Shanklin & Sandown

Comparable in size to the Scottish island of Arran, the Isle of Wight boasts seven golf courses, just like its counterpart north of Hadrian’s Wall. The best of these is this James Braid-designed 18-hole layout, lying close to the small settlements of Shanklin and Sandown.

Tom Dunn laid out Shanklin & Sandown Golf Club’s original 9-hole course in 1900 but, two years later, James Braid was called in to make changes and add another nine holes. The hole numbers were also re-sequenced as the clubhouse was relocated to another position on the course. Harry Vardon and James Braid then officially opened the new 18-hole course with an exhibition match on 15th May 1903.

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More land became available in 1923, allowing J. F. Abercromby to create three new holes (the present day 14th, 15th and 16th) at the expense of losing one of Dunn’s and two of Braid’s holes and this development was aimed at reducing the number of dangerous crossover holes on the course. Other minor alterations have been made down the years but Braid’s design remains largely in place.

Tumbling over a gently undulating landscape, it’s an old-fashioned parkland course that still features several criss-crossing fairways at holes 1 and 8 then again at holes 4 and 13. The handful of par threes on the card measure between 126 and 220 yards so there’s plenty of variety to be found on the short holes, the best of which is the uphill 5th.

Although the layout is not long by modern standards, expect a challenging start to a round at Shanklin and Sandown as holes 1 and 3 are the longest par fours on the course, each of them playing in excess of 425 yards from the back tees. The most difficult two-shotter, however, is found on the back nine at the downhill 13th which is rated stroke index 1 for good reason.