Woodhall Spa, another box ticked

[bobmac]

The players, 1st day at the Bracken

Leftie Charlie Richard C CenturyGS

Grumpy Jock, Wherediditgo, Smiffy, Yufin

Vig, Forefortheday, Heronsghyll, JustoneUk

Ray, TXL, Pie man, RickG

Glenn, Region3. Murphthemog, Snelly

 

[grumpyjock]

dont we all look smart then.
pity there is no afters when we looked nackered.

 

[Dodger]

Is that Ken Dodd playing with Glenn, Region3, and Snelly?

 

[vig]

Is that Ken Dodd playing with Glenn, Region3, and Snelly?

LOL


box ticked, in no immediate rush to go back. Just didn't have the "wow" factor for me. Really liked the greens on the Bracken(undulating) couldn't buy a putt all day, too many holes samey though. Hotchkin nice course but,,,, I was expecting more.

 

[Aztecs27]

Is that Ken Dodd playing with Glenn, Region3, and Snelly?

LOL


box ticked, in no immediate rush to go back. Just didn't have the "wow" factor for me. Really liked the greens on the Bracken(undulating) couldn't buy a putt all day, too many holes samey though. Hotchkin nice course but,,,, I was expecting more.

Blimey! You must have REALLY high expectations!

 

[vig]

Is that Ken Dodd playing with Glenn, Region3, and Snelly?

LOL


box ticked, in no immediate rush to go back. Just didn't have the "wow" factor for me. Really liked the greens on the Bracken(undulating) couldn't buy a putt all day, too many holes samey though. Hotchkin nice course but,,,, I was expecting more.

Blimey! You must have REALLY high expectations!

Didn't say it was bad, just expected a "tingle" on a course so highly ranked.
Wouldn't put it in my top 5

 

[Yerman]

Is that Ken Dodd playing with Glenn, Region3, and Snelly?

LOL


box ticked, in no immediate rush to go back. Just didn't have the "wow" factor for me. Really liked the greens on the Bracken(undulating) couldn't buy a putt all day, too many holes samey though. Hotchkin nice course but,,,, I was expecting more.

Must admit I preferred the Bracken, Hotchkin is a brutal test of golf which I failed miserably but never stood on a tee thinking WOW. But bloody enjoyable way to spend a weekend, thanks to Smiffy.

 

[Smiffy]

Got to be honest, it didn't really do it for me either. I just felt the bunkering was way too extreme, with many of them there just because there was room for one.
I've played Chart Hills (the Nick Faldo course in Kent) and that has a lot of bunkering...too much some would say. But at least you can stand on the tee and see the buggers, which is something that you couldn't do at Woodhall Spa.
They could take at least half of the bunkers away from it and it would still be a great test of golf.
Not sour grapes, because thankfully on Sunday I didn't find too many of them. That pleasure was reserved for Saturdays round on the Bracken. Jeez I must have found double figures worth of bunkers.
I thought the bunkering at Walton Heath was penal. But I have never played a course as punishing as The Hotchkin.

 

[USER1999]

To me the Bracken was like hacking about in a farmers field. A dull course designed by someone with no imagination (except for the greens, which I quite liked).

The Hotchkin is a beautiful golf course. Loved it. Would drive up there and play it again tomorrow if I could afford it.

 

[Aztecs27]

To me the Bracken was like hacking about in a farmers field. A dull course designed by someone with no imagination (except for the greens, which I quite liked).

The Hotchkin is a beautiful golf course. Loved it. Would drive up there and play it again tomorrow if I could afford it.

The Bracken definitely has a "oh, we've got some spare land, lets just stick some bunkers and greens about and call it our second course" feel about it.

Agree with you abotu the Hotchkin though, I'd play it every time I went home if I had the money.

 

[Snelly]

I thought the Hotchkin was a superb course. Beautifully laid out and the holes gave you a lot to think about in terms of how to strategically play them. I do understand though that if you are not consistent in terms of being able to put the ball where you want to at 200 yards in the fairway then the course becomes a very tough examination indeed. As we were off the yellows, I think I used 4 or 5 irons off the tee of every par 4 under 400 yards long and this paid off. If I had to hit driver to get that far it would have been much tougher.

The Hotchkin does desrve a high ranking in my view as it is an absolutely classic test. That said, I don't think it has enough elevation to propel it to it's current ranking of 5th best course in England.

These things are all about opinion of course so it is entirely subjective but I think golf is a game that is best played downhill so the topography of the Hotchkin means that for me at least, it fell short of being a great course.

If I just compare it to inland courses, I would say that Sunningdale Old and New are far superior. I would also prefer to play at St Georges Hill, The Berkshire, West Hill, Swinley Forest, Hankley Common, West Sussex, Hollinwell, Worplesdon or Hindhead over Woodhall Spa again. The Hotchkin is definitely in my top 10 inland courses that I have played though.

As for the Bracken, it was okay. There were several decent holes although some were instantly forgettable.

On the downside though, I was disappointed with the state of the greens on both courses (and not just because I three putted 11 of them over two days!). I played Hindhead last week and the greens there were like snooker tables so they can be produced at this time of year. I expected better from such a highly ranked course.

Lovely to tick off Woodhall on my want to play list though and I would love to play the Hotchkin again. I will have a new putter next time too!

 

[rickg]

The Hotchkin is a beautiful golf course. Loved it. Would drive up there and play it again tomorrow if I could afford it.

Can I have a lift??