62 (World) Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin Course)

July 17, 2014

The start of my two week golf trip to England began at Woodhall Spa Golf Club. There are two courses, the Bracken and the Hotchkin. I played both on the same day and had terrific weather for both. I had initially planned to play at Woodhall spa after the Open Championship (which I attended on Saturday and Sunday), but when I spoke to the club, they advised the Thursday and Friday were wide open and I had my choice of tee times. I had scheduled my flight to land in Manchester, since it was the closest airport I could get to my hotel for the Open Championship.  So, it necessitated a drive across the country, from west to east, to get to Woodhall Spa.  My flight landed at around 5:30 p.m., so I had daylight almost my entire trip to Woodhall Spa.

The welcome sign as you enter the city of Woodhall Spa.

Woodhall Spa is a neat little town and has some interesting history. Like much of the outlying areas around the coast of England, Woodhall Spa housed an airfield for the R.A.F. during World War II. As you will see below, the hotel I stayed at for one night had a very old feel to it with some remnants of World War II charm.

Since I had never been to Woodhall Spa, and I didn't know anyone from there, I had searched such sites as Yelp and TripAdvisor to make sure I stayed at a hotel that had received a good many positive reviews. This would be a theme for most of my stay while in England. One of the highest ranked hotels was the Petwood Hotel located approximately two miles from the entrance of the Woodhall Spa Golf Club. 

A look at the Petwood Hotel at night.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a very friendly staff. They had my key (yes, a real one) and reservation sitting on the counter alone. When I joked that they must have been waiting up for me, they advised that I was the last one and they wanted to wait until I arrived to personally greet me. It made the stay immediately feel like I was at home and I was very much appreciative of that after 14 hours on planes and in airports, and a four hour drive across country. They also advised the bar was still open so the nice lady must have also been a mind reader.  An ale was exactly what I needed after a full day and half the night of traveling.

Once the check-in was complete, I was able to take in my surroundings for the first time. I am somewhat of a World War II enthusiast, reading every book I can and watching any movie I am able to, about the war. My grandfather had been in the 101st Airborne and had taken part in the war, so my interest has been there since I was a child.

The Petwood Hotel exuded history, especially from World War II. There are two photos framed side by side. One is of the modern day hotel from a similar angle as the above photo. The other is a black and white photo, from the same angle, but is dated 1942 and shows a B-17 bomber taking off over the hotel.  

The foyer staircase opposite the check-in counter.

I didn't immediately go to my room. I left my bags in the lobby and I made my way through quite a few rooms. Every room I found, as well as cabinets and shelves along the hallway, housed artifacts from the war. There was airplane equipment, pilot jackets and helmets/covers, letters, and too many other artifacts to list. I spent nearly an hour just passing through rooms and taking it all in. One room I found particularly intriguing is located behind the check-in counter. It was full from floor to ceiling of artifacts from the war. I was able to get two photographs of it below. Unfortunately, I can't recall the name of this particular room.

A look towards the front of the room from the back.

A look from the back corner of the room towards the bar.

After finishing my short sightseeing of World War II memorabilia, I found the old elevator that led up to the second floor where my room was located. It is one that a gate closes in front of the opening first and then the doors close. It was fairly slow, but I was enjoying the experience and certainly didn't mind. After making my way down two different hallways, I found my room. I liked the fact I had a real key to the room and not a card key. It added to the feeling that I was in a historic hotel. Opening the door, I found the room of fairly adequate size, though it did not have air conditioning. Luckily, it was in the low 70s, so I was able to open the window in both the bedroom and bathroom to circulate the air.  After unpacking, I headed down to the bar and had my first Smithwick's Ale of my trip (and what would become a staple of almost every course I visited in England). I then found my way back to my room, and once my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep almost immediately.

My room at the Petwood Hotel.

The next morning, I woke up at sunrise. I could tell it was going to be a fantastic day as the sun broke the horizon and there was no clouds in sight. After a quick breakfast, I packed up the rental car and headed to Woodhall Spa Golf Club. On the way down the drive, I stopped and took a quick photograph of the hotel during the day.  If you find yourself needing accommodations for a visit to Woodhall Spa, I highly recommend the Petwood Hotel. It is exactly what every hotel should be - charming, friendly, inexpensive, interesting, good food and ale, and close to one of the top golf courses in the world.

A view of the Petwood Hotel upon my departure.

The three minute drive to the golf club was uneventful and I was excited that my first day of my England golf trip had perfect weather for golf. Sunny with a very slight breeze, very few clouds, and a perfect blue sky.

The entrance sign into Woodhall Spa Golf Club.

