Golfadelphia

6,786 yards, 131 slope from the White tees

Mind and body occasionally travel on different schedules. The longer the journey, the longer it takes for my mind to arrive. A few years back at Bandon, it didn’t arrive until dinner the second night. Years earlier in Munich, it didn’t arrive until the morning of the second sleep. It takes its time and who knows what or why but eventually and inevitably, it arrives. For the trip to London last Summer, we would never see the city itself. No Big Ben, London Bridge or Abbey Road. In fact, we turned in the opposite direction in the rental car and headed for the countryside. For the heathland out to the west, where a treasure of the world’s most intriguing golf resides. The country roads winded in between stacks of trees and hedges that sat tight against the lanes, leaving very little leeway for cars to move past one another. I was able to grasp glimpses of golf course names as we flew by but the hedges, trees and walls revealed little else. I was surprised at how adept my friend maneuvered our car through the roads, he seemed to take joy in how fast he could motor about. I kept telling myself I was in England for the first time and take note of the surroundings but really, there were too many similarities to roads I encountered back home to take note of anything. Just about the only thing I noted was I desperately needed caffeine.

We arrived and saw the familiar scene of golfers retrieving their bags from trunks and moving towards the clubhouse. Our host pulled up at the same time we did, so all of us were able to go in together. The clubhouse was charming and comforting. We had time before lunch and were set to meet legendary golf historian and Walton Heath’s archivist, Philip Truett. I texted my mind that it needed to arrive as soon as possible. Instead of caffeine, we ordered wine. Truett arrived and we had an engaging discussion with him. He was nice enough to show us some of the history of the club, which was mesmerizingly extensive. Right up my alley. It was all just what I was hoping for, even if my mind was still on the plane ordering the cheese plate. The lunch would be the most English of the trip, where I was introduced to such things as coronation chicken. It was just what I needed as I fought back the sleep and before I knew it, we stood on the First tee, ready for our first of many matches we would encounter.

There’s this part in Beverly Hills Cop II where Eddie Murphy’s character tracks the bad guys to the Playboy Mansion, which is in the middle of a large party. Eddie screams below his waist, “Wake up! This is what we always talked about! Look alive! You may never see it again!” This pretty much sums it up.

And so it went. The point being things were quite surreal as we toured the heathlands of Walton that fine summer day. Yet it was quite the proper introduction to heathlands golf. It was not hard to feel the history of the place. And despite it all, it was not hard to enjoy the thrill and challenge of the course. Its historical context is important as one of the earlier inland golf courses. The evolution of golf course design moved from the seaside inwards yet maintained a lot of the structure of links courses. They would eventually be known as heathland courses, which roughly stands for inland links. Herbert Fowler’s design of Walton Heath was one of the early great heathland courses, showing that truly splendid golf can reside away from the water. Another transition in design evolution is evident here. While the Old was designed and constructed at the tail end of the Victorian era, which was dominated by penal themes. The Old began with a lot of Victorian design components but thereafter shifted to a more strategic tone. Both penal and strategic currently prevail throughout. The Old opened for play in 1904, with Harry Vardon, J.H. Taylor and James Braid hitting the opening tee shots. Braid was the club professional from its opening until 1950. The membership consists of royalty and legends of history, such as Winston Churchill, King George VI, King Edward VIII and Lloyd George. Fowler designed the “New” course after the Old, the first nine being constructed in 1905 and the second in 1913. This second nine was designed and constructed when Fowler and Tom Simpson had formally partnered and signifies a more final shift from the Victorian penal to the strategy-based Golden Age. Walton Heath hosted the 1981 Ryder Cup using holes from both the Old and New courses (the composite course did not use 1 and 18 from the Old, the First was Old 2, then 3 and 4 were combined into one holes, while New 12 and 13 were used and New 18 was the closing hole. The 2018 British Masters played here followed the same composite format with the exception of 18, which was changed to the Old). The New remains one of the most preserved and unaltered works of Fowler. It was the first 36 hole club in England. Unbelievably, it was also Fowler’s first design. He would go on to have an illustrious course architecture career, partnering with Tom Simpson for a time and the list of golf courses attributable to him are nothing short of brilliant.

