Heythrop Park - Oxfordshire

[Paul Nash]

I saw an article on this course the othe day - first time I had heard about it. There have not been many new course openings in the UK, well certainly outside of Scotland, in the last couple of years. This one certainly looks quite appealing - has anyone played t or know any furter details?

http://www.heythropparkgolf.co.uk/index.php

[Scott Warren]

There was a flyover posted here earlier this year of a par five finishing hole that played dead straight up to the front staircase of a proper manor house. Looked a lot like the main pic on that website.

EDIT - found it http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,39611.0/

[Adam Lawrence]

I've been there a couple of times during construction with Tom M, and wrote it up in the mag a couple of issues ago (and a short update in the issue that publishes this week)

There are some really nice holes, especially around the edge of the property. I like the fifth and sixth, which both use the river well, and the fifteenth could be a really good par five. Soil is typically heavy Oxfordshire clay, and the constraints of the historic parkland restoration created the need for the long, flat, straight eighteenth.

They are in soft opening as of last week. I doubt I shall get back with clubs before the end of the year, but I'm looking forward to having a hit there.

Adam

[Duncan Cheslett]

Heythrop Park was mentioned on a Facebook golf group I frequent - I'd never heard of it so looked it up. Imagine my surprise when I read the following:


"Our 18-hole course boasts beautiful views over Oxfordshire countryside, and was designed by none other than Alister Mackenzie – mastermind of some of the world’s most famous courses including Augusta National, home of the Masters."

https://www.heythroppark.co.uk/golf/

Surely shome mishtake...
  

[Ally Mcintosh]

Heythrop Park was mentioned on a Facebook golf group I frequent - I'd never heard of it so looked it up. Imagine my surprise when I read the following:


"Our 18-hole course boasts beautiful views over Oxfordshire countryside, and was designed by none other than Alister Mackenzie – mastermind of some of the world’s most famous courses including Augusta National, home of the Masters."

https://www.heythroppark.co.uk/golf/

Surely shome mishtake...
 

That is hilarious. PR and much of “journalism” has gone to the dogs to a laughable level in the internet age.


Always thought Heythrop Park looked like a good modern course designed by Tom MacKenzie... always interested me most because of its lack of containment mounding which was necessitated by the protected landscape probably more so than the architect’s choice at the time. Minimalist.

[Adam Lawrence]

Oh dear. I was a member at Heythrop for a couple of years -- the then GM, David Griffin, was a friend.


I thought Tom did a pretty good job there really. A bunch of fun and interesting holes. The biggest problem was that the back side of the course was very stretched out, and so it was quite a demanding walk. I was always absolutely knackered when I finished playing there, and I was in better shape in those days too!

[Duncan Cheslett]

I see Heythrop Park has changed hands recently...


https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/542740/warner-snaps-up-heythrop-park-as-part-of-expansion-plans

I wonder how much of an attraction (if any) to Warners the golf course was in deciding to buy the property. They have little or no pedigree as golf operators and their market is for middle-aged couples wanting an upmarket Butlins type experience without kids.


I've always suspected that their model is a front for ageing swingers' weekends but I'm probably wrong! 

[Richard Fisher]

I attend a publishing conference every spring which in recent years has always been at Heythrop - and as that kind of venue it's very appealing (in a non-golfing sense), although it's perhaps symptomatic that on a spare Friday afternoon I have driven on to lovely Tadmarton, rather than experience what looks (in March) to be a bit of wet slog around Heythrop itself, with some very long walks. But that may be unfair, and given that said publishing gathering is in May this year I may give finally give the Heythrop course a whirl. And will, of course, report back if I do. Looks like the Warner takeover won't kick in, in practical terms, for a little while yet.

[Paul Dolton]

This thread has just caught my eye as I'm thinking of joining in April.
I've played a few times and although a long walk it does seem to be a decent course.
Been a member at Frilford Heath for nearly 30 years . It's very good but getting expensive and now seem to be selling land to raise money.
Not sure we needed a £1,000,000 plus new professional shop !
I'm hoping to play more competitive golf next year and spend about six weeks in Scotland so value for money is more important.
The people I've spoken to at Heythrop seem very positive and there are new green staff in place .
Be interested to hear other options.

