Stonnall Road to Race Course Road: A Caddie's Notes on Two Contrasting Jamega Setups
Two Jamega events, two very different walks. One week you are on the fringes of Birmingham at Druids Heath, the next you are skirting the Surrey pines at Lingfield Park. The scorecard may look similar in length, but the bag feels entirely different on your shoulder. Here are my notes from caddying both setups.
First Look: Stonnall Road versus Race Course Road
Druids Heath greets you with a tight, tree-lined start. The opening holes ask for position, not power, and the prevailing wind seems to switch on every other tee. Lingfield Park, by contrast, opens with more room off the driver, but the approach shots demand a different kind of precision.
The practical difference is immediate: at Druids Heath I am reaching for long irons and hybrids to keep the ball in play; at Lingfield I am often choosing between a soft driver and a strong three-wood to carry the corner.
Clubs That Earn Their Keep
At Druids Heath, the bag leans on a 2-iron or 3-hybrid for stingers under the branches and a 54-degree wedge for the firm, small greens. The course punishes a careless driver, so the big stick stays covered more often than not.
Lingfield Park rewards a higher flight. I keep the 5-wood handy for the long par threes and a 60-degree wedge for the deep bunkers around the raised greens. The putter also gets more work at Lingfield because the surfaces are faster and more contoured.
| Shot | Druids Heath | Lingfield Park |
|---|---|---|
| Tee shot | Long iron or hybrid | Driver or strong three-wood |
| Approach | Low, running shot | High, soft landing |
| Around greens | 54-degree wedge | 60-degree wedge |
Lines and Patience
Druids Heath is a course of corridors. You pick a line off the tee and trust it, because the trees swallow anything careless. Patience is the caddie's main tool here; a bogey saved with a chip-out is often a good hole.
Lingfield Park asks for a braver line over doglegs and a calmer read on the greens. The slopes can send a good putt six feet past, so I remind my player to die the ball at the hole rather than ram it.
"At Druids Heath you fight the trees; at Lingfield you fight the greens."
Bag Setup and Preparation
My pre-round checklist changes between the two. At Druids Heath I check the wind direction on the first three tees and note where the safe miss is. I also confirm the wedge bounce, because the turf can be tight.
- Check wind and pin positions before the first tee.
- Decide the safe miss on every drive.
- Confirm wedge and putter choices for the greens.
At Lingfield Park I spend more time on the practice green, rolling putts to learn the pace. The range work is shorter; the short game area matters more.
Final Notes from the Bag
Neither setup is better, only different. Druids Heath demands discipline and a low ball; Lingfield Park rewards height and a soft touch. A caddie who adjusts the bag and the mind between the two gives the player a real chance.
Pack both patience and a spare hybrid. The Jamega season will ask for both.
