In a county packed with more Top 100 courses than any other, it is all too easy for even a very fine course to be slightly overlooked. This is very likely the case at Effingham in Surrey, just a few miles from the likes of St George’s Hill and Walton Heath. A short drive from the M25, it runs along the gently-rising slopes of the North Downs.
The undulations have the dual benefit of creating an interesting and regularly changing landscape over which to play, at the same time as providing some excellent skyscape views up towards London which itself is home to some varied and very enjoyable golf.
Architects Past and Present
Three years shy of its centenary, the club was originally founded as Effingham Manor in 1927. This seems entirely appropriate in view of its stately and spacious clubhouse which has evolved over the years and is now linked up with the Pro Shop to create a warm and very accommodating welcome.
The great Harry Colt was engaged as architect, and he designed what was at the time one of the longest courses in the county. It runs in two largely anti-clockwise loops of nine, although the halfway point isn’t quite back at the clubhouse, and it covers a large acreage.
Indeed, the 3rd to the 8th effectively circumnavigate their way round the outside of Warren Farm which is still worked to this day. It is a strong test with a number of long par 4s and was used for Open qualifying from 2006 to 2010. Despite this recognition, the decision was subsequently made to restore the course to its former Colt design principles.
Tom Mackenzie studied the original plans and embarked on a complete and very impressive bunker redesign which has transformed the course. At the same time, he built new greens on the 5th and 18th with the latter now closer to the elegant Georgian clubhouse.
Feature Holes
This is very much a course of strength-in-depth rather than individual wow-factor holes, so let’s simply showcase one of each par. While it’s not the toughest of the short holes, the most memorable and probably the prettiest is the 7th which is played across the slope to a green surrounded by sand and backed by an avenue of attractive trees. As for the par 5s, then the 17th is a cracker, eye-catchingly bunkered and played from an elevated tee with the skyline of the capital in the distance.
There are many strong two-shotters, but the 9th really shows off the enhanced bunkering in the strongest light. Not long, it doglegs its way right to left with a team of security guard bunkers waiting for you on the corner.