 After parking and entering the grounds, the place exudes golf. The smell of fresh cut grass, perfectly manicured tee boxes, fairways, and greens, and constantly raked bunkers. There are two, 18 hole courses - the Bracken and the Hotchkin Courses.  The Bracken is ranked among the top courses in England, but is not on the top 100 of the world, so I started on it to serve as a warm-up round of sorts. I was not disappointed, and I have photos of my round there. When I get around to it, I will write up a blog about that course as well.

The clubhouse at Woodhall Spa Golf Club.

After check-in and chatting with the very friendly staff person, I was advised I would be playing by myself since the course had very few scheduled tee times for the day.

Just outside the proshop is a layout map of both courses.

After purchasing my logo ball, I made my way to the gentlemen's locker room to store my wallet, keys, and other things I would not need to play a round. The locker room was neat and tidy, and was very clean. The showers had the fresh smell of just being cleaned and were spotless.

A look to the right immediately upon entering the locker room. 

A look straight ahead upon entering the locker room.

 The course was using two different flags on this day. The white marked the holes on the front nine while the yellow marked the holes on the back nine.

The white flag at Woodhall Spa.

The yellow flag at Woodhall Spa.

Next to the starter's stand and the first tee is a clock and a board that advise of any notes you need to be aware of while playing a round. The Bracken Course has a similar clock and board.

The clock and note board located next to the first tee box.

Since there was only 160 yards difference between the blue and white tees (7080 as compared to 6921), I opted to play from the blue tees. The blue, white, and red tees are a par 73, while the yellow is a par 71.

The first hole is a 361 yard par 4 that is fairly straight forward. After the first mound approximately 80 yards in front of the tee box, the fairway is mostly level, though it does rise towards the green for the last 50 yards or so.

A look down the fairway from the 1st tee box.

The green is also relatively level and two shallow bunkers are placed on either side, ready to swallow up any errant shot.

A look into the 1st green from 100 yards out.

From the blue tees, the second hole is 442 yards. It's a long, straight par 4 and requires a strategic decision from the tee. 

A look down the fairway from the 2nd tee box.

The safe option is to play to the wide part of the fairway, short of the bunkers on the right, which leaves a long second shot. A more aggressive approach is to play to the narrower part of the fairway between both sets of bunkers, leaving a medium iron. Played slightly uphill to a green that is heavily guarded by bunkers, the second shot has to be precise to avoid those greenside traps. The green has a pronounced dip running through the centre from front to back.

A look into the 2nd green from 80 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 3rd tee box.

At 415 yards, the medium length par 4 third hole seems to play longer than it measures. The fairway is obscured from the tee by a ridge running across the hole approximately 100 yards away. The fairway is wide and a ball can be hit with confidence as long as it is only a slight draw or fade.  There are several deep bunkers that surround the green, as pictured below.

One of the numerous bunkers protecting the 3rd green.

A look towards the 3rd green from 150 yards out.

A look into the 3rd green from 80 yards out.

The green is located in front of the historic tower, which is the symbol of Woodhall Spa Golf Club.

The famous tower behind the 3rd green.

A look down the fairway from the 4th tee box.

The 414 yard fourth hole is a classic British heathland dogleg par 4 and may be my favorite hole on the course. The aim of the tee shot should be to avoid the left hand fairway bunker located at approximately 270 yards from the tee. The ideal shot is to be in the fairway short of this bunker.

A look into the 4th green from 170 yards out.

One of the deep bunkers that guard the green.

The green is well guarded by deep cavernous bunkers on both sides so an accurate shot to the center is a must if you want to record a good score.

A look into the 4th green from just off the left side. 

There is a hidden bunker on the back side of the green that can also lead to trouble.

A look into the green from the 5th tee box.

This hole is the first of the three par 3s on the course. Famous for its extraordinary large deep bunkers this hole measures 148 yards. The green is 38 yards long and quite narrow and surrounded by bunkers at the front and the sides.

A closer look at the 5th green and the deep bunkers that guard it.

A look down the fairway from the 6th tee box.

Measuring 526 yards, this is the first of four par 5s on the course. The hole is straight with bunkers down either side of the fairway at strategic points. The carry to the fairway is 225 yards over heather. The fairway also slopes right to left in the landing area so the ideal line is down the right hand side.

A look into the 6th green from 120 yards out.

There is a bunker located on the fairway some 50 yards short of the green. This is an exceptionally well-placed trap and must be avoided, as it is likely not possible to reach the green from it. The green slopes gently from right to left and is 26 yards long.

A look at one of the deep fairway bunkers on the 6th hole.

A look into the 6th green from 100 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 7th tee box.

A long dogleg right par 4 that measures 470 yards, the tee shot requires a carry of about 225 yards over heather to reach the fairway. The main feature of this hole is the right hand fairway bunker complex on the corner of the dogleg.

The approach shot is played over a slight rise in the fairway to green guarded by two bunkers on the front left and right. The green slopes gently from right to left and is 33 yards long.

