Sunningdale old

The two courses at Sunningdale my well represent the best 36 hole experience in the UK, and it's the old that will steal the show for most people. The experience certainly does not come cheaply but for most, this is a one off experience and for any keen golfer it's one not to miss. We managed to fortunately catch a dry day in the middle of summer and started as the first group on the new before moving to the old after lunch.

The reception was very warm with the starter and staff very willing to help, a courtesy that is not always evident at some of these prestigious clubs. The clubhouse is an old school classic and sipping a pint after the round, looking back onto the famous 18th green was the icing on the cake.

The course begins with a good par 5 that like the rest of the course, demands accuracy an introduces you to some heathery hazards that can easily eat into your score. The 2nd is a decent par 4 but for me the course really began to show its quality on the 3rd which is a great driveable par 4 that requires a carefully thought strategy to avoid a sandy grave.

The 4th is strong uphill par 3 with a huge green that could lead to some lengthy testing putts and the 5th is a great and thought provoking par 4. Not too long but with two well positioned bunkers and a small pond to contend with for the larger hitters.

I think that many great courses offer a sense of isolation and the old at Sunningdale is great in that respect. You could really be going for a walk in the woods, and many people do as there seem to be a number of well worn tracks around. Each hole is also played with a degree of separation and isolation from the next and there are not many areas that you stumble across other players.

Below, the 7th. A great initially blind par 4 that opens up to a well protected green and typifies the scenery of Sunningdale Old.

The 9th to 11th are probably my favourite runs of holes on he course. I'm a sucker for a great short par 4 and 9th is certainly that, at only 250 yards or so, but with 3 or 4 expertly placed bunkers that ensure a greedy drive not hit to perfection is suitably punished and will make for a testing par. The 10th, below is the signature hole and a lovely downhill par 4 that leads to the famous dormie house.

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The Dormie house sits between the 10th greens of both courses and was fully stocked with bacon and sausages on our visit.

The 11th is great wee par 4 or only 240 or so yards from the mens that is shaped with a row of tall trees that encourage a high fade to a small green and continues the run of strong holes. 

The 13th if I remember is maybe the most benign of the holes on the course, a straight forward par three that I managed to hit the pin on... and then contrive to make bogey.

The finishing 3 holes are all par 4s but there are no gimmies on route to the old oak tree. 16 requires a straight tee shot to avoid some cavernous bunkers and long grass and the green is beautifully framed with great symmetrical bunkers extending along the width of the fairway. 17 finally shows the clubhouse in the distance and is very picturesque.

18 finishes the course on a high and although a fairly flat and in theory straightforward hole, it's a great one to end on for the view of that famous oak and the clubhouse. I even managed a par which is an unusual experience for me on the last holes of these great top 100 courses.

All in all, its well worthy of its lofty position and certainly the best inland course I have played so far. to have the new course side by side makes it a 36 hole gem that would take some beating.. Its a truly great experience.