Historical Study Of The East Course At Saunton Golf Club
Young caddy watches on as one of the Pitts Tucker
founders plays his shot
References:
Richard Bass - 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon (Un-published).
http://www.assaulttrainingcenter.com/
The History of Saunton Golf Club 1897 -1987
Saunton Golf Club 1897-1997
Timeline
1929 Clubhouse Opening Exhibition Match,
James Braid putting on the pre-war 2nd green
Saunton Golf Club first formed
Thomas Dunn 9 holes
Clubhouse opened
9 Holes extended to 12 holes
12 Holes extended to 18 holes
4 Holes rearranged
WWI Outbreak - Course reduced to 12 holes due to lack of labour
Exhibition match between Harry Vardon & J.H. Taylor
Resumption of club - W.H. Fowler engaged to re-design the course
Moving into the natural dune land - The same layout as today apart
from the 1st, 2nd, 17th & 18th holes
New club house built in location recommended by W.H. Fowler
celebrated with exhibition match between J.H.Taylor , James Braid,
Henry Cotton & Bradbeer (Saunton Pro)
Second 18 holes commissioned W.H. Fowler to design & build
WWII Outbreak - Clubhouse requisitioned
Ken Cotton invited to restore the Old Course - 13 holes almost put
back as they were with a few minor changes but altered the 1st,2nd,
6th, 17th & 18th holes
Course reopened
Frank Pennink engaged to design the West Course
9 Holes open on the West course
Full 18 holes open on the West Course
POW from Normandy tasked with clearing the war debris
US Assault Training Centre created by US Engineers and used by the
US 146th Engineer Combat Battalion in preparation for D-Day
The Committee decide to move the 1st Green on the East Course left
as original position deemed too close to the 17th West fairway and
could be dangerous
Practice ground created
1st Green East Course moved back towards original location - 2nd
green East moved back and right
Donald Steel engaged to redesign the 2nd fairway on the West Course
Donald Steel engaged to rebuild all 18 greens on the West Course -
Irrigation added to all tees and greens and 7th, 11th, 12th , 16th &
18th fairways on the East Course
1897
1906
1907
1908
1912
1914
1919
1923
1929
1935
1939
1943
1944
1950
1952
1972
1974
1975
1975
1979
1980
1987
1992
Thomas Dunn
Born Blackheath, England, 29th December 1849. Died Blagdon 1902 , aged 52.
Tom Dunn became a professional at Wimbeldon Common (London Scottish) in 1870. The
course had originally been laid out by his father , Old Willie Dunn, with 18 holes, but over
the years it had been reduced to 7. In his first year at the club, Tom extended it to 18. He went
on to hold professional positions at North Berwick, Tooting Beck, Meyrick Park amongst
others.
Dunn had four top-10 finishes in The Open Championship his best effort coming 6th in
1869.
He was the most prolific golf course architect of his day. He produced layouts that were
inexpensive and serviceable, making it possible for increasing numbers of all social classes
to take up the sport.
He was a great salesman and is quoted as telling his clients; “God meant this site to be a golf
course.” The first designer to work on inland courses rather than links he was a firm believer
in a cross bunker requiring a forced carry from the tee, another for the approach and even a
third on a three shot hole.
Dunn himself considered Broadstone to be one of his greatest achievements where he was
“not stinted for men, money or materials”. He felt Meryick Park the greatest challenge because
of the densley covered heather, gorse and pine forest terrain.
Tom was married to Isabel Gourlay, “the greatest women golfer of her day”. Tom travelled
to America on several occasions visiting his brother Willie Dunn Jnr. (who also went on to
become an architect). Despite his visits to the US, it is doubtful that he ever laid out a course
there. While many American courses claim
to have a Tom Dunn course, it is more
likely they were laid out by one of the other
Dunns.
Tom’s work in Great Britain and on the
Continent was extensive with more than
137 courses.
This timeline has been constructed
using information from various
sources, such as club histories, club
websites, “The Architects of Golf ” by
Cornish and Whitten.
