In "Kill Bill Volume 2" Michael Madsen's character says you shouldn't compare Hattori Hanzo swords to each other but to any other sword not made by Hattori Hanzo-I think that this logic applies to Harry S. Colt courses.

Inevitably, you will compare the Old and New courses at Sunningdale to each other. I think that those who favor the New course would be lower handicappers and hit the ball quite far. To me, it just didn't have the same charm as the Old Course (which is no pushover challenge-wise). Still there are some great golf holes here and, if you are coming to the Surrey Sandbelt, then definitely find a day where you can play both. I just found the Old to be a step above the New. The Old should be top 50 world to me while the new should be somewhere in bottom half of the top 100. Sunningdale has certainly earned it's place as one of the best, if not the best, 36 hole complexes on Earth.

The routing is an out/back but the 10th green is the farthest you get from the clubhouse. Also, holes 6-8 form their own loop before returning to finish from 9 onwards. Holes 6-10 were reconfigured/located twice since the original Colt-first by Simpson then by Morrison-a part of Colt's firm. These holes are part of a very strong middle of the course. The loop is a figure 8 in nature. Colt was a master at routing courses so you do get to go in every direction on the compass here.

My friends tell me that this course normally plays quite Firm/Fast. I was there in a very rainy season so it was not fiery at all. The holes are quite strategic but the approaches are more testing than on the Old. Many of the greens have false fronts and multiple tiers. The bunkers also seem to be deeper on this course than on the Old.

Holes of Note (not really any bad ones here but these are the highlights and previous reviewers have covered all the holes here):

Colt started his courses/routings by finding greens for par 3s. This set doesn't disappoint. The two best are as good as anything Colt has built. The 10th is downhill to a green guarded by bunkers on all sides and a false front that is the first part of the green. You must carry it on to stay on. With the elevation change and a cross wind, that is far easier said than done. The all world 5th is a classic and might be the best par 3 at Sunningdale period. Your tee shot is over a valley of heather and front bunker to a narrow green. The green is two tier and rises from front to back. Miss to the side and recovery from bunkers or a, most likely, mediocre to bad lie, is difficult.

The 6th hole might be the best par 5 at Sunningdale (and one of the best on Earth for that matter). The tee shot should favor the right side if you have any hope of getting there in two. If you end up on the left side, then you are playing a three shotter and trying to figure out how much of the dog to cut off on your second. The second part is a dog leg right with a fairway that tilts left to right. Figuring out how much to cut off and still be on the left side or center of the fairway is key as the green is more open from that side. The green is quite an achievement as it has a massive hill in the middle separating the two tiers. Hitting the correct tier is imperative for a one or two putt.