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Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bountiful BEAU DESERT GC
« on: August 27, 2007, 02:53:33 PM »
Beau Desert sits at over 700 feet on Cannock Chase, land that at one time was a royal hunting forest then used as a hunting ground for the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.  The Bishop created a deer park and hunting lodge named Beaudesert, Norman French meaning beautiful and lonely place.  Beau Desert Golf Club was formed from the remnants of the Hednesford and District Golf Club in 1920.  After leasing the land at a nominal rate for many years from the Marquess, representatives of the club purchased the golf course at a 1932 auction for £4000 despite only having a mandate to bid £2500.  It is rumoured that the two agents were in their cups after a luxurious lunch and bid against each other!  A heavy tax burden and generous disposition led the Marquess to eventually knock the price down to £2400 and the completion of the sale was finalized in 1936.

Despite original representations to the Forestry Commission insisting that trees should not come within 30 yards of the fairways, Beau Desert is today a heavily treed course.  The lower reaches of the Chase were extensively mined and the trees served to block the views of industry. Unwittingly, this program of tree planting destroyed several thousand acres of heathland which the Forestry Commission is now partially re-establishing.  The club too seems to be embracing its heritage by encouraging heather to re-populate the course with the removal of some trees.  Due to the mining, subsidence has been a continual worry for the club.  “Unruly” greens and the occasional appearance of uninvited hollows prompted the club to call in golf architect F.W. Hawtree.  His plan to tame some greens was never fully carried out because the members feared continued subsidence would negate their efforts.

It may be surprising to some that a course so neglected by rating panels could feature no less than three All England candidates in #s 5, 7 & 9.  The fifth is a one off and one of the great holes in England.  The downhill drive swings hard left and back up another hill, over a large cross bunker, to a narrow green which is low on the ends and high in the middle!  The mound front right is a curious feature which impacts the strategy of the hole far more than the framing mounds which were coming into vogue at the time Beau Desert was built.  Walking toward the 6th it is apparent that Beau Desert is a hilly course with approximately 100 feet of elevation change and the observant golfer will notice there are distinctly advantageous sides of fairways to play from to counteract the effect of sloping green sites.  Utilizing grade level entries to the front of the greens combined with raised backs is a trademark of Beau Desert.  If Fowler left these as purely grade level greens, they would not be puttable at practically any speed.  The confounding slopes and contours, aided by the subsidence, make up what this author considers one of the best sets of greens in England.





The mild opener plays over a 19th century gravel pit and can cause more grief than one might expect. The bunkers up the right were recently removed.




The second used to be more interesting when the tee was left of the 1st green; creating a legger left against the terrain. In recent years the club seems to have taken the decision to play off a tee right of the 1st green.  The hole remains good if a bit less compelling.  A tricky short hole, the 3rd is visually deceptive in that once on the green it seems like putting away from the tee is uphill when in fact it is downhill.


A short par 4 legging hard right, the 4th is for many a lay-up hole.  However, the downhill approach remains delicate.  An All-England candidate, the 5th slings hard left and downhill then climbs to a hard to hit green with a large mound guarding its right side.  Tree clearance and bunker work have made a huge difference. Not only is the left bunker visible from the tee, but there is a new bunker on the right at the bottom of the hill. For those who miss the fairway, there is a large crossing bunker perhaps 70 yards short of the green which is very similar to the second hole.


Looking back toward the tee.


Behind the green, the front section of the green can't be seen as the two ends are low and the middle is the highest section. 


Dead straight, the 6th plunges downhill to a green which swings wildly left.  Some trees behind the green have recently been cleared because the 7th green can be seen from the 6th fairway.  Hopefully the penny will drop for the club and the remaining trees will be removed.   




Another All-England candidate, the 7th is a Fowler version of the Redan, although it is quite similar to Gibraltar. In recent years serious tree work is making it possible for the hole to shine as brightly as Fowler imagined. After and before.




A legger left heading deceptively uphill, the 8th features another green which moves a tremendous amount left to right.  The 9th also had tree work recently, though the results are not as dramatic as on the 7th. However, this great hole has been compromised by narrowed cut lines.


The good short holes continue with the 10th; a carry shot over a cross bunker. 


A typical gulley found near many greens.


A slippery hole, the 11th moves just a bit more than appearances suggest, bringing the left trees very much into play. 


