Bigbury

The village of Bigbury-on-Sea sits on the south coast of Devon, next to where the River Avon spills into the English Channel, and the fairways at Bigbury Golf Club lie less than a couple of miles inland, high up on the clifftops that overlook the coastline.

The club was founded in 1923 when landowner Commander Evans leased a portion of his property to be used as a 9-hole course. Not long after, the venture proved so successful that J.H. Taylor and F. G Hawtree were asked to extend the layout to eighteen holes.

It’s rather appropriate that Taylor co-designed the course as he was born and bred not too far away in Northam, Devon. Even though he won five Open championships, and other titles such as the French and German Open, he never forgot his humble origins and was always eager to promote the game in his home county.

Today, the course extends to 6,011 yards from the back tees, playing to a par of 70, 36 out and 34 back. The back nine measures 440 yards shorter than the front nine, thanks mainly to having only one par five on the inward half stretch of holes. Interestingly, there are three short holes on either nine.