ALTHOUGH IT SITS ALONGSIDE THE OLD COURSE, HERBERT FOWLER DESIGNED THE NEW COURSE AT WALTON HEATH TO PROVIDE A DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT CHALLENGE. WHERE THE OLD FEATURES ONLY A HANDFUL OF CROSS HAZARDS, THE NEW PRESENTS NINE CAREFULLY PLACED HAZARDS THAT DEMAND THOUGHTFUL STRATEGY AND PRECISE POSITIONING FROM THE TEE.

THESE CROSS HAZARDS ARE INTELLIGENTLY POSITIONED, OFFERING PLAYERS OPTIONS. A WELL-PLACED TEE SHOT ALLOWS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LAY UP SAFELY, WHILE THOSE CHOOSING A MORE AMBITIOUS LINE CAN LEAVE THEMSELVES SPACE TO ATTACK THE GREEN. AS A RESULT, WALTON HEATH TESTS EVERY ELEMENT OF THE SHORT GAME, REQUIRING BOTH AERIAL APPROACHES AND TRADITIONAL RUNNING SHOTS DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.

THE COURSE BEGINS TO REVEAL ITS TRUE CHARACTER FROM THE THIRD HOLE, WHERE THE HEATHER STARTS TO TIGHTEN ITS GRIP AND THE CHALLENGE STEADILY INCREASES. THE BACK NINE IS PARTICULARLY DEMANDING, WITH PAR 4S THAT AVERAGE LONGER THAN THOSE ON THE OLD COURSE, PLACING A PREMIUM ON STRONG DRIVING AND PRECISE APPROACH PLAY.

THERE IS NO RESPITE FROM PAR 3S AFTER THE 10TH, LEAVING A FORMIDABLE RUN OF PAR 4S AND PAR 5S THAT COMBINE TO CREATE A CHALLENGING INWARD HALF. THE CLOSING STRETCH — THE 16TH, 17TH AND 18TH — PROVIDES A FITTING FINISH: A DEMANDING PAR 5 FOLLOWED BY TWO VERY DIFFERENT BUT EQUALLY EXACTING PAR 4S, ALL REQUIRING ACCURACY FROM THE TEE..

A ROUND ON THE NEW COURSE IS A TRUE EXAMINATION OF BOTH SKILL AND CHARACTER. CHALLENGING YET FAIR, IT IS THE KIND OF GOLF THAT LEAVES PLAYERS FEELING TESTED, INVIGORATED, AND READY FOR THE NEXT ENCOUNTER WITH THE HEATH.