Addington Restoration (Now with Photos)

[Adam Lawrence]

I played Addington today in the company of owner Ryan Noades, Simon Haines of Copt Heath GC and John Challenger, the historian of Indian Hill in Chicago (Ed Cartwright of architects CDP accompanied us but couldn’t play because of an injury).

The restoration work by CDP is peeling back decades of neglect and revealing a course that will, when the work is finished, once again be acclaimed as one of the very finest inland courses in Britain. It’s a remarkable project, and kudos must go to all involved, but most of all to Ryan for having the cojones to undertake it in the first place.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Good to hear Adam.  Noades has already done a great job in raising the profile of the course. 15 years ago no one I knew had ever heard about it. More and more people mention it as a must play. The restoration is already being noticed.

[Marty Bonnar]

Adam,
Not going to post some of your photos?

[Adam Lawrence]

Adam,
Not going to post some of your photos?

I will but it will have to wait till I get round to uploading them on a hosting site.

[Marty Bonnar]

I could whip them off your FB post and save them to my Flickr account and post them up from there if it helps…

[Adam Lawrence]

Right, photos. I forgot to take any for the first few holes, and my phone died on the 16th. C'est la vie, though I wish I had a photo of the seventeenth showing the green expansion that is about to take place -- it will be remarkable (Ed Cartwright of CDP told me 17 was Mike Clayton's favourite hole on the course).

Seventh hole. The green is going to expand hugely at the back, creating what is effectively a double plateau punchbowl.




Eighth hole. The memorial stone on the left, erected by King George III, has been revealed by massive tree clearing, and there's more to come. The hillside on the left is to be cleared to the boundary line (except for one tree by the memorial), but the boundary is quite high up the hillside. Below the boundary lies Addington Palace GC, and after discussions with that club, some of their land is going to be cleared too -- with Addington owner Ryan Noades footing the bill. The ugly paths, installed by Ryan's late father Ron, when he bought the club in 2006, are going.




Eleventh hole. A classic Colt par three. The big gorse bush behind the green is going, and Colt's original u-shaped bunker is going to be put back in its original place.




Twelfth hole from tee. I don't think the sun helps here, but you can just see the top of the flagstick from the tee now, thanks to the enormous tree clearance. There is still a lot of discussion about how the fairway should be presented, but I think the consensus is that the islands of heather will go and the created ledge in the fairway will be at least partially returned to closer to natural grade. The landing area is already miles wider than it used to be, and it's going to be wider still -- I can't remember whether the quoted figure was 120 or 160 yards.



Approach to twelfth. One of the finest approach shots anyway imo. The green has been extended at the front, creating a severe false front.

To the left of this green, now revealed by tree clearance, is the site of the course's old by-green, which hasn't existed since very shortly after the place opened. Mike de Vries is going to rebuild it next summer, and the plan is that it will be used as a par three from a tee close to the ninth green, and a new tee will be built for the tenth hole, making it play as a par five. Not quite clear yet whether this routing will be always in play as an option, or reserved for special days. Also, having a nineteenth hole will be vital should today's opening hole be lost in the process of building the new clubhouse, which will be on the site originally planned for it, up the hill. The course will then return to its original planned routing, starting on what is now the fifth and finishing on today's fourth.




Thirteenth hole. Addington's iconic view. Rather different now! I have no words.

Henry Longhurst famously called Addington's thirteenth the greatest inland par three in the world, along with Pine Valley's fifth. It's interesting to note that both are essentially Colt holes, and both were built within a few months of each other. Must get this post finished quickly before I start regretting not saving that thought for my book





Fourteenth hole. A classic example of the benefits of tree clearing on an elevated site like this. 'Aim for the Shard'.


