Wentworth

The West Course
The West course, which was opened in 1926 winds like a vast coiling snake through the heavily wooded estate. Once embarked, there is no short cut back but the tightly bordered fairways somehow heighten the drama, particularly over the closing holes. It is then that matches are decided. The 13th, bending round trees to a green cut into the side of a magnificent two-shotter. The 15th, once a par five, is now a beautifully shaped par four and in the view of many of the best hole on the course.
There is likely to be a sense of false security at the drive-and-pitch on 16th but it is the last two holes that provide the true theatre. Both are par fives, 571 and 531 yards long respectively, and two birdies are not always sufficient, such is the strength and skill of the best players in the world.
One bends right to left, the other left to right and few courses in Britain are held in greater respect by the professionals. For the amateurs it sometimes seems a long way round but the opportunity to have trodden the same fairways and greens as the stars is reward enough.

The East Course
The existing first hole on the West, which is sometimes referred to as the Burma Road, was the original opening hole on the East, the second then being played to the East's present first green. Otherwise the two courses have always gone their separate ways. While Wentworth's East is much shorter with a standard scratch score of 70 as opposed the West's 74, it is a first class course in its own right and, to perhaps the less able golfers, probably more enjoyable.

The Edinburgh Course
The Edinburgh course has generous forward tees, and greens large enough to make possible both difficult and easy pin placings.
For the most part the course winds its way through "The Great Wood" which does call for straight hitting. However, the fairways are not so narrow as to inhibit the use of the driver, rather to encourage it. The overall balance of the course with its four 5's, four 3's and ten 4's, is orthodox, and yet no two holes are alike. The Par 3's are not long (the writer hates long par 3's), but differ greatly in character, the second bearing a striking resemblance to the twelfth at Augusta.
The Par 5's may encourage the big hitter to have a go for the green with the second shot but beware, potential birdies can easily become disasters if the second shot finds trouble at the awkward distance from the green.
The Par 4's have great variety and for the most part are extremely demanding. The view down to the fourth green from the elevated fairway is particularly exciting and calls for a very precise second shot - not only direction but distance also.