It is strange that you should ask this question today. We (as the GCA students at Edinburgh Uni) have just spent a week touring the heathlands. We walked Swinley Forest with the course manager on Monday and then played New Zealand, Woking, Berkshire Red, Hankley Common and Worplesdon.
Swinley Forest had a huge impression on me. The tranquility of the place was very moving. I enjoyed the routing but wonder about the changes being put in place by the course manager. A two tiered green has been put in place on the 4th as well as the 16th.
New Zealand was the greatest surprise to me. I thought it was a boring course but with potential. There are only a couple of interesting greens the 17th and 18th are those that stick in my memory.
Woking and Berkshire were my favourites of the week. The width of the fairways on both these courses especially Woking created so much strategy off the tee as well as the greenside bunkering. The greens were very undulated and fun to play. the course was quirky in areas which is one thing I love about old designs - they don't always make sense!!
The Berkshire was just a roller coaster of fun. The mix of six par 3's, six par 5's and six par 4's created a mix that never let the mind rest. The Par 3's are great, I especially loved the 2nd hole which many would call a reverse redan. The holes were really fun and the players in my fourball always thought of different routes and plans to get the ball in the hole.
Hankley Common is probably the truest heathland course of all. This course is relatively flat and is just surrounded by heather. Hardly any trees are in play and the course often remineded me of the old pictures of Sunningdale and PV. The course itself was a bit boring with the last few holes probably being the best especially the last.
Worplesdon is the probably the least heathland of them all and to me played much like a basic parkland course. It is not far from a busy road which must be crossed twice which detracts from the beautiful surroundings. Many of the drives are blind and there isn't much strategy needed in reaching the greens.
I have also played Sunningdale Old which I think is still fantastic.
I still have ambitions to visit St. Georges Hill to complete my tour but that will have to be another year.
My rankings and scores would be:
Berkshire Red 8/10
Sunningdale Old 8/10
Swinley Forest 8/10 *did not play
Woking 7/10
Worplesdon 6/10
Hankley Commom 6/10
New Zealand 5.5/10
The bunkering is what struck me on some of the courses. There is real strategy involved in approaching the greens on many of these courses especially Woking, Berkshire and Sunningdale. Now, how much of this is recent I do not know but it did have an impression on me.
Those that know me, know how much I adore Colt. In my opinion he is the most underated architect EVER. I don't want to say too much now but buy Paul Daley's vol 2 book and an essay in there might be of interest...
![Grin ;D](http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/Smileys/classic/grin.gif)
I walked Hidden Creek last year and I can see the heathland inluence on C & C as well as Roger Hansen who made a tour of the heathlands with his wife before work started on the course. I only with that the course managers in Britain were as good as Jeff Riggs at understanding how things can be kept.
Brian.
ps I haven't forgotten your photos and can even send them by e-mail as I have broadband..let me know.