Royal Ashdown Forest
I thought to include Royal Ashdown at this point as there is a contemporaneous GCA thread on bunkerless courses. Also, these pictures were taken in winter, mid January, when there was a sharp frost, yet the real greens were in play. They were rather bumpy where footprints had been made and the immediate vicinity of the cup was sometimes somewhat unpredictable, but it was a glorious day on which to enjoy this delightful corner of Sussex. Smoke from log fires hung in the air and I can almost sense their seductive aroma as I type this.
The course was laid out in 1889, mostly, it seems, under the inspired guidance of Archdeacon Scott. There have been changes over the years, including new holes created when the present clubhouse was erected in 1895. I think the last significant changes took place in 1920, so they have had time to grow in! The course measures 6477 yards with a par of 72, but this is one of those places (rather like The Addington) on which yardages are fairly irrelevant. What is more important is to make correct judgement of the effects of the hills, especially in summer when the quick-draining fairway turf can be lightning fast and the running approach shot is the order of the day. As I said, there are no sandbunkers, but there are many elaborate mounds, craters and gullies defending the greens, some of which are minuscule.
1st, 332 yards par 4. The 1st and 18th cross each other in the bottom of a valley. The fairway is generously wide but the pitch is tricky, up to a ledge green with OOB just through the back.
3rd, 334 yards par 4. There is a huge difference in the play of the hole depending on whether you are playing from the white tee (a left-hand dog-leg) or the yellow (a right-hand dog-leg). Either way the pitch is made over a gully and heather to a green in a corner.
4th, 356 yards par 4. Again quite a short par 4, but the fairway climbs as it curves to the right and there is an interruption short of the green.
5th, 512 yards par 5. If it has been relatively plain sailing so far this is where the action moves up a gear. The drive is downhill to an ever narrowing fairway crossed on the diagonal by a ditch and track. It affects some 100 yards of fairway, very much a threat to my second shot and, I shouldn't doubt, now in range of today's long drivers. The landing zone on the far side for my regulation second shot is only about 60 yards long for the fairway fizzles out in a stream and rough ground 50 yards short of the green.
5th. As you can see this is not a hazard you want to find yourself in.
6th, 128 yards par 3. This is one of the most famous short holes in England, one I rank alongside the 5th at Mildenhall, not only for its mischief but also for the fact that it's impossible to show how treacherous it is in a photograph. This is a view from behind the green looking back towards the tee. The tee shot must clear a stream which then continues down the left side of the green. There are mounds and depressions off to the right from which pitching requires strong nerves and a quiet conscience.
6th, again from behind but this time showing the dry moat running down the right of the green. The putting surface is narrow but almost 40 yards deep.
6th - what an impossible target the green is if you miss to either side!
More to follow: