Back to the parkland

I had heard many good things over the years about Bearwood Lakes. I was, therefore, delighted to receive an invitation to come and play it on a Sunday afternoon in June. After my recent excursion to Norfolk, it was a definite change of scenery to turn up at this parkland course in Berkshire. The course itself is just outside Wokingham and is very young (by British standards). The land was formerly part of Windsor Great Park and like many golf courses it is laid out through royal hunting grounds. The wild animals that formed the subject to these hunts have now gone, but there is still plenty of wildlife that co-exist with this splendid golf course.

It opened in 1996 and was designed by Martin Hawtree. I had not heard of Hawtree before, but the name sounded vaguely familiar. He is not as well known as some of the “big name” architects (Mackenzie, Colt, Doak, Dye and Braid to name a few that immediately spring to mind), but he does come from a venerable line. His grand-father worked with both Braid and JH Taylor, and his father is best known for his re-design of Royal Birkdale. Hawtree has carried on the family tradition and has worked on many rejuvenation projects. In particular, I was interested to find out that part of his work at Lahinch involved restoring some lost Mackenzie design features. The influence of Mackenzie is clear in bunkering and greens at Bearwood Lakes.

Exclusive Clubs

My list of Top 100 courses in England was based on the 2017 edition produced by Top 100 Golf Courses. At that time, it was possible to buy a “day membership” at Bearwood Lakes and therefore it was accessible to non-members. It is now only possible to play with a member as their guest (albeit there are certain competitions held there which allow non-members). So, this opportunity was particularly welcome! It means that I will only need an invitation for Queenwood, Centurion and the two other Wentworth courses. The remainder are achievable without needing to hunt down a member.

Incidentally, on this note, I was interested to see recently that the New Zealand golf club now has a website. This is a big step, as this is one of the clubs that was always a bit of a mystery. There is no discernible signage to reveal its existence from the road and there were no contact details available. So unless you were part of a society who had a regular fixture there or knew a member it was very difficult to get a game. The same was true of Swinley Forest, but they have also now got a much more open system.

Anyway, I digress!

Bearwood Lakes

So, I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, not really knowing what to expect either from the course or the club. As you drive in, there is an immediate sense of expectation – I love an entrance drive that brings you through the trees! You catch a glimpse of one of the holes and one of the lakes. I think I took a wrong turn as I went came into the car park and ended up in front of the clubhouse. This building is modern and is similar to The Wisley and Woburn. It was a shame not to be able to have a look inside, but I will save that for another visit!

There were staff to greet you as you arrived and send you off in the right direction. There is a first class practice area, with full driving range, putting green and short game area. The club benefits from having a lot of space in which to operate!

Having warmed up, we headed to the first tee. I had been introduced to Dan and Ed who would be our playing partners for the day. They looked pretty useful on the range, but I had not appreciate how good they actually were. Nick explained to me that they were off 9 and 3 respectively, but that Dan was playing closer to scratch. This turned out to be pretty accurate.

Sunday Stableford

I was handed a card and told we were playing in the Sunday Stableford. We would also play some “friendly” match-play. The two Nicks (me off 14 and other Nick off 9) vs Dan and Ed. I suspected this would be a tricky match!

Hole 1

The first hole is a fairly gentle opening tee shot. There are fairway bunkers left and right, but the fairway is bordered by the 18th on the left and 7th on the right. Wispy grass separates the three fairways. Fortunately, I got a really good drive away and cleared the bunker on the right. This left me about 140 to the front and 160 to the middle of a fairly large green. I was very pleased with myself and then I saw the other guys play. Three terrific tee shots all up the left hand side of the fairway and a full 50 yards further up. The trick on the first hole is to be able to carry it far enough to carry the ridge and take the down-slope.

The green sits on a slightly raised plateau, with a bunker protecting the right hand side. This green, along with many others, is large and you need to take careful note of the flag placement. My approach was not particularly pretty, but it got me to the front of the green. I chipped on and holed a short putt for par. Dan & Ed both missed their birdie putts, so we halved the hole and walked on. It was a theme of the afternoon that there was a 4-club difference for the approach shot between me and the others.

Hole 2

I found the opening holes impressive, as they were tricky without being too difficult. The second was a great example of this. It is a par 5 and has good protection from the bunkers and natural contours. The bunkers are on the left hand side, which is the ideal approach line to the green. The fairway slopes from left to right and so if you are too straight your ball will funnel down to the right edge. If you are too far right the trees block out your second shot.

I was well placed off the tee, but then took too much club for my second. I couldn’t get to the green in two, so I laid up but went a bit too far and was under the branches of a tree. As a result I had to punch a 7-iron from the overhanging branches. I was very pleased when I realised that I had managed to run the ball up onto the green. This, along with several other holes, will be easier to play next time.