The green also moves left.  There is an odd bit of apron to the rear of the green which would make an excellent Sunday hole location if converted to short grass.


I used to admire the double dogleg 12th through tight tree lines, however, with the advent of big carry equipment, the gambler's paradise feature of the hole has largely been lost.  Cutting over the trees on the right is a weighty advantage which moderate cappers can now achieve.  I don't know how the hole was originally intended to be played, but it may be time to clear trees right and left. 


A large mound and swale protect the green.


Another good hole, the two-shot 13th plays a bit left and downhill.  Featuring an outrageous green, the 14th is as engaging as it is difficult.  Many greens meet the fairway at grade level because they are built up quite a bit in the rear.


On occasion there are heather patches on the banks!


Split by the Himalayas, the three-shot 15th is quite demanding despite its relatively modest length.  At one time the Himalayas used to form the horizon with no  visible fairway beyond when standing on the tee.  Subsidence has slowly lower the humps.


After a blind second, the lay-up area leaves a troublesome approach.  The green shifts left a ton, I think due to subsidence.   


Playing over a cross bunker, #16 is a short hole with yet another difficult green.  There can be little doubt that Beau's set of greens is not only one of the largest in England, but also one of the best.
Front left view.


Front right view.


Rear view.


The routing essentially takes the golfer clockwise around the perimeter of the property with several sojourns to the interior.  The final two holes close the loop in style.  Broken ground once again thwarts the long drive and leaves an approach swinging left on 17.




The course length isn't onerous, but several holes make it difficult to bang away off the tee; the 18th used to be one such hole. The break in the fairway with two bunkers was split up and staggered during the winter of 2022-23.  Its an improvement and distinguishes itself from other late in the round holes such as 15 & 17. Before & after.






I don't know how many people I have seen fail to make the carry to the immense green.  If I didn't know better I would say the yardage markers are incorrect  8) Before & after...after photo taken from 1st tee. The horrible trees behind the green were replaced with a berm.




There can be little doubt that Beau Desert is one of the very finest courses in the Midlands.  Bernard Darwin heaped praise on the course; “Here might be one of the very best of courses for the turf is excellent and there is a flavour of Gleneagles about it.  It stands high and is pleasanter in hot weather than cold, for the wind can blow there with penetrating shrewdness.”  If one is intrigued enough to visit Beau Desert, be sure to look at the many photos in the clubhouse which highlight what the course looked like when Darwin wrote the above words – absolutely magnificent.

The design may warrant as high as a 2* if the glaring tree problems, obvious short comings with much of the bunker work, poor fairway lines, overly penal rough and greens extending back to near original pads are ever sorted out....I think that highly of this Fowler gem.  It would seem the club is tackling some of these issues and it is all the better for the work. Lets hope the good work continues.    2023

Ciao
« Last Edit: September 05, 2023, 07:27:01 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2007, 03:11:33 PM »
Beau is a most enjoyable walk and a fun course.  The new dormy house is also very good, with a very good value package of 75 pounds for B&B and a round of golf!

Michael Wharton-Palmer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2007, 03:58:01 PM »
I last played Beau about 25 years ago whilst living in the midlands..those pictures brought the course back in to the memory banks...thanks very much..
Whittington Barracks down the raod was another course of which I have fond memories.
 I remember playing there with Mark James and Martin Poxon..many moons ago.

Craig Disher

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2007, 09:33:20 PM »
So that's how it looks with some light an a little blue sky.

Do you know of the Dormy House is still on offer? It's not mentioned on their website.

Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2007, 09:57:21 PM »
Sean, you lucky dog.  I could play British courses the rest of my life and not yearn to play anywhere else.  Thanks for all you posts and pics.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2012, 10:00:45 PM by Tommy Williamsen »
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Mark Bourgeois

Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2007, 10:02:08 PM »
Well snapped, Sean. I was very taken with 16 green. I suppose its omission owes to technical difficulties?

And while all courses, being at some level at the mercy of nature, are subject to change, I continue to remain entranced by the notion of change due to man-made subsidence. Some day perhaps an enlightened client will meet a confident architect and the two will build another castle on the sand.

Mark

Mike Sweeney

Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2007, 05:40:52 AM »
Once again, beautiful pics. Thanks.

