Nestled amid the rolling woodlands of the North Downs, Westerham Golf Club has built a reputation as one of the South East’s most popular golfing destinations since opening back in 1997.

However, the Altonwood Board, which own and operate 5 courses in Surrey and Kent, saw an opportunity to significantly improve an already successful venue at Westerham.

Investment of £2 million pounds during the past four years has seen the course move to a new level. Managing Director Simon Hodsdon said “We have a unique opportunity with the site here and the aim is to offer quality golf for 12 months of the year.”

Working alongside John Nicholson, an industry renowned tree management expert, a five-year plan was devised to improve the course.

The Plan is in its final year, with the playing corridors widened to create a fairer, more rewarding course.

Stunning views have been created and playing surfaces have improved all year round. The work has uncovered thousands of pine trees across the course, many of which were hidden by unmanaged woodland.

It really has invigorated the site, and feedback has been universally positive.

FURTHER INVESTMENT

Highly respected golf course architect Alan Walker has also been involved in the project during this period, advising on all aspects of the improvements.

Ten new tees have been constructed and are now in play, providing larger, improved surfaces with more tee positions and additional length on some holes.

It means that even during the winter the tees are in great condition, and any temporary surfaces are a thing of the past.

Buggy paths run the length of the course, and these have been resurfaced throughout.

This has significantly improved the experience of buggy and trolley users, as well as tidying the course. Further investment has just been made in a fleet of new lithium powered buggies.

PRACTICE UPGRADE

The driving range has recently been extended to 15 bays with Huxley matting and Toptracer technology added, to enhance Westerham’s already first-class practice facilities.

Together with an 8-acre short game area, practice bunker & putting green, provide the perfect opportunity to warm up before your round.

Alongside the main course, Westerham offers the 9-hole Churchill course, a fun par-three layout which enables juniors and adults alike to develop their skills before progressing to the main course, while also providing good players with a chance to sharpen up their wedge game.

BUNKERING

Further investment is planned as the business is about to commence on a bunker enhancement programme which will happen over the next 2 years.

Reconstruction of the existing bunkers will take place and then liner and eco turf revetting will be added.

Premium China Clay white sand will be used which with the liner will retain its colour and remain free from stone and weed contamination.

A small number of strategic bunkers will be added as well as removal of some obsolete hazards.

An audit of the club’s irrigation system will be taking place this winter with investigation into an upgrade to full fairway irrigation being planned.

“We are delighted that the Board have backed this investment. The feedback from golfers has been universally positive and this has been reinforced by the ever increasing popularity of the venue” says Simon Hodsdon.

WELCOME HOME

Another part of Westerham’s appeal lies in its ability to deliver a complete day out. The spacious clubhouse sits proudly overlooking the 9th and 18th greens, with its sun-drenched terrace a favourite spot in summer, perfect for a post-round drink while watching groups come home.

Inside, golfers and guests find a warm welcome. The restaurant and the recently refurbished spike bar serve everything from hearty breakfasts to refined dining, with menus that celebrate fresh, seasonal produce.

Whether it’s a quick sandwich between rounds or a celebratory dinner after a competition, the service and setting always hit the mark.

The clubhouse also doubles as a sought-after events venue. With panoramic views, elegant function rooms and impeccable service, Westerham has become a favourite for weddings, parties, well-being days and corporate events.

PLAYING WESTERHAM

Westerham’s 7-day membership is closed with a waiting list in place.

The limited number of membership spaces means green fees are available throughout the week, including weekend mornings. The current peak rate of £75 offers excellent value for money and times are offered from 06:00 during the summer months.

With all the facilities on offer, Westerham is ideally set up to deal with golf days of any size.

Corporate Golf and Well Being Days have proved very popular, with companies such as NBC, BDW Homes, Hiscox, QBE, London Stock Exchange & Barclays regularly entertaining clients & staff.

Accessible from London and all corners of the south-east, make it a go-to venue for green fee payers and golf days alike.

For more details, including corporate golf, society packages and tee time bookings, visit westerhamgc.co.uk or call 01959 567100 to speak to a member of the team.

 

OTHER ALTONWOOD GROUP CLUBS

SURREY NATIONAL GC

www.surreynational.co.uk | 01883 344555

Covering in excess of 200 acres, Surrey National is a Championship course approaching 7,000 yards from the Championship tees and 6,300 from the daily play tees. The course meanders through dramatic rolling countryside, populated by thousands of mature trees which further enhance the appeal of the setting. Surrey National welcomes visitors, corporate days and societies to play its course and enjoy hospitality in its magnificent clubhouse.

