The Old Course at Burhill is a good parkland layout with a smattering of Surrey heather that provides an enjoyable challenge to all standards of golfer.

It is a number of years since I last played here in a centenary event in 2007 when the course was set up to replicate golf as it was played at the beginning of the 20th Century. The New Course had just been added to this splendid estate owned by the Guinness family with a magnificent Georgian manor in its midst. This today is the luxurious clubhouse.

There is a peaceful ambience about the Old Course despite being very close to some major roads, and the course is a sublime test of parkland golf. Bunkering is a strong feature and when we played during a very dry spring, the course was in good shape. 

Three longer par fours from 7 to 9 are the best of the front nine, starting with a sharp uphill dogleg left on the Stroke Index 1 hole at 7. The second shot here is to a sunken green which slopes sharply from top to bottom. 8 requires a good drive before a long approach shot that has to be supremely accurate to find the pin on a green surrounded by bunkers. Meanwhile at 9 the premium is on a straight drive to avoid heavy bunkering on the right.

The back nine is more interesting, with a beautiful drive from a raised tee at 11 followed by a gorgeous short par 4 at 12 to another sunken green. The closing stretch includes 3 long par fours and one par five and on the day we played two were into a strong breeze whereas the other two were nicely wind-assisted. 17 and 18 which were into the wind make for a tough finish.

Burhill’s Old Course provides a pleasing round, even if it doesn’t have the wow of other nearby and more well-known courses in the golfers’ paradise that is Surrey.