Born 1849
Ashley Wood, Dorset - 9 holes 1893
London Scottish Golf Club - Added 9 holes 1870
Bath 1880
Bramshaw - Manor Course 1880
Felixstowe Ferry - 9 holes 1880
Kinsdown 1880
Cork - Ireland 1880
Northe Berwick- Remodel 1883
Brighton & Hove - 9 holes 1887
Seaford 1887
Dinard, France 1887
Coubert - France 1888
Blairgowrie 1889
Bromley: Bude & North Cornwall GC 1890
Eltham Warren 1890
Tooting Bec 1890
Ganton 1891
Huddersfield 1891
Lindrick 1891
Northwood 1891
Richmond 1891
Royal Cinque Ports - 9 holes 1892
Royal Mid Surrey 1892
Royal Worlingon & Newmarket - 9 holes 1892
Seacroft 1892
Ventnor - 9 holes 1892
Weston-Super-Mare 1892
Enfield 1893
Hastings & St. Leonards 1893
Hastings 1893
Royston 1893
Woking 1893
Haagsche - Netherlands 1893
Buscott Park & Chiselhurst GC 1894
Hampstead - 9 holes 1894
Lansdown 1894
Meyrick Park 1894
Surbiton 1895
Frinton 1896
Saunton 1897
Broadstone 1898
Maidenhead 1898
London Scottish Golf Club - Remodel 1901
Bulwell Forest 1902
Sheringham; Sherwood Forest - 9 holes 1904
Erewash Valley 1905
Beckenham Place Park 1907
Burhill - 9 holes 1907
North Oxford 1908
Nottingham City 1908
Whickham 1911
Ralara - Canary Islands
Unknown
Littlestone - Remodel
Unknown
Died 1902
William Herbert Fowler
Born Edmonton, England, 28th May 1856. Died London 13th April
1941, aged 85
Arthur Croome, one of Fowler’s design partners once write that:
“Mr W. Herbert Fowler is a true aristocrat if ever there was one...Had
he lived in Paris at the time of the revolution the mob would certainly
have searched the city for a lantern high and strong enough to finish him
off. The marks of your true aristocrat are a firm belief that the best dog
must come out on top eventually, an instinct for discovering the best of
everything and an unshakeable conviction that what he selects as the best
is the best... You will very soon find that his real contempt is reserved for
what is second-rate, ignorant or ignoble. That is why he has so seldom
been proved wrong about golf, though he has given utterance in the most
unequivocal terms to more categorical statements than most people.’
This short quotation says a great deal about the man. He was born into a
wealthy family and matured into a fine sportsman. He concentrated on
cricket and played county cricket and for the MCC before discovering
golf at the relatively old age of 23. Within a decade, he had achieved a
handicap of scratch and was competing in The Amateur where he made
the quarter finals before being soundly thrashed by Harold Hilton and
in The Open where he tied for 26th in 1900. This rapid rise demonstrates
just what an able sportsman he was. He was a large man, measuring a
strong 6’3”.
Around the turn of the century, his brother-in-law, Sir Cosmo Bonsor,
approached him about a possible project south of London which was
later to become Walton Heath, the course that launched his career
as a golf course architect in 1907. By 1913, he had teamed up with
Tom Simpson forming one of the great partnerships in golf course
architecture that lasted until the late 1920s when Fowler was in his 70s.
They worked across Europe and Fowler made several trips to the USA,
designing Eastward Ho! (named after his beloved Westward Ho!) and
Los Angeles Country Club as well as re-designing courses including
creating the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.
Both he and Simpson (pictured in the cartoon to the left) were highly
intelligent and controversial figures. Fowler did not write all that much
about architecture but Simpson certainly did, contributing regularly
to Country Life, Golf Monthly and being featured in numerous other
periodicals. He also co-authored with Joyce and Roger Wethered’s
father one of the great books on golf course architecture called
“The Architectural Side of Golf ”. His clear views were most probably
formulated in discussions with Fowler.
