Sunningdale ranks as one of the premier clubs of England and it has never stooped to tricking up the course for major competition. It is difficult enough in all conscience and also hauntingly beautiful. There are few more exhilarating sights than the view from the high 10th tee across an inviting valley, with the fairway rising to the wooded horizon. Behind the green, discreetly camouflaged but never out of mind, even if out of sight, is the halfway house where the grateful golfer can refresh the inner man. If there is one hole in England which fantasists would like to take them into banishment on a desert island it must be the tenth at Sunningdale.

Bobby Jones wished that he could take the entire course back with him to America. He did in fact take back cherished memories of Sunningdale and incorporated many of them in Augusta National. His enchantment was enhanced by his experience in the Open championship qualifying round of 1926. He played what has often been described (mistakenly) as the perfect round of golf, 33 shots and 33 putts for a highly satisfying 66. There have been many other notable rounds on the Old, a devastating 63 by Norman von Nida to clinch the Dunlop Masters and later a 64 by Gary Player to set the young South African off on his illustrious career. Sunningdale did not regard these scores as affronts but accepted them as confirmation of the rare skills of the golfers.

Within the club there is a faction which holds that the New Course, designed by Harry Colt and added in the twenties, is the superior course. This is by no means an eccentric view, for the New, with its combination of richly wooded and open heath land holes, is also superb in its own way. It is different but hardly inferior to its famous companion and the Sunningdale club is indeed doubly blessed in the quality and variety of its golf.

Factfinder

Sunningdale Golf Club was founded on 12th March 1900 when a Founders’ Committee under the direction of the Club’s Founders, Tom and George Roberts, met in the Café Monico in London. It was agreed to impose an annual subscription of 5 guineas and admit “200 gentlemen as original members”.

Willie Park Jnr., son of Open Champion Willie Park was given £3,000 to design and create a course of exemplary character.

The Club’s first professional was Jack White of East Lothian, who won the Open Championship in 1904 at Royal St. Georges, Sandwich. He was a nephew of Ben Sayers.

Harry S. Colt was employed as the Club’s first Secretary at an annual salary of £150.

The Club took out an insurance to protect the clubhouse premises “from retribution by Suffragettes”. In 1903 the Club staged the first professional matchplay championship sponsored by the News of the World. It was won by James Braid.

Harry Colt designed the New Course in 1922.

Major Championships have been staged in every decade of Sunningdale’s history and its Champions include James Braid, Harry Varden, Bobby Jones, Max Faulkner, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Bob Charles, Gary Player, ian Woosnam, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer.

Lady winners include Joyce Wethered, Judy Rankin, Nancy Lopez, Si Re Pak Annika Sorenstam and Karen Stupples.