Lee Westwood’s favourite courses

Factfile

Born

1973 - Worksop

Turned Pro

1993

Career Victories

European No1

Twice (2000 & 2009)

Ryder Cup

Seven appearances (Debut 1997)

You have to hand it to Lee Westwood. He’s eschewed the PGA Tour in favour of his ‘domestic’ European version for many years now.

His reward came, ultimately, in the world number one spot, which was recently snatched away again by his countryman Luke Donald. But playing in Europe has not just denied him several million dollars it’s also limited the number of occasions he can play his three favourite courses.

The 38-year-old, from Worksop, headed west when Going for Golf asked him about his three favourite courses. While Americans may treasure the unique experience of St Andrews, Westwood looked in the other direction at three other Major venues.

His Masters heartbreak in 2010, when Phil Mickelson, pipped him to the Green Jacket, has not diminished his affection for Augusta National.

He explained: “The first time I played at Augusta was at the 1997 Masters (where he finished tied 24th). I turned up on the Friday before the tournament! How daft is that? I walked around with my eyes on stalks.

“I’d watched it on TV ever since I was a kid and I was just so desperate to get there. It was an honour to play it. It still is. Every time I see Amen Corner, I still get the same buzz as I did that very first time. Standing on the top of the 11th and looking down the hill and then looking over the creek to the 12th green is still amazing. And you get to see just how much downhill the 10th is and how uphill the 18th is. It’s a course that requires so much patience. You learn that fairly quickly, but if you are stupid sometimes, like me, it takes a while to sink in! Sometimes you just can’t help going at flags, whereas, you know, you need a bit of discipline.”

But the love affair hasn’t always run smooth. He admitted: “I fell out of love with Augusta for a while. But what they have done to the course in the past two years has vindicated what I said. One of the great things about Augusta and the Masters when I was growing up was those back-nine charges and hearing the roars on the 13th and 15th when people made eagles.

“I just thought the course was getting so severe, that we were losing that. The Masters to me isn’t about level par winning; it’s about the beautiful course and those late charges and seeing those long bending putts going in. You know, being able to shoot five or six under and get into contention.”

Westwood’s best finish in a US Open at Pebble Beach was in 2000 when he finished fifth, the same year Tiger Woods demolished the field to win by a record-breaking 15 shots. Yet the ardent Nottingham Forest fan admits the track ranks as the number one in his mind.

“Pebble Beach is probably my favourite golf course in the world,” he smiled. “It’s a bit like St Andrews for Americans with all its history. And the feeling you get there is pretty similar to being at the Old Course. I love standing on the ninth and 10th and looking out across the Pacific Ocean. And when you stand on the tee at the seventh and the 18th, there are no other places that can match that. It’s a unique experience with the beach, and the rocks and the waves – just spectacular.
“Because you’ve watched all those holes and seen the views on TV so much you are familiar with it. I felt like I’d almost played it when I went there for the first time. But to actually stand there and play it for real is incredible; a real privilege.”

Speaking before he tied third in this year’s US Open at the Congressional Country Club, Westwood completed his trio with the Maryland lay-out. He said: “It’s such a fair test. There are no tricks to it. You could almost turn up Thursday for a tournament and just play it because it’s such a good, honest test.

“There’s such a tough start to the back nine with a big shot over water required at the par-three 10th – maybe as much as a four-iron. Then you've got pretty much a 500-yard par-four straight up the hill, with a ditch on the right on the 11th.

“The 18th is a great finishing hole now. It was good as the 17th before but it’s even better now that it’s the 18th. There’s a fairly generous fairway compared to the others. And then obviously all the dangers are there for everybody to see, around the green with the water and the traps on the right. The final hole now asks you to hit a driver in the fairway and then an iron shot rather than everybody starting from the same place when the course finished with a par-three. It tested less of your game under the most intense pressure before when we finished with a par-three.

“To be honest, though, they're all tough holes pretty much. It’s one of my favourite golf courses and probably one of the toughest and best tests if you’re looking for an all-around player.”

It’s clear from speaking to Westwood that he is still very capable of being awestruck by the great courses – a refreshing attitude from somebody who has world number one on his CV.

He smiled: “It’s a long way from when I used to hang out with my mates at Worksop. I don’t get to do that often these days. I still love it there but it’s a bit short for me nowadays…”