On my first trip to the UK, in fact my first trip out of the US, I've now played both courses at Walton Heath (my introduction to Heathlands golf) and two rounds at Littlestone (my introduction to Links golf). I've also walked around Princes and Royal St. George's. I only have a couple minutes but here's a few random thoughts...
I really liked the courses at Walton Heath. The back nine of the Old course is outstanding but the entire eighteen is a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Very few standout shots or holes on the front nine there. Conversely, I found the New course more enjoyable start to finish. There's more interest around the greens (at least for my game) and the better holes are spread throughout the eighteen. However, the New's routing is a bit fragmented walking-wise.
Heather is the damndest hazard I've ever seen. Bunkers with steep heather faces are...difficult. There you go, my attempt at dryly humerous English understatement.
The clubhouse and staff at Walton Heath are wonderful, the showers are to die for (wish I'd taken some clean clothes so I could take advantage like Tony M. did). The clubhouse carvery is truly great, including the charming South African staffers.
On to Littlestone. Within 15 minutes of being on the property I knew why some of you people routinely cross oceans to play links golf. It is just a happy place. Like having a round of golf and a day at the beach simultaneously.
Actually, I was striking my tee shot within 7-8 minutes of driving into the gate (due to a navigational snafu on my part). Littlestone is the kind of "all golf, only golf" place where that is practical. Wouldn't work that way at Walton Heath or for that matter my home club. You tee off right by the clubhouse window within arm's reach of the parked cars. My kind of place.
It was an ideal day. Sunshine, nearly calm conditions first time around and then a meaningful breeze for the afternoon round so I've now had a full understanding of the closing stretch into the prevailing wind.
Why didn't someone tell me that Littlestone has as fine a set of one-shot holes as anywhere I've seen? Excellent, solid but quite playable holes. All four directions of the compass, no drop-shot Par 3's. What's not to love?
The members of Littlestone are super-friendly even when a visitor spends too much time in the rough leading to slightly (very slightly) longer than three hours to play. Sorry about that, Craig. I love a club that thinks the game is meant to be played at a steady clip and not dawdled over.
Later I'll post some comments from the Amateur competition at Sandwich and Princes. For now I'll just say that Royal St. George's is a pretty confounding place for even very good players with a 15-20mph SW breeze. I'm not sure what'll happen tomorrow when the wind is supposed to blow in earnest.