Despite Fowler’s background, his life was dogged by financial difficulties
and it would appear that he was not great at managing money. In 1902,
he was on the brink of bankruptcy when he was forced to sell his estate
in Devon, moving close to London to find gainful employment in the
form of designing Walton Heath. By 1912, things had turned for the
good and he moved into a purpose built house near Walton Heath
designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. But late in his life, however, his troubles
returned and in 1928 he was declared bankrupt, living out the rest of
his life in accommodation and full board provided by Walton Heath
Golf Club.
“He will plant a difficulty just the least bit nearer
to the hole than any other architect, for the shot is
nearly good, he has little mercy.”
Horace Hutchison
The magnificent 1935 portrait of Fowler by Sir James Gunn RA
William Herbert Fowler Timeline
Born 1856
Cricket (Essex, Somerset and MCC)
Started golf 1879
Joined The R&A 1894
Down to Scratch 1889
Tied for 26th in The Open 1900
To last 16 of The Amateur Championship, losing to Harold Hilton in his prime 1901
Heavily indebted, sells up his house in Devon and moved close to Walton Heath. 1902
Joined The R&A Green Committee 1902
Walton Heath Old Course designed 1902
Walton Heath Old Course opened 1904
Walton Heath New Course designed 1907
Westward Ho! re-opened after major work by Fowler 1908
Fountainbleu, France 1910
Delamere Forest - original layout 1910
West Surrey, Surrey 1910
Simpson joined Fowler 1910
LA Country Club (initial consultation) 1911
Moved into “Chussex” a house designed in classical style by Edwin Lutyens and with a garden by Gertrude Jekyll close to WHGC 1912
Beau Desert, Staffs 1912
North Foreland, Kent Main 18 1912
Woodcote Park, Surrey (CW) 1912
Walton Heath New Course opened 1913
Bull Bay, Wales (Club website) 1913
Bickley Park Estate, Chislehurst, Kent 1914
Shirley Park, Croydon Surrey 1914
Dieppe, France 1914
Spent much of WWI in the USA 1914- 1918
West Kent, Kent 1916
Yelverton, Devon (Club website) 1919
Saunton East Course, Devon (Club Website) 1919
Delamere Forest - revised layout 1920
Fowler working on Eastward Ho! & Los Angeles Country Club 1920
Fowler and Simpson set up an office in California 1920
North Foreland, Kent Short Course 1920
Fowler, Simpson, Abercromby and Croome formed 1921
Eastward Ho! USA 1921
Pebble Beach, California - extended 18th hole to its current design 1922
Abbeydale, Yorkshire 1922
Bradford, Yorkshire 1923
Blackwell, Worcestershire 1923
Crystal Springs, California 1924
Knole Park, Kent 1924
Cruden Bay, Scotland 1926
Fowler, Simpson, Abercromby and Croome disbanded 1927
Declared bankrupt 1928
The Berkshire Red Blue opened 1928
Manor House Hotel, Devon (now Bovey Castle) Mostly Abercromby? 1930
Saunton, Devon 1935
Died 1941
“An erratic genius...
perhaps the most daring
and original of all golf
course architects”
Bernard Darwin
This timeline has been constructed
using information from various
sources, such as club histories, club
websites, “The Architects of Golf ”
by Cornish and Whitten.
The Words of William Herbert Fowler
“Bunkers should only act as hazards for wide shots.”
“I think that a bunker should mean on average the loss of one
stroke, .......the ball should always be in the bottom of the bunker,
and not hard up against the face”
“I have often thought that the importance of the hazards of
a course is very much under-estimated by makers of courses,
Green Committees, and players generally, and yet I think that
good hazards are really almost the most important feature of a
course. To my mind it is a near thing between the hazards and the
greens as to which is more important to the making of a first class
course.” (from Golf Greens and Greenkeeping, edited by Horace
Hutchinson, 1911)
“In my opinion, a course of from 6,300 to 6,500 yards is amply
long enough, and the latter should not be exceeded. For all
championships I think there should be specially laid-out courses,
one in England and one in Scotland, and then one could have a
course which would be long enough to test even the longest hitters.
