Wilmslow
Wilmslow is a couple of miles down the road from where I live. My sons are members. I cannot afford to be! It's an old club, founded in 1889, and it moved to its present site in 1903. It has had a who's who of architects over the years: Sandy Herd, James Braid, Tom Simpson, George Duncan, Fred Hawtree, Cotton, Pennink, Lawrie and Dave Thomas. There have been no drastic rebuilds, just a process of constant evolution. During the 1980s it hosted a number of events on the European Tour but it would be too short for today's mighty hitters. It is still much in demand for County events and has been a regular venue for Open Championship qualifying rounds. Most of the members come from the professional classes and the golf is mostly of the social kind, so it is not set up too savagely. There's plenty of width in the fairways and for the most part it is not too hemmed in by trees. It is one of the best conditioned courses in the area and gives remarkably good golf in winter despite our horribly damp climate. As it stands at the moment the course measures 6607 yards playing to a par of 72. These photos were taken at various times in the 1990s and early 2000s. There have been a few changes since then, but nothing major. There will be rather too many pictures for a single posting, so this one will come in instalments. Have patience!
1st, 364 yards par 4. A strategic hole to start with, with a drive over a river valley (and the 18th green) to a fairway curving sharply to the left. Good players must draw the ball round the corner (or use a 3 wood) lest they run out of fairway. It is possible for strong players to drive the green if they know precisely where it is. I've seen one of my sons do it.
1st. The view from the ladies' and visitors' tees. It's more straightforward, but it asks a lot of the ladies to reach the top of the bank. Daffodil time - late March/early April, I guess.
1st green. This is taken from the front right. The straight approach must carry low ground and not be dragged away to the left by the slopes before the green. I don'e have a photo of #2, a 438 par 4 with a big dog-leg to the left past bunkers and trees and a narrow entrance to the green (quite typical of Wilmslow greens).
3rd, 494 yards par 5. If there is a criticism of Wilmslow it is that its par 5s are short, but for me this is a good tactical hole. Three bunkers on the right threaten the drive - aim away and you make the hole far longer. Good players can drive clear of them. Bunkers in mid fairway govern my second shot but are irrelevant to long hitters. Nevertheless the green is well defended, with a narrow entrance through bunkers, and its slopes, while in no way severe, can deceive.
4th, 392 yards par 4. Don't criticise his swing! He was aged 14 then. He's very much better now. It's not a difficult drive, with plenty of room, but everyone's instinct is to go down the right of the fairway, which is fine if you hit the ball 300 yards. If not, you may perish in either of two fairway bunkers or else be cut out by the trees on the right, with no shot to the green.
4th. The wisdom of keeping central or left if you are not an enormous hitter is apparent here. Goodness knows where this shot finished! The 5th is parallel, a 362-yard par 4, one of the easiest holes on the course.
6th, 198 yards par 3. This shares a double green with the 3rd (which you can see running up its avenue of trees). Again the entrance is narrow with a bunker front right behind which are some mischievous pin positions and another on the left, which you can see here.
6th, showing the long bunker running down the left of the green.
7th, 491 yards par 5. This is another short par 5, eminently reachable by the better player for it usually plays with the wind (unlike the 3rd which is usually into it). These cross bunkers are 106 and 68 yards short of the green and all too often catch my second shot.
More to follow....