Andrew Mitchell

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2007, 09:20:11 AM »
Great pics again Sean.  I really must try and get down there one of these days.
« Last Edit: August 28, 2007, 09:23:46 AM by Andrew Mitchell »
2014 to date: not actually played anywhere yet!
Still to come: Hollins Hall; Ripon City; Shipley; Perranporth; St Enodoc

Mark_Rowlinson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2007, 11:01:45 AM »
I fully understand Sean's enthusiasm. I was lucky to play this quite a lot as a teenager. I didn't know anything about architecture, and I could never understand why my score was usually about ten strokes worse than at my home course, Lilleshall Hall, which was much narrower through the trees. When I returned to BD as an adult I began to understand why this was so.  Whittington Barracks changed its name to Whittington Heath some years ago, but it's the same place. In my youth when there were only Dunlop Bob Charles clubs generally available to left-handers in this country (1960s this is) the pro at Whittington was the only one my father and I knew who might have three or four sorts of left-handed clubs available.  

Andrew Mitchell

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Return to Beau Desert
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2007, 11:18:49 AM »
In my youth when there were only Dunlop Bob Charles clubs generally available to left-handers in this country (1960s this is) the pro at Whittington was the only one my father and I knew who might have three or four sorts of left-handed clubs available.  

Mark
That statement brings back a lot of memories.  My first (half) set of clubs were Dunlop Bob Charles and as you state there were not many other alternatives!  I had those clubs for a good fifteen years and from a sentimental point of view wish I had never got rid of them.
2014 to date: not actually played anywhere yet!
Still to come: Hollins Hall; Ripon City; Shipley; Perranporth; St Enodoc

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century?
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2008, 02:39:01 PM »
.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2014, 04:43:23 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Adrian_Stiff

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century?
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2008, 03:22:55 PM »
Sean- I do enjoy your tours. Thanks
A combination of whats good for golf and good for turf.
The Players Club, Cumberwell Park, The Kendleshire, Oake Manor, Dainton Park, Forest Hills, Erlestoke, St Cleres.
www.theplayersgolfclub.com

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century?
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2008, 03:44:47 PM »
Sean, your efforts are well appreciated.   ;D
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century?
« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2008, 08:19:10 PM »
Sean, your efforts are well appreciated.   ;D

Cheers Adrian!

RJ, I can but try.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Mark Bourgeois

Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2008, 08:56:53 PM »
Many thanks for the added holes plus update.  15-17 is a wonderful minirun.  Would love to see 18 green complex restored as a next step!

Mark

PS How's the gorilla?

Ryan Farrow

Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #15 on: August 25, 2008, 10:41:41 PM »
Sean, serious question here, did you hold your camera at your feet when you took these photos?  The perspectives from you pictures give a very low key, lay of the land feel, in a bad way. Kind of uncomfortable.

Rob Rigg

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #16 on: August 25, 2008, 11:58:31 PM »
Sean - Thank you for the great tour. It is nice to be reminded about the "unique" courses that exist on the other side of the pond that provide the architecture enthusiast with an inspiring experience, while reinvigorating a love for the game through originality.

The creativity of Fowler, although devilish at times, is fascinating and embraces so many elements taboo in modern architecture. Just brilliant.

Can someone find a chainsaw . . .

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #17 on: August 26, 2008, 04:37:24 AM »
Sean, serious question here, did you hold your camera at your feet when you took these photos?  The perspectives from you pictures give a very low key, lay of the land feel, in a bad way. Kind of uncomfortable.

Ryan

Your observation is spot on.  Beau Desert is one of the most unsettling courses I have seen.  This is quite a statement considering there is not a drop of water to be found on the course.  Fowler uses the land brilliantly to disguise what is on offer.  I suspect the use of gulleys rather than extending the grading further out is also an effort to disguise the lay of the land for approaches.  It may also have been more economical to use this most unusual method. 

It isn't until the end of the course that one gets the impression that he can swing away - on a few shots.  I held the camera standing as tall as my frame will allow, and always do, in an effort to give the reader a golfer's eye of the holes rather than offering eye candy shots.  At Beau Desert its difficult to get good perspectives because teh land is that hilly, yet Fowler rarely gives us a clear view of what lies ahead, even on downhill shots - see holes 6, 11, 12, 13 & 18.  It must be remembered that Fowler, even though he was among the giants of design, was unusual for his day.  He was very strongly in favour of lie of the land golf whenever possible and I think his courses bear this out.

