Course Review - Windlesham Golf Club

Set just off junction three of the M3 near Bagshot, the course was designed in 1994 by former Ryder Cup Star and leading Seniors PGA Tour player Tommy Horton. The round itself was free courtesy of winning a fourball voucher in the Royal Ascot members/guest day raffle last year but the forecast was poor with the threat of heavy rain showers all afternoon. Having never been to the club despite its proximity to Ascot I had no idea what to expect.

You get a feeling of the quality of the club as you pull in and the extensive practice facility comes into view. This has both a grassed area to clip shots off which was well maintained and had plenty of lush turf and mats for use in the winter as well as a covered teaching facility. It also has a short game area with a two tiered green and two practice bunkers that would shame the on course ones at many other clubs. The welcome in the large, clean clubhouse is very warm and visitors are made to feel welcome. The changing facilities are spacious and clean. The pro shop is large and well stocked and the staff are polite and helpful.

I played with Bash, Sundance and Kerching (Martin and Matt Davis and Anthony Ayres) from my normal Saturday morning crowd and as we stood on the first waiting to tee off the clouds rolling across the valley did not look kind but it was dry for the opening shots. The first hole was 437 yards off the yellow tees (445 off the whites) and you aim towards the brow of a hill and a marker post. We all got good drives away to the marker or just beyond and from there you can see what remains. It dog legs slightly to the right and the second is a long shot over a picturesque lake with a fountain set in the middle.

Having over 220 yards left, the choice to lay up was a simple one and it left just a smooth wedge onto the green. Two putts later I'd made a 5 (nett par) and the round was under way without any drama.

The course has two loops of nine which bring you back towards the clubhouse. Despite being 6650 yards off the whites and 6261 off the yellow tees we used, do not go there expecting to bomb your way round with driver off most tees. It has been well designed to test every golf shot in your repertoire as well as making you engage your brain with a requirement for careful course management.

The 2nd was an indication of this playing 373 yards off the yellows. It has a ditch around the 230 yard mark and the whole fairway narrows at that point. Anything too far left is blocked out as the hole turns left and anything too far right is blocked by trees.

We were lucky as we played out the first nine in that the only rain we had was in the form of light drizzle and it was only intermittent. In fact it was more of a chore having to slip the waterproof on and off each time but it was humid and so it was too warm to leave it on for long when the rain blew over. I'm one of those golfers that loves playing a new course but sometimes struggles with not knowing the layout and exactly where to position my shot. My putter was cold although the greens weren't very quick, thanks in main to the heavy rain in the days beforehand, but had some very subtle borrows which made even the short putts a test. They were receptive as you'd expect and quite large so the right club selection to avoid long putts is critical.
The front nine closes with a very pretty par 5. It is quite short off the yellows (467 yards) and is no monster off the whites (498) but requires a good drive to carry a lake and to set up the next shot. As the course planner says " It's all about the drive. Should I or shouldn't I with the carry over the water at 210 yards against the prevailing wind through a tightish gap. You will need to concentrate and be sure of your drive. Once negotiated make use of the right side of the fairway as you hit over the second ditch".

As it happens I hit an outstanding drive, played a good five wood and only had a simple wedge into the green. Although not the longest hole, once you turn right past the lake, everything is very much uphill and so the hole does play longer than the yardages suggest. I made a welcome par.

As we got to the 10th tee, the rain become a bit heavier. Not torrential but a steadier drizzle. The starting hole on the back nine is a lovely one too. You tee it up high above the valley, by the clubhouse, and the hole falls away down the slope. It is definitely one of the prettiest holes on the course. It definitely inspired me to hit another straight and true drive although I then managed to make a mockery of the hole taking five more to get down from only 143 yards in.

Sadly by the time we'd teed off on the 14th, the heavens had finally opened and it was hammering it down and was getting hard to play good golf. Despite the best efforts of umbrella, full waterproof suit, towels and wet weather gloves it became a bit of a battle for survival and so became difficult to appreciate the holes for their golfing test. The 14th is a pretty little par three of only 166 yards from the competition posts or 150 from the yellow pegs. The green is some 34 yards long and so we were lucky that the flag was at the front which made choosing the right club easier. The 15th is another hole that requires good course strategy. Only 334 holes from the yellow markers it offers the big hitters a chance to get close to the putting surface which makes the second a question of club selection and may require a finesse shot to the target. The sensible play may be to club down with a 3 wood or long iron to leave a full shot in with the approach.

Similarly the 16th has a ditch across the fairway. It should be easily cleared with a 3 wood or driver. I wasn't sure of my yardages and hit a rescue club off the tee which stopped a yard or so short thanks in main to the sodden grass. In hindsight it is definitely a hole to take on. It is only 300 yards from the whites and a meagre 288 from the yellows. It does have a narrow green and there is a bunker cut right into the front off the apron which again makes hitting the correct yardage essential. Another very pretty hole but one that can catch the unwary out very easily.

By the time we reached the 18th the elements had won the day. All our gear was wet and it was becoming hard to hit good shots on a consistent basis as the rain became even heavier. Even the tee boxes and greens were struggling to cope with the deluge and had a few puddles forming. The last is another par 5. This one is a true three shotter for the average player and is a dog leg right and plays uphill back to the clubhouse.

The tee shots needs to carry the brow of a hill and both sides of the fairway are protected by large mounds on either side giving it a bowl like feel. The second shot has to be played over a mound and is blind and the ball will try and follow the side of the hill and run to the right. The third shot will be with a mid to short iron up the hill to the green. It is a very clever hole and is a fine way to end the round.

I have to say despite the course being very close by it was one I'd never played but will definitely be returning to. It would be nice to play it again in dry conditions and I feel confident now about where I need to position the ball to make a score. In the end both Bash and Anthony did really well to finish with 34 points each while Martin Davis and I succumbed to the conditions and both trailed in with 28 points apiece.

The clubhouse is very spacious and well set out and the bar stocks a wide range of beers and wines. There is plenty of seating including a nice conservatory overlooking the course and it has The Nineteenth Restaurant for those wanting a proper meal and fine dining afterwards.

 All in all, Windlesham offers a fantastic venue to any visiting golfer and at the moment offers a very competitive membership deal with no joining fee. The test of golf itself is tough but fair and the course is very much what you see is what you get and doesn't try and trip you up. The clubhouse is modern and clean and the practice facilities are excellent. I would suggest looking at the website www.windleshamgolf.com and booking a game. You won't be disappointed.