The green is raised on the far side of the valley and is on two tiers. There are bunkers which protect the left edge and the right front edge. I suspect the right hand bunker gets a lot of action over a competition weekend. That’s fine, unless the pin is also on the front portion, as you will struggle to get it up and down.

Holes 3-4

The 3rd is a good looking par 3 and plays to about 190 yards. It has good bunkering – most should not be in play, but they make you doubt your distances. The green is large and round, and has a few subtle breaks.

Then we move onto the 4th. The tee box is enclosed by trees and you play to a fairway which snakes around a bunker on the left edge. The right handsome is protected with bunkers all along the standard landing area. The remainder of the hole is gently up hill to another large green (3-putts for me!) which is protected by bunkers on the right.

Holes 5-6

The 5th is a short par 5 which, were I able to hit the ball straight, even I could reach in 2. A good drive is needed to carry the fairway bunkers, but if you can the approach is short. There is plenty of space beyond the two bunkers protecting the front of the green. If you are too aggressive, however, you may end up in the water as we see the lakes for the first time beyond the green.

The 6th is a very picturesque short par-4. The tee shot requires precision, as it is quite a narrow fairway, and from there the hole plays up hill to the green.

Hole 7

The 7th is a very strong hole. It measures 470 off the back tees and plays every yard. The tee shot is difficult as you have to fire through a narrow avenue of trees. The hole bends sharply from right to left and heads steeply up hill to another plateau green. If you are too straight off the tee, there are two bunkers to collect your ball. I hit a stellar tee shot here which measured 270 yards and even had a bit of draw on it. Sadly, I could not match that with my approach play and ended up in front of the green side bunker on the right. I can tell you now that this is not a good place to be chipping from.

Ed, who is an exceptional golfer, had taken out a 4-iron on the tee and duffed it just past the ladies tees. Astonishing. He played a provisional, which sailed past my drive into the middle of the fairway about 310 yards up. Why he doesn’t always take driver, I will never know. Anyway, he hit his 7-iron a full 180 yards for his second shot into the fairway bunker … and then got up and down from there! It was quite an extraordinary par 4, but one which I thought I had to re-tell.

Holes 8-9

After the steep climb up the 7th, you have arrived back in front of the clubhouse. Our bacon rolls had been brought out to us by a course Marshall, who also warned us we were a little behind pace. Had he not been carrying out well-needed sustenance, I think he might have had an earful from my playing companions. As a 4-ball, we had managed the first 7 in around 1hr40, which seemed pretty reasonable!

Anyway, we then crossed over the road to the 8th and 9th. The 8th is the hole that is visible from the driveway in. It was, curiously, not quite as picturesque as I had thought it would be from the earlier glimpse. There is a lake between the two holes and the ideal line is over the corner here. It is, however, a very short hole and so if you are not going for the green you might as well take a mid-iron and play for position. I took 3-wood and ran out of space, into the bushes towards the driveway. I won’t do that next time! It is otherwise quite a nondescript hole.

The 9th is a super par 3 that plays back directly across the lake. There are sleepers around the edge of the lake and the green comes right to the edge on the left hand side. The bunker on the right protects against a “safe” approach. It is a huge green and I can see that there are some very good potential pin positions. The pin today was on a ridge, which made it a little bit crazy-golf-esque. Either way, it is a strong finish to the front 9.

The back 9

Earlier I had expressed my delight at the opportunity to play the course and commented that it was very impressive. I got the impression that my playing partners liked it, but did not quite have the same level of respect (any more). They also pointed out that we had not yet arrived at the “signature” holes.

It is always interesting to see how a member reacts to their course. I was, for many years, a member at Ealing Golf Club. It is a terrific course (a Harry Colt layout) and is exceedingly tough. The greens are as good as anywhere else I have played. Its setting (tucked into a fairly small area and bordered by the A40) is not particularly salubrious, however. I had therefore always been a little bit wary of inviting people and a little apologetic when they arrived. Guests and visitors usually agreed with the sentiment, but were pleased to have played.

The same cannot be said of Bearwood Lakes. To my mind, this should fall into the same category as other private clubs, such as Woburn, The Wisley and Wentworth. The members of these clubs are unfailingly pleased with their clubs and always effusive about the quality of the course(s). Anyway, I was enjoying this course and the master-class being laid on for me by my playing partners.

Holes 10-11

After a quick stop at the half-way hut for Nick to re-balance his sugar levels, we started on the back 9. I think that we were 3 down at this stage, but I had never established the playing conditions. Nick was in charge of all of that!