WOLDINGHAM GC

www.woldinghamgc.co.uk | 01883 653501

Nestled in the serenity of the Halliloo Valley just north of Woldingham, in the heart of the Surrey North Downs, The excellent course and facilities have become a popular destination for both golfers and events planners. The course is built on a chalk base, excellent for drainage which, together with the USGA specification greens, allows year-round play.

GODSTONE GC

www.godstone-golfclub.co.uk | 01883 742333

Located just 800 yards from junction 6 of the M25, Godstone Golf Club is a 9 hole, full length course in excess of 3000 yards.

Three new lakes, linked by a freshwater stream, add interest and a degree of difficulty to the layout and, with three tees serving each hole, it is possible to play the 9 holes twice with varying tee positions.

The quality of the holes and course is exceptional and has been welcomed by regular golfers as well as those just taking up the game.

THE ADDINGTON GC

www.addingtongolf.com | 0208 777 1055

The Addington embarked on a project with Architects Clayton, De Vries & Pont in 2020 to restore the course back to its original grandeur and reinstate the strategic design principles from 1913.

The key aim is to restore one of the finest Golden Age courses in The British Isles and couple it with first-class hospitality and service. This work will see The Addington once again regarded amongst the best inland courses of Great Britain.

 

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The club’s on-going woodland management programme is now in its fourth year and in the past month some stunning new views have been opened up and the playability of holes has improved significantly.

The latest works have focussed on the course’s 12^th and 15^th holes, where an area of pine trees between these two holes was mostly covered by broadleaf tress and undergrowth.

The pine trees are now fully visible, and some stunning views have been created.  The fairways on both these holes now receive far more light and airflow, which will improve the playing surfaces.

Work has also started to remove some of the bunkers that are largely out of play, with those to the left of the 15th fairway having been re-contoured into a grass swale.

While on the 9th hole the bunkers to the left of the fairway are also being removed. Weather depending, additional work will be taking place through the winter months to remove, refurbish and add additional bunkers on the course.

CLUBHOUSE IMPROVEMENTS

Off the golf course and into the clubhouse, Westerham’s main bar is getting a makeover in January, with large bifold doors being installed to open up the space into the patio area, providing a stunning view across the course.

The bar will be rebuilt and made larger, accommodating an additional till, helping to speed up service during busy times.

A new large TV will also be installed so that the top sporting events are always on show and the club’s Gamebook golf day scoring service can be displayed in another area in the clubhouse.

Work will shortly commence on the driving range to increase the number of bays and flatten the main landing area, while TopTracer ball tracking technology will be installed in all bays.

Looking forward to the new year, work will continue in car park and driveway, again uncovering an abundance of pine trees, while resurfacing work will take place and electric car charging points installed.

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The golf day and evening dinner was organised by the Red Trouser Day charity, which is campaigning to raise awareness of the disease and has raised over £110,000 in just three years for clinical research and support for patients.

Players enjoyed a team Stableford competition, with the added tension of a red ball played on the par three holes, the loss of which deprived the team of double the par-three scores. The Tigers team, led by Mike Flyn, won the championship for a second year, collecting prizes generously provided by OneGolfClub.

Golfers, many of whom are bowel cancer survivors, travelled from near and far to take part in the event, with two journeying from Wales and Germany to support the fund-raising efforts.

The event’s after-dinner speaker Dr Irene Chong, consultant clinical oncologist and clinician scientist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, spoke of the need for individuals to be aware of bowel cancer symptoms to ensure early diagnosis and of the drug and scientific development taking place to improve bowel cancer patient outcomes.

Event organiser Geoff Morris said: “We had a fantastic day and the competition was again fierce. Although bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth biggest killer, with 40,000 new cases reported annually, survival is becoming achievable with the world-leading research by centres of excellence such as Royal Marsden Hospital. Golf improves mobility and raises fitness levels and gives the mind an alternative relaxing focus to treatment programs during recovery.”

PICTURE CAPTION: The Tigers team captain Mike Flyn lifts the trophy after his team won the second Red Trouser Day Golf Day competition, with event organiser Geoff Morris (right) and Red Trouser day founder Paul Finch (left)

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