50. Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Sweden May 16-28, 2016 (Part IV)

Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Sweden May 16-28, 2016 (Part IV)

After playing Killeen Castle, I flew back to England and arrived at Stansted airport north of London at 4:50pm.  My original schedule called for me to drive about 90 miles north (a little over 2 hours) and play Royal West Norfolk GC (Brancaster) early on Wednesday May 25 and then drive to Royal Worlington (which is about half way between London and Brancaster) and play Royal Worlington Wednesday afternoon. 

Given that I had used a cart Tuesday morning at Killeen, I was not at all tired so I called Royal Worlington to see if I could play that afternoon.  The Secretary’s assistant advised that it would be no problem so long as I arrived before 7pm…which was very doable.  Remember…Worlington is 9 holes, so I had plenty of time to play it before sunset at 9:03pm.

Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club, May 24, 2016: I arrived around 6:30 and just loved the place at first sight.  The club was founded in 1893 and ever since has been the home course for the Cambridge University Golf Club, whose first Captain was none other than Harry Colt, one of the most prolific and greatest architects who ever lived.  The course often is referred to as “The Sacred Nine”, a named bestowed upon it by Bernard Darwin, generally considered the greatest golf writer to ever live.

Now, take a look at the clubhouse…

 

Perfect Clubhouse

Somehow, the phrase “over the top” does not seem to apply.

Then, if one turns around to look at the first tee, one comes upon the following sign…

I proceeded to pay my green fee and then returned to my car in the small parking lot.  There was an elderly member who had just finished walking nine holes (pulling at pull-cart) and we chatted briefly.  He had just completed his 73^rd year as a member!!

After that introduction to the Club, it was off to play.  The course is simply so unusual.  First of all, at 3123 yards (par 35 with five of the holes playing as “half-par holes”) from the “tips” and very fast firm conditions, I could easily play the back tees. My guess is that the course is laid out on about 40 acres…minimizing land use by having some holes cross over other holes (for example, the tee shot on the par 4 third is directly over the green of the par 3 second).  These “apparent” problem areas in terms of player safety work beautifully (in the case of holes 2 and 3…play proceeds faster on a par 4 than a par 3, so after a group finishes #2, it can quickly tee off on #3 before the following group has reached the second green…for sure the “no threeball or fourball” rule helps considerably).  What makes the course so wonderful in my mind, are the multitude of “half-par” holes and three other factors.  First the sandy firm soil which virtually guarantees very firm/fast conditions throughout the year.  Second, the wonderful and totally natural rolls, bumps, mounds and valleys that cover virtually all of the property.  The ball can bounce in almost any direction, but generally predictably if one knows the property.  I sense that it takes dozens if not hundreds of rounds to truly understand the nuances of the ground game here.  Third are the greens, which are as difficult as any I have ever seen.

I also had the luck of playing it late in the day (and it was a beautifully bright, clear and crisp day) when the shadows highlighted the grounds contours and added to the mystical qualities of the course.  One picture is beautifully frozen in my mind.  When I teed off on the long (460 yards) par 4 6^th, the sun was quite low in the sky directly behind the tee, and in the direction of the green and tee shot, the sky was filled with dark clouds.  I hit my drive well, and with the sun illuminating the ball, it looked like it was on fire!  I shall never forget that sight.

I hit the ball well but ended with a 42 (7 over par).  The course is simply bedeviling and so so much fun.  Yes, as least as much fun as Cape Wickham!!  I truly felt honored to have the opportunity to play it.

While it has never appeared in a “regular” World 100, Royal Worlington did appear in Tom MacWood’s spoof list, sharing #100 with Prairie Dunes (Kansas), which was a nine holer at that time.  I neglected to mention in an earlier post that Burnham & Berrow was also on the MacWood list…so now I had 4 courses left.

I offer up the following pictures and one video…of the impossible 5^th green.  I also would suggest that you go to http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/England/rwn/ for Ran Morrissett’s far more organized, clear and lucid description (and with better pics).  Thank you Ran, and thank you Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club.

Green on long par 3 second

Brutally tough green on par 3 5th

Video of par 3 5th green

After the round, I had another 90 minutes to get to my hotel (actually a room over a pub) near Brancaster.  I arrived there around 10:30pm…at this point very tired.  As I had learned earlier in the day, DHL had mis-directed my suitcase, and that issue would take a bunch of my time over the next two days (I will devote another post to this story). 

The next morning, it was up early for a 20 minute drive to Brancaster.

Royal West Norfolk Golf Club (Brancaster), May 25, 2016:  Another very special club, starting with the Memorial Gate that commemorates members who lost their lives in World War I and World War II.  Brancaster is built near a tidal flood region, so I was advised to get there before 9am or otherwise the entry road would be impassable due to tidal flooding.  I was scheduled to play with the Club’s Secretary, Ian Symington…and Ian was a special host.  The clubhouse here seems virtually unchanged since the club’s founding in 1892.  Sitting right against the North Sea (but protected by a narrow strip of dunes), the course is usually buffeted by strong winds. This day would be no exception…the winds were strong, the temperature around 50F, and the rains intermittent for about 5 holes and heavy for about 6 holes.  I was very cold by the time the round ended…but was also exhilarated.  By the way, as with Worlington, no three ball or four ball matches allowed here.

While never on a regular World Top 100, Brancaster was on MacWood’s list.  It totals 6478 yards (par 71)…short by today’s standards but in the wind it can bear its teeth…and it is great fun.  Many of Brancaster’s bunkers are lined by wooden planks (known as “sleepers” and similar to those found at Prestwick in Scotland) and later incorporated by Pete Dye in many of his courses (famously at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island, SC).  The bunkering here is very tough and play on the difficult 8^th and 9^th is most assuredly affected by the tides…where low lying marsh areas fill with water during very high tides (we did not experience this).  #8 is a 503 yard par 5 (except that we played into a fierce wind (25-30mph) with a drive to a “island fairway”…and then a difficult choice between trying to carry the marsh again of laying up for a long third.  #9 is a 403 yard par 4, also played into the wind to a green well protected by marsh lands and a bunker with sleepers.

I love the feeling of playing a great old course, where one feels like they have stepped back 100+ years in time.  These last two days afforded me the chance to play two of the world’s best examples of this!

After a quick lunch, it was off to London...two more days and 4 courses left!!