The old bird is a beauty to play. It’s one of the primary examples of subtle death. The golfer gladly walks to the line of fire and doesn’t know it until it’s too late. Bernard Darwin once wrote that it’s the most severe and exacting test of inland golf. The course has a splendid allure off the tee and the troubles that lie within the hole are well concealed. Then it starts. A shot rolls a little bit off the fairway. Comes up a little short of the green. Sneaks into a bunker. All the wide open space closes in as the strokes multiply and the golfer starts to rely more and more on hope in finally getting the ball in the hole. We haven’t mentioned the heather yet but the purple hues of trouble lurk in the shadows yet dominate the structure of play. The trauma of looking for one’s ball among the purple was constant during my round and throughout our trip, I could tell which of our hosts were the sticks by how quickly they could find a ball within it. The routing is also of note for its role in the allure. The opening sequence starts a generous enough cadence. The First is a long par 3 and while it receives a good amount of grief, I thought it fit in well to the allure with its large green. You then cross the road and the entirety of the course seems to be within sight. The hills and turns are strong yet everything is some what manageable unless the golfer wildly hooks to the left. Then, there’s a shift. The greens get wilder, the heather and bunkers and in more opportune positions and the golfer realizes he must treat every shot like the world depends on it. Many revere the back nine as one of the better out there and for good reason. The course is done with any kind of introduction at this point yet its alluring presentation remains. It never looks or seems difficult until you get to your ball and realize how tough it will be to access the green. There are other times that the heather will creep in near the green, leaving the golfer to figure out how to impart enough force to knock it out, yet with enough touch to have it remain near the pin. It all begins to weigh on the golfer as the round continues. The closing sequence is the most magnificently brutal of all, just to make sure a good measure of resolve is resorted to. The best and strongest shots are here, as are the more severe penalties, even if the course doesn’t look any different than it did at the start. By the final hole, where I finally hit a worthy tee shot that rekindled some whispers of hope, I resignedly watched as my approach arched to the left of the green where I could make out, oh yes, some purple over there. I half heartedly searched but my spirit was finally gone, and I already started making promises to return and give the course a more worthy bout.

It took perhaps one or two draws of my pint after the round to realize just how much I enjoyed myself regardless of the tattered score card. Yes I was elated to be in England, yes I was elated to be playing the best heathland courses in the world and yes I was elated that we had so much more to experience but I appreciated the nuanced battle Walton Heath Old provides. It expects an elevated golf game and for those who show up with anything else, politely dispenses with them out of view.

Much has been written of the course but we once again look to Bernard Darwin’s famous words, which resonate well: “There is no more charming place on a fine sunshiny day, none where the air is fresher and more cheering, none where the sky seems bigger. It is a place where it is good for us, alike for our game and for ourselves, to play golf.”

As we enjoyed one final pint before retiring for the night, and older local gentleman kept commenting to no one in particular how “cheeky” his dog was, who insisted on sitting on the bench next to him. The River Thames was next to us and with the open windows, we were able to see the boats docked on its side while looking over to the other side. It was all pleasantly quiet, inviting the sleep to come crashing in, which it did as soon as my head hit the pillow. As our time in England continued, I would use those two words to fully capture the distinct charm of the countryside west of London. Pleasantly quiet. The old bones welcomed it as they sunk further into the bed, visions of purple dreamily dancing about until the rolling morn suggested we continue on.

The First is a 235 yard par 3 (from the White tees). A longer par 3 that moves away from us at the tee and establishes early on that this is not the sort of place where wild misses will be tolerated. The ball will bounce forward near the entry point and in general, clubbing something a bit shorter than the stated yardage is a good idea to account for the front to back movement. It’s a wide green and there’s more room on the left than appears at first blush, so do with that as you may.

