Whitehill Golf Club Feature Review

By: Robert Treanor | Tue 11 Jun 2019

Review by Golfshake Ambassador Rob Treanor

Whitehill Golf Club has received Highly Recommended status as rated by Golfshake members, achieving a whopping 100% approval rating. This outstanding record deserved further investigation so we sent Rob Treanor to play the course and find out more.

Whitehill is a unique rural venue set in the undulating Hertfordshire countryside. Founded in 1988, the family run club has sympathetically added to the original Reg Plumbridge design, resulting in the excellent par 72 parkland course in situ today.

Pre-Round Thoughts

You only have to read a handful of reviews left by Golfshake members to get excited about playing this course. Evidently well designed, reviews rave about how much fun the course is to play, the quality of the greens as well as the general lushness and upkeep of the club.

A large driving range aids with the warmup and features grass bays for the summer months. There are some very dangerous putts to be found on the three-tiered putting green which is a useful gage of the speed out on the course. The British Military have a mindset to “train hard, fight easy”, though it is a relief to find the greens are more benign than some of the aggressive angles which can be worked on here!

Front 9 Overview

The par four 2nd features a semi blind drive over the brow of a hill, before the land sweeps down to the bottom of the terrain. A strong drive which catches the downslope will benefit from a generous bounce down to the bottom of the hill where the small green awaits. Those approaching from farther back would be well advised to consider the shallow ridge which sits a few yards in front of the green, defending against bump and runs. This undulating and scenic hole sets the tone for the round!

The 5th is a fantastic hole. The tee shot is played downhill from a raised tee box with the ideal line flirting with the crop fields to the right which are OOB. At 375 yards this is no monster, but the very well-placed bunkers to the left side of the fairway demand a very good tee shot be played. A good-sized green is a welcoming target following the heart in mouth tee shot!

Uniquely, the 6th is described as a “camel shaped” hole, owing to the two hills which the fairway traverses across. This 544-yard par five finishes with a downhill approach to a small green with a drop-off to the rear. The front of the green is unprotected meaning a variety of approaches can be considered on this meaty hole.

Back 9 Overview

The exquisitely designed 12th features a tight drive between trees which wouldn’t look out of place on TV coverage of the PGA tour. To make it between the narrowing fairway from the tee on the 482-yard par five requires a very precise drive. Those starting to think about protecting a score may decide to use a long iron to reach a wider part of the fairway before the hole makes its way uphill. The green is well protected by bunkers short and given the approach is played uphill, give the illusion of a false front to the green.

Strategic tests don’t end there, with the majestic short 13th next up. The mature woodblock which lines the left-hand side of the fairway frames the hole as it gently winds to the right. The bunker defending the front of the green will mean that position from the tee should be carefully considered on this 332-yard par four.

The rolling hills of the 16th are gorgeous, though flat lies are difficult to find. The second shot is played uphill to raised green which has excellent views over the surrounding countryside. The green is true and fair, with the condition living up to the praise Golfshake members have commented on following their visits to the club.

Post-Round Thoughts

It is hard to recall a more enjoyable course than Whitehill. The rolling hills provide strategic challenge as the scenic topography is navigated across. The surrounding countryside and farmland are beautiful and it feels as though you are a thousand miles from the nearest urban city. It is easy to lose track of where the hole is in relation to the clubhouse, as the course crosses the pretty scenery. Risk/reward options are the constant theme throughout the excellent 18 holes.

Verdict

If this course were attached to a prestigious hotel, it would undoubtedly be regarded as a destination venue with a grand reputation. The fact that it doesn’t, means that there is a first-rate course which can be enjoyed for a fraction of the price of a leading UK resort. Beautiful, scenic and tranquil, this landscape is perfect for golf and the setup at the club welcomes the travelling golfer.

This is not the last time I shall play at Whitehill.