I haven’t got any specifics about Hutchison, but I have played several of those that Tom lists.
I’m very fond of Ashridge (Campbell, Hotchkin, Hutchison+ Simpson!); it’s near my hometown and my favourite of the courses just north of London. Ashridge certainly isn’t in the Woodhall Spa, West Sussex class (Tom Doak’s 6 is about right) but it does have some similarities and I played it a few weeks ago, so it’s fresh in the memory:
The course has an effortless grace and is not too taxing since several of the holes are routed through natural shallow valleys (called “bottoms” locally
), which tend to flatter a player’s driving. Natural terrain (which is used to the maximum) and bunkers dictate the strategy and you’re always thinking: read Tom Doak’s description of the WONDERFUL 2nd to get the idea.
But it’s not just this hole. On the 4th, 5th, 9th 12th,13th,14th.15th 17th and 18th if you flirt with the fairway bunkers or work the ball off the fairway slopes the approach shot is easier. So in that respect, it has similarity to West Sussex and W Spa.
The bunkers are only moderately deep but I really liked their jagged rudimentary look and mossy faces.
As at Woodhall Spa, the greens tend to be fairly flat, apart from the 14th, 17th and 18th which are heavily contoured. Maybe the best green being the 14th, a great Road Hole style with a REAL road/lane too.
But I thought that green complexes as a whole were well conceived, with some fine bunker placement and occasionally some lumpy/broken ground for chipping interest. Including a small crater at the 6th.
Cool routing too. The hub of the course is in a bowl with 3 starting points: 1st,10th ,13th . So there are 3 tees and 3 greens in close proximity, but not a hint of danger. Taking a good look around at the vista from the 13th tee is inspiring as is the view down to the bowl from the 17th and 18th.
Top notch holes at Ashridge:
2nd(!!!), 4th(!) 5th (similar diagonal cross bunkers to West Sussex 17th)
9(!!)(brilliant hole with a precarious plateau green), 11th, 12th (beauty),14th,17th
18th (fine downhill to finish)
Plain holes: 3rd,7th,15th,16th
The course is well preserved. The old photos are almost identical to the current. But unfortunately the new proposed clubhouse will be a right carbuncle; way too much glass that looks like it belongs on a science park. (The current one is a bit odd but ok; the original burned down ages ago and was a stylish old thatched building.)
There are plenty of heathland courses around London that surpass Ashridge. But Tom Doak is right on the money when he gives it a Sleepy Beauty Award: more than meets the eye!
(I’d like to try another from Campbell et al, Kington (heathland?) too, just because it’s in a forgotten part of Britain and might be a sleeper.)