The Marquess Course
Opened in 2000, the course was named after the then Marquess of Tavistock, and was soon referred to as the 'Jewel in the Crown'.
Hole 1 The Marquess Course
The Marquess of Tavistock opened this course with a cracking drive down this fairway. It was his wish that the opening hole, as with the 10th should be fairly gentle and generous openers and that is the way they are. Don't be fooled! Make the most of it.
Hole 2 The Marquess Course
You begin to sense the design skills. Subtle bunkers combine with historic lofty trees to let you know this is a thinking golfer's course. There is a little reward for attempts to cut corners.
Hole 3 The Marquess Course
Doglegging left over the crest of a slope which then offers a magnificent view to the green, however the teo bunkers on the left give the illusion of being close to it when actually some 50 yards short. Many fall for this and underclub.
Hole 4 The Marquess Course
From the back tee there is an uncanny likeness to Augusta's 17th where the Eisenhower Tree matches in height, shape and position. Then like Augusta's 14th there are no bunkers but a similarly difficlt green to get near the flag.
Hole 5 The Marquess Course
Very few holes anywhere are as attractive. Two glorious beech trees guard the corner and greedy drivers find trouble on the left when attempting to steal a few yards.
Hole 6 The Marquess Course
It looks a piece of cake, but beware. The massive trees short of the green makes everything look closer than it is so the 'bite' at the front of the green gathers many balls.
Hole 7 The Marquess Course
If you are really then take on the right fairway, but make sure you hit a good drive for the carry you will leave is over a ravine and there is no turning back! More modest golfers do well to use the conventional left fairway. The choice is yours.
Hole 8 The Marquess Course
A raised and undulating small green makes this short hole play tougher than it would suggest. Perfect choice of club is the key.
Hole 9 The Marquess Course
Although with a helping wind some would tee off with a 3 wood to stay short of the ravine, do not stay too far short of itand do not favour the left from wherea large tree must be carried. Any second shot coming up short of the green is bunker bound.
Hole 10 The Marquess Course
Left of centre from the tee is the sensible line to this gentle hole, then be up with second, there is a large green. Enjoy this hole because things get tougher from here on.
Hole 11 The Marquess Course
Neil Coles, one of golf's most respected Proffesionals claims this to be one of the best par 5's anywhere. It is long, few would ever get home in two, its gentle undulations feed balls intosand at every strategic point, then tough green awaits.
Hole 12 The Marquess Course
Every good course has its controversial hole. When the first British Masters was played here Sam Torrance claimed this, from the back tee to be the only poor hole. On the final a days the tee was moved forward, Sam stated we had the best 'optional' hole on the circuit. The choice of a drive to the green or 5 iron to the island was great strategy, the perfect risk and reward hole.
Hole 13 The Marquess Course
Handicap one hole, where being long is a great advantage. For the second shot the need to come in from the right by avarage length hitters is thwarted by the holes only bunker. A par here feels like a birdie!
Hole 14 The Marquess Course
The much loved late Chairman of Woburn, Lord Swaythling thought this to be one of the best short holes he'd ever seen. Long and demanding, often taking everything you've got but with its huge rolling green waiting to reward the best of shots, almost a reflection of the man. It is called Swaythling. Enjoy it.
Hole 15 The Marquess Course
Take time to visit the back tee and take in one of the most magnifcient panoramas in Golf. Now take it on in the knowledge that many Professionals played their thirds to this difficult green using longer clubs than normal. One or sometimes two clubs more than you think.
Hole 16 The Marquess Course
Ewan Murray on Sky Television described the last 5 holes here as the toughest on the European Tour and you are in the middle of them. Carrying the huge greeside bunker from such a long way out is the most difficult task. Often better to come in from the right and avoid it.
Hole 17 The Marquess Course
Should the pin be back and left this is not the pushover hole it looks. Take plenty of club and let the right to left slope of the green sweep the ball around. Under any circumstances do not be fooled into underclubbing.
Hole 18 The Marquess Course
'Bombs Away' is the name of the finishing hole. In the gulley to the right of the tee a greenkeeper found the fin of one of 78 Mustard Gas Mortar bombs. Woburn's forest had sheltered military weapons prior to the invasion of Normandy and the bombs, which incidentlly had exactly the same range as the hole's yardage were accidently were accidently left.
Opened in 2000, The Marquess' course was a breath-taking addition to the golf club, the final step in creating a 54-hole complex that is possibly unrivalled anywhere in the UK. Named after the then Marquess of Tavistock, the course, measuring 7,214 yards, was soon referred to as the 'Jewel in the Crown'.
Set in 200 acres of mixed woodland, the Marquess' course overlaps the county boundary dividing Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and presents a variety of aspects, with its rolling and undulating terrain. The beautiful woodland is predominantly pine, spruce, sweet chestnut and oak, with a number of rare specimens such as Corsican pine, yew, rowan and beech.
The course has been designed to provide an enjoyable and satisfying challenge for all golfers with each hole having its own unique character.
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