East Course
When Harry Colt was engaged in the early part of the 20th century to create the East Course, the first of Wentworth’s three golf courses, his portfolio was already bursting with sublime golf course designs that would stand the test of time and ensure that his fame and reputation would never fade.
Courses such as Royal Portrush, Rye, Sunningdale Old, Swinley Forest and St George’s Hill, are to name but a few. All are classic Colt. As much a pleasure to play today as the day they opened.
Wentworth’s East Course sits comfortably in that impressive list. It was the setting for the inaugural Curtis Cup in 1932 and hosted a friendly match in 1926 between two teams from the US and Great Britain & Ireland, the inspiration for the contest we now know as the Ryder Cup.
Colt’s design philosophy
The East Course had quite a start in life, And although one might say it has since been overshadowed by the global renown of the West, this is a golf course which holds its own and has more than its fair share of admirers. The East is a real gem.
Colt’s overall design philosophy was that a golf course should give a player a variety of options in terms of shot selection; a characteristic that makes his golf courses challenging for the game’s best players, but at the same time enjoyable for the mortals of this world.
These qualities are perfectly embodied in this layout. It is considered a gentler test by comparison to the West, mainly by virtue of it being some 1,000 yards shorter in length than its big brother. But its par of 68 reflects that and it is fair to say that a low score is not easily teased from the East.
East Course charms
This intimate layout, with its undulating and springy fairways that zigzag in amongst the woodland setting, calls for accurate driving and precision shot-making into the well-bunkered greens; another classic Colt trademark. Position, not power, is the name of the game here.
One of the course’s great strengths is the quality of its five par-3s. They range in length from the inviting 159-yard 12th to the challenging 226-yard 7th, a serious attention grabber
The typical club golfer will almost certainly see more birdie putts here than on the West. But make no mistake, the East Course has teeth.
And once bitten you are likely to be smitten.
Quote
“When Harry Colt was invited to lay out the East, he was given 200 acres of some of the best Surrey heathland from which to work. His creation is in my opinion architecturally and aesthetically superior to the West Course in many ways.” – Bernard Gallacher
Fact File
Opened: 1924
Architect: Harry Colt
Par: 68
Length: 6,201 yards
Course Record: 62, Doug N Sewell
Key tournaments: inaugural Curtis Cup, 1932; friendly match between US and GB&I (forerunner to Ryder Cup) 1926.