Playing Tip

Every course ought to have a difficult short par three demanding a precise short iron shot. This is Spring Valley’s and only the most accurate of shots find the target. Deep bunkers surround the green so saving par if the green is missed is difficult. This hole has attracted some criticism because it is severe but one wonders what its critics would make of the great fifteenth hole just down the road at Kingston Heath. One of the best short holes in the world, it’s bunkers are deeper, the green only marginally larger but with more internal contour and it is a longer shot playing uphill as opposed to the tenth which plays down to the green.

When people ask what can be done to defend courses against the ravages of modern equipment, one answer is to make them longer. That is not entirely satisfactory and another is to build smaller targets that demand precision. A 20 marker can make a two here with one good swing and with one bad one a pro can make a bogey. That is exactly as it should be.