Match III: KINGTON V NEW ZEALAND V HUNTERCOMBE

[Sean_A]

This match could end in a hurry given how Huntercombe and New Zealand are fairly flat sites with too many trees/vegetation destracting from the quality of their designs. But some clever bunkering and interesting greens could make for a match!

#1 Kington shoots out of the cannon with a wonderful uphill par 4 to an angled green.  Huntercombe's unusual par 3 opener is very good featuring an outstanding green.  New Zealand isn't terribly outclassed though.  Its dogleg left par 4 plays over dullish ground, but the use of sand and heather is well done. My inclination is to give this one to Kington because it achieves the angles present at NZ and deals with with unruly land.  1 SKIN TO KINGTON





#2. K's hole is awkward, working its way around a higher section of the property, but I like the hole.  H uses nearly all of its elevation change on one hole!  This par 4 drops considerably with a curving dip and adjacent mound running down the middle...most unusual.  The sunken green is lovely as well.  NZ's tough two-shotter has some great bunkering, but at the end of the day, the narrow fairway combined with a severe penalty for a wide (not much!) tee shot compromises the hole.  1 SKIN TO HUNTERCOMBE



#3. The hole is quite tight, but man, the use of the hill and a large hollow left is outstanding on H's 3rd.  K's short hole is good, but no match.  The same can be said for NZ's short 3rd.  1 SKIN TO HUNTERCOMBE



#4. Well now, NZ gets in a little bit of trickery with its domed and mostly blind green for its two-shotter.  H's drive is nothing special, but the short and obscured approach to a magnificent green is a sight to behold.  K's long par 4 finishes at a two-tier green. All are good holes, but I think NZ and H have something a bit special going on.  Based on that idea, I have to go with the extra-special green.  1 SKIN TO HUNTERCOMBE 



#5. H gives us another fine hole legging right around trees.  The drive must contend with a tree, in the middle of the fairway, not something I admire.  K's short hole is very good, the green surface is blind and receives play from the left.  NZ's short hole takes the golfer back near the house.  Its a tough hole to a slightly raised green.  I can't really say which par 3 is better; NO BLOOD.

#6. H's first par 5 plays over very flat ground and path, and a few hollows.  K's par 4 uses the slope of a hill very well, but I must say NZ's par 4 is the best of the lot by some margin.  The engenious shaping short of the green is brilliant.  1 SKIN TO NEW ZEALAND



The match stands at

Huntercombe: 3 skins (2, 3 & 4)
Kington: 1 skin (1)
New Zealand: 1 skin (6)

No blood on #5.

Match I: Minch Old V Painswick V Cleeve Cloud
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63660.0.html

Match II Cleeve Cloud V Kington V RAF
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63674.msg1516176.html#msg1516176

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Well, Huntercombe has raced off to a good lead, but most courses are made up of 18 holes. 

#7. H's long par 3 is very good, topped with a good green and some excellent shaping around the greens.  K's par 5 is good, but not outstanding.  NZ's 7th is a classic Simpson long par 3 using what little slope there is to great advantage.  The forward bunker combined with the greenside bunker is masterclass design.  If H had trees cleared away I would call this a draw, but the playability options for NZ carry the day.  1 SKIN TO NEW ZEALAND



#8. A blind, short par 4 which isn't without merit is NZ's offering. K's par 4 used to be a dandy (now the ladies tee), but has been destroyed in the pursuit of length.  H's par 4 is quite tight and fairly long.  However, what distinguishes this hole is the crazy two tier green.  This is a bit of a no-brainer.  1 SKIN TO HUNTERCOMBE

One gets a sense of the raised nature of the back tier by looking at the ridge flowing in from the right.


#9. H's 9th is a dogleg in the trees.  The approach is very good to a concealed green.  NZ's 9th is good par 4 working around bunkers on the right.  But it is K's extremely simple short hole which wins out...plus, the setting doesn't hurt! 1 SKIN TO KINGTON





#10. K's short 4 takes us blindly over the crest of the hill and ends with a side by side two-tier green.  H's par 3 is a classic play over a gaping centreline bunker to a green falling away from play.  NZ's short par 3 is good because of the interesting green.  I have to go with H on this one...the concept of playing over sand to a runaway green is one that should be more emulated.  1 SKIN TO HUNTERCOMBE

#11. Unusually, H's short par 4 is blocked by bunkers at about the distance a good drive would finish.  The sunken green, however, is excellent.  K's par 5 uses the same concept as H's 10th with a runaway green.  Although the grade is a bit alarming when the course is firm.   NZ's modest length par 4 features a very cool bunker short of the green.  None of the holes shouts out as a clear winner...NO BLOOD.

New Zealand


Huntercombe


#12.  H's longish par 4 replicates the strategy of #10.  NZ's par 4 swings right to a wonderfully constructed green with a mass of heather and sand to catch the errant shot.  K's par 3 to what is effectively an island green is nothing less than superb.  If NZ's 12th had more space for an altogether too tight of a drive, I would call this a draw. Alas, trees are the bane of NZ.  1 SKIN TO KINGTON



There is a gate off-set right and golfers who can't make the carry over the mounding do attempt the running hook. This picture, taken from the right side and forward of #12 tee, highlights how a player can use the slopes to his advantage.


