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England Although foreign work has been more prominent in recent years, commissions close to home are still much sought after. There has been a steady stream of new projects, such as Stapleford Park, Harleyford, Brocket Hall and Woodhall Spa in England. The Palmerston Course at Brocket Hall has proved to be highly popular, whilst the National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa, with its state-of-the-art academy, has helped to bring on the talents of the likes of Luke Donald and Nick Dougherty before they turned professional. The National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa
The English Golf Union took the golf world by surprise when it announced the acquisition of Woodhall Spa Golf Club from the Hotchkin family in 1995. It was a move that created a permanent base for the amateur game in England. This led to the addition of a second eighteen hole course
called the Bracken and the creation of extensive practice facilities for
use by national and county squads and affiliated members. The Short Game
Area, with its seven greens, gives the chance to perfect almost any recovery
shot in golf. The Hotchkin Course is one of the great, sandy heathland courses and it is dominated by its truly frightening bunkers that are up to 12 feet (4 metres) deep. The new Bracken Course, although immediately alongside its auspicious neighbour, is on thick clay so an entirely different approach was adopted with large, rolling greens contrasting sharply with the smaller and flatter greens on the Hotchkin Course. They dictate the strategy of the holes, although thoughtful ball placement is essential on both courses. Woodhall Spa became the permanent home
The Palmerston Course, which opened in 2000, makes the golfing facilities at Brocket Hall amongst the most complete of any around London. There are now 36 holes radiating from the magnificent Hall. The project also included the creation of a tuition area with a six hole par three course and comprehensive long and short game practice areas, which has since become the Faldo Academy.
The Palmerston is routed through a mixture of vintage English parkland and mature woodland with ideal undulations for golf, being quite dramatic in places. The policy of the maintenance team is along traditional lines providing excellent putting surfaces which play fast and firm, just as they should. Harleyford Golf Club, Bucks. Set on glorious land overlooking the Thames, just downstream from Henley, Harleyford Golf Club is a downland course on chalk and flint. It offers a rich range of holes, in a parkland that was laid out by Capability Brown, the renowned 17th century landscape designer. It has proved to be a popular club but, in many ways, the finest achievement was gaining approval, such is the protection afforded to historic parks and nationally designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, not to mention local Conservation Area status. An innovative design was the result, with fewer than 25 bunkers, 8 holes without bunkers and not a pond in sight.
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