Much has been written on the qualities of the West Course, but put simply it is the combination of great land, great design and great construction that makes it so special. The timeless strategy of the MacKenzie design is as profound as it is simplistic and based around wide fairways that are playable to the average golfer yet demand those more skilled drive the ball into dangerous corners to get close to the flags. Full of dramatic sandhills and bold contours, the site itself remains one of the finest in golf, its fertile soil and naturally rugged appearance was truly a gift from the golfing gods. Visually, Morcom’s bunkering is spectacular as are his greens, which for decades have consistently provided the purest putting surfaces in the world. Large and beautifully contoured, they are built to accommodate approaches from a number of angles with each progressively more demanding the further the tee shot strays from the perfect line.

Via Planet Golf