Wentworth Club

Wentworth Club is a privately owned golf club and health resort in Virginia Water, Surrey, on the south western fringes of London, not far from Windsor Castle. The club was founded in 1922. Beijing-based Reignwood Group bought the club in September 2014 and implemented a new debenture membership structure.

Wentworth Club
Wentworth Crest
Club information
LocationVirginia Water, Surrey, England
Established1922
TypePrivate Members Club
Owned byReignwood Group[1]
Total holes63
Tournaments hostedBMW PGA Championship
Websitewww.wentworthclub.com
West Course
Designed byHarry Colt
Ernie Els (2005–2017)
Par72
Length7,284
Course record62 Robert Karlsson (2010)
62 Thomas Bjørn (2014)
62 Alexander Norén (2017)
East Course
Designed byHarry Colt
Par68
Length6,201
Course record62 Doug Sewell
Edinburgh Course
Designed byJohn Jacobs
Par72
Length7,004
Course record67 Gary Orr
Executive Course (9 Holes)
Par27
Length1,902

History

The 19th century house the "Wentworths" (now the club house for the club) was the home for the brother-in-law of the Duke of Wellington. It was purchased in 1850 by exiled Spanish Carlist general the Duke of Maestrazgo and his heiress wife.

Clubhouse at Wentworth

After his death, his wife, née Catherine Anne Vaughn-Richards, bought up the surrounding lands under The Cabrera Trust to safeguard the meadows, brooks and the trees planted from her travels on the continent with her gentrified husband to form what has become the heart of the Wentworth Estate.[2]

In 1912, builder W.G. Tarrant had started developing St George's Hill, Weybridge - a development of houses based on minimum 1-acre (4,000 m2) plots based around a golf course. In 1922 Tarrant acquired the development rights for the Wentworth Estate, getting Harry Colt to develop a golf course around "Wentworth" house. Tarrant developed the large houses on the estate to a similar Surrey formula used at St George's Hill. Development of Wentworth Estate ground to a halt due to the Great Depression in the late 1920s. In 1931 when the banks asked for repayment of a large debenture, Tarrant was forced to declare bankruptcy. The ownership of the land passed to Wentworth Estates Ltd, which came under the control of Sir Lindsay Parkinson & Co Ltd.[3]

Today

Wentworth Club is best known for its associations with professional golf. It has three eighteen-hole courses: the famous Harry Colt-designed West Course from 1926, the earlier yet lesser played East Course which was also designed by Colt in 1924, the recent Edinburgh Course designed by John Jacobs, and a nine-hole par-3 executive course.

The headquarters of the PGA European Tour are located at the club, and each year it hosts the Tour's PGA Championship. It was the venue of the 1953 Ryder Cup and of the World Match Play Championship from 1964 until 2007.[4]

The club is surrounded by and entwined with the Wentworth Estate, one of the most expensive private estates in the London suburbs, which was built at the same time, where many top golfers and other celebrities have homes. One of them is Ernie Els, who became the club's "world-wide touring professional" in 2005. Over the winter of 2005-06 Els, who is developing a golf course design practice, made alterations to the West Course, lengthening it by 310 yards (280 m) and adding 30 bunkers.[5]

Wentworth also has a tennis and health club. The Wentworth Tennis and Health Club consists of a gymnasium, dance studio, health spa, ozone swimming pool and jacuzzi, crèche facilities, changing rooms, and a café. The extensive facility was completed in 1999 for £9 million by Architects Broadway Malyan.[6]

In 2004 the club was purchased by fashion industry entrepreneur Richard Caring for £130 million and in 2014, the club was sold to Beijing-based Reignwood Investments for £135m.

Golf courses

West Course
View of Portnall Park, from the south-east, published in 1828. Once the heart of Colonel Bisse-Challoner's c. 400-acre (+200 rented) estate, it is now known as the Dormy House. The sheep mark the position of the present fairway

West Course Scorecard

Hole No. Metres Yards Par Hole No. Metres Yards Par
1 432 473 4 10 168 184 3
2 141 154 3 11 380 416 4
3 425 465 4 12 486 531 5
4 505 552 5 13 430 470 4
5 194 203 3 14 164 179 3
6 382 418 4 15 436 489 4
7 362 396 4 16 350 383 4
8 367 391 4 17 558 610 5
9 410 449 4 18 492 521 5
Front 9 3218 3501 35 Back 9 3464 3783 37
Total 6682 7284 72
Cabrera Trust at Wentworth Estate

East Course
  • Opened: 1924
  • Architect: Harry Colt
  • Par: 68
  • Length: 6,201 yards (5,670 m)
  • Course Record: 62, Doug N Sewell
  • Key tournaments: inaugural Curtis Cup, 1932; friendly match between US and GB&I (forerunner to Ryder Cup) 1926.

East Course Scorecard

Hole No. Metres Yards Par Hole No. Metres Yards Par
1 351 384 4 10 175 191 3
2 385 421 4 11 422 462 4
3 304 332 4 12 145 159 3
4 178 195 3 13 369 403 4
5 299 327 4 14 295 323 4
6 324 354 4 15 303 331 4
7 207 226 3 16 420 459 4
8 417 456 4 17 197 215 3
9 481 526 5 18 400 437 4
Front 9 2945 3221 35 Back 9 2725 2980 33
Total 5670 6201 68

Edinburgh Course

Edinburgh Course Scorecard

Hole No. Metres Yards Par Hole No. Metres Yards Par
1 420 459 4 10 467 511 5
2 132 144 3 11 401 439 4
3 458 501 5 12 155 169 3
4 367 401 4 13 387 423 4
5 157 172 3 14 364 398 4
6 422 461 4 15 360 394 4
7 555 607 5 16 481 526 5
8 416 455 4 17 148 162 3
9 334 365 4 18 432 472 4
Front 9 3260 3565 36 Back 9 3195 3494 36
Total 6455 7059 72

Executive Course (9 Holes)
  • Par: 27
  • Length: 1,902 yards (1,739 m)
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References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Archives Network Wales - The de Morella Collection
  3. Books, Research and Information - Arts & Crafts Home
  4. "HSBC World Matchplay". Wentworth Club. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  5. "Golfing gossip". BBC News. 22 February 2006.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 December 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Wentworth – West Course". Ernie Els.

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