The Wentworth Golf Club (West) *****

Wentworth Drive, Virginia Water, GU25 4LS

Nearest main town: Guildford

 

Even before the European Tour moved their offices there from the Oval, Wentworth had long been the home of professional golf in this country. The West course, or Burma Rood as it is often known, has become hallowed turf through its long familiarity with the greatest names in the history of the game.

The Tour's flagship PGA Championship is the real prestige event to be held there, but many of the biggest names head to the West course to compete in the World Matchplay Championship each autumn. Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros and Arnold Palmer mark the generations that have tackled one of the severest tests to be had for inland golf in Britain.

It's a big course, measuring well over 7000 yards from the bock, and it has a delicious balance of holes that mixes birdie opportunities with some treacherous turns that you can bogey just as easily. The opening hole is a long par-4 with a huge swell short of the green, and the 3rd, with its three-tiered green, can also trip you up. The 4th, though, is a very birdie able par-5 and the 6th is a driver, wedge par-4. And so it goes on, weaving its way out into the heathland country throwing challenges down at every turn. It is a classic course with a classic double par-5 finish that has been the scene of so many 72-hole tournament dramas.

The East course, by contrast, is much shorter and far less severe. Nevertheless, it's a gem to play and possesses what many feel is the best hole on the estate, the par-4 11th.

The South, or Edinburgh course, is not quite in the same league as its two sisters and was a comparatively recent addition to the estate. Gary Player and John Jacobs were behind the design, which has too many doglegs and not enough moments of real inspiration to join the other two in the top 100 listings.

 

Secretary: Mr S. Christie

Tel: 01344 842201 Fax: 01344 842804

Professional: Mr D. Rennie

Tel: 01344 846306 Fax: 01344 842804

Playing: Midweek: round in summer £220.00 (West), £45.00 (Edinburgh), £115.00 (East) ; day n/a. Weekend: round n/a; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11pm. Food: Lunch from 12pm-2.30pm and dinner from 6pm-9.30pm. Bar snacks

Comments: Course always in excellent condition...Any serous golfers must play this course...Exceptional course, well laid out...Truly a championship course...Corporate membership has proved exceptional value for money...Wonderful, peaceful setting...front tees can mess up this course and take driver out of your hands...Not as hard as it looks but still good quality...For the money, is it really worth it?...Goof condition but what should you expect for the price?

 

The Addington GoH Club ****

205 Shirley Church Road, Croydon, CR0 5AB

Nearest main town: Croydon

 

Secretary: Mr B. Hill

Tel: 020 8777 1055 Fax: 0208777 1701

Professional: None

Secretary: Midweek: round £55.00; day n/a. Weekend: round £80.00; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch from 12pm-2.30pm.

Comments: Very good course tucked away in suburbia...A forgot­ten gem in London - beautiful...Some stunning holes, but course lacked condition...A wonderful course, forgotten by golfers everywhere... Just the best experience in 10 years of golf - will be back.