Hunstanton 2020 Open - new course layout WIP

[Ben Stephens]

Dear GCA

Here is another addition to my series of proposed 2020 Open courses.

Hunstanton in North Norfolk a links course located about 10 miles west of Brancaster. I play there annually and have a fair knowledge of the course.



I have proposed to take out the blind shot holes (holes 12,13 and 14) not favoured by the pros and align them along a huge dune ridge that goes thro the middle of the course. The club actually changed these holes a few decades ago but after protest by members they reverted back to the original.

By taking out Holes 4,12,13 and 14 - the following changes (mainly to improve spectator flow and visibility for the pros) I have made are

1.   a new par 3 behind the existing 8th (proposed 7th hole) green in the dunes which should make an interesting short/medium par 3 exposed by the wind from the north east.

2.   a new par 3 (proposed hole 12) from the existing 12th tee to the existing 13th green over interesting mounding - both holes 11 and 12 would then be bunkerless!

3.   a new par 4 (proposed hole 13) which aligns against the ridge - the fairway would then be uneven and interesting to hit.

4.   a new risk reward par 4 (proposed hole 14) on the other side of the ridge the green would be in a punch bowl in the current 15th fairway its shown as a green patch on the aerial - the bunkers around the existing 4 and 14th are retained and realigned toward the new green

5.   new 4th green (existing 5th green) located closer to proposed 5th tee (existing 6th tee)

6.   new 15th tee on top of the ridge which would give great views of the existing fairway

Hole 16 is the scene of the most unusal moments in the history of golf. Bob Taylor (who was Leics and Rutland junior selector during my county junior days) has 3 successive hole in ones 3 days in a row in a inter counties tournament!

The the closing two holes off the championship tee is one of the hardest finishes I have played on!

Cheers

Ben

[Tony_Muldoon]

Ben I have only visited the once, September 2004, so my memory is a bit sketchy.  Can you
1 post a new yardage total.
2 the current layout for comparison?


Sadly you have done for the splendid blind par 3.  I'm hoping your 5th is the existing hole that plays as a spion kop, but with added bunkers? It was at that point the course really became interesting for me.  If I understand you correctly you've lost one of the preceeding flat holes?

Nice work.

At 2.5/3hrs from london it still lacks a decent hotel or two; unless a previous Captain of the R&A would put some golfers up at his mothers winter pad?

[Ben Stephens]

Tony

Here is an aerial image of the current layout



club website with hole by hole - http://www.club-noticeboard.co.uk/hunstanton/

The proposed yardage will follow

Cheers

Ben

[Ben Stephens]

Hunstanton 2020 Open course yardage

1   345   4
2   580   5
3   470   4
4   445   4
5   340   4
6   170   3
7   485   4
8   155   3
9   595   4
      
OUT   3585   36
      
10   430   4
11   475   4
12   255   3
13   470   4
14   375   4
15   540   5
16   215   3
17   495   4
18   465   4
      
IN   3720   35
OUT   3585   36
TOTAL   7305   71

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I like it. Where shall we have final qualifying? Royal West Norfolk, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Aldeburgh?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Road access is somewhat limited and that practice ground is tiny, but I'm sure you can construct an overhead railway to get everybody in. I don't think there's rail access to Hunstanton.

[Ben Stephens]

Mark,

I think the road access to Hunstanton is much better than Sandwich and Turnberry. I use the A47 then A149 from the East Midlands.

Final qualifying - I would definitely use Brancaster, Sheringham - but Woodhall Spa and Seacroft instead of Great Yarmouth and Aldeburgh.


Tony

There are loads of B+B hotels in this part of Norfolk also there could be 1 or 2 cruise ships moored nearby that could be used as hotels.



The course itself will probably need a few additional bunkers and the existing ones made more difficult to 'get out of 'em' as well as Open tees. There are lots of good spectactor viewing areas on the existing mounds.

I am playing there in 2 weeks with James Boon in a foursomes competition will post some pics then

Cheers

Ben

[Jamie Barber]

I've only played it once but enjoyed Hunstanton. V. tough finish. I know it wouldn't wash for The Open but it would be a shame to loss that blind par 3.

PS I think you need to check your arithmetic ... that's a par 70 not par 71 by your "card"

[RJ_Daley]

Has Mark R., or others previously posted a thread with more photos of this course?  It looks very interesting from the aerial. 
I'd like to see some ground pics if possible.  Ran's write up only has the one photo.  But, he mentions this is a very vulnerable
course to errosion and rising sea level.  Is it in need of major sea wall sort of engineering for the future projections?

[Ben Stephens]

James, Thanks for letting me know about the typo! 9 is actually a par 5 and the par is still 71

1   345   4
2   580   5
3   470   4
4   445   4
5   340   4
6   170   3
7   485   4
8   155   3
9   595   5
     
OUT   3585   36
     
10   430   4
11   475   4
12   255   3
13   470   4
14   375   4
15   540   5
16   215   3
17   495   4
18   465   4
     
IN   3720   35
OUT   3585   36
TOTAL   7305   71

RJ Daley - James Boon and I will probably defintely write a thread on Hunstanton asap after the Hunstanton Spring foursomes.
Not heard stories about Hunstanton being vulnerable due to erosion thats more likely to be Brancaster just up the road as that course is much more exposed to natural elements.

[Jamie Barber]

595 yds would have been a tricky par 4