Woodhall Spa Golf Club (Hotchkin)

Woodhall Spa golf club, Lincoln
Monday 21st October 2013
Tee time - 1040
Green Fee - £88
Score - 89 (par-73)

One of the long carries required to reach the fairway at Woodhall spa - par-5 6th

Home of the English Golf Union, I have always had high expectations for Woodhall Spa.

First introduced as a nine hole course in 1890, it wasn't until 1902 when Stafford Vere Hotchkin offered the land for a full 18 hole course which is the site for today's golf course. 

Harry Vardon was employed to design the course and it opened on 30 June 1905. 

The course underwent a number of alterations over the following 40 years to become the course that it is today.

In 1995, the Hotchkin family sold the club and course in order to safeguard its future to the English Golf Union. At this point, additional land was secured to build a second course (The Bracken) and extensive practice facilities. The main course was renamed after its founder 'The Hotchkin'. 

The clubhouse didn't really match the heritage of this wonderful course, but in hindsight it is easy to compare this club with others more prestigious ones on the list. Woodhall Spa is a hidden gem nestled away in the Lincolnshire countryside and it is the beauty of the course that installs this course so high on the list. 

Woodhall Spa does have some of the best academy facilities in the country. The range was large and covered with good quality mats and free range balls. Like Turnberry, there are a number of greens set out on the range with clearly marked and referenced greens. 

The putting green outside the clubhouse reflected the course greens also and had a lot of break on them considering the weather. 

I had clearly booked a bad week to play golf whereby it pretty much rained the entire round and the days leading up to it. The wind was also swirling round the course and created the additional challenge on some holes. 

The course itself was very well matured; everything seemed very well settled and established. The tee boxes were immaculate and the markers clean and concise. 

Playing the Hotchkin from the whites required good length off the tee due to the mandatory carry required to nearly every tee shot. The majority required a 180 years carry just to find the fairway; otherwise you found your ball stuck in the protected heather. 

The bunkers require no introduction. I have never seen bunkers this size on any courses (with the exception of the Himalaya bunker at St. Enodoc). On the second hole I found one of the right hand fairway bunkers which must have been 10 feet deep - not something I am used to! There was absolutely no way that even a tour professional was finding the green from this position. Unfortunately I took two to get out and headed off the green with a double bogey 6. 

The bunkers on this course guard everything, the fairways as well as the greens; they are strategically placed to collect any loose shots.

There are a number of memorable holes on this golf course. The par 4 third hole is the beautiful signature hole featuring an ancient monument overlooking the green. The 'Tower on the moor' is the remains of a stair turret belonging to a hunting lodge which was built in the 15^th century. It is suggested that the tower was partially dismantled in the late 15 hundreds when the bricks were used in the repair of Tattershall Castle. 

3rd Hole Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) - overlooked by the 'Tower on the moor'.

Woodhall Spa has only three par-3's on the course and they are all stunning and some of the best I have played anywhere. Number 5 tee shot is to a very long but narrow green. At under 15 yards wide you need to be very accurate to hit the short stuff.  Initially from the tee it is not too daunting, however on consultation with the course planner you realise the green is flanked front, left and right with cavernous deep bunkers. This is one of the best holes on the course, especially when you knock it to 20 feet and avoid the trouble of those bunkers that are in the region of 10 feet deep!

The par-3 5th hole - Woodhall Spa

Hole 10 is another great hole. A short par-4 requires an accurate tee shot to a twisting fairway with 2 strategically placed bunker to gobble up a stray one. Should you find the fairway then you have a good chance at par into yet another small undulating green. 

The last of the par-3's is number 12 and my favourite. The tee box is one continuous tee box stretch 63 yards from back to front that is tucked tightly into the trees and gives you a sense of claustrophobia (especially when you play with a draw). Leave it short and you are in the thick rough and heather, push it right, left or long slightly and again you will be in the deep traps. This is such a visually striking hole.

My favourite - the par-3 12th hole - Woodhall Spa

Number 15 plays as a short par-4 but one of the hardest on the course. Playing off the whites I wasn't long enough to be able to reach off the tee so a 3 wood to find position leaves probably the most difficult approach on the whole course. The green is sunk down so that the bunkers cover it up from clear view. In addition to this, the bunkers start 40 yards from the front of the green that muddles your distance perception so ignore the yardages at your peril. 

The difficult approach to the short par-4 15th - Woodhall Spa

The course doesn't go easy on you at any point. Hole 16 requires a 205+ yard drive just to find the front of the fairway which then narrows to under 20 yards wide in your landing zone so this is definitely a course for the seasoned golfer and one that I loved the challenge of playing. 

A point of view from one of Woodhall Spa's many deep bunkers!

Number 18 is a great finisher. A par-5 slight dog leg right doesn't suit a right-to-left player such as myself and forced me to think carefully and not push my luck. Your second needs careful placement to avoid the 2 bunkers popping up in the middle of the fairway (a bit like 'Spectacles' on number 17 at Carnoustie).

The 18th green at Woodhall Spa with the clubhouse in the background

The course on the day I played was very quiet and I can't tell you how much pleasure I had in walking it in the peace of my own thoughts with my clubs on my back. My thoughts of how I played at the time was very mediocre, but on further reflection after shooting 89 in heavy rain on a course this ruthless I felt more like I had shot a 75! I hit some great shots by my own account and because I drove the ball well it generally kept me out of trouble. 

Overall this is a truly great course and I wish I lived closer to this place to be able to play it more often. It was great value for money considering the position it holds on not only the GB&I list but the world list. 

My advice is to plan a journey over there any play the course, anytime of year is fantastic.