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Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Climbing Up And Down COOMBE HILL GC New
« on: July 30, 2019, 06:01:50 AM »
Following his contribution to the creation of Worplesdon, JF Abercomby chaired a meeting of Coombe Hill in January 1910 which led to the opening of the new course in May 1911. While Abercromby is the architect of record, it is thought he had the benefit of consulting with Willie Park Jr on the project.  While a murky figure in the early years of British golf architecture, Abercromby is generally credited for additional designs of which Addington (with Colt's able assistance) is the most respected.  Knole Park is also a very fine example of Aber’s work.  An interesting characteristic of all these courses is the hilly nature of the terrain and Aber's willingness to to create bold holes using the slopes.  In that respect Coombe Hill is no different.   





Coombe Hill can claim four Open champions among its professionals.  Sandy Herd, the club’s first professional and the would be 4th member of the Great Triumvirate, claimed the Claret Jug in 1902.  Arthur Havers, the second Coombe Hill pro, won the Open in 1923, a victory which nullified Walter Hagen’s bid for his third consecutive victory.  Henry Cotton, an often forgotten man in British golf, won the Open Championship in 1934, 1937 and 1948. Cotton was among the first British professional golfers not to rely on a club position to earn his living.  The man who has held the Claret Jug longer than anybody, Dick Burton, won the last Open held before the outbreak of WWII at St Andrews in 1939. When normal scheduling resumed at St Andrews in 1946, Burton, who served in the RAF during the war, wrote the following note to the Royal & Ancient: “Dear Sirs, Please find enclosed my fee of five guineas for this year’s open.  I will bring the trophy back when I come.”

Dick Burton


Located on top of a hill above Kingston upon Thames proper, entering the club is to enter a private estate.  Directly across the driveway are swank homes.  The same is true for the course, but the housing is well hidden by trees.  Surprisingly, Coombe Hill is quite secluded with very little in the way outside noise even with the A3 just down the road.  Teeing off on the first is not so different from the discreet entrance to the club.  The hole obviously turns right down the hill, but the landing zone and green are not to be seen.  An added devious element is a fairway which slopes in the opposite direction of the dogleg.  The short approach to the front to back green is quite tricky, especially if the hole is between the bunkers.  Royal Wimbledon is in the far distance on the hill the other side of the A3.


The second is a bit like a straight jacket, water and lost ball right, trees left. Notice the tree inside the fairway corridor near the greenside bunker.  This is the first of many instances of vegetation spoiling a view and/or creating out of place awkwardness. 


There are also many cases of trees inside natural tree-line boundaries such as ditches.  There are holes in which longer hitters will likely want to throttle back, the third isn't one such case.  A big hitter gains great advantage as the bunkers play no part in their strategy.


I like the simple nature of the uphill approach.


Another sharp dogleg left, the 4th is a reachable par 5 if one can navigate through the bunkers near the green.




An uphill par 5, the fairway bunkers on the 5th are more for the 230-250 hitter.   


The par 3s are fairly well celebrated, but I wasn't taken by the front 9 offerings. The 6th, however, does have the advantage of a greensite in what feels like a meadow.  This ambience is somewhat spoiled by the hard look path.  The issue crops up several times in the round. 


The next two holes are very good and quite different from each other.  Playing downhill and ignoring the visual mess, the seventh features a pack of bunkers in the drive area.  Being a short par 4, one may think that a lay-up is prudent, but there really isn't a good lay-up area.   


The push-up green is slightly angled to favour a well placed drive.


Heading back up the hill, the tough 8th requires precision and length.


The front nine ends with another drop shot short hole.


The back nine is decidedly more difficult than the front even though the distance is almost exactly the same at 3153 yards.  A blind drive, the 10th plays over what is thought to be a V1 flying bomb crater.  The course and nearby surrounding area were hit with as many as 25 high explosive shells in a short period during The Blitz between September and November 1940.  At the start of The Blitz, London was bombed 56 out of 57 days from 7 September 1940. 


Many of Coombe Hill's best holes are the toughest. The stretch from 10-12 is the purple patch and all are demanding holes. The 11th.






Much like the 7th, trees are doing their best to spoil the hole.  Its difficult to discern, but there is a steep drop-off left and a bail zone right.  This is a very intimidating, but excellent short hole. 


More to follow.

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 07, 2022, 07:15:09 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: COOMBE HILL GC 1-12
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2019, 06:14:21 AM »
It seems that Aber liked to have someone else helping him with his courses. We know Colt advised at Addington; Park here. Bearing in mind that, as a club manager, Aber was a notorious dictator, this is quite intriguing.
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Neil Regan

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: COOMBE HILL GC 1-12
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2019, 10:47:22 PM »
I think that Tom Winton may also have had a hand in Coombe Hill.
He was working with Willie Park before they both came to the USA in 1914 or 1915.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 11:41:57 AM by Neil Regan »
Grass speed  <>  Green Speed

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: COOMBE HILL GC 1-12 New
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2019, 09:46:11 AM »
COOMBE HILL TOUR CONT

The best of the Coombe Hill is in the review mirror.  The following two holes are short, tricky, dogleggers left.  The 13th is a bit spoiled by a boundary fence left of the green.  Behind the 14th used to be a property called Telegraph Cottage. General DD Eisenhower used this cottage as his primary residence in the months leading up to D Day.  This living arrangement was a fairly close secret.  Very few people visited Eisenehower at this location, General Bradley being a major exception.  The cottage burned down in 1987 and there are now several properties on this location.  Despite the history, I prefer the green-end of the hole. 
 

