Queenwood Golf Club

PHOTOS

Surrey, England

Opened 2001

The site is tranquil parkland in west London, an area well known for its classic courses, including Sunningdale, Walton Heath, Woking, Swinley Forest, and more. The area had recently seen some expensive private club failures, in part, I believe, because the courses were too manicured and too predictable. My pitch to the developer, Fred Green, was that Queenwood had to be a departure from that modern style and a return to the heathland traditions of the courses noted above, all of which have stood the test of time.

Heather is a key design element at Queenwood, employed both for its strategic and aesthetic values, most notably on the bunker faces. They are pretty to look at but brutal to escape when a ball holds up in the heather. It took a good five years to grow in to the extent that I envisioned it in my mind, and now that it has everyone seems to understand why I insisted on using the heather so extensively.

The routing really optimizes the site, zigging and zagging, constantly changing directions and exploring the landscape, which gives the course a more expansive feel. The putting greens are easily the toughest and fastest I have ever built. Queenwood is widely regarded the most exclusive private golf club in the United Kingdom, and the membership rolls include some of the biggest names in professional golf. It is not unusual to see a number of the tour pros honing their putting skills at the club just before heading to The Masters.