Another course that no one’s ever heard of except Mark Rowlinson. Use the search facility on Heathland courses and time and again he singles out this one. The course (but not the address) lies in Rutland in the East Midlands near Stamford. five miles form the A1.
The course goes back to 1911 and was originally a Colt/Alison design. However the Club gives the credit for today’s course mostly to Braid. CK Cotton and martin Hawtree have added detail since the last war.
I played it the day after a pro am and I think I got the cunning pin positions. But maybe not, for as we shall see ‘The heath’ offers a mix of strong bunkering and great subtlety. I was playing well and after 9 holes this bogey golfer had 3 par’s and a birdie (on 6) but on other holes the wind, bunkers and subtle greens left me with 3 double and two triple bogeys!
To cope with today’s ball distance the fairways have been severely narrowed and that’s one feature of the photos. Unfortunately overdcast conditions do not make for detailed photography.
Contoured fairway angling away from you is typical of the deception at play here.
Bunkers above you are stil well short of green
2 is an early highlight. Regularly tee box angles are set up to add to the illusions going on. (Note the discreet horseshoe tee markers – very cool.)
Rolling fairways a feature here
3 again the angle of the tee confuses you, the fairway is to the left
Looking up the hill. There’s many of these grassy hollows on the course
4 like many fairways there is grass and bunkers to get the long hitters to club down. Second shot is across a valley to a green well below.
Lowest point of green is a ‘valley’ across the middle. So most shots will run to the back of the green. Due to the fall you look back to, I completely underestimated the slope down at the front of the green. So from the back I turned a green in regulation to a double bogey as two makeable putts mysteriously broke at the last minute.
5 Is the first PAR 3 and is then followed by this Par 5
7 I must play this one again - it beat me up. A great hole. This picture is taken in front of the teeing ground and as you set up this bit of wildflower obscures your view. All you are aware of is a pronounced fall from R to L across the fairway. You certainly can’t see that little gathering bunker on the left.
After visiting the bunker I misjudged the approach where there’s a false front. Despite an excellent chip from here another putt slipped just past the hole.
Although the course looks entirely natural the green here has been built up
8 Only 320 yards, a bottleneck with the green behind the Birch trees on the left.
9 with the wind coming in from the right I managed to curl one around the bunker. Only 3’, surely a cert for another birdie – forget it.
10 once again a confusing angle. Just where do I hit it?
A closer look at one of the bands of grass across the fairway. This is not uncommon on Heathland tracks but is often used here.
11is another solid par 4. We’re at the highest and flattest part of the course here.
12 Par 3. Most of the greens appear large and flattish at first but they feature some of the subtlest breaks I’ve seen. This one is 30 yards long, mostly sloping L to R but the backs of each bunker protrude a long way in, making the front part a sort of valley. The back left falls away, confusion is everywhere.
13 is an oddity. Ten of the twelve pars 4’s are less than 420 yards (6 under 395) but this one is flat and 481 yards long.
After my best drive of the day.
14 Unfortunately this picture is from the wrong place. On the tee the built up front edge of this hollow hides the entire fairway. Uncertainty is the name of the game.
15 the club is proud of its strong finish.
16 Once again distraction on the tee is provided by a clump of Gorse grown just for that purpose
The drive is up and over a ridge.
17 201 yards down hill
The only heather I saw on the course
Home
Final surprise, my pitch to this Par 5 green landed where I wanted and then ran on through!
Mark is of course right, this is an excellent course. It’s a members club par excellence, and they are keeping it at just in 350 in total. They have a close affiliation with Nott’s, Lindrick and Moortown and each club offers the other members courtesy of their course. Four top class courses for the price of one.
However I would say they have gone against some of the design ideas of Braid. I realise it’s been a wet summer but surely some of the grass might be a little brown? Although there were no soggy patches I feel they are using lush grass growth to slow the ball down. In the past they have also planted lots of trees, Hawthorn and the like. This cuts down the effects of wind (although I have to admit it does make it a more swirling and subtle foe which sits well with many of the other defences) on what is quite a high course. The grassy depression could do with more length to be a punishment. Also the lack of heather is telling. Open it up to the wind and get the ball rollingon short grass and you have a true challenge with those bunkers and hollows.
I feel this course is already easily a top 100 in Britain but I can’t find a single reference to it in books or Golf Worlds lists. IMO it’s near the top of the second division of Heathland (parkland?) courses. If the club has any desire to be recognised (and I have doubts they do) then they need to make moves to reinforce the Heathland characteristics and give us F&F in the summer.
Nevertheless highly recommended. Truly a hidden gem. Thanks Mark.
There’s a rather good website too, that gives details of the excellent discount they offer after 4 pm.
http://www.luffenhamheath.co.uk/