Walton Heath – New Course

The New Course at Walton Heath shares the same open heathland setting as the Old Course and is a fine Championship layout in its own right. It was designed by Herbert Fowler and opened for play in 1907 as a nine-hole layout. Fowler extended it to 18 holes in 1913. It stretches to over 7200 yards off the back tees but plays to 6613 yards off the medals and 6271 yards off the club tees. The par is 72 and the SSS 74.

After a gentle start the New Course really starts to show its mettle. The heather comes into play and the holes progressively become more challenging with eight par fours measuring over 400 yards in length. The 5^th, Stroke Index 1, is one of the longer par 4s at 460 yards from the white tees but it plays downhill and often downwind. The drive should avoid the two bunkers at the apex of the dogleg right and the second is to a narrow green.

The back nine is longer with a par of 37 and a fine set of par 4s and par 5s. The finishing hole (shown at the top of the page) is often regarded as one of the finest at Walton Heath. Played at 429 yards it can be lengthened to 490 yards for Championship play. The drive is over a shallow valley of gorse and bracken flanked by pine trees. The fairway doglegs slightly to the left and the second shot is played over a cross bunker to a green with a distinctive mid-tier. It is a great finish to a rewarding round of golf.