Saunton (East Course)

Devon is not a county most golfers think of first when planning a links trip, and that is precisely what makes Saunton such a rewarding discovery. The East Course occupies a sweeping stretch of Braunton Burrows, a dune system so expansive and wild that it feels far removed from the manicured parkland that dominates golf in the south of England. Herbert Fowler's 1919 redesign made the most of this extraordinary natural canvas, routing the course through ridges and valleys of marram-covered sand that create a succession of memorable holes demanding both precision and course management.

The conditioning at Saunton tends to be firm and fast, particularly in summer, which rewards the low, running game that links golf demands. Several holes play along elevated ridges offering views across the Taw and Torridge estuary and out to the Atlantic, adding a grandeur to proceedings that belies the course's relative anonymity outside serious golfing circles. The wind, which rarely drops entirely in this corner of Devon, is the ultimate arbiter of a score here: a comfortable front nine can be transformed into something considerably more demanding when the breeze shifts direction.

Saunton's place in English golf is secure even if its reputation lags behind northern counterparts like Royal Birkdale or Sandwich. For golfers based in the south-west, or those willing to travel, it offers something genuinely rare: a links of national championship standard set in a landscape of outstanding natural interest. The West Course, operated by the same club, provides a complementary and slightly less severe option on the same ground, making Saunton a destination well worth a two-day visit.