The Second is a 451 yard par 4. We cross Dorking Road where the rest of the holes reside. I believe a short game area is off to the left of the tee in the expanse tucked into that corner. For us, we see just how well Fowler used the land with the angle of this tee shot. The fairways heads straight out before dipping downhill but the left cant complicates a little by forcing the golfer to stay to the right. This has the effect of narrowing the preferred playing corridor despite the entirety of the horizon seemingly at the golfer’s disposal. Of course, the golfer could use the leftwards cant to his advantage and ensure that he clears the trees, which is all at the expenses of a longer approach in. After playing Eastward Ho! a couple months prior, I felt Fowler’s design prowess in similar tones her with the plays on the land shifts. After the dog leg right, the fairway moves back uphill to the green with a bunker off to the right that’s much further from the green than it might seem.

The Third is a 289 yard par 4. There’s a walking trail off to the left where those enjoying the outside, most with dogs, walk along and politely wait for you to hit your tee shot. I always enjoy this. It reminds me I too am out there to enjoy the outside. Instead of walking the dog, I just happen to be walking my golf clubs. A small group looked on as we teed off here but I don’t think we gave them anything to be all that impressed by. It’s a short par 4 and a decision must be made off the tee. After clearing some gatherings of heather, the fairway is at its widest at its start then narrows closer to the green. The longer one decides off the tee, the more accurate he will need to be. There are times that I’m ok with this wager because if I’m off fairway with driver, I’m likely closer to the green and I’d rather have a wedge for my next shot. But a more conservative and likely smarter play is to hit irons on both shots and then deal with the crowned green from there.

The Fourth is a 441 yard par 4. Still heading in the same direction away from the clubhouse, the left side remains rigidly out of bounds while the right has heather and fescue beyond the fairway. A center line bunker is about 245 yards off the tee, so negotiating that is primary. The green is placed on the right side and moves a bit uphill. The fairway bunkers are few but are deep and the mounding about them can create some obfuscation of the green ahead so the golfer should do his best to steer clear of them altogether. An obvious observation but bears emphasis here and as the holes wear on. The green is fairly open without any bunker or heather to speak of. Take advantage.

The Fifth is a 391 yard par 4. Still moving in the same direction, the tee position on the left forces the golfer to think in degrees to the right. The fairway heads a bit downhill to the green and like the Third, narrows as it gets closer to the green. The green is off to the left and moves towards the rear left corner for the most part. I had been playing respectfully and keeping it together up to this point. Even my approach was true and straight at the green but we lost it as it came down, some where near the right edge. I walked and realized there were patches of heather strewn about before the bunker on that side. Not just that but there were deep crevices amongst it all as well. To this day we have no idea where the ball went. I’m not sure I ever recovered in my feeble jet lagged state. The green is probably one of the wilder on the course, which ramps up the challenge on putting. With the movement of the green, it takes some experience to figure out how best to keep the ball on the green, so it’s likely many will be chipping back on amongst the wild contours. It’s quite the hole. I immediately admired the approach and green complex.

The Sixth is a 427 yard par 4. Yep, same direction. I started wondering if we were playing our way back to the airport and then a shuttle would drive us back to the clubhouse. The reality is we’re on a direct route to the furthest point away from the clubhouse, then will make our way back on the back nine. It’s not a true out and back but same functionality. At this point the golfer should be accustomed to the strategic considerations of the course. Avoid the hazards and place the ball in safety off the tee to assure a clear approach. The hazards vary in their degree of recovery character and some will take at least a stroke. Here, there are two bunkers at the left center off the tee. They should be carried or avoid off to the right. There are some hollows and depressions closer to the green that will likewise play with the ball if it ends up closer that ideally should be avoided while the green is on the smaller side and sits at an angle oblongly.

