The All-world green complex #5 Royal Worlington

[NAF]

It was a unique experience.  Paul Turner and I visited Royal Worlington and Newmarket (Mildenhall, actually if you want what the locals call it) back in May.  The course is nothing but a sandy plain and hardly looks inspiring but is among the most cunning and lethal (to your game) ones around if you don't put your ball in the right places.  The course is the epitome of strategy on several holes. The 5th hole is evidence of this.  From the scorecard the 5th looks like an afterthought--it is approx 155 yards but the view from the tee is anything but that.  What challenges you (shown above) is a slightly uphill tee shot to a bunkerless complex with nothing to have your eye focus on but some lonely, arrogant trees behind it.  The green is extremely narrow and has slithery etchings within it.  I reckon it is no longer than 5 or 6 paces wide although very long and pitched back to front.  The genius in the complex besides the green is what happens if you miss-- on the left is Mug's Cottage or Hollow.. Any ball on that falls on the left side of the green will find the hollow where gnarled rough gobbles it up.  From Mug's one must hit a perfect lob wedge flop or risk going into a similar hollow on the right.  In fact, one can go back and forth quite easily especially to a front or middle pin placement.  The right hollow also leads to a wetter area (sometimes a stream). Basically, this green will only accept a soft, high shot with little spin (a tight fade is probably best).  If you miss, you are looking at 4 easily.  It is the devil of all par 3s.. As nasty as PV #10 can be or Shinny #11, I think this baby takes the cake for wee par 3s in difficulty and it does it without one bunker.  Paul Turner hit the highest 8 iron I've ever seen in my LIFE to the back of this green and barely held it--the course was not playing hard and fast either yet as it does in the summer.  It was a perfect shot-in the summer I don't know if it would have held.  My shot found Mug's Cottage and I hit a perfect flop to 4 feet--but one of those slithery snake like grooves in the green made sure I missed the putt.  I jokingly told Paul the green resembled the old Rolling Stones tongue symbol.

[Paul_Turner]

NAF

You flatter me.  I think it was a 7-iron.  The only "safe" shot on this hole is long.  That way you can avoid Mugs Hole if you pull it.  If you're too long, then the trees will make matters tricky.

NB  If you own Darwin's British Isles book, you can see that line of trees in Rountree's illustration, for the following hole.  The trees look identical today.

[Craig Disher]

NAF,
"lonely, arrogant trees...". Well, well.

Is the photo taken fom the line off the tee? It looks like a low punch into the slope in front of the green might be effective in dry conditions. I'm always looking for par3s for which the best shot is NOT to land the tee shot on the putting surface. Maybe this one qualifies.

[Paul_Turner]

No Craig the tee is further back and looks straight down the green.  Another good description of that green is "vaulting horse".

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Noel,
I completely agree with the greatness, but how about the previous hole that begs the golfer to go at it in two shots and yet is an almost impossible green to approach with a long club.

How about the bunkers set into the ground on six, which blend into the ground so well they are difficult to discern in pictures.

Or the all-world eighth hole, with its tremendous lesson in angles. Here are two pictures, the dog just simplifies why it is such a wonderful place too.





I cannot think of too many courses that I am more anxious to get back and see than RW.

[Scott_Burroughs]

From the GCA Course Profile, here's #5 at RW from the tee (directly across the #4 green):



and green from a little different angle:

[Mark_Rowlinson]

There are so many great holes at Mildenhall.  I always enjoy the challenge of the 2nd, a par 3 of 220+ yards to a domed green very difficult to find in any sort of wind.  The 3rd is one of the best par 4s of its length (360 yards) I know.  I agree entirely with the assessment of the 4th and even if you can't reach in two shots the pitch is still testing over a ridge to a down-sloping green.  The 5th is without a doubt one of the great shorter par 3s.  I love the long sweep of the 6th with its demands on accurate positioning of the drive if there is to be any sight of the green.  I haven't enjoyed the 7th as much as others clearly have.  I find it quirky and the punishment is not always proportional to the magnitude of the error.  8 is a super hole and the exposure and slope of the green put such a premium on hitting a long approach shot absolutely dead weight.  Probably you can all drive the 9th, but for an old codger such as me it is a fun little cape hole with a touch of mischief about it.  Which leaves the 1st - rather dull?  

[Bill_McBride]

B. Darwin says of the fifth, "The green is something in the shape of a hog's back; immediately on the left of it is a stagnant pool of water, and on the right is a stream..."

Viewing NAF's photo, there has apparently been some good drainage work in the intervening century if Mug's Cottage or Hollow was once "a stagnant pool"!

Too bad you aren't allowed to take your dog on US courses, that looks like great fun.  And you could teach Rover to fetch those errant tee balls during practice rounds.  Golf in the UK is wonderful, isn't it?