T he Hotchkin course at The National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa is renowned for being one of the best golf courses in the world, with much of the credit going to the re-design by legendary course designer Tom Doak between 2016 and 2020.
GOLF COURSES
Woodhall Spa Locks in Doak Design for Long Term
T he Hotchkin course at The National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa is renowned for being one of the best golf courses in the world, with much of the credit going to the re-design by legendary course designer Tom Doak between 2016 and 2020.
With the focus on returning the Hotchkin to its authentic heathland roots, Doak added 43 bunkers alongside a huge tree clearance programme and the re-building of three greens, but while the new layout quickly gained accolades some of the maintenance challenges, particularly around the bunkers, became difficult to address.
“ From my first day 3 years ago, stone ingress into the bunkers and the erosion of hazard walls and the surrounds were clear priorities for the course,” commented Peter Moore, Courses Director at Woodhall Spa.“ The playability and the aesthetics of the bunkers were falling so we needed a solution that protected Doak’ s design for the long-term while preventing all the erosion factors that were causing us real issues.”
To add an extra layer of complication, Woodhall Spa is a site of special scientific interest, so every plan had to be made with Natural England approval, including considerations for the sustainability of materials and the use of construction techniques that are sympathetic to the natural environment.
“ I completed an assessment of the 143 bunkers on site and made a presentation to the board. A huge amount of work went into prioritising action, so once approved, we knew exactly what we needed from a partner,” continued Moore.“ Not only did we need someone who could meet all of the various technical and environmental criteria, we needed a problem solving partner with a range of solutions that could combine across various challenges. That’ s when we contacted EcoBunker.”
Following an initial meeting, EcoBunker CEO Richard Allen, used his vast experience in bunker construction, golf course design and engineering to design a bespoke solution for the unique‘ problem’ at the Hotchkin.
“ This has been such an incredible project to work on because it has really tested our technical expertise and product innovations,” commented Richard.“ I love a problem to solve and my background in civil engineering was certainly useful for this one. To work so closely with Peter and course design consultant Clyde Johnson, who worked with Tom Doak on the original design, has been such
58 GroundskeepingJournal. co. uk | November / December 2026