Sunningdale (New Course)

Sunningdale is one of the most revered names in English golf, and for much of that reputation the Old Course deservedly takes the credit. But the New Course, designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1923, is a work of comparable genius that has perhaps been slightly overshadowed by its older neighbour. Colt, whose design portfolio includes some of the greatest courses in the British Isles, used the same heathland estate to create a layout that is longer, more varied and, in the opinion of many serious golfers, more strategically interesting than the Old. The setting is identical: pine, silver birch, heather and oak framing every hole, with the sandy subsoil providing the fast, true surfaces that heathland courses do better than any other inland terrain.

The New Course demands accurate driving. The heather that borders the fairways is penal, and Colt's bunkering is strategic without being punitive: the hazards are positioned to reward the correct angle of approach and to punish the line that looks straightforward. Several of the par fours require precise placement from the tee to open up the green, and the course builds in difficulty through the middle section before a demanding finish. Regularly used for European Tour qualifying, the course has been tested by elite professionals and holds up to close scrutiny at every level.

What makes a round at Sunningdale's New Course particularly special is the context: sharing a clubhouse and estate with the Old, the two layouts together represent an extraordinary concentration of heathland golf. Golfers who arrange access to both in a single day are treated to a complete study in the art of heathland design. The proximity to London makes Sunningdale one of the most accessible top-25 courses in the country for golfers travelling from the south-east.