Travel bucket list idea:
Sunningdale Old Course
Sunningdale, Berkshire, United Kingdom (UK)
- https://www.sunningdalegolfclub.co.uk
Above all, Sunningdale is elegant. It is a terrific test of golf, and couldn’t be more beautifully situated, in the Berkshire/Surrey sand-belt, surrounded by glorious pines and sturdy oak trees. The surfaces here are carpet-like and fast.
But it all comes together in its remarkable elegance, which is perhaps best appreciated on the elevated 10th. All around you is the history of the place: it was here that Bobby Jones shot his ‘incredible and indecent’ 66 in 1926 – before going on to win the Open Championship at Lytham by two shots.
Next to it is the ‘New Course’, which is almost as good; play them together and you’ve played the best 36 holes in England.
Logistics
Getting there & doing it
The course is less than a quarter mile from Sunningdale Station, just off the A30. Men need a maximum handicap of 18 (24 for women) to play; handicap certs must be presented in the pro shop. Guests playing before 11.50am get breakfast as part of their tee time; there is a nice halfway house serving food at the 10th.
When to do it
The course is open throughout the year; it’s best played between April and September when the weather is best. Opt for an early-morning tee time to get out ahead of the crowds.
You may also like…
Destination guides
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Greater London, United Kingdom (UK)
Destination guide
LondonWorld-class culture, fashion, music, food and history – and a mind-boggling array of bucket list experiences – packed into one extraordinary, incomparable destination.
Round-ups
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
Inspiration
34 World’s best golf coursesSpectacular landscapes, impeccable fairways and greens, brilliantly-designed holes and plenty of golfing folklore – we asked golf expert and journalist Fionn Davenport to recommend his top 30 golf courses from around the world.