Dickinson's Westward Ho! (Royal North Devon)

[Garland Bayley]

Patric Dickinson wrote a tour of 18 golf courses in the British Isles called A Round of Golf Courses, subtitled A Selection of the Best Eighteen. The seventeenth chapter is “Westward Ho! Royal North Devon. I have copied out the narrative that describes the course and illustrated it as an educational introduction to the first links in England.

My thanks to Tommy Williamsen, and Ulrich Mayring for making pictures available. The following narrative from the book is quoted in blue.

The first two holes are straight, wide, and flat, and go straight out towards the sea.
Hole1 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Along the right-hand side of the 1st, runs a sort of Hoylake ‘cop’, but not close enough to the line to more directly menacing that a first Income Tax demand.
PrologueEpilogue by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Along the left are little ordinary, pliable Lilliputian rushes; there to mock you in memory as you meet their Brobdingnagian cousins. They are called ‘fog’ (pronounced ‘fug’), and though they may impede your pilgrimage do not unduly daunt the soul.

Then on the third tee you turn at right angles to the pebble-ridge and see ahead the sandhills and the First Act of the real links.
Route3 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Hole3Bunker by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

The next six holes among the dunes are perfect golf holes, happy holes with only here and there violent horrors which may hint at the change of theme in Act II.
ActI by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

For example, there is a vast wooden-walled bunker to be driven over, the 4th—a carry of about 150 yards
on Flickr

Hole4CapeBunker by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

and at the 7th a snatch of the grand rush theme (if I may change my simile from drama to music) to the left of the line.
on Flickr

The sixth hole, from the tee perched up in the sandhills, is a superb two-shot hole. The drive
on Flickr

is a gentle down-gradient to the hummocky fairway which slopes down with a tilt to the right.
Hole6ZoomedFrom200 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

This fairway is like a large old-mole-hill field and an uneven lie or stance is certain for your second, which must ascend again, to a small green naturally shelving out of the dunes, and taking your ball more quickly from left to right than you might expect.
Hole6Approach by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

From the sixth tee you also see the real shape of the links—and the shape of things to come.

You can see how the estuary coils its way inland with Appledore on the last bend, and to the right of Appledore, Northam, on the hill-side, where the great J. H. Taylor was born.
NorthamInDevon by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

The sixth tee is where, once and for all, you realize there is no turning back. You have been given a generous start. You have had a 3 at the short 5th;
on Flickr

now, until suddenly the links relaxes its grip at the long 13th, every shot will tell; not only straightly struck, but placed with care. This high sixth tee—the only real view of the sea—is the moment when a fierce prosecuting wind gets in a first deadly question and you falter a little before you answer; the answer may be a good one—but Judge par noticed and your own counsel’s heart missed a beat.
on Flickr

Turning inland upon the ninth tee the curtain goes up on Act II—9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th.
ActII by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

The rushes! But there’s plenty of room for your drive on the right. This 9th is not difficult;
on Flickr

it is a kind introduction to the tenth tee, where you take arms and your driver against a sea of trouble.
on Flickr

You must drive right over the rushes and the farther left you carry over them the better, for the hole is doglegged left and a really long drive will whizz bravely over them, like an airman over the upraised spears of a warlike tribe; so far two slightly cut drives at these two holes will serve the cautious.
Route10 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

But on the eleventh tee one must simply hit straight, over rushes and between rushes that line the fairway grimly like a hostile crowd held still only by fear of reprisals.
Hole11TeeShot by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Among them weave the very-plain-clothes detectives searching for balls as if they were bombs.

At the 12th, again there are masses of room to the right; and the rushes are passed “and it’s daylight at last.
Route12 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

What makes these rushes a unique and formidable hazard is that they are, simply, unplayable. There is no rough: there is fairway or disaster, and even the leniency of the present rule (as I write) does not really annul their horrifying powers on the mind. For truly, even in the wind, there is quite a lot of room; always enough, and were they simple ‘fog’ they would be as nothing. They are a mental hazard of supreme quality. For they are exactly the right size to inspire the maximum of unrest: larger, and one would be hopelessly resigned or turn on them in defiance, smaller and one would not fear them.
Hole10TeeShot by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

The 13th, a wide long, pleasant bogey 5 which one can reach in two shots, is the perfect anodyne.
Route13 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Hole13GreenSite by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

The rushes give a last snarl at the short 14th, for you can top a shot on a short hole just as easy as at any other.
Route14 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

on Flickr

The 15th is a beautiful two-shot hole almost right-angled; and with on strange phenomenon, an entirely artificial bunker beside the green, rearing a built-up façade which looks quite ridiculous: it is necessary though as a sand-break, or the wind would blow the sand out of the bunker on to the green: the bunker, too, is really necessary—though you journey into it is not.
Route15 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

on Flickr

The 16th is a short hole in the great class—deceptively easy and with a duck’s back of a green off which your ball rolls like a waterbead.
Route16 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

on Flickr

That is the end of the play, but the epilogue remains; the 17th and 18th return straight inland, as the 1st and 2nd went seaward across the flat grazing country.
Epilogue by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

The 17th is very long
on Flickr

Hole17ApproachCarOnRoad by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

and the 18th—just as you thing you are quite safe—presents the last twist of the knife.
on Flickr

All across the front of the green runs a muddy ditch—euphemistically called a burn
Hole18WaterAndGreen by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

—where the more marine-minded ball-hunters probe in opaque coffee-coloured slop with rakes. Metal cards have been wrecked here within sight of the shore.


