The Berkshire (Red Course)

The Berkshire Golf Club is one of the great private golf clubs of England, and the Red Course is a central reason why. Herbert Fowler's design philosophy emphasised working with the natural ground rather than imposing structure upon it, and at The Berkshire he had exceptional raw material to work with. The mature heathland estate, with its sandy soil, established pine and birch canopy, and carpets of heather, provided the ideal canvas for a course that feels as though it has always been there.

The symmetrical structure of the Red Course, three par 3s and three par 5s on each nine, is unusual in modern course design but entirely characteristic of the classical English heathland tradition. It produces a round of genuine variety: long, demanding par 4s alternate with short, precise par 3s, and the three par 5s offer genuine birdie opportunities that keep the scorecard interesting throughout. The greens are consistently well-paced and subtly contoured, rewarding approach play that finds the correct section rather than simply the putting surface.

The proximity of the Red and Blue Course on the same estate is one of The Berkshire's great advantages. Few golf clubs in England can offer two genuinely outstanding 18-hole layouts on the same property, and the opportunity to play both over a visit to the Ascot area is among the more appealing two-round itineraries available anywhere in English golf. The surrounding heathland, part of the same sandy belt that stretches from Sunningdale through Swinley Forest and south toward Camberley, provides a setting of consistent quality throughout.