The Club was established in 1894 and the course has been on its present site at Hammonds End since 1931 when renowned golf architects of the time Messrs Frederic G Hawtree and John Henry Taylor were engaged to design and build a challenging 18 hole course in about 150 acres of rolling Hertfordshire countryside. A characteristic of their designs is front bunkering of greens so it pays to ensure that enough club is used on approach shots.
The course is looked after by a team of highly qualified Green staff under their Course Manager, Neil Robson. The main aims of both the Green staff and the club’s Green Committee – are to improve overall standards and playing performance of the golf course and to carry out any necessary improvements to the greens’ drainage.
The club manages this under its five-year plan; this is always under review for any other work thought necessary both on and around the course. All Green staff have received appropriate training in this respect and gained the necessary qualifications as they further their knowledge and experience into the future.
All players should be aware that a public footpath crosses the course on holes 7, 8 , 9, 10, 11 & 12. Before playing any shot, please check that other players and members of the public are out of range. Greenkeepers work during play and have priority at all times. Always make sure they are aware of your presence and have signalled when it is safe to play.
If there is any risk, please wait.
Take care when walking from 12th green to the 13th tee. Players should cross the road with care, making their way to the car park via the gateway at the rear of the 18th green. Please be alert to moving cars when passing through the Car Park.
Notification of any treatments will be made on starting holes. Avoid ingestion through contact with fingers and golf balls. Always wash hands immediately after play.
Avoid walking on steep grass slopes or banks, particularly in frost, wet & soft ground conditions. Take care when using wooden bridges, which may become slippery and have drops on either side.
In the event of high winds, lightning, fog or other adverse weather conditions, players should discontinue play if they believe there is a risk to their health or safety. If fog reduces visibility to an extent that players cannot see if it is safe to proceed they should discontinue play immediately.
Course closure will be notified by two separate long blasts on the klaxon. Players should stop play and return to the Clubhouse. A resumption of play will be notified by staff. Players ignoring these instructions do so entirely at their own risk.
Players should report any accident, incident or near miss to the Professional Shop or Club Office on completion of play so it can be recorded.
In an emergency, players should contact the Club on the numbers below. The Club has trained first aiders and a portable defibrillator in the Clubhouse.
Club Office 01582 712580
Pro Shop 01582 767124
A toilet facility is available during summer months at the 10th tee and players will pass the Clubhouse between holes 12 & 13.
a) The clubhouse and surrounding pathways.
b) The car parks and the road to the clubhouse
c) On or beyond the road to the right of the 12th and the left of the 18th. The player is not entitled to free relief from interference from any boundary objects including white stakes.
d) All ground beyond the boundary of the course as delineated by fences, hedges or beyond any line of white stakes.
(Rule 16.1 covers when and how the player may take free relief when there is interference by an immovable obstruction.)
a) PATHS All artificially surfaced paths. When playing the 7th hole and the ball lies on the path beyond the 8th tee, an extra option is to drop the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone near the 8th tee within two club lengths of the marker. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.
b) BUNKER STEPS The bunker steps are not deemed to be in the bunker. If a ball comes to rest on the steps or for a ball at rest outside the bunker the steps interfere with the play’s stance or swing, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b. If the ball lies in the bunker and the steps interfere with the player’s stance or swing, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1c (1). The ball must either be dropped in the bunker no nearer the hole or if this is not possible under penalty of one shot outside the bunker keeping the spot where the ball lay directly between the ball and the hole with no limit on how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped. Rule 16.1c (2).
c) VEHICLE TRACK The road across the 14th and 17th holes
d) PROFESSIONALS’ HUT The professionals’ teaching hut to the left of the 14th hole.
e) OBSTRUCTIONS NEAR TO PUTTING GREENS When the ball is in the general area, the player may take relief if an immovable obstruction is on the line of play and is within two club lengths of the putting green and within two club lengths of the ball.
OTHER ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS INCLUDE
f) TREES Young trees identified by stakes or protected by wrapping are no play zones. If the player’s ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it lies on or touches such a tree or such a tree interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player MUST take relief under Rule 16.1f.
g) NO PLAY ZONES. Any area marked by blue stakes is a no play zone and relief MUST be taken under Rule 16.1f.
h) TREE ROOTS AND STUMPS. If a player’s ball is at rest in the general area and there is interference from tree roots or stumps, these are treated as ground under repair. Interference does not exist if the tree roots or stumps only interfere with the player’s stance.
These are defined by red or yellow stakes and the natural margins of the area. Rule17.
The practice areas to the left of the 13th and 14th holes are within the bounds of the course. However, practice on these areas is permitted prior to or between rounds of a stroke play competition.
Hole | White YardsWhite | Yellow YardsYellow | Par | Stroke IndexS.I. | Red YardsRed | Par | Stroke IndexS.I. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 412 | 405 | 4 | 9 | 395 | 5 | 12 |
2 | 398 | 375 | 4 | 13 | 319 | 4 | 10 |
3 | 392 | 383 | 4 | 1 | 341 | 4 | 3 |
4 | 371 | 358 | 4 | 11 | 325 | 4 | 14 |
5 | 151 | 137 | 3 | 17 | 129 | 3 | 17 |
6 | 521 | 516 | 5 | 5 | 451 | 5 | 7 |
7 | 389 | 378 | 4 | 7 | 342 | 4 | 5 |
8 | 165 | 155 | 3 | 15 | 149 | 3 | 16 |
9 | 407 | 398 | 4 | 3 | 383 | 4 | 1 |
10 | 377 | 380 | 4 | 8 | 343 | 4 | 9 |
11 | 177 | 156 | 3 | 14 | 115 | 3 | 18 |
12 | 421 | 419 | 4 | 4 | 351 | 4 | 2 |
13 | 380 | 372 | 4 | 18 | 347 | 4 | 8 |
14 | 432 | 396 | 4 | 2 | 379 | 5 | 13 |
15 | 333 | 327 | 4 | 16 | 319 | 4 | 6 |
16 | 188 | 184 | 3 | 10 | 169 | 3 | 15 |
17 | 522 | 516 | 5 | 12 | 436 | 5 | 11 |
18 | 394 | 379 | 4 | 6 | 359 | 4 | 4 |
Out | 3206 | 3105 | 35 | 2834 | 36 | ||
In | 3224 | 3129 | 35 | 2818 | 36 | ||
Total | 6430 | 6234 | 70 | 5652 | 72 |