Philip and I had a brief discussion the other day about Fowler.  He didn't think Fowler's courses were all that different and that some features were repeated in the same manner Colt used the diagonal bunkering cutting from the green side to the middle of the fairway fairly often.  Philip may be right concerning the man made elements such as Fowler's use of cross bunkers.  However, I have never seen two Fowler courses which were remotely alike except for the Berkshire.  Even there Fowler distinguishes the two courses by creating 6/6/6 configuration of par for the Red course.  This is quite a crafty idea especially when one considers a club like Walton Heath which has two courses virtually indistinguishable from each other. 


Ciao 
« Last Edit: August 26, 2008, 06:00:02 AM by Sean Arble »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Paul Nash

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #18 on: August 26, 2008, 05:21:33 AM »
Great photos Sean - just reminds me why this course has been on my must play list for the last few years - there are lots of excellent heathland courses (outside of the top-rated ones in the southeast that get most of the coverage) that I have started reading about over the last couple of years but previously never heard of that now look like must plays, such as Beau, Whittington, Ipswich, Delamere Forest, Sandiway, Sherwood Forest, Luffenham Heath, Woodbidge, Aldeburgh, Sherwood Forest and Coxmoor. I will plan a golfing trip for next year with some mates - the Nottingham collection (Notts, Coxmoor, Sherwood) with maybe Ganton first has been favourite, but I have also now thought about doing Delamere and Sandiway and then stopping on the way back to take in Beau Desert and Whittington and another Midlands course that someone recommended to me called Enville?

Mark_Rowlinson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #19 on: August 26, 2008, 01:55:50 PM »
Paul, That list is right up my street, the sort of courses I would recommend to others.

Sean, the trees were less luxuriant when I played at BD in the 60s, but the coal mining and other industries round about were still in full (and noisy!) flow and I suspect that members were only too happy to get some screening from the noise and smoke. It was quite the thing to do then, planting trees in huge numbers, and (I'm not being specific about BD) members queued up to donate trees, as today they queue up to presnt benches. There was also a habit of donating flowering shrubs and plantings of flowers to turn the course into a garden.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #20 on: August 26, 2008, 02:08:18 PM »
Great photos Sean - just reminds me why this course has been on my must play list for the last few years - there are lots of excellent heathland courses (outside of the top-rated ones in the southeast that get most of the coverage) that I have started reading about over the last couple of years but previously never heard of that now look like must plays, such as Beau, Whittington, Ipswich, Delamere Forest, Sandiway, Sherwood Forest, Luffenham Heath, Woodbidge, Aldeburgh, Sherwood Forest and Coxmoor. I will plan a golfing trip for next year with some mates - the Nottingham collection (Notts, Coxmoor, Sherwood) with maybe Ganton first has been favourite, but I have also now thought about doing Delamere and Sandiway and then stopping on the way back to take in Beau Desert and Whittington and another Midlands course that someone recommended to me called Enville?

Paul

Enville is a good course, though not quite up to the quality of some of your choices.  Play the Highgate (if you can only do one course) as the front nine there really is something special.  Things cool down considerably on the back nine - more parkland golf than heathland.  The Lodge also has quite a bit of heathland holes and isn't bad at all.  I always say that if the club were willing to scrap the two 18s and go with one 18 hole heathland course it could be an outstanding venue. 

You mustn't forget poor old Little Aston.  Its is a delightful course and club and still one of the handful of best courses around Brum.  Also, and it may be a great surprise to many, Forest of Arden is very good and really one of the unsung best courses around Brum.  I spose it is neglected because it is used for a Euro Tour stop.  It is possible to get cracking deals with the hotel.  Often times, b&b and golf are chucked in for the same price as a room.  Beau Desert also has a dormie house which offers good value if you aren't fussed about getting to a hotspot to check out the local talent. 

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 26, 2008, 04:11:34 PM by Sean Arble »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Mark_Rowlinson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #21 on: August 26, 2008, 02:21:47 PM »
Sean, I'm slightly surprised to see you mention Forest of Arden. I can understand why you would like the back nine, but the front nine is pretty unmemorable to my way of thinking.