Some day, no doubt, this will be made, but until it arrives I do
hope courses will be kept to a reasonable length.” (c1920 Lecture
to Golf Greenkeepers’ Association)
On Selecting a suitable Club Secretary, he advised Abbeydale
Golf Club in Sheffield:
“What you want is a man of character, who is capable, has good
manners, and is patient with idiots.”
“A great deal has been written of late years in favour of making
holes of one, two and three full shots in length, as if this would
make such holes interesting. Such theories are upset by the first
strong wind that blows; but a hole which is properly guarded can
be made interesting, and as difficult as desired, by the proper
placing of hazards, no matter what its length may be.” (from Golf
Greens and Greenkeeping, edited by Horace Hutchinson, 1911)
“We want more cross bunkers in addition to the flanking ones
to curtail the long drivers from getting nearer the green than a
certain distance to play their approaches.” Golfing 1915
“There is one test of a good slope from a bank. One should never be
able to point to any spot where the slope ends. There is a lot more
in this than one would at first imagine.” (c1920 Lecture to Golf
Greenkeepers’ Association)
“In laying out a course, great care should be taken to see that the
one-shot holes are of the best possible quality. Personally, I think
a course is never a good one unless this class of hole is really firstclass.
Now that inventors have so spoilt the game by making it
possible to hit the ball to impossible distances, the only thing a
golf architect can do to get decent two shot holes is to increase the
number of holes of the one-shot variety.”
(c1920 Lecture to Golf Greenkeepers’ Association)
The Words of William Herbert Fowler
This text is taken from a chapter that Fowler wrote in a book
called “Golf Greens and Greenkeeping”, edited by Horace
Hutchinson and published in 1911 a few years after Walton Heath
Old Course opened and shortly after he and Simpson teamed
up. They were both inspired by the work of John Low and Stuart
Paton at Woking Golf Club, Simpson so much so that it prompted
him to change career from law to golf course design.
This early article by Fowler shows that at this stage his thinking
was relatively under-developed and his thinking evolved over the
years. Simpson was a great thinker and prolific writer about golf
design and the two men must have spent hours debating topics as
they were both outspoken characters.
These quotations give a good impression of Fowler’s approach to
design which is helpful. He did not write too much about the strategic
approach that Horace Hutchison mentioned in his quote:
“He will plant a difficulty just the least bit nearer to the hole
than any other architect, for the shot is nearly good, he has
little mercy.”
It is interesting, though, that by 1922, the Fowler, Abercromby,
Simpson and Croome brochure dedicated an entire page to the
following clear statement:
“It is true to say that at least 90% of those who play golf
are firmly convinced that courses are planned
for the benefit of the scratch player.
One moment’s reflection should dispel the idea
that courses are laid out for 1% of those who play golf.
We are business men, and do not lay out courses
for the benefit of our health,
and if in fact we only consulted the interests of 1%
we should soon cease to have a business,
for no one would employ us or recommend us.”
Historic Club Photographs
Note the open sand areas in this post war shot of the 18th designed by Ken Cotton around 1950
Drive from the then 1st Tee Before WWII
Historic Club Photographs
11th Green
Archive photograph - 8th August 1946
Historic Newspaper Articles
“Golf.” Times [London, England] 12 June
1925: Bernard Darwin
“..one of the courses
of the world”
“..there is scarcely an
artificially cut bunker”
“Parliament.” Times [London, England] 10 Apr. 1913:
Bernard Darwin
Historic Newspaper Articles
“Golf.” Times [London, England] 9
Nov 1935: Bernard Darwin
“Golf.” Times [London, England] 8 Aug. 1929:
Bernard Darwin
“..What more
can a golfer
want?”
