Swinley Forest - photos

[Carl Nichols]

Bill:
That picture was one of the reasons I asked my question about cart paths (the other is that in several of the pictures the paths look a lot like, well, cart paths.)

[John Mayhugh]

The 10th is another good par 3, this one 205 yards.  The first bunker on the left is only about 160 yards to carry, but if you have plans to run the ball up then must carry this one and stay between the two guarding the green.



The bunker on the right is several yards short of the green.




Note the various humps on the surface of the green.


The green falls away just enough in the rear to complicate recovery shots.



The 11th is a short par 4, only 278 yards.  The tee shot is a litle uphill, with most of what you see being heather.  The second photo was taken in the front of  the teeing area, the view you get on a slight detour on the walk over from the 10th green.  Fairway bunkers are nicely placed to make one need to be precise, no matter what club you choose from the tee.  It’s probably 220 yards to get past all of the fairway bunkers.








I had some bunker struggles on the hole and ended up forgetting to get photos of the green.  A perfectly played draw from the tee would be needed to get you on the green.



The 12th  is sort of a double dogleg (maybe more an S shaped) par 4.  It’s 455 yards – quite a change of pace from the preceding hole.  It probably makes sense to include an aerial view of this hole.  On the left side of this photo is the 9th hole.  You can see the par 3 10th in the upper left corner.  The 11th runs along the top of the photo.  The 12th snakes its way down through the left center.  The 13th and 14th run back up to the right of the 12th.


In this photo from the tee, you can get a sense of the green’s location by following the left tree line.  At the end of the photo the green is tucked back in the forest.  The bunker immediately visible past all the heather is pretty inconsequential – maybe a carry of 150 yards.   If you carry directly over the center of that bunker, you’ll run into a bunker on the right side of the fairway around 260 yards from the tee.  Carrying along the left side of the bunker is better as that leaves a more open approach to the green.




From the center of the fairway.  The bunker on the right is about 260 from the tee.  The one one the left, 290.  The green is tucked back amongst the rhododendrons on the right.


The ideal approach shot is a fade, while it was better to draw the tee shot.  (My apologies for my right-handed player bias.)  I loved the way the ground tumbled to make a long running approach even more thrilling.






A well-played approach meets little resistance on the way to the green.  The second photo shows some of the green’s contours pretty well.




One last look back up the fairway from the 13th tee.  The 12th green is back and to the left.  


An all-world hole.

[Mark Chaplin]

If anyone has played Swinley in late May can you post a picture of the 12th green when with the bank of flowers in bloom.

[Mark Pearce]

Whilst I personally rate Swinley just a fraction behind the Berkshire I think that the 12th isthe bestpar 4 on those courses.  It's certainly the best hole at Swinley despite possibly being the flattest.

[Jim McCann]

Magnificent set of Swinley Forest snaps - what a treat to see on a cold, wet and miserable
winter's evening!

I've been lucky enough in recent years to play the two Sunningdales's and two Berkshire's
and now have Swinley firmly in my sights when on a future visit to the Crown Estate at Windsor Forest.

[Bill_McBride]

Whilst I personally rate Swinley just a fraction behind the Berkshire I think that the 12th isthe bestpar 4 on those courses.  It's certainly the best hole at Swinley despite possibly being the flattest.

For those who have played Beau Desert, there is a longish par 4 on the back side there that is designed pretty much exactly like this hole!  Same double dogleg, plus a line of trees you have to flirt with if your tee shot isn't far enough to the right.    I wonder if Colt had a look at Beau Desert, or if this hole is just a natural consequence of the existing tree corridor. 

[Sean_A]

Whilst I personally rate Swinley just a fraction behind the Berkshire I think that the 12th isthe bestpar 4 on those courses.  It's certainly the best hole at Swinley despite possibly being the flattest.

For those who have played Beau Desert, there is a longish par 4 on the back side there that is designed pretty much exactly like this hole!  Same double dogleg, plus a line of trees you have to flirt with if your tee shot isn't far enough to the right.    I wonder if Colt had a look at Beau Desert, or if this hole is just a natural consequence of the existing tree corridor. 

Ace

Swinley was built before Beau Desert and their styles are very much different.  SF drapes over the land from tee through green while BD gets a bit wild around the green sites. 

There are similarities between the 12th holes of each.  A few of the differences are BD's 12th is defined by trees compared to heather and bunkers at SF.

John M - thanks for posting.

Ciao

[Bill_McBride]

Sean, I was thinking more about the double dogleg similarity than anything else, and have only seen these photos of Swinley Forest.

It would be wonderful to be able to play a dozen rounds between them to come up with a number to play of each!

The course looks absolutely toasty, lovely colors.  What would you give to have our courses play that way?

[Mark Pearce]

Bill,

You're right that they both have double dog-legs.  For me SF's 12th is the better hole because as Sean says, it is defined by its bunkers (and, to some extemnt, the heather) whilst BD's is defined by the trees.  Also, my recollection is that BD requires a fade, followed by a draw, whilst SF requires a drawn tee shot and a faded second.

