Luffenham Heath Away August 29 2024

 

Organiser Ian Riches reports

 This was our first match at Luffenham Heath and, depending on traffic, involves a 50-minute drive North on the A1. The club is widely regarded as one of the best heathland courses in the Midlands, so there was a huge desire amongst the Seniors to be selected for the restricted twelve-man team when the fixture date was announced. Luffenham Heath enjoys panoramic views over a wide area of Rutland. For those unfamiliar with this part of the Country, it’s like a pocket Cotswolds but thankfully without all the tourists. In fact, the Club’s motto is “Multum in Parvo” – a great deal in a small space.

The history of the club dates back to 1909, when Lord Willoughby de Eresby first proposed the construction of a golf course on 250 acres of land known as South Luffenham Heath. Local dignitaries supported the idea and, more importantly, so did his father Lord Ancaster on whose land the golf course was intended. At the time, Harry Colt was helping with the design of Woodall Spa in adjoining Lincolnshire. As Lord Willoughby was President of that Club also, Colt was doubtless persuaded to have a look at the new venture. Funded by the Ancaster estate, Harry Colt was subsequently commissioned to design and supervise the construction of the course. It's now regarded as one of his finest creations.

The question that many people ask is whether Luffenham Heath has stood the test of time? The answer very much depends on how you like to play the game. The golf course does not afford any advantage to longer hitters as there are many holes requiring blind shots and it is very restricted by penal levels of rough. These grasses are of national botanical importance and the entire course was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1973. It is currently managed in agreement with Natural England to ensure the propagation of rare flora and fauna, but many would say it has made the course far too tight for the modern game. Consequently, the only way to play the course well is with patience and a lot of knowledge about each hole. I understand at a recent pro-am many of the pros found the course practically unplayable because they could not adapt their playing style to a golf course that hasn’t changed very much since it was built.

Despite the significant advantage of the home side in terms of local knowledge, JOG did put up a good fight and the overall result of 3½/2½ in favour of Luffenham Heath was a lot closer than many might have expected.

Richard Westergreen-Thorne/ Ian Riches:    Lost 5&4

Chris Dennis/ Robert Isaacson:                      Won 4&3

Paul Dobson/ Fred Williams:                          Lost 6&3

Chris Roy/ Warren Churms:                           Won 1 up

Alban MacDonald/ Algy Grimes:                     Lost 2&1

Mehmet Osman/ Graham Gadsden:                Halved            

 

Matches against Luffenham Heath have been booked into the diary for the next two years and will be our regular 16-man affair, so if you want to play a course that can be both extremely testing and incredibly frustrating at the same time then you will be well advised to put your name forward for selection.