The Course Evolution
1st Course Layout 9 Holes - 1984 (As Remembered By Philip Harris)
Saunton’s original 9 hole Course is credited to Thomas Dunn
2nd Course Layout 18 Hole (As Remembered By Philip Harris)
Course Layout - 1921 W. H. Fowler
Course Layout - 1935
Hole Yards Par
1 210 3
2 380 4
3 384 4
4 460 5
5 120 3
6 400 5
7 440 5
8 375 4
9 386 5
Out 3155 38
10 316 4
11 360 4
12 460 5
13 140 3
14 475 5
15 480 5
16 421 5
17 170 3
18 418 5
In 3240 39
Out 3155 38
Total 6395 77
Course Layout - 1951 (C. K. Cotton)
Current Course Layout - 2016
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World War II the Occupied Years
The US Assault Training Centre Occupied 1939 - 1951
In 1943 work started on The Assault Training Centre based at Saunton. It was created due to an oversight at the
highest levels of the American War Planning Office which had assumed that American troops sent to lead the
spearhead assault into Europe would be trained for assault. This was not the case as most infantry divisions were
‘green’ or inexperienced in combat and this had to be addressed urgently with the invasion planned only a few
months ahead.
At this time, the only published advice in the US Army Field Manual was “Fortified areas are to be avoided in
the initial assault and then taken from the rear.” The plan to attack the Normandy coastal defences would require
a head on beach assault using multi skilled teams or ‘Assault Sections’ including demolitions, rocket launchers,
flame throwers and machine gunners.
The ATC (Assault Training Centre) brief was to train these assaults sections under realistic conditions including
overcoming on and off-shore obstacles, reduction of fortifications, repulsing of counter attacks and establishing of
the beach head.
The British and Canadians were well ahead with their training and had already claimed all suitable beaches except
Woolacombe. Woolacombe had been deemed too stormy for amphibious landing craft by the British. Many
natural features including the sand type, dune-scape and tides made Woolacombe an almost exact match for their
destination ‘Omaha beach’ in Normandy. The ATC was divided into lettered areas along the coastline from A-M,
Saunton being allocated ‘D’ containing the greatest concentration and variety of assault and training facilities.
The 398th Engineer General Service arrived on 1st September 1943 and were given orders to build replicas of
structures included a full-scale German-type ‘Hedgehog’ that the American troops were likely to encounter
in Normandy. Once the initial construction had been carried out, the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion took
charge in September 1943 of maintenance and rebuilding. American Troops were to visit the ATC for 3 weeks of
training.
After D-Day, the ATC was occupied by the 18th Field Force Replacement Depot to house and feed replacement
troops on their way to Europe. It is certain that the training and research that took place at Saunton and all along
the 16 mile stretch of coastline that was used by the ATC was vital to the success of D-Day. Colonel Paul W.
Thompson, the then commandant said “If the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton, then the
Assault Training Centre contributed in no small measure to the success of D-Day”.
The US Assault Training Centre Occupied 1939 - 1951
Obstacle Course
Concrete wall
Target Pits
Ships Sides
Tank Trap
Wire Cutting
Anti-Aircraft
Battery
Clubhouse
Troops billeted in
Nissan huts
Pillboxes
LCVP-LCM Mock Up Area
LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel
LCM Landing Craft, Mechanized
Flame Thrower Range
‘Hedgehog’ Mock Up Area
The hedgehog defence is a military tactic for defending against a
mobile armoured attack, or blitzkrieg. The defenders deploy in
depth in heavily fortified positions suitable for all-around defence.
The attackers can penetrate between these “hedgehogs”, but each
position continues to fight on when surrounded. This keeps large
numbers of attacking troops tied up, attacking the well-defended
strong-points, while allowing the defenders to successfully
counter-attack against the units that bypass these strong-points
with their own armoured reserves by cutting them off from their
supporting elements.
Dragon’s Teeth
Mine & Booby
Trap Area
Historic & Current Day Aerial Photography
Historic Aerial Photography
Points of Interest
1. The aerial photographs where taken by RAF 58 (1916 to 1976) & 540 (1942 to
1956 ) photo-reconnaissance Squadrons of the Royal Air Force mainly operating
Mosquitoes and Anson’s. Based at RAF Benson in South Oxfordshire, England.
2. The aerial photography shows the essential part that Saunton played in the
American preparations for World War II D-Day assault on the Normandy
beaches. The first aerial from 1946, shows the extent of the destruction that took
place during occupation by tanks, landing craft, demolition practice etc.