Both excellent holes, however.

[Gareth Williams]

Lovely photogaphs.

Doubt we will see the course with those areas of slightly sun scorched fairways in a fortnight but I'm sure it will be in magnificent condition.

Roll on the 16th February 

[John Mayhugh]

The 13th is a 174 yard par 3.  It’s about 160 yards to carry the front bunker.  The bushes seen on the left end a little farther up. 


An island of green in the sand, trees, & heather.


The green is a bit more open from the right side, though the slope makes bouncing it up more difficult.


One last look at the green from the left side.  That bunker guards the whole left side of the green.


The 14th is a 366 yard par 4.  A few trees separate this fairway from the 12th, with that area being pretty thick with heather.  The bunkers on the left side are only around 200 to carry, but the one on the right is but 225 yards away.  The tee shot needs to be well placed.  If you look at the aerial I posted earlier, you can see how much the fairway narrows once you get past the right bunker.




The heather-covered mounds are about 50 yards from the front of the green. 


This is from the left side of the green.  The section of heather separates this green from the 11th. 



The 15th was, at one time, a par 5 from the back tees, but has been shortened to 450 yards to keep par at 68.  The Strokesaver guide still shows it as a 493 yard par 5, so that’s how Bob & I played the hole. Even from the back tee, the carry to get past the bunkers is just 205 yards, but the hole looks pretty imposing.


One more look at those drainage trenches.


As you can see, the hole plays up a considerable hill.   A par of 4 is quite the challenge here.  In Swinley Special, there is an anecdote that refers to this as “new members’ hill.”  The reason – the climb up is enough of a struggle that it might result in a spot opening on the waiting list.




The ridges of heather are about 80 yards from the green and the bunkers on the left begin about 70 yards short of the green.  These hazards and the upslope really complicate a layup shot.



Being a bit short of the green with your approach won’t work out too well.


Mr. Jenkins with a routine recovery shot.


The green from behind, looking back towards the tee.


And from over at the 16th tee.  Notice the slope in the front.


After that hole, this is a great spot to take a break.  The 15th fairway is on the right.

[Scott Warren]

Wow. 13 and 15 look great. I am getting way too pumped for this game of golf!

[Tony_Muldoon]

Scott calm down man, carry on like that and they’ll assume you’re a  relative of Bob Crosby .
Remember it’s the club for the career diplomat.  I’ve fixed your quote for you.

One is quite looking forward to visiting Swinley; heard some nice things said about it.  13 and 15 in particular.

[Scott Warren]

We are most pleased with your judicious modifications, Anthony.

[Bill_McBride]

Mr. Mayhugh, did you have the interesting experience of having to hack any shots out of that beautiful heather?

It looks so benign.   

[John Mayhugh]

Mr. Mayhugh, did you have the interesting experience of having to hack any shots out of that beautiful heather?

It looks so benign.   

I left my mark on all of the heathland courses that I visited.  The term "hack" describes my regular swing as well, but the heather added an extra challenge.

[Bill_McBride]

Mr. Mayhugh, did you have the interesting experience of having to hack any shots out of that beautiful heather?

It looks so benign.   

I left my mark on all of the heathland courses that I visited.  The term "hack" describes my regular swing as well, but the heather added an extra challenge.

Sorry, I was using "hack" to refer to the shot requirement at hand when in the heather, no reference to your swing intended!   

[Anthony Gray]

  Looks like fun. Is there romantic lodging close?

  Anthony

[James Boon]

Scott calm down man, carry on like that and they’ll assume you’re a  relative of Bob Crosby .
Remember it’s the club for the career diplomat.  I’ve fixed your quote for you.

One is quite looking forward to visiting Swinley; heard some nice things said about it.  13 and 15 in particular.

I think Scotts original was more catchy?    But however you say it, I certainly agree! So many thanks to John for posting these!

Cheers,

James

[John Mayhugh]

The 16th is a 415 yard par four.  Somehow, I ended up without a photo from the tee (I would’ve thought 210MB was enough).  The bunker on the right is about 240 yards from the tee.  There is also a bunker on the left that is about 210.  The fairway begins to narrow after you get past 260 or so yards from the tee.  




There is a significant rise in the center of the green.  With the hole in the back portion of the green, approaches from the sides of the fairway are tough.  The green falls away to the back and right side and there are bunkers on the left.  This was probably the deepest green on the course.  





The 17th is the final par three and probably the most intimidating of the tee shots.  The hole is only 170 yards, but the green looks really difficult to hit.  The bunker on the right ends well before the green.  Several bunkers left and one behind the green.  







As you can see, long or right isn’t good.  


One last peek at the green complex from the 18th tee.  A little long and left is dead.  Something for those guys playing on the 16th to think about from the tee.   The only way to miss this green is short.