A look into the 7th green from 75 yards out.

A look into the green from the 8th tee box. 

The 8th hole is the second of the par 3s and measures 209 yards. When I played this hole, I had to hit it into a prevailing wind. The green is elevated making this par 3 even more difficult. There are three bunkers on the front left of the green and a large cavernous bunker on the front right. The green is kidney shaped and fairly level, measuring 31 yards in length.

A look into the green from the drop area approximately 60 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 9th tee box.

This hole, the second of the par 5s, is the longest hole on the course, measuring a very long 584 yards. It is a straight hole with numerous strategically placed bunkers.  There is a huge cavernous bunker on the right, waiting to catch an errant tee shot but the most striking feature of the hole is the cross bunker complex. The green is well guarded and an accurate approach shot is needed. There is a notable bank on the right hand side of the green, which requires careful consideration when playing to a pin location in that area.

A look into the 9th green from 130 yards out. 

A look down the fairway from the 10th tee box.

A short dog-leg par 4 measuring 338 yards, the 10th hole is a classic example of how a hole does not need to be long to be difficult.  From the tee, the aim is to finish in the fairway short of the right hand drive bunker.  This will leave a shot of some 80 yards to a well bunkered green.  There is a shelf of 10 yards at the front of the green before the surface dips towards the back.

A look into the 10th green from 150 yards.

A look into the 10th green from just off the left side.

A look down the fairway from the 11th tee box.

The 11th hole is a classic heathland par 4 that plays to 437 yards. It requires an accurate drive through trees and gorse to a green that is located some 70 yards behind a cross bunker complex.  The fairway is wider than it looks and the cross bunkers make the green look closer than it actually is.  The green is raised and there are no green side bunkers.

A look into the 11th green from 130 yards out.

The last of the par 3s, this hole measures 176 yards.  The most notable features are the deep green side bunkers and the one on the left is the deepest on the course, measuring 12 feet below the green.  The green is long and narrow and slopes slightly from back to front.

A look into the green from the 12th tee box.

 

A look down the fairway from the 13th tee box.

The 13th hole par 4 measures 451 yards and is arguably the most difficult drive on the course.  This was another hole I had to play into the prevailing wind. There is a substantial bunker complex in front of the green, which has to be negotiated before the green is found.  The green is quite level apart from a small shelf at the back.

A look into the 13th green from 150 yards out.

A look into the 13th green from 50 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 14th tee box.

The 14th hole is a par 5 that plays to 521 yards. The drive is angled across a series of bunkers strategically placed behind one another. The line from the tee should be to the left.

A look down the fairway from the edge of the landing zone.

The best feature of this hole is the bunker on the left some 50 yards short of the green. This bunker has to be flown if the green is to be reached in two.  The green is fairly level with a pot bunker located at the front right and slopes covered in deep rough featuring at the sides and back.

A look into the 14th green from 120 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 15th tee box.

This is the first of three short par 4s, none of which are straightforward. Measuring 321 yards, this hole requires a strategic tee shot that finishes just short of the right hand drive bunkers.  From there, a short iron is required to hit a well bunkered basin-style green.

A look into the 15th green from 75 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 16th tee box.

The 16th is a par 4 measuring 395 yards. It requires an accurate tee shot over a 200 yard carry of heather to reach the fairway. The green is relatively level and is not bunkered.

A look into the 16th green from 120 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 17th tee box.

The 17th is a shirt par 4 at only 336 yards. It is not a driving hole and requires a strategically placed tee shot with the 3 or 5 wood (or equivalent hybrid) left of the right hand drive bunker.  Even though the second shot is only a shorter club to the green, deep pot bunkers will catch errant shot. The green slopes from left to right and is 31 yards long.

A look into the 17th green from 60 yards out.

A look down the fairway from the 18th tee box.

The 18th hole is a 540 yard long par 5 and plays into the prevailing wind. The tee shot is the most critical and is arguably the second hardest on the course. The further the drive is hit, the wider the fairway becomes and the ideal line is down the left hand side.

A look into the 18th green from 250 yards out.

 There is a huge oak tree on the right hand side which blocks out this side of the fairway. There are numerous bunkers on both sides of the fairway, which have to be considered on all shots. This is an excellent finishing hole to a world class course.

A look into the 18th green from 150 yards out.

There is a huge oak tree on the right hand side which blocks out this side of the fairway. There are numerous bunkers on both sides of the fairway, which have to be considered on all shots. This is an excellent finishing hole to a world class course.

A look onto the 18th green from just off the front left side.

My experience at Woodhall Spa was everything I expected and a heck of a start to a two week, nine course tour of England. The staff, course, practice facilities, clubhouse and restaurant are all world class and this was definitely in the top three of the courses I played.  I recommend Woodhall Spa to anyone, even if you have to drive a couple of hours out of your way to get here.