The Seventh is a 174 yard par 3. A slight break in direction as we cut across to once again reach the leftmost side of the property. More or less a forced carry to the green although those who top their shot or end up in some similar calamity will be able to recover to the green. The green moves right to left with a larger bunker on the right side, which means those hitting out of it need to temper the movement away from them. With a bit of narrowness seeping in, that will be no small feat.

The Eighth is a 494 yard par 5. And we are back to heading in the same direction as most of the holes at the front. The left side once again remaining no man’s land and we can see a slight turn to the left as the fairway moves gently upwards to the green. Three well placed bunkers are placed on the right, each taking their turn as we head towards the green. The fairway is on the narrow side as well but the green complex is receptive with only a bunker at each front corner to contend with. Keeping it on the fairway resounds here.

The Ninth is a 400 yard par 4.  We have reached the far corner and now start to head back. This gives us a downhill hill that dog legs left. The left side still remains no where good while there is room to miss off to the right, although I wouldn’t recommend it. The heather is expansive and if one is fortunate find his ball, the distance and travails left to reach the green are substantial. Long perpendicular bunkers, first on the right, then left up against the green, act as a gateway of sorts and encourage an aerial approach. The green seems to dog leg around that left front bunker, creating an assortment of pin position dynamics.

The front nine gets us out into the heart of the course quickly and relies on hazard placement and contour movement for its variety in structure of play. Similar to a links, the course accounts for the wind, which adds more complexity. The par 4’s were the darling for me. I would rank them 5, 3, 4, 2, 9, 6, 7, 1, 8.

The back nine starts with the 399 par 4 Tenth. Generally moving in the opposite direction of the front on the other side of the course, the hole arches to the right eventually. Trees are on the left, which continues to be the side to avoid. The fairway moves downhill and even though I just mentioned to avoid the left, the better approach lines reside over there so perhaps don’t avoid it altogether. The right side for the approach is fine; one just needs to carry some of the fescue and bunkers to reach the green. For the most part, however, the fairway flows uphill right into the green.

The Eleventh is a 189 yard par 3. A brief hitch back in the opposite direction to a naturally gifted green site. There’s some undulation between the tee and green but the mounds of fescue make it hard to discern just how much and where while the extent of the bunkers is likewise some what obscured. There is green out there and the golfer does his best to find it with his tee shot. He finds that the green runs back to front on the right and front to back on the left. He finds the bunkers craggy and steep at the lips. It’s one of those holes I wish I gave a better lash at, I think I ended up short right. Still, I found it to be one of the better par 3’s of the course and is one of the holes I think of most when I look back to the round.

The Twelfth is a 371 yard par 4. One of the rare holes that moves across the property as opposed to down it, the fairway does most of the crossing as it sweeps to the right from the tee. A road crosses over the fairway as well and comes into play off the tee. For the golfer, the most direct line to the green is to the right and its entire depth is exposed on that side while the left side provides the best look at the green with the majority of its width exposed. There are advantages and disadvantages to either side and likely comes down to the whims of the golfer and more objectively, the pin position.

The Thirteenth is a 512 yard par 5. Bunkers are on the right side off the tee while the fairway remains plump before the turn but once at the turn, things slim down considerably. The turn is significant and the right side has a large bunker the golfer would be wise to steer clear of. Closer to the green are a couple of bunkers running across at the front corner, so those off to the sides of the fairway will need to carry them to reach the green. Positional strategy is paramount here.

The Fourteenth is a 510 yard par 5. Back to back par 5’s in the heart of the course. The golfer looks to his left and right and sees other golfers playing holes alongside him as well as the opposite direction. There are seven holes lined up in this area in all. I seemed to find them all with my errant shots and occasionally stumbled upon larger holes that were grown in almost camouflaged within the flatter terrain. These are called solution hollows. There are a number of dells and hollows naturally occurring from geological faults among the course that act as coffins for wayward shots. Fowler incorporated them into the design strategically. I may have seen all of them up close and personal. This hole runs straight for the most part and is slender in my defense, making it rather easy to get over off to the sides. The hole runs downhill and that remains true through the green. These holes back to back were enough to wear on me and leave me subject to the strong closing sequence ahead.