The 10th has a generous fairway and as long as you avoid the huge bunker on the left you will be left with a good look at the green. The green is well-protected, with bunkers on both sides and two tiers. The pin was at the back on the top tier today which made getting at it particularly difficult. The water also comes into play and pinches into the fairway just 30-40 yards short of the green.

This was my favourite hole of the day. The tee shot is a picture. You play from a slightly raised tee through across the lake to an avenue of trees which widens out into a generous fairway. It is a par 5 that plays uphill, but again is reachable in two (from the whites, at least). There is good bunkering, again, and the green is raised on a slight plateau. This green also has two tiers, so you need to check the pin position before you play your approach.

Holes 12-14

The 12th hole is a 190 yard par 3 that plays a lot shorter. There is a landing area just short of the green, but don’t be fooled into thinking you can use this to run the ball on. From the tee box, this is very deceptive, as there is actually an upslope into the green. Anyway, avoid the bunkers and the hole is not too challenging.

In contrast, the 13th is a beast. It is reminiscent of the 13th at PGA Catalunya, playing from an elevated tee and requiring an approach across the water. Here you also need to clear the water with your tee shot. Bigger hitters (as Ed demonstrated) can clear both sets of water and leave an easy approach. I barely got across the first stretch! It is a really tough hole and there are several opportunities to get it wrong. I stayed up the left side with my approach, but that still meant I had to pitch onto the green towards the water.

The second “signature” hole is the par 3 14th. Whereas the 13th is visibly intimidating, the 14th is much more unassuming. The water seems to be a distraction, rather than a real issue. That is, of course, unless your miss is to the right. The tee box is slightly sheltered and everything pushes you right. My advice – aim for the left side of the green and take an extra club.

Holes 15-16

We move back up through the trees and onto the parkland for the closing stretch. Hole 15 is a long straight par-4 which kinks slightly to the left at the end. There are more bunkers at regular intervals along the fairway and the green has a false front. Having hit another good drive, my approach was less convincing and I left myself a difficult 30 yard chip over the left hand bunker. The pin was on the front portion and I was delighted to get a good connection and roll the ball up to the hole side.

The 16th has a blind(ish) tee shot, in that it plays up to a ridge and then down the other side. Beware of the fairway bunker on the right. Nick found that with his tee shot and proceeded to hit three 5-woods (two in the bunker) before he was anywhere near the green. There is a tactical decision to make for your second shot, as you do not want to be left below the green. If you do not have enough distance to fly the ball all the way to the green, I recommend laying up and playing in from 100 yards or so. The green slopes from back to front and there’s a large bunker on the left edge. Just before the upslope to the green, there is a set of vertical sleepers which will bounce back anything coming into them at speed.

Hole 17-18

The 17th is a drivable par 4 (well, it is for the other guys). We all take driver – Ed and Dan are pin high but left, Nick is 50 yards short but on the fairway. I have got decent length, but am 70 yards short and in the rough on the left. Fortunately, I missed the enormous bunker! Two more bunkers protect the green on the left. This green is also pretty big, but is shaped long and thin. There are a number of ways to play this hole, but I can see why it is stroke index 18.

The 18th is a great closing hole. The space is to the left and if you are very wayward you can take advantage of the 1st fairway. Don’t go right, as the bushes and the trees are dense. The matchplay was long gone by now (I think we lost 3&2), but it became apparent that Dan needed a 4 on the last to break par for the first time. We had been slightly delayed by an alright down-pour and we had a crowd as the four-ball behind us had had enough and were walking in.

The final play

There is a bunker on the right side of the fairway and if you can carry that you will get full value for your shot. The downslope will kick the ball on and get you an extra 20-30 yards. I was just short of the bunker (and pretty pleased with myself), but Dan had executed perfectly and was a full 70 yards ahead of me. My 5-iron was well struck but just faded slightly and caught the right hand green side bunker. Dan, for the first time, showed some nerves and pushed his approach into the left hand bunker.

He had short-sided himself and was unable to get up and down. I chipped on and two-putted for a 5. I was very pleased with my 86, which would have netted me 36 Stableford points. It was nothing compared to Dan’s 72 which was worth 45 points. I understand that his handicap was cut dramatically (from 9 to 5.5), albeit that was perhaps not ideal ahead of the Club Championships the following weekend.

Verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed my round at Bearwood Lakes and it was a pleasure to play with three terrific golfers. The lay-out is challenging, but playable, and there are some visually stunning holes. I hope to have a chance to go back in the future when life is back to normal and investigate the clubhouse. It certainly deserves its position in the Top 100 in England and I was pleased to see that it is hosting on of the Rose Ladies Series. If you get the chance to play it, do not hesitate.