Set up of your course

[Grant85]

Well with the EastRen layout you have a superb starting point - though TBH I'd try and get rid of many of the 'new' trees (those that were planted in the early 1980 when I was a member).

For me the trees really quite significantly changed the look and feel of many of the holes - and I think I preferred it back then when it was a pretty open moorland track. That said - windswept moorland courses might not be everyone's cup of tea and maybe more tree-lined as it is now is more attractive to bringing in new members.

There is definitely plans afoot to try and remove a significant number of trees.

They are currently coming up with a plan to remove those that currently block light / air from problem areas on the course and will tackle in order of priority. Trees to the right of 18 have already been done in 2017/18.

Agree about the Moorland feel and I'd be very happy to see the course more in that guise. However I think even if resource wasn't an issue there will always be significant number of trees on the site.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Our course doesn't have a thick 'long' 1st cut, it is fairly short(halfish a ball height at a guess), would personally like to see it slightly taller, so there is a premium for hitting a fairway.

However it does make it easier finding your ball and quicker rounds, so am happy with that There are plenty of trees to go in as punishment, if off line.

 

[richbeech]

Our course set up is absolutely brutal at the moment. The rough is knee length in places and as thick as anything. If you go in it it's pretty much lost ball. Even the 2nd cut is horrible, you can't take anything more than a 8 or 9 iron out of it. You have to keep it in the fairway plain and simple. In fact in all seriousness I would say that our course bares a resemblance to Shinnecock Hills. It's in stunning condition this year, best I've ever seen it. When you stand in the clubhouse overlooking the course you can just see lush green fairways, pure greens and long meadow grass blowing in the wind. It looks stunning but it's so tough to play. It's club champs this weekend after which they will probably cut some of it back. Off the back pegs for Club Champs we've got 2 par 3's getting on for 220 yards and that's pretty much all carry. Our SI 1 is a 500 yard par 4 which usually plays into wind. The par 5s are all 550+. There are 65 bunkers on the whole course and it's 7200 yards in total. Standard scratch is 76 and on Saturday will probably be 77/78. A lot of people who visit don't really like it and I imagine a few people on here will say the same but a lot of the members are there because it offers a proper test of golf every time you play it and playing to your handicap feels like a real achievement. The benefit of that is that when you do go to play other courses they seem easy and you will often comfortably play under your handicap.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Had an interesting chat at the club last night about plans for one of our par 3s. We have four - one 210yds and three all about the 160-180 yds. The last of these three (our 13th) is on absolutely flat ground (pretty much the only bit of flat land on the course).

Being dead flat you could top or 'chunk' your ball off the tee and it could bounce all the way and onto the green. And so we have a big cross bunker protecting the green. A few issues. The cross bunker completely hides the green and the bottom of the flag; the tee can be quite easily be hit by over-hit tee shots or poor second shots to a previous par 4 green; very badly directed tee shots on the par 3 can hit the next tee; it is a dull and uninteresting hole; as it is the same length as previous par 3s and often something like a 6i/7i in players don't have to think too much about clubbing or strategy.

Idea is to move the tee forward and right to the ladies tee and build it up (a built up tee it will sit nicely there). Doing so we could see the green and the bottom of the flag; it would move the tee well away from the line of the over-hit tee or second shot; change the angle into the green - bringing left and right side greenside bunkers more into play and reducing risk to the next tee; also shorten the hole by some 40yds - so changing our club selection significantly and making it very different club from the previous par 3s.

We are not afraid of change. Even if that loses us yardage, as per another thread - length is not the be all and end all. This would change our yardage from 6519 to about 6480- no big deal for what could be a very significant improvement to dull hole #1 - and we can get rid of the horrid cross bunker

 

[Hitdaball]

I've yet to find a golfer that knows more about course setup than a greenkeeper. It's a shame so many think the opposite.

About four months ago a punter was in our pro shop complaining to the pro about some trees coming out (there has been a fair bit of work going on which I really like but everyone has an opinion obviously positive and otherwise).

I listened for a bit and then asked a little sarcastically “ why do some golfers think they know more than greenkeepers buddy? “

....turns out he was the head keeper from a course not far away. I scuttled out of the shop as quick as I could 😂

 

[Hitdaball]

Heathland 6700 par 73 from the whites, getting on for over 6900 from the black pots now. (Depends where the pin is on 18 the green is 70yrds long😀)

The greens are normally exceptional , fast and true. Most greens have very subtle breaks rather than any elephants back.

Fairways are still suffering a little from last years conditions in places but generally fine.

Bunkers are variable - we are halfway through a Ken Moodie designed improvement program which includes bunkers, some new tees and other course design elements

Fairways have plenty of run and by this time of the year the rough is brutal with underlying rough with knee high long grass, as well as the heather now getting thicker.

Of the 4 par 3 all but one can be playing at 180+ yards. The 17th can brutal, over 200yards uphill over heather with a large runoff facing you on the green - if you are not 10ft in you can roll back 40yrd.