The Fifteenth is a 408 yard par 4. We turn directions and move back towards the right side of the property. The hole is straightaway with bunkers on the right off the tee. Where there are not bunkers off to the sides, there is heather. Indeed, most of the trouble is waiting for those that can’t stay in the fairway. A center line bunker can be seen ahead due to its size and while the golfer all he needs to do to reach the green is clear it, there is another 50 yards before the green.

The Sixteenth is a 510 yard par 5. Yes, three out of the last four holes are par 5. Lots of golf to be had. We head straight out as the tree line looms off to the left and the fairway cants from right to left. A bunker cutting in from the right gives us pause off the tee, so figuring out where to end up in relation to it should be part of one’s thinking. After that bunker, the fairway eventually bends left and moves uphill to the green. A large deep bunker to the left of the green that could very be one of those solution hollows. Its depth and size make it a tough recovery while those chipping back to the green from the left side need to keep it in mind as well. It’s a famously great hole and for good reason.

The Seventeenth is a 181 yard par 3. In the midst of the tough closing sequence, the final par 3 provides the same challenge as many of the other holes. Stay relatively straight or else make sure your recovery game is up to snuff. The tee is pretty close to level with the green while a depression with long grass and hollows resides between. The green is deep and runs from back to front.

The Eighteenth is a 404 yard par 4. Heading back towards Dorking Road with the clubhouse just across, the tee shot gives up reprieve in width. There are a couple bunkers on the left to take note of, the first of which comes into play off the tee. The most prominent feature of the hole is the large central bunker that runs across the width of the fairway about 40 yards short of the green. It should be easy to carry off the approach but as we have seen time and again here, it becomes much more of an infinite headache for those missed shots where the golfer finds himself in it. Alas, it’s more penal than strategic. The green is deep with a lot of movement and a bunker at either side.

The back nine is highly regarded and elevates its structure of play a bit. It flourishes strategically while its penal side mostly stays off to the sides and provides volatility in its recovery character. The routing with the series of par 5’s likewise adds to its character as does the stiff closing sequence. There are no weak holes. My ranking of them is 16, 12, 11, 14, 10, 17, 13, 18, 15.

Generally, Walton Heath Old is a terribly brilliant course that remains low profile and not all that imposing, yet is able to take the golfer from a nice enjoyable outing to desperately digging out of a cavalcade of strokes from swing to swing. The strategic, calm cadence the course sets at the outset is splendid yet all it takes is one miscue from the golfer to experience the full range of recovery character here. Some will be able to recover back in position while others will suffer a stroke or even more of a penalty. The areas and shots treated one way or another are only known to the golfer who takes the trouble to learn them over time. The simplistic and pleasant presentation is clever in disguising the challenge and penal tones. There is no drama, outwardly at least. There’s a quiet dignity to the struggle if you’re the one in it. The golfer is to take care of his affairs on his own and in no uncertain terms, should never comment or make such strife known. I believe it was Pink Floyd who said quiet desperation is the English way. There is certainly some of that here. And when the golfer is ready to re- join the pleasant camaraderie of the fairways and greens, the group will welcome him without any reference to the pangs awaiting them all off to the sides. Such is the genius of Walton Heath.

Clubhouse/Pro Shop: A wealth of comfort amidst corridors of history. Any newcomer should walk its halls for as long as they are able to. The putting green is central to the structures, trees and foliage, serving as a refuge from the rest of it, especially for those coming from long journeys of such exotic destinations as the Newark Liberty International Airport.

Practice area: The putting green of course while a driving range is walking distance from the First tee and Eighteenth green and short game area close to the Second tee.