I was almost set for an anti climax as we had played the Old course in the morning and after a delightful lunch we returned refreshed to do battle with the New in the afternoon, and while the Old starts with a bang the New starts with a whimper with a couple of weaker holes on the property to start. But this does not last and from the 3^rd we are teased by a hole with potential and you begin to think we are on a course of similar quality to the Old and this is confirmed during the middle section from the 4^th to the 13^th having some truly outstanding routing of holes and potentially the most treacherous greens on the property. The 4^th is a wonderful start and it is finished with a wonderful green complex, this is followed by my two favorite holes the truly outstanding classic Harry Colt par 3 5^th hole which is arguably the best short hole on the entire property.

Standing on the sixth, there are stunning views across heathland and if not for the noise of car traffic not a dissimilar feeling to Hankley Common a wonderful vista and the land is used wonderfully to create not only a false foreshortening view of the green which causes many to bite too much of the but a high quality risk reward dogleg par 5 where an eagle is achievable but get too greedy or poorly execute your shot then a double bogey or worse is the likely outcome.

I could continue to pick out hole after hole in this stretch with the par 4’s being some of the best holes on the property with dog legs going both left to right and right to left and while not being a fan of blind holes I must say 9 was one of my favorites where a kind bounce could mean a short iron to the green of a poor bounce requiring a long iron or a Seve style recovery shot from trees all topped by a brutal green complex.

Unfortunately, after the par 5 13^th a wonderful rolling dog leg with a green that runs away where only well executed shots will be rewarded the course close with a series of good if unspectacular holes which were not as high quality as the stretch that preceded them or of the holes on the Old.

While the New is a very good course I did find it somewhat overrated as while it has 12 or 13 holes that are truly outstanding there were too many merely good holes for such a highly ranked course and I feel Hankley, St George’s Hill, Woodhall Spa and Ganton while maybe not as good as the best holes on the New are better and more consistent overall.