Don't forget those other Birmingham forgotten courses such as Sandwell Park, Handsworth and Edgbaston. I have fond memories of Penn, too, but that may be more to do with the little lanes crossing the course which gave admirable cover to young lovers in their formative years....

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #22 on: August 27, 2008, 05:58:51 AM »
Paul, That list is right up my street, the sort of courses I would recommend to others.

Sean, the trees were less luxuriant when I played at BD in the 60s, but the coal mining and other industries round about were still in full (and noisy!) flow and I suspect that members were only too happy to get some screening from the noise and smoke. It was quite the thing to do then, planting trees in huge numbers, and (I'm not being specific about BD) members queued up to donate trees, as today they queue up to presnt benches. There was also a habit of donating flowering shrubs and plantings of flowers to turn the course into a garden.

Mark

I too think the members welcomed a tree screen and still do.  However, the trees were never meant to come within 30 yards of the fairways.  A photo of #5 taken in 1950 shows a complete forest around the course (only 30 years after opening with a completely open landscape), but the trees are well back from the course.  The fairway corridor for #5 must have been 100 yards wide.  To be fair, the club has cleared much of the right side (interior side) of the fairway in recent times and the corridor has regained most of its width except for on the left side of the fairway (boundary side) which is a jungle. 

About 20 years ago the club agreed to keep the trees within 10 yards or so of fairways when the Forestry Commission did some felling.  I think the club was concerned about unsightly cleared hillsides and wanted a tree line to break these ugly views.  I am not sure why the FC needs to cut the trees down around the periphery of the course.  Perhaps these trees are sold on.  In any case, the huge area to the left of 11, 15 green, 17 & 18 has been cleared and I suspect the trees further down the hill will go as well.  See pics for #15 green. 

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Thomas MacWood

Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #23 on: August 27, 2008, 07:10:56 AM »
Sean
Thanks for the great photos. It looks like a wonderful layout. I like the way the holes fit into what looks to be wild terrain, and the greens really standout. As a minor criticism (based on the pictures) the bunkers appear to be pretty bland and their placement on some of the holes is kind of repative, as a result there are a few approachs that look very similar. From what I've seen this type of bunkering is pretty typical of Fowler, in contrast to Simpson. What do you think?
« Last Edit: August 27, 2008, 07:14:53 AM by Tom MacWood »

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: BEAU DESERT: The Biggest Crime of the 20th Century? All 18
« Reply #24 on: August 27, 2008, 08:01:30 AM »
Sean
Thanks for the great photos. It looks like a wonderful layout. I like the way the holes fit into what looks to be wild terrain, and the greens really standout. As a minor criticism (based on the pictures) the bunkers appear to be pretty bland and their placement on some of the holes is kind of repative, as a result there are a few approachs that look very similar. From what I've seen this type of bunkering is pretty typical of Fowler, in contrast to Simpson. What do you think?

Tommy Mac

While I would disagree that the approaches look similar because the terrain shifts, the bunkering is not a high point of the course.  Many of the bunkers are much deeper than they appear because they are built "uphill" as it were, but some are just awful and others are not at all necessary, but I almost always say this about courses - there are probably 20 bunkers I would remove and my quick count makes about 55 on the course.  In fact, many of the low side bunkers save shots from their rightful fate.  To be fair, I think many bunkers were added later, especially the low lying bunkers.  Fowler was keen on straight cross bunkering which was a bit old school for the time.  For instance, Colt turned the idea on the diagonal and often split the sand into 3 or 4 bunkers.  Even when Fowler turned the bunkers to a diagonal position he tended to keep the trench like look. 

What is interesting about some of the original bunkering is the mix of grass face and the sea shell look with sand splashed up the face.  There are a few great looking bunkers surrounded by heather/rough and this highlights what I think is the honest truth about a lot of heathland bunkering - much of it is bland and really gets a visual boost by growing stuff around them.  In terms of actually shaping some cool bunkers (not to include what I call sandy waste areas that Colt did and many had to be formalized to contain the sand - my opinion anyway) that can stand alone the only guy I knew who did that well on the heathlands was Simpson.  For the most part, if you strip away the growth, the bunkering on the heathlands looks terribly out of place.  You can chalk this up with another myth about the heathlands, they don't drain nearly as well as legend suggests.

Ciao

« Last Edit: August 27, 2008, 08:11:26 AM by Sean Arble »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing