Heathland misconception

[Adam Lawrence]

Alan is best placed to confirm, but my understanding of Walton's geology is that it is a mix of clay and gravel over the underlying chalk. The depth of soil down to the chalk varies greatly across the site. Obviously once water reaches the chalk it goes away quicky - chalk is even more permeable than most sand. I wondered for a long time how Fowler got away with building bunkers that are in many cases dug down so far below natural grade on such soil. The answer came in a letter he wrote to the Times around the time of Walton's opening:

"We are fortunate at Walton in being able to go down as deep as we like in making a bunker, and in any cases where the water does not go away of itself we sink a shaft about three feet square nearly to the chalk, then fill it with old pots, pans or large flints. They are then always dry and much the best type of bunker."

[Tom Kelly]

Alan is best placed to confirm, but my understanding of Walton's geology is that it is a mix of clay and gravel over the underlying chalk. The depth of soil down to the chalk varies greatly across the site. Obviously once water reaches the chalk it goes away quicky - chalk is even more permeable than most sand. I wondered for a long time how Fowler got away with building bunkers that are in many cases dug down so far below natural grade on such soil. The answer came in a letter he wrote to the Times around the time of Walton's opening:

"We are fortunate at Walton in being able to go down as deep as we like in making a bunker, and in any cases where the water does not go away of itself we sink a shaft about three feet square nearly to the chalk, then fill it with old pots, pans or large flints. They are then always dry and much the best type of bunker."

Thanks for that Adam, now everything makes abit more sense. I thought it might be on chalk given its proximity to the Surrey downs and that is obviously a huge advantage and makes it easier to cope with the clay on site.

[Alan Strachan]

Just to clear up a few things.

Walton Heath is on a red clay, with some flints mixed through, obviously the flints assist drainage, a small bit, but it's got a minimum of 6 meters to get down before it hits the chalk, more often than not it's more like 12meters.

If the site did drain, we wouldn't have had to re-build 18Old last August, this was the only birdbath type green so, not only did it not drain but also, it was very un interesting and a disappointing finishishing hole so it was win-win situation.
Also, we wouldn't have to stand on squeegee duty at every major competition we hold when there is a drop of rain, as the greens and greens only flood up very quickly.

Our plan is to start installing drains into all greens starting this August, these drains will be led into a borehole which then connects into the chalk.

I believe that it's most likely that the drainage issues are only an issue where man has disturbed the soil and, as the f/ways do drain although via surface run off and very aggressive surface aeration.

The probable reason for the Heath characteristics are due to the ph, which are pretty low, 4.8-5.5 is common, and the fescue/bents naturally  survive which help to give a firmness thanks to the strong rooting, and it's a very infertile soli type with very little humous layer and again, the first thing to pop up in bare areas would be the heather, followed by gorse,  same can be said for the heather liking a low ph.

I think what we try to do at Walton is to disguise the poor greens drainage via as much sand top dressing (weekly from March to mid Sept if poss), we also extend that out onto the approaches, to try and get them as firm and smooth as possible, which in turn, gives the golfer all options, aerial, pitch and run and especially putter.

Presentation wise, I think a seamless transition between green-surround/approach-fairway-semi rough should be as step-free as possible, and we are largely getting there, aren't heaths meant to be an inland links? I believe they are, I don't think enough people GET IT......during a very recent tournament, we hosted, they very experienced tournament director was nearly going to start dotting the edge of the green to help differentiate green and surround, can you imagine seeing the dots at The Open of for that matter at Pinehurst, some people just don't GET IT...

[Scott Warren]

Alan,

Thanks for adding a lot of value to this discussion.

As a small aside - what's the latest with the new holes on the old out by the existing 11-13? Are they complete? Are they incorporated into the course?

[Michael Felton]

Scott

They were in play through the winter while they did the work on 18 Old. I don't think they are intended as anything other than a stop gap while work is done in other places on the course. I think it would be a mistake to lose 12 Old. One of the best holes on the complex.

[Alan Strachan]

Scott

We used Mh1 & 2 when we re-built 18 Old, this allowed us to have 18 full holes with 18 full greens, absolutely terrific option if you have the room, as it allows us to close a hole if we are doing significant amount of work to any hole.
Both holes requiring time to mature as it's difficult to hurry slow growing heaths

[Scott Warren]

Thanks to you both.

I'd dearly love to see some pics of how they turned out, now I am living 20,000km away from a course I love so much.

I posted this when the changes were conceived back in 2010:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,44742.0.html

(for what it's worth, I still feel a bit sad when I see the 17th on the Old then and now...)

[Brent Hutto]

Nothing to add to the discussion but I'd like to join in the hearty welcome, Alan. This is good stuff for those of us who are clueless but obsessed about this stuff.

Walton Heath (both courses) was the first place I ever played golf outside USA, back in 2006. It was pretty amazing then and sounds like it's only getting better now.