LITTLE ASTON GC: Pleasure To Play Again

[Sean_A]

Turboe

Not many overseas guys make it to Little Aston.  Its a sleeper for sure.  Quite subtly clever without seeming like much is happening.

Ciao

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Turboe

Not many overseas guys make it to Little Aston.  Its a sleeper for sure.  Quite subtly clever without seeming like much is happening.


Ciao

Thanks for the great pictures, I think I am going to use the routing you posted in the book I put together for my UK trip from last summer.  Thanks.  I have quite a few pics from that day, but I like the different look from the winter pictures as well.  Thanks again.

[Greg Taylor]

Just a small update on Little Aston... played there last week and the tenth hole has seem some very significant tree removal.

The first dog leg has seen approx half the trees removed so you can now see the target if you intend to cut the corner with your drive.

I didn't get a pic, but I think you'd be surprised... it's quite a job.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I like the thought of that, it was always too cluttered down that side.
I hope to see it next time I am home, always a good day of golf LA  and SC down the road.

[Sean_A]

Played Little Aston this past Friday as part of the 2013-14 Winter Tour. Yes, I think even more trees have come down on the left of #10.  Left of #11 has also seen some significant tree work among some general tree clearing here and there.  The course is definitely improving.  Maybe I will get some more pix on my visit in April.  See updated pix. 

Kevin - its interesting to go back and answer your question 5 years later!   

If we take an area formed by the box of Stoke-on-Trent and Nottingham in the North and Worcester and Northampton in the south (sort of the centre are of the Midlands) Little Aston fairs very well. 

2014 - pure quality

1. Notts  Little Aston
2. Little Aston  Notts
3. Edgbaston  Beau Desert
4. Northamptonshire Co  Edgbaston
5. Beau Desert  Northamptonshire Co

2014 - my favourites (for my money)

1. Edgbaston
2. Sutton Coldfield winter card  Harborne
3. Notts  Sutton Coldfield Winter Card
4. Whittington Heath  Little Aston
5. Northamptonshire Co  Notts

Previous Stops on the 2013-14 Winter Tour:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57982.0.html  Frilford Heath Green 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,33988.0.html  Notts

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32228.0.html  Huntercombe 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49796.0.html  Cleeve Cloud 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49998.0.html  Worcester G&CC 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35648.0.html  Whittington Heath 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57487.0.html  West Hill 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57396.msg1340334.html#msg1340334  Walton Heath Old 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57349.0.html  Sandy Lodge 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,26579.0.html  Tadmarton Heath 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51321.0.html  Sutton Coldfield

Next Scheduled Stop: Pennard

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Well, I played LA today and after about 4 holes I told my playing partners that I bet the club hired a new Super.  The new grassing lines were very obvious around bunkers and creating much better aprons.  Trees galore too have come out.  Once in the house I find out that the greenkeeper from Tandridge just took on the job.  The same greenkeeper who worked with Frank in restoring some Colt aspects of that course.  So, its not direct, but Frank's influence has definitely impacted LA.  The course is looking far better and what a perfect time for it!  With the recent rains shorter grass made the course play alright whereas before it would have been much more playing from wet, claggy rough - boo!  Anyway, things are certainly looking up for LA.  I am hoping this fever of more short grass and less trees keeps rolling through out the Midlands. 

Ciao

[Frank Pont]

Well, I played LA today and after about 4 holes I told my playing partners that I bet the club hired a new Super.  The new grassing lines were very obvious around bunkers and creating much better aprons.  Trees galore too have come out.  Once in the house I find out that the greenkeeper from Tandridge just took on the job.  The same greenkeeper who worked with Frank in restoring some Colt aspects of that course.  So, its not direct, but Frank's influence has definitely impacted LA.  The course is looking far better and what a perfect time for it!  With the recent rains shorter grass made the course play alright whereas before it would have been much more playing from wet, claggy rough - boo!  Anyway, things are certainly looking up for LA.  I am hoping this fever of more short grass and less trees keeps rolling through out the Midlands. 

Ciao

Sean,

glad you liked the new conditions at LA, all through the good work of Neil Baker, the former Course Manager at Tandridge. He is a great greenkeeper, dedicated and very ambitious and totally gets the Colt philosophy. He was the third person presenting at the Colt seminar we organised two years ago (others were Paul Turner and myself).

I am not (yet  ) working with LA, but while at Copt Heath last year did spend time with Neil at LA discussing what he has done and what he still wants to improve on the course. I think what he has done so far is great, and there is still more exciting tree and bunker work that is planned for the future!

[Neil White]

Heard that LA had to postpone their Club Championship due to torrential rain - 5 inches in 1 hour - flooding the course and washing out almost all the bunkers last Tuesday. 

Also a fairly sizeable claim has been put in for remedial works.

Not sure if this would expedite the bunker work Frank mentions?

