[Thomas Dai]

Some rather good flyovers of each hole here - http://closehouse.com/colt-course-flyover/
Well done Paul Dunne.
Atb

[Mark Pearce]

61 in the final round to hold off a charge by one of the best players in the world?  Fabulous effort from Dunne.

[Scott Macpherson]

Hi Guys,


I've been at the British Masters, so sorry for the slow reply.


Mike, new back tees were added to three holes. Using the tournament holes numbers, these were 1 (normal 5th). 2 (normal 6th) and 15 (normal 1st). The total distance added with these three new tees was about 100 yards. For the event, they did not use the back tee on hole 12 (normal 16th) because it was over the entry road and would have created too much of a hindrance for the flow of spectators, TV crew, player shuttles etc. I like the change to the 2nd (6th). It adds interest to the drive and the approach shot.


Tom – Not sure the changes solved any 'problems'. They were just to add interest for the elite pros by trying to put their tees shots into areas where the rest of us might hit the ball, and so where they will have to consider the hole strategy. i.e on the 15th (normal 1st), it kept the pros short of the low ridge that runs on a diagonal across the fairway. On the 2nd (6th) it kept the fairway bunker in play.


Mark – I sat on the 9th (normal 13th) tee and watched a few groups go through today – fascinating stuff. The tee was moved 142 yards forward (which I'm guessing made it about 340 yards long) and so the pros didn't know whether to try and drive the green or lay-up. I saw balls finish left of the green, right of the green in the ditch and trees, and some did lay-up and got into trouble too. If the idea of moving the tee forward was to make the pros think, it worked – and mostly not in the pros favour.


The other hole that really got the pros thinking was the 17th (normal 3rd). Being where it was in the round, with guys chasing birdies, the conundrum for them was whether to try and drive the green or lay-up and wedge it in. It was engaging to watch – certainly the spectators in the public bar got overlooking the green got into it!


Interestingly, attendance numbers for the British Masters at Close House are higher than they were for both the previous years, so great to see the Geordies getting out and supporting the event. I'm sure there will be a debrief by the European Tour and the owner of Close House sometime in the future. I've no idea what the outcome of that will be, but the vibe today was very positive.


Cheers,


Scott

[Randy Thompson]

I got to see a little of it and made me want to play it and what kept going through my mind, what a breath of fresh air and something different and modern! Congrats to all involvedͺ

[Martin Lehmann]

I watched the final round of the British Masters on television and then directly afterwards the final singles at The Presidents Cup. Two different worlds, two different golf courses. Made me realize that I'm tied to The Old Continent much stronger than I had ever thought...

[MClutterbuck]

I only caught a few holes, but loved what I saw. Nice bunkers as well.

[Scott Macpherson]

Glad you liked what you saw. Nothing hi-tech about the bunkers either – they've got the rugged edges, but under the sand, they are just lined with upside down turf sods.