[Adam Lawrence]

This thread has just caught my eye as I'm thinking of joining in April.
I've played a few times and although a long walk it does seem to be a decent course.
Been a member at Frilford Heath for nearly 30 years . It's very good but getting expensive and now seem to be selling land to raise money.
Not sure we needed a £1,000,000 plus new professional shop !
I'm hoping to play more competitive golf next year and spend about six weeks in Scotland so value for money is more important.
The people I've spoken to at Heythrop seem very positive and there are new green staff in place .
Be interested to hear other options.

Paul -- when I was a member about four or five years ago there wasn't a great deal of club culture there, it was more of a take your game to the course place. That might have changed, of course, but if the people in charge there now are stupid enough to confuse Alister and Tom Mackenzie, bearing in mind that  that former died in 1934 and the course dates from about 2006, it doesn't fill me with confidence.


I live in Eynsham, and I could get to Heythrop consistently in 20-25 minutes -- your journey time will obviously vary depending on where you are.


My honest opinion is that the best option for good value decent golf in Oxford is Southfield with all its problems. But again, it depends very much where you are coming from. It's about eight miles door to door for me and it is almost always going to take me half an hour, and possibly quite a lot more. Oxford is... well, you know... it's Oxford.

[Greg Hohman]

The round of mayhem that occurred there has not had economic consequences?


http://newmonumentsgc.com/portfolio/nimby-enstone-chipping-norton-oxfordshire-uk/

[Tommy Williamsen]

Heythrop Park was mentioned on a Facebook golf group I frequent - I'd never heard of it so looked it up. Imagine my surprise when I read the following:


"Our 18-hole course boasts beautiful views over Oxfordshire countryside, and was designed by none other than Alister Mackenzie – mastermind of some of the world’s most famous courses including Augusta National, home of the Masters."

https://www.heythroppark.co.uk/golf/

Surely shome mishtake...
 

That is pretty fascinating, though everywhere else it mentions Tom MacKenzie as the architect.


https://www.heythroppark.co.uk/golf/bainbridge-course/

[Paul Dolton]

Adam, I agree with you about Southfield. I grew up playing there and enjoyed the course. Was a member up until my early 20s.
But as you mention , traffic is terrible in Oxford. Getting to the course for a late afternoon game in the week would be very difficult.


I'm in Yarnton so Heythrop and Frilford are similar distances.
Tadmarton is another 15 minutes further.


I rate Huntercombe as Oxfordshires best but a bit to far from here.

[Adam Lawrence]

Adam, I agree with you about Southfield. I grew up playing there and enjoyed the course. Was a member up until my early 20s.
But as you mention , traffic is terrible in Oxford. Getting to the course for a late afternoon game in the week would be very difficult.


I'm in Yarnton so Heythrop and Frilford are similar distances.
Tadmarton is another 15 minutes further.


I rate Huntercombe as Oxfordshires best but a bit to far from here.

Yes, that's clearly the case and is only going to get more so with the work planned for Huntercombe. Plus my close friend Marcus Lovelock takes over as GM in January. If I only lived on the eastern side of Oxford I'd be a member there now

[Thomas Dai]

On the menu page of the Heythrop website ‘golf’ comes a long way down the index of activities. All sorts of hotel type features come before it. Maybe sends a message as to their priorities?
Atb

[Paul Dolton]

Adam, I didn't realise there's planned work at Huntercombe.
It's such an interesting course. Earlier in the year I did speak to them about membership and they were very helpful. It's just a little too far to go for an evening game. Hope your friend gets on well there.


Thomas you are correct about the priority of golf there. I think it was a missed opportunity not using an area of the old mansion for golfers. It is very impressive inside. The practice areas seem good and the annual fee is very reasonable. Also for a little extra you can join the gym which also has a swimming pool.
There are I believe just over 100 members so getting a game could be difficult but I hoping to play a lot more competitive golf at other clubs next year so it may work for me in that respect.