Wentworth Club

Infobox Golf Facility
golf_facility_name = Wentworth Club


imagesize = 100px
caption =
location = Virginia Water, Surrey flagicon|ENG
establishment = 1926
type = Private
owner = Richard Caring
operator =
holes = 63
tournaments = BMW PGA Championship, HSBC World Match Play Championship, Wentworth Senior Masters
website = [http://www.wentworthclub.com/ www.wentworthclub.com]
course1 = West Course
designer1 = H.S. Colt
par1 = 72
length1 = 7,308
record1 = 63, Wayne Riley
course2 = East Course
designer2 = H.S. Colt
par2 = 68
length2 = 6,201
record2 = 62, Doug N Sewell
course3 = Edinburgh Course
designer3 = John Jacobs
par3 = 72
length3 = 7,004
record3 = 67, Gary Orr
course4 = Executive Course (9 Holes)
par4 = 27
length4 = 1,902

Wentworth Club is a privately owned golf club and health resort in Virginia Water, Surrey on the south western fringes of London, not far from Windsor Castle. The club was founded in 1926.

History

The 19th century house the "Wentworths" (now the club house for the club) was the home for the brother-in-law of the Duke of Wellington. It was purchased in 1850 by exiled Spanish count Ramon Cabrera, who after his death his wife bought up the surrounding lands to form what was to become the heart of the Wentworth Estate. [ [http://www.archivesnetworkwales.info/cgi-bin/anw/fulldesc_nofr?inst_id=38&coll_id=3174&expand= Archives Network Wales - The de Morella Collection ] ]

In 1912, builder W.G. Tarrant had started developing St George's Hill, Weybridge - a development of houses based on minimum one acre plots based around a golf course. In 1922 Tarrant acquired the development rights for the Wentworth Estate, getting H.S. Colt to develop a golf course around "Wentworth" house. Tarrant developed the large houses on the estate to a similar Surrey formula used at St George's Hill. Development of Wentworth Estate ground to a halt due to the Great Depression in the late 1920s. In 1931 when the banks asked for repayment of a large debenture, Tarrant was forced to declare bankruptcy. The ownership of the land passed to Wentworth Estates Ltd, which came under the control of Sir Lindsay Parkinson & Co Ltd. [ [http://www.achome.co.uk/biographies/wgtarrant.htm Books, Research and Information - Arts & Crafts Home ] ]

Today

Wentworth Club is best known for its associations with professional golf. It has three eighteen hole courses: the famous H.S. Colt-designed West Course from 1926, the earlier yet lesser played East Course which was also designed by H.S. Colt in 1924, the recent Edinburgh Course designed by John Jacobs, and a nine hole par-3 Executive Course. The visitor's green fee for the West Course for Summer 2008 is £285. A few years earlier, when it was £210, it was the highest in Europe according to the British Golf Industry Association.

The headquarters of the PGA European Tour are located at the club, and each year it hosts the Tour's BMW PGA Championship and HSBC World Match Play Championship. It was the venue of the 1953 Ryder Cup.

The club is surrounded by and entwined with the Wentworth Estate, one of the most expensive private estates in the London suburbs, which was built at the same time, where many top golfers and other celebrities have homes. One of them is Ernie Els, who became the club's "world-wide touring professional" in 2005. Over the winter of 2005-06 Els, who is developing a golf course design practice, made alterations to the West Course, lengthening it by convert|310|yd and adding 30 bunkers. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4740906.stm BBC SPORT | Golf | Golfing gossip ] ]

Wentworth also boasts a Tennis & Health Club. The Wentworth Tennis and Health Club consists of a gymnasium, dance studio, health spa, ozone swimming pool and jacuzzi, crèche facilities, changing rooms, and a café. The extensive facility was completed in 1997 for £9 million by Architects Broadway Malyan [http://www.tbanda.co.uk/portfolio_leisure_7.htm] .

In 2004 the club was purchased by fashion industry entrepreneur Richard Caring for £130 million.

Golf Courses

West Course

*Opened: 1926
*Architect: H.S. Colt (modernised/refined in 2005 & 2007 by Ernie Els)
*Par: 72
*Length: convert|7308|yd
*Course Record: 63, Wayne Riley
*Key tournaments: HSBC World Match Play Championship, 1964 – present: BMW PGA Championship, 1984 – present: Ryder Cup, 1953: World Cup 1956"West Course Scorecard"

Executive Course (9 Holes)

*Par: 27
*Length: convert|1902|yd

References

External links

* [http://www.wentworthclub.com/index.asp Official site]