[Sean_A]

Please see the updated tour.  Little Aston continues to impress in an understated manner.  That said, some of the clearing work carried out in the last year is excellent and is paying off with improved course conditions...the greens were humming yesterday...beautiful.  With more space to the corridors some fairways have been widened to go around bunkers...it is clear Little Aston's new green keeper is on a mission!  I also note that an experiment with heather topped bunkers is underway. 

Previous 2014-15 Winter Tour Stops:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32146.0.html  Formby 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60714.0.html  Formby Ladies 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60660.0.html  Stinchcombe Hill   

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32228.0.html  Huntercombe

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,33988.0.html  Notts

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48115.0.html  Moseley
 
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47211.0.html  Worplesdon 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60107.0.html  Walton Heath New 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,59831.0.html  Cumberwell Park Orange 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30926.0.html  Kington 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49796.0.html  Cleeve Cloud 

Future Scheduled Stops: Sandwich

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Harry Vardon doesn't seem to get much credit for his course designs. I appreciate that Little Aston has, like everywhere really, been tweaked a bit over the years, but where would Little Aston rate in relation to Vardon's other design work? Just curious.
atb

[Sean_A]

I don't think Vardon was overly involved in design.  Other than Little Aston his name is associated with a few big name courses such as Sandy Lodge (it had a hey day), Tadmarton Heath, Woodhall Spa, Ganton and Co Down.  I couldn't say how much of any of these courses is his except that the LA routing is fairly well intact.  I wonder if Vardon had somebody route the course...this could be a Hawtree job in conjunction with Vardon.  I suspect the three generations of Hawtrees have touched more course in GB&I than anybody else...

In any case, if you haven't played Little Aston, David, you ought to...its up yer alley.  Despite the sometimes heavy handed bunkering the subtlety of the design is the stand out feature.  Most will not be impressed by one visit or pix, but that LA easily deserves more time than that.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

As Boonie pointed out in the knockout thread, Little Aston is slowly making progress with trees... the 10th remaining the biggest change.  Approximately 15 yards of the left rough will eventually be opened up, but its possible now to drive over the remaining trees or through a gap.  There remains scope to remove tons of trees which would open up a lot of interior views and showcase specimen trees and earthworks. 

There is talk of reshaping bunkers, but honestly, the club would probably do better to think about how it can remove some bunkers and introduce heather in spots. 

See the slightly updated tour.  http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38973.0.html

Kevin - its interesting to go back and answer your question 5 8 years later!   

If we take an area formed roughly by the box of Stoke-on-Trent and Nottingham in the North and Worcester and Northampton in the south (sort of the centre are of the Midlands) Little Aston fairs very well. 

2017 - pure quality

1. Little Aston  Notts
2. Notts  Little Aston
3. Beau Desert  Blackwell
4. Edgbaston
5. Northamptonshire Co

I continue to believe that if Beau Desert got its act together that it is probably better than the five listed above....heavy sigh.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

More progress is being made with trees and there was even fairway ADDED on the 10th beyond where trees were cut down.  The main area of hacking is between 10 & 11.   A wee tree was also removed beyond the fairway bunker on 17.  The work seems to be progressing very slowly a there are literally hundreds more tree which add nothing to the course and should come out. 

See updated tour.
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38973.msg1158969.html#msg1158969

Previous Stops on the 2017-18 Winter Tour

RAC
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,65366.0.html

St Georges Hill
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,36130.0.html

Huntercombe
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32228.msg633321.html#msg633321

Worcester
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49998.msg1348691.html#msg1348691

Planned stops: Deal & Princes

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Playing/visiting Little Aston is a pleasure.
Lots of really cool features and a fine routing. But from a golfing perspective it could be so, so much more, it probably was once, before the tree planters took over and the original playing angles and lines and purposefulness of the bunkering and mounding were altered. In the Clubhouse however, I spotted a large booklet by MacKenzie & Elbert detailing aspects of the course they recommend changing and on holes 10-11 there is a whole bunch of tree removal being undertaken so perhaps more will follow. Fingers crossed. Another aspect worthy of comment, negatively unfortunately, is the very soft and sponge like greens. A thatchy legacy of excess water over the years??
A pleasure to visit and play though with the potential to be an exceptional parkland rather than just very good one
Atb
Edit. Some photos from 2018 added.

[Sean_A]

The odd aspect of Little Aston is the fairways drain very well.  Maybe there is thatch build up in the greens which are making them spongy.  That said, there has been a ton of rain and I have seen far worse.  Anyway, the subtlety of the greens is lost when they are wet. 

The trees rarely cause problems for the holes.  Its more a question of opening sight lines and highlighting the best specimens...there are a ton of great trees on the property...reminds me of Huntercombe. 

Ciao

[Sean_A]

I had the chance to play Little Aston after not seeing the course for a few years.  Things are still slowly improving.  The biggest change this time is the removal of a large tree on to the right of the 13th green.  See the updated photo tour.

Ciao