3. The aerial photographs provide information regarding the evolution of green
shapes and sizes, the number of bunkers, the bunker locations, bunker sizes,
bunker shapes, open sand areas, fairway widths and the extent and nature of the
vegetation.
4. In terms of the greens, its seems as though a number of the greens may have
survived the war. The actual green boundaries are hard to make out on the 1946
aerial.
5. Tees locations have been adjusted over the years as would be expected with the
advances in ball and club technology. The centre lines shown on the hole by hole
comparison plans are those of today to illustrate just how far tees have gone
backwards and directions of play have been adjusted for some of the holes.
6. The aerial photographs are interesting in what they reveal with respect to the
bunkers. The 1946 aerial shows no man-made bunkers but there are vast blown
out sand dunes/ craters, however, as well as a number of smaller size sand scrapes
that look like they could have been bunkers from the pre-war course left by the
Americans and maybe some of these were original features of Fowler’s Course.
Certainly, the plan from 1935 shows the locations of ‘sand pits’ and bunkers.
There is a significant change in sizes and shape of the bunkers between the 1957
and the 1989 aerial, with the 1989 larger and distinctly more rounded shapes.
The average size of the bunkers between 1989 and the current 2016 aerial have
reduced but the number of bunker has increased from 38 to 56.
7. The fairway widths look as though they were generous by comparison with those
of today. This is a common finding in historical studies of courses.
Bunker Analysis
Histotrical Bunker Count
1935 Bunker count = 25 /12 open sand
1957 Bunker count = 45/18 os
1989 Bunker count = 38
2016 Bunker count = 56
The Evolution Of The Course
The 4th Hole
Fairway widths
Fairway widths have tended to reduce as it has become easier to hit the ball straighter and as new fairway
mowers have been introduced.
The 7th Hole
Bunker Style
There is little evidence of the early bunker style. The
earliest plan showing bunkers is from 1935 and this
shows a combination of man-made bunkers and ‘sand
pits’. In 1925 Bernard Darwin wrote “..And though
there is such a profligate wealth of trouble there is
scarcely an artificially cut bunker on the course”. Over
time, bunkers have become simpler in shape as has
occurred on many links courses.
5th July 1957
5th July 1957 4th May 1989 Current Day
May 1946 RAF Aerial Photography
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November 1952 RAF Aerial Photography
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July 1957 RAF Aerial Photography
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May 1989 RAF Aerial Photography
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Current Day Aerial Photography
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Hole By Hole Comparisons Of The
1946, 1949, 1952, 1957, 1989 & Current Day Layouts
East Course - Hole 1 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Major destruction to
original Course
24th November 1952
Ken Cotton green location
Current Day
East Course - Hole 1 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Large blow out sand area
5th July 1957
Original green location
All that remains of natural bunkers
4th May 1989
More rugged bunker shapes
Left bunker has gone
New bunkers
Current Day
East Course - Hole 2 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Original direction of play
Mock up ships sides
24th November 1952
Current Day
New green
Hole 2 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
Ken Cotton green location
New green location
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 3 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Large sand craters
Blown out dune
24th November 1952
Current Day
East Course - Hole 3 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 3 - 1957 Oblique View
Green
Tees
2nd Hole
East Course - Hole 3 - Current Day Oblique View
West 10th Hole
West 9th Hole
West 6th Hole
West 5th Hole
15th Hole
2nd Hole
East Course - Hole 4 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Blown out dunes
Crater bunker
24th November 1952
Current Day
East Course - Hole 4 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Remnant bunkers?
Blown out dunes
5th July 1957
One left bunker
4th May 1989
One right bunker remains
New right bunker
4 bunkers
Left bunker has returned
Current Day
East Course - Hole 5 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Original bunkers?
