Worplesdon

[Adam Lawrence]

Architect Tim Lobb and contractor Frank Lovell are in phase 3 of their project at Worplesdon at the moment, and have reached the par three thirteenth hole.


This is what it used to look like:





This is what it has looked like until this week:





And here's what it looks like today:

[Will Lozier]

Adam,


Pics aren't showing up.


I never played Worplesdon, but played Woking a number of times and West Hill very frequently during my year in London. Am looking forward to seeing more about this "W"!


Cheers

[BCrosby]

Not sure I get the changes to the hole. Thoughts?




Bob

[Ben Stephens]

Not sure I get the changes to the hole. Thoughts?




Bob

The changes to the hole are cosmetic ie making it look more like it was originally with sand faced bunkers with a bit of heather in the surrounds which Tim Lobb has carried out already on other parts of the course which looks nice.


The middle pic is the Jonathan Gaunt version with grass banked bunkers which makes the sand less visible this could have been the brief of a past greens committee.


Tim is also working at the Berkshire and St Georges Hill updating/renovating/restoring bunkers.


Cheers
Ben

[Peter Pallotta]

I think aesthetics and playability are (sometimes) significantly intertwined -- that the 'surface' and the 'substantive' go hand in hand, and that visuals can impact strategy. Here the first thing I noticed was the tree removal, behind the green. It doesn't seem to be very extensive pruning, and yet the lack of framing (as per the original hole) immediately makes it look like a harder hole, one that I'd be more tentative on and less aggressive in my shot selection.

[Sean_A]

I think aesthetics and playability are (sometimes) significantly intertwined -- that the 'surface' and the 'substantive' go hand in hand, and that visuals can impact strategy. Here the first thing I noticed was the tree removal, behind the green. It doesn't seem to be very extensive pruning, and yet the lack of framing (as per the original hole) immediately makes it look like a harder hole, one that I'd be more tentative on and less aggressive in my shot selection.

Pietro

Yes, I too think the tree removal is the main improvement. I remember folks talking about this at least 10 years ago.

All

Woking has managed to slip its way into the London top tier. Worpy isn't far behind and certainly should be an option when considering a golf tour to London.

Ciao

[Tim Martin]

I love the look of the original hole and hope someone will post a picture when the work is completed. The tree clearing is a positive which is usually the case.

[Tom_Doak]

I'm confused, because I see all of the same trees in picture 3 than I do in picture 2.  They just look further away because of the framing and lighting of the picture, and the fact that some of the leaves are down.

[David Jones]

I'm confused, because I see all of the same trees in picture 3 than I do in picture 2.  They just look further away because of the framing and lighting of the picture, and the fact that some of the leaves are down.

I’m the same Tom. The first picture looks like a summer one with lots of foliage but same number of trunks!

[Tim Martin]

To my eye there are a bunch of trees gone directly behind the green. I agree with the ones on the right still being there.

[Tim Martin]

Although the bunker placements are unique to each course and Worplesdo’s 13th is a bit longer the all or nothing aerial 13th at Pine Tree GC reminds me of a similar challenge to the original photo.

[Niall C]

If the object of the work is to have more sand, do they really need to rebuild totally ? Personally I don't find the Gault version at all offensive and I normally don't like purely flat bottomed bunkers. I'd be interested to see more of the work there.


Niall

[Peter Sayegh]

I'm a little confused. The green looks massive, especially at the 11 o'clock position in the original photo. Certainly not a tee in that green area.

Trees, less trees/distant trees, effect my perspective of a hole.
It seems a lovely par three in any iteration.

[Sean_A]

The 13th is a good hole and a tighter target than appearances suggest.

The 11 thru 14 stretch over the road is one of the highlights of heathland golf and part of one of the best back 9s in England.

Ciao

[Tom Kelly]

I'm confused, because I see all of the same trees in picture 3 than I do in picture 2.  They just look further away because of the framing and lighting of the picture, and the fact that some of the leaves are down.

I’m the same Tom. The first picture looks like a summer one with lots of foliage but same number of trunks!

If there has been any tree clearance over there, it's nothing to do with the golf course as they are all over the boundary on the common at the back of Brookwood Cemetery.


I'd say it was just a case of a change of angle/focal length and lack of foliage that makes it appear like there are less trees.

[Ryan Coles]

How do you get the green? Walk on the slither of turf at the back right?


Perhaps why these ‘cool’ features fell by the wayside in the first place.

[Peter Flory]

Today's version of the hole looks the most penal.