I believe it was Tony Muldoon that turned me on to the book with a post on this website.
I just did a website search, it was James Boon.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Outstanding, Garland. Well done.

"...take arms and your driver against a sea of trouble." And by opposing end them? Or you?

[Paul Dolton]

Great pictures, especially like the one from behind the fifth tee. Its a must play course for lovers of the game and can be combined with a trip to Saunton, where both courses are of the highest order.

[James Boon]

GJ,

I guess this would be the thread that made you aware of the book, copied here with the hope of enlightening many more to the books wonders...
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51606.msg1180959.html#msg1180959

Thanks for the thread on Westward Ho! Only 17 more courses from the book to go... 

Cheers,

James

[Tony_Muldoon]

Garland excellent, thanks you.

 I will reread the Chapter tonight.  Read about RW&N at the weekend in preparation for our visit.

Of course he is painting pictures anyway....


Ran wanted to know how video would work on GCA, so here's he is on the town and golf at Carmousite (which was also in the book.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jckcYq6b8L8   


(I think it was Brian Ewan who tipped us off to that.)

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Lovely work! Thank you. Funnily enough I have been re-reading his autobiography, The Good Minute, over the weekend. His hatred of war was never far from his writings and I note war even makes an appearance in his account of Westward Ho!

[Greg Holland]

I love this book, and this is a really cool idea/post.  Hope you plan to continue with other courses in the book as well.  With this thread, I will now re-read the book.  Thanks very much.

[John Mayhugh]

A very good idea, Garland. Thanks for the thread.

I thoroughly enjoyed RND, playing 54 one day last March.  It's easy to imagine a broad range of opinions on the course, and I would agree there are several weak holes.  The experience seemed far greater than one might expect looking at each hole individually, though, and I think that overall the course/experience is terrific. 

Would love to go back there some day. 

I missed James Boon's thread on the Dickinson book when it was originally posted.  Glad to get a second chance.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Just for fun I did a little video Of RND and placed it on You Tube.  It does give good feel for the course and surrounds.
The first part is the B&B that was kind enough to put up with me for a week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FFcfTNfUnfw

[Tommy Williamsen]

Interesting, but the last time I was there I saw no sheep or horses and there was no tape around the greens.  Are the animals gone?

[Garland Bayley]

In

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,8879.msg167803.html#msg167803

Tom Doak lists the 9th hole as one of 18 that he thinks most deserves to be a template hole.

Hole 9 497, 467, 461 Par 5 Dell
by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Tom writes in the Confidential Guide:

But the hole on the way out is the 9th, one of the world’s most ingenious par fives. It commonly plays downwind and is therefore physically reachable in two shots, but the small plateau green is two shallow to hold with a long approach which carries the bunker in front; to be putting for eagle, one has to use some mounds to the right of the approach to steer the ball up onto the green, so there is advantage in driving to the right of the fairway instead of just bombing away aimlessly. Yet it’s so unassuming to the eye I’ll bet eight out of ten players miss the point entirely.
on Flickr

Hole9Approach[/url] by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

on Flickr

[John Mayhugh]

Interesting, but the last time I was there I saw no sheep or horses and there was no tape around the greens.  Are the animals gone?

I didn't see any sheep in March of 2102, but the greens were roped off and I saw a number of recent horseshoe prints around. 


Thanks for the additional photos and Doak's description of the 9th.  Fortunately it normally plays downwind.  Into a stiff wind that bowl area could be a challenge to carry.  The simplicity of that green's surrounds is beautiful.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Garland, I've tried to send you an I M but I think I failed. Would you like a complete set of digital photos of Royal Worlington to do the same exercise again?

[Bill_McBride]

Just for fun I did a little video Of RND and placed it on You Tube.  It does give good feel for the course and surrounds.
The first part is the B&B that was kind enough to put up with me for a week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FFcfTNfUnfw

That's just beautiful, Tommy.   One thing that never ceases to tickle me and warm my spirit is the complete lack of pretension at many top clubs in the UK.  The locker room, trophy area, not to mention your monastic B&B cell, are just perfect!

[John Mayhugh]

Just for fun I did a little video Of RND and placed it on You Tube.  It does give good feel for the course and surrounds.
The first part is the B&B that was kind enough to put up with me for a week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FFcfTNfUnfw

That's very well-done.  Makes me wish I was heading back over there soon.  I especially liked the photo of Taylor's locker.