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Fifteenth hole. Brutally hard (Addington is a tough course all round). The bunker on the left side is going to be massively increased in size (Clayts' idea). I don't think it will affect play that much -- it's out of range for everyone with the possible exception of Bryson de Chambeau off the tee and most will clear it fairly easily with their second. It might affect course manager Kerr Rowan most, I can see a certain amount of sand needing to be pushed back up the face after big rains. (Addington's site is pure gravel and keeping the stones out of the bunkers demands a liner, but the bunkers are planned to have natural rough edges, so it is still up for debate what to use and how to use it).




[/size]Sixteenth hole. Possibly my favourite hole on the course and, after the thirteenth, possibly the most dramatic transformation. When you consider the incredibly tight double dogleg the hole used to be, it's a remarkable transformation, and it's going to get more so. The ground down the slope to the right of the green is planned to become fairway -- you'll have a shot from down there, but it will be a tough one.
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As I said, I don't have a photo of the seventeenth, which is a pity. Clayts compares the mound to front right of the green to the hump short of the fourth green on the Old course at St Andrews, and the little chocolate drops behind it show very clearly where the edge of the green used to be. One that is put back, players will have fits when the pin is located in the recaptured area.

So, all in all, a fairly remarkable project. Heather is already starting to regrow in the areas cleared of trees; the plan is to keep it very short, so there is no problem with losing balls in it. Addington has always been a remarkable piece of property; now the course will live up to what the property has to offer.

I don't think I've ever met a course owner who gets it to the extent that Ryan Noades does. He is spending a great deal of money on this -- the new irrigation system (scaled for the planned width of the course) cost a pretty penny, just for starters, although I don't think it is being used that much on fairways at least at the moment! I suspect this is the second most expensive course project done in the UK, after the recent rebuilt of Loch Lomond. If ever you need a demonstration of why proprietary courses can be a good thing, this is it: it is impossible to imagine a project of this scale being undertaken by a members club, in the UK at least. When it's done, Addington will be recognised as one of the greatest inland courses in the UK.

I am awestruck.




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[Ally Mcintosh]

When is the work due to be substantially complete, Adam?


Despite the tumbling topography, I wasn’t a massive fan on my one and only visit in 2013 (gave it a Doak 6) but it was choked with vegetation and there were a bunch of cool holes. I’ll be interested to get back to see if the renovation makes it feel much more playable.


Nice looking photos, especially with the burned off July roughs.

[Adam Lawrence]

When is the work due to be substantially complete, Adam?


Despite the tumbling topography, I wasn’t a massive fan on my one and only visit in 2013 (gave it a Doak 6) but it was choked with vegetation and there were a bunch of cool holes. I’ll be interested to get back to see if the renovation makes it feel much more playable.


Nice looking photos, especially with the burned off July roughs.

I just checked. Five holes will be rebunkered this October but it will take three winters at least before most of the work is done.

[Mike_Clayton]

Adam,


Maybe Edward mistook 17 for 16 - which is my favourite hole!!


As much as I like 17, 16 is one of the great two-shot holes in England.

[Adam Lawrence]

Adam,


Maybe Edward mistook 17 for 16 - which is my favourite hole!!


As much as I like 17, 16 is one of the great two-shot holes in England.

You'd better remind him, he was very clear about the seventeenth and why!

[Sean_A]

Adam,


Maybe Edward mistook 17 for 16 - which is my favourite hole!!


As much as I like 17, 16 is one of the great two-shot holes in England.

I was surprised to read 17. It's not even the best short hole. Is 16 a par 4 now?

Ciao

[Tim Gallant]

Great write-up Adam, and I completely agree. It was a joy to play The Addington in January and walk the course with Ryan. I instantly adored the golf course, and it will only get better.


I thought 16 was a 5, and think it's one of, if not the best inland par 5 in Britain. What would some of the other contenders be?


the run from 12-16 is as good as it gets. Especially when they clear the trees left of 14 to reveal the drop, I think that four hole stretch can hang with any around London.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Adam


You've missed out the photo of 13. Hole 7 shown twice.

[Adam Lawrence]

Adam


You've missed out the photo of 13. Hole 7 shown twice.

 Crap. Edited.