Sunningdale Golf Club, Old Course

Sunningdale’s Old Course occupies a remarkable stretch of Surrey heathland, where undulating sandy ground is threaded through heather, gorse and mature pine. Opened in 1901, the course was designed by Willie Park Jr., whose work demonstrated that an inland course could possess the same strategic interest and natural character as the great links of the coast. Harry Colt, who became Sunningdale’s first Secretary, subsequently made a number of thoughtful alterations, including changes to the 4th, 7th and 12th greens.

The Old Course is defined by the way Park uses the natural contours of the heath rather than imposing a rigid layout upon them. Broad, undulating greens, diagonal hazards, heather banks and cross bunkers create a constant series of questions from the tee, while the sandy ground allows the ball to run and gather pace in typically unpredictable fashion. Despite its age, the course remains remarkably relevant, with the routing and natural setting doing much of the work rather than length or manufactured hazards. The combination of heather, pine and superb green complexes gives the Old Course an almost timeless quality, and it remains one of the great examples of inland golf architecture.