Day two and yes of course I had to have another bacon sandwich. They’re not stingy on the bacon here and the fresh granary bread makes it a perfect start to your day’s golf.
Again, I take full advantage of the practice facilities and am raring to go as I hit the first tee. It has been a while since I have played the Heritage course and I am buzzing to get underway. Like yesterday the wind is up again, but thankfully this time no rain. I crash my drive down the fairway and the wind takes it a little leaving me just on the edge of the fairway. Because it has pushed my ball left putting me out of position I miss the green with my approach shot but manage an up and down par.
If you are a player that likes to manoeuvre your ball you will enjoy the Heritage. The 2nd hole sees four bunkers sitting on the right and left of the fairway and your drive needs to be aimed at the far bunkers with a slight draw and with today’s wind blowing from right to left it helps me place my ball in the middle of the fairway.
The first of the par 3s arrives at the 3rd and at 194-yards – there are four teeing options again on this course – is played from an elevated tee with water protecting the left-hand side with large bunkers at the front and back. The par 3s have a variety of elevations, with the 7th played over water and the 11th played from some wonderful elevated tees.
Water also comes into play on the par 5, 6th that is a fantastic risk and reward hole with the green playing diagonally across you so giving you very little room to stop your ball if you decided to go for the eagle chance.
The front nine closes with a wonderfully designed par 4 measuring 448-yards. The hole is played again from an elevated tee and gives you a chance to cut off as much of the fairway as you dare, if you decide to carry the fairway bunkers on the left. The green is protected and surrounded by five bunkers two left, two right and one back left, it really is a great golf hole.
If that wasn’t enough standing on the 10th tee, which is again played from an elevated tee, there is water on your left and five fairway bunkers on your right for you to negotiate before going back uphill to a raised green. Walking off there with an up and down par certainly got my back nine off to a good start.
I would leave your driver and even your 3-wood in the bag when you get to the 13th, at only 338-yards and water protecting the front of the green, you will be better off going with a long iron and playing a fuller shot into the green that again runs diagonally across you. As I walk off the green I had forgotten how much I love the Heritage course. It’s one great hole after another, the green emerald carpet weaving its way through the wild grasses and whispery fescue.
The back nine has been a tough test and standing on the 18th tee looking down at the fairway from its elevated tee, the hole is certainly a fitting finale, with water on the left. You play down to the fairway below and then back up to the large green that is 28-yards deep and sits in a little amphitheatre. The Heritage is the members’ course and you have to be invited to play on it. The London Golf Club is blessed with two fantastic golf courses. All you have to do is decide which one you like the most; that should make for an interesting debate in the bar.
Top: 18th green and clubshouse. Above: Risk and reward at the Par 5, 5th hole
