ROYAL WIMBLEDON GOLF CLUB - THE COURSE

The arrangement was perfectly amicable, but the arrival of a third user, newly- formed Wimbledon Town Golf Club and the increasingly unwelcome presence of nannies, their prams and the picnic parties who found the small close cut greens irresistible, led to mounting congestion, frustration and, perhaps inevitably, the decision to go it alone. In 1907, RWGC began construction of its own course, designed by Willie Park Jnr, on 240 acres of farmland adjoining the Common, leased from Warren Farm. The Members were probably very relieved finally to achieve independence and dispense with the mandatory red jacket required on the Common.

The new course soon attracted rave reviews. ‘A wonderful place is this new Wimbledon course’ wrote Bernard Darwin in 1910, ‘for as soon as we are on it all signs of men, houses and omnibuses, and other symptoms of a busy suburb disappear as if by magic and a prospect of glorious solitary woods stretches away into the distance in every direction’.

Much has changed in Wimbledon since then but today’s Members and Visitors would almost certainly concur. The original course, however, wasn’t perfect and a radical redesign from the celebrated Harry S Colt (who happened to be a Member) was undertaken in 1924 at a cost of £7,000. This is virtually the course we play today except for the surrender of the old 17th to create space for wartime allotments and the removal of the 18th Green to a safer distance from the clubhouse. Measuring 6,348 yards for the men and 5,627 for the ladies, with Standard Scratches of 71 and 73 respectively, the course has undergone a continuous programme of improvement in recent years designed to enhance the visual aspects, protect against players’ improved equipment and fitness and provide appropriate practice and teaching facilities.

Each hole at Royal Wimbledon has an individual character presenting a comprehensive challenge to golfers of all standards; all holes are worthy of mention, but for now these three must suffice. 

7th Hole: Sitting on the heath-land at the highest point on the course, this medium length straightaway par 5 plays gently downhill into the prevailing south west wind from a long tee set in a narrow avenue of trees.  A demanding driving hole with out of bounds hidden away down the right side and rough, trees and heather on the left; the undulating contour of the grassy rampart of an iron age fort across the fairway adds another dimension.

Longer hitters may try a second shot to the green, but there are swales on either side and a steep tree lined bank at the back to catch anything wayward. For the three shot players, fairway bunkers left and right are there to penalise a poor second. A fine hole, five very satisfying.

13th Hole: All four par 3 holes are a good test, have character and this is a fine example; 160 plus yards across dead ground bounded by gorse and mature trees to a green sloping back towards the tee. The green is protected by a pair of deep bunkers on the approach bank. A short or pushed shot is severely punished, whilst a pulled shot, albeit stuck the right distance, could land in the greenside bunker, or worse, in the trees or gorse covered bank overlooking the putting surface. 

Hit the right club, the right length and direction and a three is for the taking, providing the putter can cope with the green surface speed, otherwise a four, or more, beckons.

16th Hole: Nearing the end of the round, and after negotiating the demanding 14th and 15th holes, the 16th tee sitting high above the fairway gives a fine view of this hole with the green in the distance.  There is a small stream at the beginning of the fairway mainly for ornament, and to catch the topped drive. Strategic fairway bunkers left and right in the landing areas are in play for both the medium and longer hitters; but there is enough space for the opportunist, well loosened up, to make a good swing and watch the ball’s flight, hopefully into the centre of the fairway. 

Club selection and pin position are the keys to the second shot as the green sits above eye level and there can be a three club difference. A mis-hit second will require a tough bunker shot, a chip up the bank on the right hand side or a very difficult downhill chip from the left hand side with the green sloping away; very demanding on the putter and a rewarding four.

The foundations of a good score will be built on the front nine and whatever the weather conditions, all the par 4s are particularly challenging; the short holes testing and the greens fast but true. Commentators agree the course always presents a fair but stern test of golf.