Taken together, the New and Old courses at Sunningdale Golf Club represent the finest 36 holes of golf in the whole of the British Isles.


























Sunningdale Golf Club (New)
Taken together, the New and Old courses at Sunningdale Golf Club represent the finest 36 holes of golf in the whole of the British Isles.


























5.5
The younger brother to its lauded neighbour, the new course at Sunningdale Golf Club divides opinion on which is the better of the two. It appears very comfortable in fighting it's corner, giving the doubter more than enough to second guess their view.
The then club secretary, and now critically acclaimed course architect and designer, Harry Colt was first tasked to re model some of the old course. He then went on to develop a whole new routing on the site. A task made possible by two huge historical events. The end of the First World War and the invention of the motor car.
With a rise in membership, and transportation methods drastically improving, the demand for golf at Sunningdale had never been higher. At this time Harry Colt was not to know, but this was the birth of one of the greatest 36 hole venues in World golf.
A regular feature to any Harry Colt course is a hand shake start. A chance for golfers to clear the way for the golfers behind them, and a chance for you to find your swing. The first four holes consist of a wide open par 4, and par three and two modestly distanced par 4. The course comes alive on the 5th.
If a ravine or depression featured in a landscape, Harry Colt found it hard to not have a dramatic par 3 shot over it. The 5th is this in a nut shell. Playing over a pit of Surrey sand belt and heather, with a gaping bunker etched into the face of the up slope to the green, you would think all the problems are short. Incorrect.
You have steep run offs to the left, zero future in long and contoured grounds all funneling the green side bunkers to the right hand side. Par is only made here if you hit the green. Not only are you walking off one of the greatest par 3's on the property, you are also venturing into some remarkable golf holes.
The New finds itself on a piece of land that is much more dramatic then the Old Course. The land movement and elevation changes roll towards you like a sea swell. Standing on the back tee of the 6th, you have a great view point over the next hole and its surrounding areas.
I like to think that in creating this course, Harry Colt realised it's main defence would be the land itself, and all he had to do was carve 18 holes out of the pine and heather ridden landscape. Most attention to strategic detail comes at the green sites.
Each green site has the softening ability to look so inviting, that it takes away the focus on the risks at hand for each approach shot. Elevated greens, heavily guarded with bunkers and tight lie run offs are omnipresent.
I find it hard to choose a favorite hole, and I think I will always settle on the 5th, but there are very few weak holes. The Old gets criticised for having some short par 4's, the New eradicated any of that doubt and created a brute of a course that must have been a tough test back in 1926 let alone in today's game.
It's a debate I will always be happy listening too, and wading in when I can. But let me say this, The New course at Sunningdale is magnificent, difficult and fun all at the same time, the Old is just better.
Harry Colt is the master and we are very fortunate to be able to walk through his gallery when ever we want to grasp the opportunity.
Thank you for reading.


Overall rating
5.5
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Overall rating
5.5