Wentworth Looking More Like The Belfry Every Year

Douglas Lowe on the transformation (or is it transmogrification?) of H.S. Colt's finishing hole, accompanied by a disturbing image (a model, I hope?). Thanks to reader Stephen for this.

Chris Kennedy, the course manager, said the impetus came from owner Richard Caring and it took a great deal of persuading before he, fellow-Scot Bernard Gallacher, the former Ryder Cup player and captain who was professional there for 20 years, and Ernie Els, the course architect, were convinced it was the right thing to do.

"We thought that having a big water feature on a finishing hole just wasn’t right for Surrey but Mr Caring was adamant. He said that every championship course he had seen on television, whether it is Paris, Valderrama or any of these places, water is in the frame. So we had a good look at it,” said Kennedy.

Well those are certainly places you look to for architectural inspiration!

Comments

[Hitter]

ok, so we're driving by Walton Heath (x2), Sunningdale (x2) and Swinley to play Wentworth?

[Nick Green]

Mr. Colt is turning as we speak - "they" also ruined the 12th a few years ago, another previously fun par 5.

[ReverendTMac]

Where's the waterfall? I can't see it in the picture...

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Strewth ... is nothing sacred anymore!

[Dick Mahoon]

Oh dear......

500,000 pounds for this mess?

Mr Caring has more money than sense.....Ernie needs to shoulder some of the responsibility too.

DM

[Mark B]

Appalling. Mr. Caring's taste clearly is in his mouth. Perhaps he therefore should indulge in Ernie's wine rather than his consulting.

[ghost golfer]

Getting one's architectural ideas from the television, genius I tell you.

How about a bunker in the shape of Bozo's red hair?

[Minefats]

The place is going to look like Sawgrass in no time. Paris?? Valderrama?? Yeah.....

[RM]

Yeah, think about all those great water features on the 18th holes at St. Andrews and just above every Open rota course except Carnoistie, and Shinnecock, Winged Foot, Oakmont, Riviera, Augusta National, etc.

[Brad Ford]

You know, most championship Putt Putt courses have a windmill hole. When are they going to add one?

[Tom]

Mr. Caring is not even correct about Valderrama--there's no water on #18.

[FWIW]

"It’s been done in such a way that it looks as if it’s always been there."

I've never even seen the place, and I can tell that this doesn't look like anything that's always been there.

[F. X. Flinn]

the bunker in the foreground...is that a shadow or a sod face....cause if it is shadow it doesn't match the shadow in the stream

[Hawkeye]

Compare that picture with the gorgeous photo from North Shore a few posts up, and tell me that golf architecture is moving in the right direction.

[McStumpy]

Oh... my... gawd. They've killed Wentworh.