The 12th starts another superb stretch of four holes. Including two par 3s, a par 4 and a par 5. From the back tee this 200 yarder often requires a driver.
I hit a cracking 3 wood and came up well short.
The 12th green from the next tee. In case you hadn't noticed Kington doesn't have any bunkers. A handful of bunkers would probably enhance the design, but they aren't really necessary.
The incorrect angle of approach to the 13th.
A better angle, but still not ideal.
This is the best angle to use the hill as a backstop, but the tee shot has to flirt with some heavy ferns.
I think this ramp is a wonderful alternative for the guy who doesn't want to be overly ambitious with his recovery shot.
The photo shows the sidehill nature of the 13th green.
The wonderful 14th. A deceiving hole because of the slight dogleg and the fairway is narrower than others though it looks wider.
This reachable par 5 has a pronounced false front green. A very tricky approach when the course is f&f.
The 15th.
The approach to the 16th.
The all-world finisher. A great matchplay hole in which birdie is often not good enough. Most days the proshop to the left is the line. Ironically, this is an example of a hole becoming better because more people can have a go at the green.
With its excellent turf, beautiful views, wonderful terrain and low green fees, I think Kington is a course not to be missed. I give it a 6.2 on the SRA Scale. This may seem an excessively high rating. However, after many visits Kington has proven to be entertaining from start to finish. Kington is certainly one of those courses that is greater than the sum of its parts. The course reveals itself slowly, like a wine from the Dao. It stinks when first tasted, but with patience its finer qualities shine through.
Ciao