Newsletter | May 2010 | A Hole in One

London's most famous golf course has just had the benefit of a make-over from none other than Ernie Els. Read what takes the W.A. Ellis golfers back to time and time again.

All Change on the West, with Ernie Els 

The European Tour’s flagship tournament, the BMW PGA Championship, which takes place on May 20-23, is the first opportunity for the general public to catch a look at Wentworth’s newly renovated and modernised West Course. 

This £6.5 million project, overseen by Ernie Els Design, was the final phase in a four-year program of works initiated by Club Chairman Richard Caring. The results are nothing short of spectacular. All 18 greens and greens’ complexes have been completely rebuilt to the highest possible specification and every hole has been subjected to a redesign; some changes are subtle and others, such as the new par-5 18th, more significant and really quite spectacular. Even the bunkering has been subjected to review and remodelling throughout. 

The course, reopening in March 2010, signalled the start of another chapter in the long and illustrious West Course story. The famed golf course architect, Harry Colt, created the West Course in the 1920s and there are few more glorious natural settings for golf than this stretch of heathland surrounded by woodland of pine, oak and birch, with the vibrant rhododendrons adding a splash of colour. The heavily wooded landscape has aesthetic and strategic benefits in the sense that it is both easy on the eye and ideal for creating well-defined hole routings.

Few other courses in the world can boast a tournament history on a par with the West. It hosted the 1953 Ryder Cup and then in 1956 the Canada Cup, forerunner to today’s World Cup of Golf.  And through its distinction of hosting two of golf’s most prestigious championships – the World Matchplay between 1964 and 2007 and the BMW PGA Championship since 1984 – both televised to a wide audience, the West Course has a place in the hearts and minds of golfers all over the world. Indeed, part of its enduring appeal is the opportunity for the everyday golfer to walk in the footsteps of legends such as Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods. That means something and you feel it every step of the way.

While proud of its history, the Club felt that with the huge advances in equipment technology it was necessary to bring the West Course very much into the 21st century and that was the purpose of the recent renovations. It has successfully restored many of Harry Colt’s original shot values, while at the same time preserving the essential character and charm of the course. The West Course is now a challenge for the game’s best players during the BMW PGA Championship but remains a fair test for the Club’s members and visitors who enjoy this wonderful golf course for the other 51 weeks of the year.

Chief architect of the renovations, Ernie Els, is proud of what has been achieved here. “It has been a privilege for me to be involved in the renovation and modernisation of the West Course,” he commented. “Everyone knows that Wentworth is a place that is very special to me and that the West Course has always been one of my favourite courses in the world. My personal view is that the changes we’ve made have enhanced this wonderful golf course in every conceivable way – aesthetically, strategically and perhaps most significantly in the quality of the playing surfaces. It’s a test for the very best players in the world and obviously that was part of our intention but it wasn’t our sole motivation. This is a members’ golf course and my hope is that everyone will enjoy playing it even more now than they did before.”

For information about Club membership and for details of the BMW PGA Championship 2010 at Wentworth on May 20-23, please go to wentworthclub.com or email reception@wentworthclub.com