The final par five, 15 drops dramatically to lower ground and turns hard right.  As there is an element of driving over the right trees, big hitters will likely need to holster the driver unless the course is soft. 
 

 

The final three holes spotlight the hilly nature of Coombe Hill.  16 and 18 are vertical in the extreme with overtly uphill approaches.  #16.
 

The short (and fairly level!) 17th is sandwiched between the ski slopes. 
 

The home hole is much like the 16th.  On downhill drives bunkers tend to take on an added visual importance.  The homogeneous qualities of Coombe Hill's bunkers are on clear display.  I have noticed that no matter which style of bunker is employed, it is becoming more common for the variety of sizes and shapes to be very limited.  If sand is an important element of a design it strikes me that far more variety would be desirable. 


The grand setting of the house and proshop envelop the home green.   


Much like near neighbour, Royal Wimbledon, very little is written about Coombe Hill.  While this may not come as a complete surprise given how many marvelous courses surround London, it is rather a shame.  Topping out at 6277 yards, Coombe Hill is a fine example of why yardage doesn't tell nearly the entire story.  One needs to play the course to discover why the SSS is 72.  For sure, if a great many trees and other vegetation were (as a starter) removed, Coombe Hill would be as attractive as it is difficult.  However, as is, Coombe Hill remains a good course which is worth investing some time to play.  2019

Ciao
« Last Edit: August 07, 2022, 07:16:00 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Climbing COOMBE HILL GC
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2019, 11:30:05 AM »
Thanks for the phototour Sean. Looks interesting but, and a familiar story I guess, tree and vegetation management.
Atb

Mike Sweeney

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Climbing COOMBE HILL GC
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2019, 07:07:45 PM »
Love it, but there appear to be some Arble-nots out there?

Fairway lines:


Trees:
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us."

Dr. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Climbing COOMBE HILL GC
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2019, 05:50:16 AM »
Love it, but there appear to be some Arble-nots out there?

Fairway lines:


Trees:


Coombe Hill is most certainly burying good qualities under dubious cut lines and vegetation.  That huge rhodo bush in the second photo has hazard stakes around! There is another like this as well.  I would really like to see all the ditches visually opened up and interior views opened up where reasonable. 

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

John Mayhugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: COOMBE HILL GC 1-12
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2019, 02:35:40 PM »
The home hole is much like the 16th.  On downhill drives bunkers tend to take on an added visual importance.  The homogeneous qualities of Coombe Hill's bunkers are on clear display.  I have noticed that no matter which style of bunker is employed, it is becoming more common for the variety of sizes and shapes to be very limited.  If sand is an important element of a design it strikes me that far more variety would be desirable. 
Sean,Thanks for the introduction to a club I knew very little about. I enjoy the bits of history and trivia that you mix in, even if I don't always note it.

Very good observation about bunker variety.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: COOMBE HILL GC 1-12
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2019, 04:35:07 AM »
The home hole is much like the 16th.  On downhill drives bunkers tend to take on an added visual importance.  The homogeneous qualities of Coombe Hill's bunkers are on clear display.  I have noticed that no matter which style of bunker is employed, it is becoming more common for the variety of sizes and shapes to be very limited.  If sand is an important element of a design it strikes me that far more variety would be desirable. 
Sean,Thanks for the introduction to a club I knew very little about. I enjoy the bits of history and trivia that you mix in, even if I don't always note it.

Very good observation about bunker variety.

Cheers. It was interesting to do a little bit of reading on Eisenhower and golf.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Climbing COOMBE HILL GC
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2019, 09:39:15 AM »
Sean nice tour well upto your usual standards.


Have now played 4 courses by 'Aber'.  CH, Addington, Knowle and Worplesdon. The last is set apart as its the only one that could be described as being on 'ideal' territory for golf.  The other 3 are hilly, very hilly.  I can only imagine Abercrombie made his pitch to potential members for the design based upon the idea of playing golf was supposed to be hard and he was the man to show it. He worked when Hickories were the norm and my mind gasps at the prospect.


If I attempt to pick out common ideas they would include (generalising)


Tough Par 3's often playing aerial all the way across a valley. Or with a large change of level.
Tough Par 4's often driving into a hill to sort out the Bogey player from the men!
Par 5's that give the longer hitter a chance to get home in two.


It does seem that several greens can be run upto, as long as you can hit the desired shape.  Here 1, 4,7,8 &13. Fit that bill but others need an aerial approach so there's plenty of variety.  The greens also seem a little less uniformly 'round' than at many courses, often elongated and at an angle with some nice movement. Back to front greens and nice fall away areas too.




I think you could make too much of this comparison based on such a small sample, and I'd note that CH has my favourite of his openers a real charmer. By contrast the par 3's at The Addington and Knowle are tough starts.




Shuffling through books at the weekend, I found a Quote by Simpson who credited, Park, Colt and Abercrombie as rescuing Golf Design from the 'Dark Ages'.  Shame he didn't get more work.  I think its worth noting you have something interesting to say about every hole (not always the case) and  I'm delighted I've played CH and will happily return,  but the land is just too much for a really great golf design. I wouldn't want to face 16 and 18 every day!
« Last Edit: August 05, 2019, 09:41:28 AM by Tony_Muldoon »
Let's make GCA grate again!

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Climbing COOMBE HILL GC
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2019, 04:03:19 AM »
Spangles

I too would welcome another game at Coombe Hill.

I am surprised by the number of front to back greens and severe doglegs. However, like you, facing the very similar 16 and 18 on a weekly basis would either kill me or cure me.


Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing