Week 18: The Surrey Open @ West Hill Golf Club
Jan 9, 2021 14:57:57 GMT
hammers1man, andersnm, and 6 more like this
Post by paddyjk19 on Jan 9, 2021 14:57:57 GMT
As the TGC designer it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to one of the UK's brilliant golf course, a heathland classic often flying under the radar of it's more prominant cousins, Sunningdale, St George's Hill, Swinley Forest etc.
This particular course is one of my favourites having spent a couple of years working there as a resident teaching professional, despite being a fairly short course, the par of 69 provides a stiff test and the greens are infamous for their slopes and speed. In the annual pro am, that often features the odd star name like Matt Fitzpatrick, the winning score is often around the 67 / 68 mark due to the challenges presented.
On your way round, there are a few holes of note;
Hole 3 is arguably the hardest par 4 on the venue that runs parallel to the London - Guildford train line, a blind tee shot with trouble left its easy to drift right but in doing so there is a danger of being blocked out by two stand alone pines and from here you will have an awkward angle playing towards the brook that cuts across and around the green complex. The green is also a challenge with a huge slope from right to left and front to back. A 4 here will be a tremendous effort.
P.S. I once had an eagle 2 on this hole and am hoping a lucky golfer can replicate this shot during the event, it was also the first shot I had hit with a new set of irons having only used woods and wedges up until that point in the round, good luck all!
Hole 4 has one of the most ridiculous greens on the course, leaving your ball above the hole here will undoubtedly result in at least one dropped shot and may cause some embarrassment!
Hole 6 starts with a blind tee shot over the crest of the hill with a bunker on the right that just loves to swallow a long drive down the right edge, typically a 3 wood will leave a mid iron to a two tiered green with a viscous and tiny plateau on the top, when the pin is up the top the intelligent golfer will prevail.
Hole 8 is a picture from the tee, beautifully framed by the bunkering, pines and heather - find the fairway here and it's a simple hole. Enjoy the vistas.
Hole 12 is a classic very short 4 at 275 yards, the foolhardy will pull big stick without recourse but just beware the nuances of the green complex, the members always suggest a lay up if the pin is on the top shelf.
Hole 15 is the signature par 3 on the plot with a "buried elephant" splitting the green in two, it's essential to find the right part of the green to avoid three whacking this stunning hole.
Hole 18 is probably the toughest finishing hole in Surrey, a 460 yard brute up the hill with the Bagshot road running along the left hand side and heather along the right. The green has three levels to it and the veranda beyond is out of bounds. Try not to replicate my first attempt at playing this hole where my 5 iron was pushed, hit the path and ended up in the car park below!
Hope you all enjoy your rounds here and I'll see you on the course!
This particular course is one of my favourites having spent a couple of years working there as a resident teaching professional, despite being a fairly short course, the par of 69 provides a stiff test and the greens are infamous for their slopes and speed. In the annual pro am, that often features the odd star name like Matt Fitzpatrick, the winning score is often around the 67 / 68 mark due to the challenges presented.
On your way round, there are a few holes of note;
Hole 3 is arguably the hardest par 4 on the venue that runs parallel to the London - Guildford train line, a blind tee shot with trouble left its easy to drift right but in doing so there is a danger of being blocked out by two stand alone pines and from here you will have an awkward angle playing towards the brook that cuts across and around the green complex. The green is also a challenge with a huge slope from right to left and front to back. A 4 here will be a tremendous effort.
P.S. I once had an eagle 2 on this hole and am hoping a lucky golfer can replicate this shot during the event, it was also the first shot I had hit with a new set of irons having only used woods and wedges up until that point in the round, good luck all!
Hole 4 has one of the most ridiculous greens on the course, leaving your ball above the hole here will undoubtedly result in at least one dropped shot and may cause some embarrassment!
Hole 6 starts with a blind tee shot over the crest of the hill with a bunker on the right that just loves to swallow a long drive down the right edge, typically a 3 wood will leave a mid iron to a two tiered green with a viscous and tiny plateau on the top, when the pin is up the top the intelligent golfer will prevail.
Hole 8 is a picture from the tee, beautifully framed by the bunkering, pines and heather - find the fairway here and it's a simple hole. Enjoy the vistas.
Hole 12 is a classic very short 4 at 275 yards, the foolhardy will pull big stick without recourse but just beware the nuances of the green complex, the members always suggest a lay up if the pin is on the top shelf.
Hole 15 is the signature par 3 on the plot with a "buried elephant" splitting the green in two, it's essential to find the right part of the green to avoid three whacking this stunning hole.
Hole 18 is probably the toughest finishing hole in Surrey, a 460 yard brute up the hill with the Bagshot road running along the left hand side and heather along the right. The green has three levels to it and the veranda beyond is out of bounds. Try not to replicate my first attempt at playing this hole where my 5 iron was pushed, hit the path and ended up in the car park below!
Hope you all enjoy your rounds here and I'll see you on the course!