5th May 1946
24th November 1952
Crater bunkers
Current Day
East Course - Hole 5 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Large sandy areas in carry
Green extended
5th July 1957
Bunker off to the right
4th May 1989
Bunker filled
Current Day
East Course - Hole 5 - 1957 Oblique View
Tees
Green
East Course - Hole 5 - Current Oblique View
East Course - Hole 6 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
No evidence of green
24th November 1952
Greens back
Current Day
East Course - Hole 6 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Open sand scrape
5th July 1957
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 7 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Three humps
Bunkers made sense
in bogey 5 hole
24th November 1952
Current Day
East Course - Hole 7 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
2 Bunkers
The fairway was much wider and
extended further back towards the tees
Remains of old bunkers
Green-side bunker enlarged
4th May 1989
Two bunkers merged into one
Current Day
This bunker is out of range
from the tee and irrelevant of
par 4
Bunker moved
East Course - Hole 8 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Concrete wall
Blown out dune
5th May 1946
The characteristic amphitheatre
8th green
24th November 1952
Blown out dune left after the
demolition of the wall
Current Day
East Course - Hole 8 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 9 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
The flame thrower range
24th November 1952
Current Day
East Course - Hole 9 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
No drive bunkers
Approach bunker added
4th May 1989
A ‘threesome’ on the green
Green extended further right
Approach bunker moved to
green edge
Current Day
Drive bunkers added
East Course - Hole 10 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
24th November 1952
Current foregreen is green
Current Day
East Course - Hole 10 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
Green has reduced in size
Large expanse of fairway for the
landing area
Two approach bunkers added
4th May 1989
These two approach bunkers
have been enlarged
The green surface was
mown out to the bases of the
surrounding mounds
Current Day
East Course - Hole 11 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Trenches?
24th November 1952
Current Day
East Course - Hole 11 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
The fairway was mown out to the left
Greenside bunker in the hollow
5th July 1957
The 11th green was historically
played from the opposite direction.
The 5th hole on the 9 hole 1st course
and the 4th hole on the 18 hole 2nd
course. This accounts for the fall on
the green.
Two small bunkers
Original direction of play
4th May 1989
Two small bunkers
merged into one
Current Day
East Course - Hole 12 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Trenches
5th May 1946
24th November 1952
Current Day
East Course - Hole 12 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
Single greenside bunker
Left-hand greenside bunker added
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 13 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Bunkers?
Bunker at the rear of the green
24th November 1952
Bunkers
Large sand crater
Current Day
East Course - Hole 13 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 14 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
The obstacle course
Blown out sand dune
Blown out sand dune
24th November 1952
Blown out sand dunes
Current Day
East Course - Hole 14 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Left hand bunker has appeared
5th July 1957
Single bunker
Left hand bunker has gone again
4th May 1989
Old bunker
2 bunkers
Current Day
Old bunker
4 bunkers
East Course - Hole 15 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
Blown out sand dune
Blown out sand dune
24th November 1952
No bunkers
Current Day
East Course - Hole 15 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
Two bunkers set into the humps
and hollows
4th May 1989
Current Day
East Course - Hole 16 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Open sand crater
Ships sides
5th May 1946
Pillboxes
24th November 1952
Blown out sand dunes
Original 8th green
location (9 hole layout)
Current Day
East Course - Hole 16 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
Large rough edged bunker
4th May 1989
Approach bunker added
Drive bunker reduced in size
Current Day
These bunker have
since been moved
East Course - Hole 16 - 1957 Oblique View
Green
East Course - Hole 16 - Current Oblique View
East Course - Hole 17 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th May 1946
24th November 1952
Ken Cotton green location
Current Day
East Course - Hole 17 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
5th July 1957
4th May 1989
Back tee positioned to the left
Green moved to current location
Current Day
Bunker configuration has changed
since 1989
East Course - Hole 18 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Barracks
5th May 1946
No bunkers surrounding the
green just humps and hollows
24th November 1952
Ken Cotton 18th hole
Current Day
East Course - Hole 18 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison
Current day centre line
shown on all plans
Approach bunker
5th July 1957
4th May 1989
Drive bunker added
Approach bunker enlarged
3 Drive bunkers
Current Day
5 Greenside bunkers
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