Centred around the Southwest Main Line is a hotbed of fine golf associated with heather and sand. On either side of the tracks are Woking, Worplesdon, West Hill, New Zealand and a long, narrow property which is home to West Byfleet GC. Originally known as Bleakdown GC, the owner of nearby Brooklands Race Track and the man behind New Zealand GC, Mr HL King, engaged Cuthbert Butchart to design the course in 1906. His name will sound familiar as Butchart designed West Hill a few miles to the west. A significant redesign was undertaken in 1922 by JF Abercromby, author of notable courses such as Worplesdon, Coombe Hill, Knole Park & Addington. Coombe, Braid, Morrison and Mackenzie & Ebert have all had their say over the years.
During WWI the course was used in the war effort to grow vegetables and the house as a hospital. Not long after the war, HL King sold Bleakdown to the members, just as was the case with New Zealand GC fourteen years earlier. During this time the club changed its name to West Byfleet, not long before JF Abercromby completed his work. It is notable that none of Butchart’s par 3s survived the revisions and that three (4, 11 & 13) are Abercromby holes. Furthermore, holes 4, 8, 12, 15 & 16 and all but three greens are by Abercromby.
During WWII trees were planted and ditches dug to prevent plane landings. Some of the course was once again sacrificed for the war effort for refugees and vegetable growing; the Welsh Guards occupied the house. A nearly complete course was eventually re-opened in 1951 after J Morrison tidied things up. It wasn’t until 1959 that the first hole was given back to the club and the entire course opened for play.
The course starts slow and gradually gets going, By the end of the front nine West Byfleet is in full flight. Accordingly, the 1st is a gentle opener. While shorter and more heavily defended with bunkers, the second is not overly onerous or interesting. At the third we get a severe dogleg left running downhill. Perhaps overly hemmed in, iIt takes a good drive to find an attacking position.
A solid par three, the 4th plays quite a bit longer than its listed 130 yards.
A bit of trickery for the 5th. The hole is about 300 yards, but nips to the right, making driver a dicey play. The green too is heavily defended.
Perhaps the best holoe on the front nine, the 6th arches to the right and ends with a typical West Byfleet raised green. I do like a hole or two which doglegs against the terrain.
More to follow.
Ciao