WEST HILL GC Revisited

[Sean_A]

Can anybody tell me if that mucky area left of the old path is still there?  I can't tell, but it looks like the green complex may set right on top of some part of that mucky area.  

Ciao

[Tom Kelly]

Sean,

I hadn't seen the hole before the area was cleared, but there is no "mucky" area left of the path anymore, just green and surrounds. Here are some pics during the construction that give you a better idea of how severe Lobb's lump is. It will be great fun, but a real card wrecker. I think the short grass around the bunker is there as abit of a buffer/bail-out for the (very) short hitters as there is a new tee right of the old tee behind the 15th green so you are hitting over the water, although for most the water will not come into play.

From new tee.

[Rich Goodale]

West Hill is a very good course, but suffers from a few goofy holes (including the 1st).  It was the warm-up course for most of us at BUDA 2011, and it didn't quite reach the heights of our main courses, Hankley Common and Liphook.  That being said, it is a very enjoyable course and the clubhouse is very welcoming and has some great cricket memorabilia from the famous Bedser brothers, who golfed there.

PS--does England still play cricket?

[Neil White]

West Hill is a very good course, but suffers from a few goofy holes (including the 1st).  It was the warm-up course for most of us at BUDA 2011, and it didn't quite reach the heights of our main courses, Hankley Common and Liphook.  That being said, it is a very enjoyable course and the clubhouse is very welcoming and has some great cricket memorabilia from the famous Bedser brothers, who golfed there.

PS--does England still play cricket?

Rich,

What did you find 'goofy' about the first at West Hill?

[Sean_A]

Speedy Neil

A gathering, blind, cross water hazard could be called goofy . 

I was thinking about Woking's 16th.  Is there water right of the hole and if so, has the water been extended further toward the front part of the 17th tee?  Maybe the green is so far left that it is now left of the watery bit I remember. I am just having a hard time picturing the greenin relation to the old tree line (where water came from) and the old path which was really an isthmus. In this old pic below one can see the path and just make out the water to the left of the path.

I imagine a hole which is maybe 10-12 yards shorter than the old hole, unless the tee is moved further right and left of all the water unless the water was shifted.  Am I in the ball park?

What will happen with the old green?

Tom - thanks for the pix. 

Ciao

[Adam Lawrence]

The old green will be taken out of play. It has had extensive agronomic problems (due, I gather, to being badly built when it was extended in the 1950s), plus it's really too close to the road - there have been lots of cases of sliced shots bouncing down Hook Heath Road.

[Neil White]

Sean,

There is water a dozen or so yards to the right of the new green at Woking.

When we visited the Head Greenkeeper did mention what the clubs intention was with the old green but for the life of me I cannot remember - maybe Adam will be able to chip in if he knows?

Re - West Hill - I'm not long enough off the tee to worry about the ditch...... that's probably why I don't think it as being goofy :-)

[Mark Pearce]

A cross hazard off the tee on a par 4 is goofy?  Who knew?

[Sean_A]

Speedy (soon to be shortened to Speed!)

Do you think you could reach the agua in summer?  

So the new green must be a good 20-25 yards left of the old green?

Canary

Others will surely disagree, but I am not keen on a blind water hazard off the tee, let alone one which is gathering and bisects the entire fairway.  Its a pity really because the hole is quite attractive with a decent green complex.
 
Ciao

[Adam Lawrence]

You can see the new green on Google Earth. Using the measuring tool shows that the shortest distance between the right edge of the new green and the left of the old is about 42 yards.

[Neil White]

Speedy (soon to be shortened to Speed!)

Do you think you could reach the agua in summer?  
 

Probably yes - but then I would possibly choose to take my trusty 2-iron off the tee.  

I think if the situation was that the water crossed the fairway maybe 50 yards shorter than what it does now therefore forcing either a heroic drive or a mid-iron layup, then that would be classed as goofy.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean,

If you want people to look at your photos, you should look at theirs... (insert suitable emoticon)

This one from Neil earlier in the thread:

[Sean_A]

Why you cheeky so and so - insert appropriate emot!  I did look at Neil's pix - very fine they are - but I couldn't tell how far the water carried on.  Nor could I figure out the lump of trees near the water (an island of trees?) in relation to the old green.  

Adam - cheers.  

Ciao

[Tom Kelly]

Sean,

2009


2013

[Sean_A]

Tom

Thanks.  The new green is much further left than I originally thought - in what was trees.  I also see the tee has been moved to the right - which I imagine should keep the yardage similar to the old hole.

Ciao

[Adam Lawrence]

It's actually going to be about ten or fifteen yards shorter.

[Rich Goodale]

A cross hazard off the tee on a par 4 is goofy?  Who knew?

Mark (and Neil)

Any cross hazard off the tee that cannot be crossed is goofy.  Viz. Seve's remake of the 17th at Valderamma.

Rich

[Mark Pearce]

Rich,

Does that include the Swilcan Burn?

[jeffwarne]

there have been lots of cases of sliced shots bouncing down Hook Heath Road.

The road must've been named by a lefty

[Sean_A]

All

Visited West Hill again after a five year hiatus.  There were meant to be 3000 trees removed and I admit that there are more interior views through trees than previously.  There has also been some bunker work.  However, long shadows remain across nearly all fairways and several greens.  Regardless, except for the horrific 14th, I enjoyed the course and would return.  West Hill is in tough company so it doesn't get the kudos it deserves.  In most other inland parts of the country this course would shine brightly!

See the updated tour.

www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php?action=post;msg=1342755;topic=57487.0

Ciao

[Ryan Coles]

Sean,

Thanks for this tour.  Like Spangles I much prefer West Hill to Worpy.  Worpy may have a couple of holes better than any hole at WH but WH is much steadier and has none of the weak holes that Worpy suffers from.

Despite the tree issues, it also has much more Heather than Worplesdon which when I played it felt more parkland than Heath.


It also looks like it’s survived the ravages of English summer better than Berkshire Blue.

[Sean_A]

Sean,

Thanks for this tour.  Like Spangles I much prefer West Hill to Worpy.  Worpy may have a couple of holes better than any hole at WH but WH is much steadier and has none of the weak holes that Worpy suffers from.

Despite the tree issues, it also has much more Heather than Worplesdon which when I played it felt more parkland than Heath.

It also looks like it’s survived the ravages of English summer better than Berkshire Blue.

West Hill certainly looks more heathy, but it doesn't play any firmer.   

Ciao

[BHoover]

I played West Hill last week while in London for work. This was my first time playing the course, and although I did not really know what to expect beforehand, I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, it’s fair to say I absolutely loved it. The turf was wonderfully firm and fast. The member with whom I played told me the club has removed roughly 2000 trees in the 6 years since he joined, and several hundred more are in the process of being removed. I can’t comment on how West Hill might have played in the past, but it was spectacular last week.


It’s the type of club I definitely would want to join if I lived in London. For anyone visiting London, a visit to West Hill would be time well spent.

[Sean_A]

Brian

What did you think about the use of water on the course?

Ciao

[BHoover]

Brian

What did you think about the use of water on the course?

Ciao

The fairways and greens were firm the day I was there. Is that what you mean?


There really wasn’t anything I didn’t love about my afternoon at West Hill.