Golf Course Architecture - Issue 61, July 2020

72 courses, because they hadn’t got to the point of taking the courses so far from where they were that anyone thought of taking them back. “So it almost takes this amount of time. Trees have had their way, a succession of owners or committees have had their way, and influenced what’s happened to the greens or bunkers – it’s almost like it takes a hundred years to get to the point where you say ‘let’s get this thing back’.” Pont adds: “Committees will often say ‘It’s all nice that we have this Colt, or MacKenzie, or Simpson course, but obviously we shouldn’t be restoring it just for restoring’s sake. Our response is it’s more restoring the original strategy of the holes, the way of playing them, which meant the corridors and bunkers were a certain way. “You should touch the original green defence, the original green layout, as little as possible, is my feeling. You work back, sometimes fairway bunkers can be in the wrong spot because of the way that people play, or the tees might be in the wrong spot, or tees might be too small.” “There’s a fine line too between restoration, renovation and redesign,” says DeVries. “If you have something that’s significant, like The Addington, that’s unique and has special features, that becomes more relevant. “Yes, maybe the better players hit over that bunker, but it may be relevant to the junior, the senior or just the regular club player that’s not hitting it as far. Not every bunker, hazard or feature on a golf course is for every golfer in the same way.” CDP is planning to start work on the course next year, following a consultation period with members. Their proposal begins with tree clearance, and they are braced for the reaction. “Smoking is bad for you, everybody knows it, but to quit smoking is the tough part,” says Pont. “It’s the same with trees, it’s an emotive debate. “My experience is that you do it and they say it’s nicer. They’re just scared in the beginning because they don’t have a clue what’s going to happen, and I can understand that. Members may have a garden and they like the trees in their garden. I would fight for the trees in my garden with my life. “But as I always say, behind every tree there are ten others. You cut the tree, there will still be trees.” Pont will be the natural point-man for the firm’s work at The Addington, given his European base. But Clayton will spend summers in the UK, much as he did during his European Tour days, and DeVries is planning regular “Not every bunker, hazard or feature on a golf course is for every golfer in the same way” CLAYTON, DEVR I ES & PONT The Addington attracted the world’s best golfers, including (from left) Abe Mitchell, Walter Hagen, Jim Barnes and George Duncan, lining up for one of the first Great Britain vs USA matches in 1920, and (top) Bobby Jones, teeing off in 1930