Architect: J.H. Taylor
Best greens I have ever played on. Period.
I have been fortunate to have recently played two courses in superb nick. Blackwell and Hindhead. Both held their Club Championships just days before my tee time. But the putting surfaces at Hindhead were scintillating. Like lightning.
My Hindhead jaunt was facilitated by top RACDG flocker and Instagram savant, Tommy Dean. I’d heard great things this season about the condition of the place and it has photographed extremely well since, what feels like March. Thus, a visit was hotly anticipated.
The club was founded in 1904 and the founding fathers were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Mr Sherlock Holmes, Edward Turle and other local luminaries. Sir ACD was the Club’s first President and the course opened with a match between two of the great Triumvirate, James Braid and J.H.Taylor, that Braid won.
The clubhouse setting, putting green and gorgeous landscaping presents the classical and elegant milieu we all delight in, when onsite at traditional clubs such as Hindhead. And Hindhead is timeless. The anticipation one feels when standing on the second tee engulfs you with the same stimulation of adrenaline as if you were about to take-off on your favorite rollercoaster. The drive is a leap of faith in itself. No fairway to see from this elevated of elevated tees – full commitment required.
My round started slowly, having finished a day at Pyrford, a drive down the A3 and straight onto the first tee. It’s to be expected. But a chip-in birdie on the second wasn’t. However, bogey-golf ensued from there, but this did nothing to dissuade the sheer pleasure of traversing Hindhead’s fairways. It’s often hard to describe the beauty of the golf courses I play, for pictures paint a thousand words. But I shall do my best.
The front-nine at Hindhead is a sweet heathery embrace. It is quiet. The silence, and the light on this occasion, was golden. Hindhead is resplendent and is unlike anything I have ever played – well, more the front nine than the back. The holes along the front-nine are masterpieces, framed by heather and pine, all finished with a final poetic flourish around the greens. The back-nine is played upon a rolling heathland plateau and is more akin to your typical Surrey specimens.
Hindhead has some spectacular golf holes. I have already mentioned the 2nd hole but there are plenty more where that came from. The short, downhill par-3 6th is arguably the signature hole. I haven’t played a downhill par-3 in some time and this blew any I had played, and any I will play, out the water.
The 9th approach is pretty! With the rhododendrons in full bloom, this was some composition. This magnificent green-site is the perfect compliment and culmination a faultless front-nine.
Now the back-nine is muted in comparison, bar one hole. Mr Dean prepped me before putting the peg into the turf, that the 12th hole is often and wrongly over-looked. Tom couldn’t have been more right. A long-iron or hybrid off the tee, leaves a blind approach to an intimidating sunken green. You see only the flag, and not the pole. What on earth is going on down there? All is revealed on the walk, each step exposes more and more of the flag and more and more of the green. A treacherous cliff awaits and you think, ‘What the hell?’. But this is entertainment. Stand at the back of the green and look back and it still doesn’t make sense. But why does it have to? The green is mysterious, surprising and fun. Why make a hole anything different? Golf isn’t mysterious or surprising enough. This one is a winner.
For both of us, the final two holes showcased our best (and weirdest) golf. A piped drive down the penultimate fairway set up a simple par for me, whilst Tom delivered a fantastic approach from the left rough. Two pars. Two poor drives off 18 were followed by another two groggy approaches. I ‘Icaritoed’ onto the putting green long-left – drop-zone for me. Tom found somewhere unpleasant, short right. A duff chip ensued. Bogey or even double was due. I then look up after my solid chip off a tight lie over the bunker and saw this white orb flying through the air and landing straight into the cup. Applause erupted from the terrace and par was recorded. Outstanding. My 4-foot putt for par was incredibly underwhelming. There are no pictures on a scorecard.
Sitting down on the patio, looking out at the course we had just conquered, watching the sun set, sprinklers detailing the horizon, was a magical moment. I won’t forget Hindhead.
The Surrey Golfer 