The 18th is a par four, 368 yards.  This, too, is an intimidating tee shot as the hazard runs diagonally across the fairway and up the right side.  It’s not tough to carry the hazard, but your line is important.  The bunker on the left is a carry of 235 yards, with a 278 yard shot running into the next bunker up.  There is a small mound on the right side of the fairway that is a little closer to the tee.






You can see the edge of the mound on the right.  Bunkers short and left of the green.  Just a few minutes away from a Swinley Special……




The 18th green as seen from the first tee.  



Bob & I didn’t get the proper English golf club lunch, but I did enjoy a drink and a fantastic corned beef sandwich.  The clubhouse patio is separated from the 18th green by a practice putting green, but the site enjoys a commanding view of the first two holes.  

Amazingly, I managed a birdie-birdie finish to best Mr. Jenkins in our match, making the post-round beverages taste especially good.  The only sour point to the day was not staying and playing a second round.  Still, it was great just to reflect on how wonderfully diverse golf can be.  

Before playing there, hearing the name Swinley Forest made me think of some idyllic setting, far removed from much of the golf world.  I imagined a great walk through a beautiful, natural setting.  And I got all of that – even better than what I imagined.  But I also got to experience a truly outstanding golf course.  The par 3s are, as a set, the equal of most anywhere.  The course flows perfectly, with plenty of interest in most every shot.  

The other great thing about Swinley Forest is the absence of pretentiousness.  They have ball washers, 150 yards posts, and dog bowls on several holes.  That has to add to the comfortable feeling one gets.  

I love links golf, but if I were forced to survive just on heathland, I would do so quite nicely.  

To those that are playing at Swinley Forest in a couple of weeks – I hate you.  But in a nice way.

[Michael Taylor]

Thanks for the tour, John.

13, 15, 17 and 18 look like wonderful holes. What was your favorite hole of the day?

Pup

[John Mayhugh]

Thanks for the tour, John.

13, 15, 17 and 18 look like wonderful holes. What was your favorite hole of the day?

Pup

Man, that's a tough question.  I could narrow it down to the 4th, 9th, or 17th.  If you forced me to pick just one, I did birdie 17.....

That view from the 6th tee up the hill to the 8th tee (and back down) is really memorable, as is the look of the 9th tee shot.

[Pete Lavallee]

Thanks for the great photo tour John; as usual your captions, complete with yardage, add greatly to the picture you paint. We also enjoy the interest shots you regularly include.

Just curious as to how firm the course played. Were you and Bob able to fly the ball onto greens and hold them, or was the run up the only posible choice? When playing a run up, just how far before the green did one need to land the ball? 

[John Mayhugh]

Just curious as to how firm the course played. Were you and Bob able to fly the ball onto greens and hold them, or was the run up the only posible choice? When playing a run up, just how far before the green did one need to land the ball? 

It was certainly possible to fly onto greens and hold them.  I would say an 8 iron shot would stop within ten or fifteen feet - and that's from someone who isn't putting a lot of spin on the iron shots.

We didn't need to land the ball far short of the green for a run-up (depending on trajectory of course).  The ground was firm, but not as baked out as it might look in the photos.

[John Mayhugh]

Here are some aerials of the holes.  I thought I would just put them all here rather than try to go back and add for each of the holes.  I tried to do one of the entire course as well, but couldn't label it in a way that looked decent.  The clubhouse is at the top center, with the first hole running down on the right.  Mostly a clockwise loop, with a small detour within the forest for the 12th-14th.



First and 18th holes.  The 18th green is at the top of the photo.  First tee is too the right in the shadows.  First green at bottom center, 17th green to its left.


Second hole.  Tee is at top center between the first and 17th greens.


Third hole.  Tee is on right side, green bottom left.


Fourth hole. Green is left center.  The tee is adjacent to the third green (right center).  Fifth tee just left of fourth green, with the 16th tee visible above it.


Fifth hole.  Tee is at top left, slightly out of view (oops).


Sixth hole.  Green at bottom left.  This begins the long corridor of the 6th-8th holes.


Seventh hole.  Green at lower left.  You can see the horse training facility below that fairway.


Eighth & ninth holes.  8th green is lower left.  Tee is next to the 7th green at right center.   9th hole runs up left side.


Tenth & eleventh holes. 9th green is at lower left.  10th runs to the top center, with the 11th from left to right across the top.


Twelth & thirteenth holes.  12th green at lower left.  13th green tucked in the trees in the center.


Fourteenth hole.  Tee is at lower left.  Green is very close to the 11th at the top.


Fifteenth hole.  Tee is at left center.  Both 11th & 14th greens visible at lower left.


Sixteenth hole runs across the center left to right.  That's the fourth green below.


Seventeenth green is in the center of the photo.  The second tee and first green are to the right.


Eighteenth and first again.


Clubhouse and other buildings.  The 18th green is at the bottom, with a practice green separating it from the clubhouse.  Above the clubhouse, the pro shop is on the left and the visitors' locker room on the right.  Simple gravel parking lot on the right of those buildings and above.