Through 12 holes the match stands at

Huntercombe: 5 skins (2, 3, 4, 8 & 10)

Kington: 3 skins (1, 9 & 12)

New Zealand: 2 skins (6 & 7)

No blood 5 & 11

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Through 12 holes the match stands at

Huntercombe: 5 skins (2, 3, 4, 8 & 10)
Kington: 3 skins (1, 9 & 12)
New Zealand: 2 skins (6 & 7)

No blood 5 & 11

#13. Kington's blind drive to a fairway leaking left is outstanding primarily because of the green.  NZ's shortish tw0-shotter is also good.  There is a pair of centreline bunkers and an elongated hollow defending the hole.  H's 13th legs left to a wonderful green which doesn't look like much from the fairway.  If NZ's bunkering was altered to fit the modern game it would be a half with Kington.  As it is now, it takes a stiff wind to keep the bunkers in play.  1 SKIN TO KINGTON



#14.  K's par is lovely and much more dangerous than it appears from the tee.  The ferns have a way of mucking up the aggressive play.  NZ's sole par 5 moves right around a beautiful bunker that has been allowed to offer no reward for challenging it.  H's longish two-shotter works left away from unsightly OOB...tough drive.  The green is quite flat though.   None of the holes seem to stand above teh other...NO BLOOD.

Kington


New Zealand


#15. K's long par 3 is helped by the fact it drops quite a distance, but the target is quite small and a bit raised.  NZ's shortish par 4 sees it fairway bisected by sand; the green is very good with a big wing at the rear and a fronting bunker.  H's par 3  plays over hollows to a sunken green..it plays much easier than it look.  Once again, I can't call a clear winner; NO BLOOD.

New Zealand


Kington


#16.  K's short par 4 is a solid in the main because of a raised green protected by hollows.  H's par 5 is very good, playing over two hollows to a narrow green.  NZ's  short hole is a penal beauty.  A long carry is required, plus there is some sand floating about to contend with. Normally, I would go with the clever par 5, but in this case the sheer audacity and beauty of NZ's hole win out. 1 SKIN TO NEW ZEALAND



#17. NZ's severe legger left features on of the best greens on any of the three courses, but one of the worst drives.  One must place the drive on the corner than play in from there; it leaves something to be desired.  K's 17th is good, but nothing special.  H's 17th is a complete departure from the remainder of the course.  A short par 4 with a mess of hollows left and fronting bunkers for a raised, narrow green.  None of the holes is completely satisfactory; Kington catches a break.  NO BLOOD.

New Zealand


Huntercombe


#18. As was the case with the previous match, K's drivable par 4 is the clear winner here.  Though NZ's 18th is a great answer to TOC's Valley of Sin!



Kington: 5 skins (1, 9, 12, 13 & 18)

Huntercombe: 5 skins (2, 3, 4 , 8 & 10)

New Zealand: 3 skins (6, 7 & 16)

No blood: 5, 11, 14, 15 & 17

I am surprised that Huntercombe did so well.  It is a testament to what can be achieved on flat land.  I think the result also vindicates that earthworks compared to proper Simpson shaping can be very attractive and meaningful.  All doesn't need to look natural to get the job done. 

Match II: Cleeve Cloud V Royal Ashdown Forest V Kington
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63674.0.html

Match I: Minch Old V Painswick V Cleeve Cloud
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63660.0.html

Next up, Huntercombe and Kington move forward to face one of my darlings, Cavendish.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Thanks for the comparison Sean. I've not played NZ, looks like I need to though, so can't comment but it's always nice to see Kington and Huntercombe.


Taking into consideration golf, terrain, weather, £ etc etc which would you pick to live adjacent to and play say once or twice per week?


atb

[Sean_A]

atb

Huntercombe is in a lovely country area, not far from London & Oxford and lovely villages...so location would be my deciding factor. 

Ciao

[Giles Payne]

Sean


I am really enjoying your matches.



I finally got the chance to play Kington this year and and had a fantastic time - the course more than living up to elevated expectations.


I think that your analysis is pretty well spot on but my only dissent would be on the 17th. I think that you have underplayed the actual green at Huntercombe -the step in the middle with the upper portion of the green sloping away makes for a much more exacting second shot than either Kington or NZ. If you are on the wrong section of the green you can be left with some very interesting puts.

[Sean_A]

Giles


Ooooohhh, a homer claiming the 17th    I figured both NZ and H were lay-up type drives which require good placement, but aren't ideal type tee shots.  I like H's 17th green mainly because its totally different from the remainder of the course, but I think NZ's has a bit more zip making up for the less than satisfactory tee shot....plus the complex is stunning aesthetically. Its too close a call for me to claim a winner.  I may plop for H if it cleared away trees and rough, but that will be the day!


Ciao

[Giles Payne]

Fair call re homer!!


Have you seen all the clearing between 14 & 17?


We have also had a note sent round saying that the ground staff will be clearing out a significant amount of the understory along with some other work. The progress is slow and steady as there is significant input from various interested parties.


I think that the course has moved forward a long way in the last 5 years but there is still more clearing to go. The good news is that the members I speak to are supportive of this change.


Let me know if you are ever heading up.

[Sean_A]

Giles


I haven't been down to Huntercombe since last December.  Throw out a few dates and lets play a game.


Ciao