Blackwell is an 18 hole, par 70 course. Both loops of 9 start and end within close proximity to the clubhouse. Despite its modest length of 6,248 yards, Blackwell remains a tough challenge owing to its five par 3 holes with well-guarded and intricate green sites.

The course also benefits from tee grounds close to the previous green site, meaning the course is extremely walkable and affords a swift pace of play.

The impetus for a professionally-compiled ‘Master Plan’ of works at Blackwell developed in 2013, when the immediate task facing the club was the renovation of several bunkers on the course. Many of the bunkers were both poorly maintained and badly shaped, and most lacked the original lace edges that Simpson’s sand traps were famous for. In addition, it was felt that much of the original Simpson Fowler vision for Blackwell had been lost over time due to the narrowing of playing corridors owing to generations of tree growth, and attempts to ‘toughen up’ the course by successive green committees.

In 2013, the club embarked on an ambitious programme work to recapture the Simpson-Fowler emphasis on strategy and visibility: restoring the fairways to their original widths, removing unnecessary trees, and reinstating the aprons and run-off areas which provide excitement and variety around the greens. The progress has been outstanding, and the recent improvement in our position in the respective course rankings is testament to the work of our greenkeeping team who have completed the majority of the work.

Some of the most notable changes in recent years have been the newly completed 11th hole which now plays from a range of different lengths from the tee and includes the reinstatement of several bunkers made famous by Simpson’s original sketches, as well as the widening of the 15th which is a great example of introducing more strategy to the course and improving visibility.

In 2014, Frank Pont and his team at Infinite Variety Golf Design were chosen to produce the Master Plan and oversee the restoration works. Frank has a detailed knowledge of both Tom Simpson’s and Herbert Fowler’s design philosophies, and has overseen similar works at courses such as Hardelot les Pins, Cruden Bay and Utrecht de Pan.

Frank has recently partnered with Australian architect Mike Clayton and American Mike DeVries to form Clayton, DeVries Pont Design.