Executive Traveler February-March 2004
© Dale Leatherman 2004
As I drove through England on a balmy day in late May, I found it hard to concentrate on driving on the "wrong" side of the road because the countryside constantly drew my attention. Meadows and crops in all shades of green covered the hills like patchwork pieces stitched together by tidy hedgerows, with fields of rapeseed adding bright yellow accents. Castle turrets peeked over the tops of trees and every small cottage we passed seemed to be vying in a garden contest.
By the time we reached the Woburn Abbey Estate in Bedfordshire, an hour north of London, I thought nothing could surpass the beauty we had seen. I was wrong. The estate is postcard perfect. A regal great house of dove grey stone fronts on a large lake, surrounded by 3,000 beautifully tended acres where herds of rare deer graze in the shade of massive oaks.
Also on the grounds are three parkland golf courses – the Duke's, Duchess, and Marquess -- that are ranked in the top 75 courses in the British Isles by Golf World. The posh Woburn Golf and Country Club has hosted many championships, including the British Masters.
Woburn Abbey is no longer an abbey. Cistercian monks occupied it from the mid-1100s to 1538, when the abbot was hanged for treason from one of the big oaks. In 1547 Sir John Russell was granted the estate for his services to Henry VIII, and it has been the family home since 1619 – almost 400 years.
The late 14th Duke of Bedford (known for much of his life as Lord Tavistock), brought golf to Woburn in the 1970s. Following the success of the Duke and Duchess courses, the Marquess course (7213 yards, par 72) was added in 2000. Oaks, beech and chestnut trees dominate the Marquess layout, which follows a plateau with superb views of the countryside. It is wider than either of other two tracks, but contains plenty of perils. The greens are large and sculpted, with bunkering often set far enough back to require long, difficult approach shots. . . .
Contact me to read the entire story or to discuss second rights or a rewrite. daleatherman@cs.com