Walton Heath (New)

Somewhat cast in the shadow of the world-famous Old Course, the New Course at Walton Heath has its own charm and beauty, and remains a stunning test for golfers of all abilities.

Like the Old, Herbert Fowler was the man behind the design of the New Course. He made sure that the two were different in many ways, but there are still some similarities between his two designs.

Opening originally in 1907, the course has been an 18-hole layout for more than 110 years now. Heather, gorse and tree-lined fairways are all part of the charm of the New Course at Walton Heath.

 

Visit the Walton Heath (New) website here.

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.

 

Walton Heath's history began at the start of the 20th Century. 1902 saw work starting on what would become known as the Old Course.

Just a few years later, the New Course would follow suit, with Herbert Fowler being the man behind both designs at the Surrey venue. It was 1913 when the New Course was extended to 18 holes and the course remains in much the same layout 110 years later.

As a club, Walton Heath has played host to several major events over the years including the 1981 Ryder Cup. The 2018 British Masters and the 2023 AIG Women's Open are among more recent events hosted at Walton Heath.

Unlike its older brother, the New Course does not follow an out and back pattern. Instead, there are holes moving in all directions, meaning that if there is wind, you will play into it at some point. There is a choice of tees, with the Par 72 layout stretching to 7,200 yards of the Purple Championship blocks. The yardages below are all off the Whites, which measure 6,650 yards, which is still a pretty tough test of golf!

The opener is a drivable par 4 of just 285 yards, which plays as a slight dog-leg left if you opt to lay up short of all the trouble. The 2nd is the first of three par 3s on the New, and has four bunkers surrounding the green. The 3rd is the first real test. A cross bunker in the centre of the fairway splits the short stuff in two, so off the tee, you have to make the decision to either play short and have a longer approach, or try and blast past the trap to the narrower part of the fairway.

The 4th is another short hole, and another drivable 4 at 285 yards, while the pick of the par fours on the New is the 5th, which swings downhill and to the right over the course of its 460 yards. 6 is another par 3, with a small and shallow green, with the 7th being a solid par 4. The 8th is the opening par 5 on the card, and by far the shortest of the three on the New at just 495 yards off the Whites. It plays as a dog-leg left, and the fairway is split in two by trees and heather. The closing hole on the opening side is features another split fairway, but there is plenty of space for the driver to be brought out on the tee. The green is long and narrow, and requires accuracy from the fairway.

The back nine begins with the longest, and the last, of the par 3s. At 190 yards, this requires a long iron or hybrid to a green guarded by a pair of bunkers front left. Two tricky par 4s follow, with the 11th featuring a sharp dog-leg left, before you come to the par 5 13th. Be grateful if you're playing off the Whites when it comes to the par 5s on the back nine, as the Championship tees are set 80 yards further back on each of them.

The 13th turns to the right on your approach, but the longer hitters should be able to get home in two. 16 is the last par 5 on the New Course, and is 515 from the Whites. Another split fairway, a trademark of the course, should not be a worry for most, while there is a tricky bunker to miss near the green.

The 14th features a quirky fairway, one that angles diagonally across you from the tee box. 15 is a dog-leg right, 17 is straight and the final hole on the course is a dog-leg right. These four holes are all par 4s but offer up different challenges late in the round, and although you might be tiring, you will have to keep your focus through to the very end!
 

Visit Walton Heath's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.