THE new South Course at the 1979 they sent Richard Doyle sion on the 240 acre south site Wentworth Club, which is now Davidson, then the club's these were for a golf centre, under construction, is proba- secretary on a visit to the USA housing, as well as a bly the best researched and as a marketing exercise. A golf course. These plans had most professional golf course report was prepared as to what failed, with the local project ever to be undertaken was needed to improve Went- authority turning them down in the British Isles. worth, but no commitment flat, on the grounds that the Far from being an 'overspill' was made by the owners. In site was in the greenbelt and course for existing East and 1980 a parcel of land also formed a local amenity West Courses, the South adjoining the courses came on for walkers and riders. course concept is that it will to the market and as a result AMEC having considered become even more famous 240 acres of mainly woodland their study as to the options than the notorious Burma were purchased from the on Wentworth's future came to Road and will stage major Greyhound Racing Associa- the conclusion that an PGA European Tour events tion to protect the club and additional golf course was veiy quickly. estate's boundaries. In 1984 required to alleviate pressure The man who has mastermin- Faircloughs amalgamated on the existing two, that ded the South Course project with another large company members of the club required is the club's managing direc- in the building industry. better facilities both on and tor Richard Doyle Davidson. William Press, and formed off the course where they were In his planning he has AMEC pic. Wentworth Club tired of competing with enjoyed one major advantage Ltd. then became one of forty visiting societies, and that as in that Wentworth is a two subsidiary companies golf in the UK is a seven proprietary club, run on within the group. month business, from May- business principles and as The new owners commis- October, additional facilities such decision-taking is not sioned a study on Wentworth's would have to be offered by burdened by the committee future and came to the way of a leisure centre to process. conclustion that there were ensure year-round income. To set the scene for the South three options open to them. The company forecast a Course development it is 1. To do nothing - in which return of the capital employed necessary to trace some of case club, course and owners over a 6-7 year period. Wentworth's history. The suffered. However the track record was Clubhouse and golf courses 2. Sell - perhaps to another not good, the site for the golf were for many years owned by company more usually course was in the greenbelt, Sir Lindsay Parkinson, associated with the leisure residents of the estate did not construction and mining industry. want additional traffic, the engineer and when this 3. Do something to upgrade club members were not happy business was acquired by existing facilities and to and all manner of local Fairclough Construction Ltd expand in order to increase conservation groups were in 1974 the club and its revenues and produce a against the project as they courses changed hands. For greater return. wished the Great Wood as the some years the company Previously there had been two site was known to remain appeared unsure as to what to attempts by different develo- untouched. do with Wentworth, but in pers to gain planning permis- Despite these apparent The drive at the South Course's 16th with the centre tree remaining insurmountable odds Richard western part of the Great Wood design will ensure that the Doyle Davidson set about and the beechwood area of majority of the biological assembling a highly profes- Knowle HilL value of these areas is sional team to win over the The alder and birch can- unlikely to be diminished by objectors. His plans were not woodland and the western the construction of an only thorough but can be re- edge of the Great Wood is of adjacent golf course " The garded as a blueprint for any high scientific value and is conclusions also covered the club considering extending the only part of the site retention of certain specimen their course in these known to have been wooded trees on the site, that the ecologically sensitive days. for longer than 150 years. The biological balue of the East A survey of the site was beechwood of Knowle Hill, course was high as it supports commissioned and from this although planted, is also of heathland, woodland and the chosen golf course considerable biological impor- grassland, and that the architect, John Jacobs, with tance. The complete retention proposed South course would consultants Gary Player and of these areas within a Bernard Gallacher, made sympathetic golf course » their plans. Obviously most of the objectors felt that a golf course, by removing trees and introducing cultivation, would damage the local flora and fauna. Richard Doyle Davidson approached Dr. David Parker of Liverpool University's Environmental Advisory Unit to produce a report on the affect that a new course would have on the environment. The report, it must be stressed, could have gone either way, as Dr. Parker was totally impartial. In his final report, a most comprehensive study, Dr. Parker concluded "Although the Great Wood to Knowle Hill woodland has biological values, as have all woodlands, the study has shown that only two areas are of sufficient scientific interest to merit their complete conservation within the proposed development These are the Heathland on the 9th hole some 30 interested groups and the golf in conjunction with « it contributed greatly to the the architects and Dr. Arthur be similar and would allow a ultimate success, a profes- Linley of the Surrey Wildlife wide diversity of plants and sional tool for a professional Trust, Mr. Doyle Davidson animals to flourish. Finally approach. presented this to the it was proposed that the EAU The majority of the objectors, management committee who should continue to be having seen the evidence and endorsed the scheme. The involved with the golf course received the company's presen- Runnymede planning auth- design in order to ensure that tation of the facts, withdrew. orities also aproved both the most ecologically sympa- The planning committee of management plan and thetic proposals would be Runnymede Borough Council planning application. achieved. Now armed with an agreed to the plan with one The route of the course was independent report suggesting caveat, that an ecological then marked out with tape that the proposed golf course management committee be and scrub cleared to a width of could only do good, Mr Doyle formed to produce a ten year 50 yards. The trees that were Davidson appointed a planing management plan for the site. to remain in these 'playing consultant, someone who was This committee compri-sing areas' were marked and the fully acquainted with local representatives from the tree clearance programme planning authorities and regu- Borough Council, Wentworth started in the autumn of 1987. lations to guide the company's residents association, the The site is now ready for the application through the EAU of Liverpool University, golf course constructors, Golf various planning committees. the Surrey Wildlife Trust, the Landscapes, to move in and Next came a video. Amongst golf course architects and the start shaping and building. the Wentworth members was a Wentworth Club Ltd. with Details of the design and PR director of a large Richard Doyle Davidson construction will form the advertising agency who, appointed chairman. Having basis of the next article in this together with a number of his drawn up a routing plan for series. colleagues, produced a video making the case for the proposed new course. On the video Chris Denham, B.B.C. S.W. presenter, interviewed Renton Laidlaw the golf correspondent of the London Evening Standard who pointed out the need for additional golfing facilities; John Jacobs who confirmed that his design would enhance the area; Dr. Parker who also confirmed that the affect on the flora and fauna would be beneficial, and Richard Doyle Davidson who calmed the fears of the estate residents and members. The video presentation was made to De-rooting fairways

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