We now conclude our look at The Valley Club by crossing over to the West side of Sheffield and stepping onto the 13th tee. As stated earlier, the land is more subdued (with the exception of 14) on this side, but the work done is no less impressive. There wasn't much to work with on this side, but somehow MacKenzie and Hunter were able to make some very memorable holes.
We start with a medium length 383 yd par 4 that's green is slightly uphill. The land is non descript, but the hole is not.
"No hole is a good one unless it has one or more hazards in a direct line of a hole. Max Behr, who is one of the best American golf architects, states that the direct line to the hole is the line of instinct, and to make a good hole you must break up that line in order to create the line of charm."- Alister MacKenzie
Closer to the bunker that "breaks up the line"
The green
The downhill 179 yd par 3 14th. The greensite is located near the 2nd tee and 1st green, where the photo previously shown on this presentation highlighted the closely mown areas around the greens and tees.
And a couple of vintage photos for comparison
Looking back to the tee.
We now head towards the clubhouse with the 510 yd par 5 15th.
"The bunkers on the route of the scratch player are evidently not there to punish his bad shots-some of his worst will surely escape them. There are there to call forth the best that is in him. To his weaker brethren they may be the voice of the tempter and the song of the Siren, but to him they are rowels which goad him on to acheivements that seem divine. These are the hazards that make golf dramatic. Without them there would be no enduring life in the sport, no vital interest, no delectable thrills- nothing worthwhile to achieve nor anything worthy to be conquered."- Robert Hunter
After an ideal tee shot
Closer to the green
The green
To the right of the green
The green from the 16th tee
We now head back down the slope and will return shortly to complete the round. The difficult 460 yd par 4 16th.
Looking out towards the 17th green
If drawn too much off the tee, the bunker that awaits
From the fw
Closer
Looking back
The 381 yd par 4 17th.
The cross bunkers
The greensite
Looking back
We now come to the conclusion of our journey with the 411 yd par 4 18th. Just to the left of the tee in this first photo is the green that is used as an extra par 3 for those wishing to play nine on the West side of Sheffield. One must pick their line carefully when climbing back up to the clubhouse, as there are many hazards to contend with.
"A hazard placed in the exact position where a player would naturally go is frequently in the most interesting situation, as then a special effort is needed to get over or avoid it."- Alister MacKenzie
Closer to the bunkers that must be hit over or around.
If the bunkers are cleared
From the left
Closer to the hazards
The greensite
From the 16th tee
The perfect ending to a perfect day
Thus ends our tour of a truly great course by one of golf's all time greatest architects and his very capable assistant. Valley Club is also a truly special place with a wonderful aura about it. It is elegant, and although the land is different on both sides of Sheffield, it flows harmoniously. We know MacKenzie to be truly great at taking advantage of natural features such as the 2 hills on the East side, but I was just as impressed with what he was able to extract from an essentially featureless area of ground on the West side, an area of his design ability that is overlooked. The greens are smaller and more subtle than CPC or Pasatiempo, two of his other California masterpieces, but they fit the course. The bunkers are less rough edged than CPC or Pasatiempo, but it appears from the old photos that they were accurately reproduced, from what I can tell. They are of a more rounded nature and this was the hand of Hunter at work. But above all, the routing is brilliant to me, one of the best I've seen. The way the 2 hills are used and the way that the holes flow below the clubhouse without being boring on the basically flat ground is fantastic. And as mentioned at the start, the French Norman style clubhouse is one of the best I've experienced and compliments the course very well. If pressed with the question, "If you could be a member anywhere....", The Valley Club would be in the running and I'm not sure if it wouldn't come out on top. It affirms my admiration for Mackenzie all the more and I felt very lucky to experience such a sublime place with such great company. The day after playing, I couldn't help but think of these two quotes by MacKenzie and Hunter that epitomize The Valley Club.
"It by no means follows that what appears to be attractive at first sight will be so permanently. A good golf course grows on one like a good painting, good music, or any other artistic creation."
"Do not let certain standards become an obsession. Quality, not length; interest, not the number of holes; distinction, not the size in the greens-these things are worth striving for."
Note: I want to thank Jon Spaulding for allowing me to use alot of his pictures for this presentation. Thanks bud!