Last year, I stayed here for a couple of nights around my visit to Westward Ho! It was a nice value during the off-season.
http://www.westwardliving.co.uk/surcoat.asp

[Mike Feeney]

Nice deal from Links Magazine Blog: 

If “true golf played out under big skies and against a backdrop of crashing surf” on a links laid out on common land grazed by livestock is for you, Royal North Devon, England’s oldest course (1864), has made available a small number of international life memberships for 2013. Widely regarded as the St. Andrews of England, Royal North Devon—a.k.a. Westward Ho!—has priced the memberships at $5,000, a bargain considering it includes full playing privileges, reciprocal arrangements with other clubs, access to the club’s collection of golf memorabilia, and a Royal North Devon golf sweater or polo short, blazer badge, club tie, and set of blazer buttons. Bonus: You’ll also be able to rub shoulders with Tom Watson, who recently accepted an honorary life membership to the club. Too steep? Simply pay the weekday green fee of roughly $85 to experience this epic, historic links. Too bad the likes of Pine Valley and Cypress Point don’t offer a similar program.

[Rich Goodale]

Excellent stuff, GJ

I'm very much looking forward to a return to RND in August after a 32+year absence.

Rich

[Tommy Williamsen]

Nice deal from Links Magazine Blog: 

If “true golf played out under big skies and against a backdrop of crashing surf” on a links laid out on common land grazed by livestock is for you, Royal North Devon, England’s oldest course (1864), has made available a small number of international life memberships for 2013. Widely regarded as the St. Andrews of England, Royal North Devon—a.k.a. Westward Ho!—has priced the memberships at $5,000, a bargain considering it includes full playing privileges, reciprocal arrangements with other clubs, access to the club’s collection of golf memorabilia, and a Royal North Devon golf sweater or polo short, blazer badge, club tie, and set of blazer buttons. Bonus: You’ll also be able to rub shoulders with Tom Watson, who recently accepted an honorary life membership to the club. Too steep? Simply pay the weekday green fee of roughly $85 to experience this epic, historic links. Too bad the likes of Pine Valley and Cypress Point don’t offer a similar program.

Not quite sure why anyone would purchase a life membership when you can have an overseas membership to 180 Pounds a year.  Maybe if you are 25 it would make some sense.

[Mark Pearce]

Tommy, for the blazer buttons, I can only assume.

[Garland Bayley]

John Mayhugh has graciously uploaded his Westward Ho pictures so that I can do a photo tour of the course.



The routing.

routing by Garland Bayley, on Flickr



Route1 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

View from the tee headed out towards the dunes land for a couple of holes.



Entering golf course proper. Bridges on #1 left and #18 right in view.



Bridge over burn before first fairway begins.



First fairway with diagonal hazard crossing it.



Hazard complicate second shot on this par 5.



The hazard runs up to near the left front of the green.



First green from right front and...



from back.

[John Mayhugh]

I'm glad that Garland offered to post these photos, as I've been too lazy to do it. 

The first hole is a great example of why we need to be careful judging holes from photos.  There's nothing sexy or particularly interesting from the photos, but I think it's a fine opening hole.  From the tee, there's not a lot of definition to the course, but you need to be aware of both the hazard all along the right side of the hole and the "fug" or rough left.  The fairway is very wide, and your tee shot shot isn't too uncomfortable.  All of that changes, though, with the second.  The hole isn't too long (maybe 480), but take a look at the aerial.  The hazard crosses in front of the green diagonally.  If you hit a good tee shot, it's going to be tempting to go for the green.  The shortest distance puts you right in line with a bunker that's set back from the green (meaning a long bunker shot if you find it).  Miss the green left or short (going for it in two) and you can easily find the burn - especially since the wind moves the ball that way.  The green itself isn't greatly contoured, but there is enough movement to make for interesting putts. 

You have the chance to play safe for an easy par or take a risk to start off the round. 

One note about these photos, Garland.  The 8th photo you posted (first one of the green) was taken from behind the green.  It's a bit out of place in the sequence. The one labeled back of the green is actually from the second tee on the left side of the green.  The lack of definition of the course in the photos makes it easy to get off track.

[Garland Bayley]

Without the preview working, I had a little trouble sorting out the commentary and the photos and had to do a few edits. I noticed the green picture was probably out of sequence, and I think I eventually got it right. Check the final edit above.

[Garland Bayley]

Route2 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Tee shot has pliable sea rushes or 'fog' (fug) to cross.



Livestock is allowed on the course, which will explain the wire tape around greens.



Imagine this on your putting line.



The closer you come to the pliable sea rushes or 'fog' (fug) on the left, the more open the green approach.



Bunkers to the right and short of green inhibit an approach from that side.



From back of green you can see cars on the road running to the beach alongside the hole and crossing in front of 17 green.





Looking back a two green from three tee.

[Garland Bayley]

Route3 by Garland Bayley, on Flickr

Tee box.



Tee shot. Note the road to the beach in the foreground. This is what the sign before the tee warns about.



Hole side diversions.









Fairway bunkers 250 yards off the tee give you something to think about on the tee.











Bunkers affecting the approach short of and green side.











Close up view of the green.



Three green from four tee.

[Tom_Doak]

I said to someone last week about links golf that modern attempts generally fail to capture the simplicity of it.  That third hole at Westward Ho! is a great example.  Nothing much to it strategy-wise, on paper, but it can be very difficult and the wind can make even the little shots around the green much more difficult than one imagines, if played from the wrong side of the flag.