| Sunningdale GC clubhouse | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sunningdale, Berkshire |
| Established | 1900 |
| Type | Private |
| Total holes | 36 |
| Tournaments hosted | Sunningdale Foursomes; The Open Championship International Final Qualifying (Europe) |
| Website | sunningdale-golfclub.co.uk |
| Old Course | |
| Designed by | Willie Park, Jr. |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,627 yards |
| Course Record | 62, Nick Faldo |
| New Course | |
| Designed by | Harry Colt |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,729 yards |
| Course Record | 62, Graeme Storm |
Sunningdale Golf Club is a golf club, located approximately 30 miles (45–50 km) to the west of London, in Sunningdale, Berkshire, England.
Sunningdale Golf Club was founded in 1900 and has two eighteen hole golf courses: the Old Course, designed by Willie Park, Jr., and the New Course, designed by Harry Colt.
Sunningdale has been host to many presigious golf tournaments, including the British Masters, Walker Cup, Women's British Open and The Senior Open Championship. Since 2004, Europe's International Final Qualifying tournament for The Open Championship has been held over both the Old and New courses at Sunningdale.
Contents |
Sunningdale Golf Club was founded in 1900 on Chobham Common, on land owned by St. John's College, Cambridge. Its first Secretary was Harry Colt, who went on to design golf courses of international renown, such as the New Course at Sunningdale, and Swinley Forest. Colt was highly influential in the creation of the world's #1 golf course, Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey. The original 18-hole course, set in a heathland area, with sandy subsoil amid mixed treed foliage, was designed by Willie Park, Jr., and was ready for play in 1901. It was also among the first successful courses located away from the seaside, as many people had thought at the time that turf would not grow well in such regions.[1]
From the start, Sunningdale was well regarded, and has hosted many important events. Examples include News of the World Match Play in 1903, 1907, 1912, and 1922; several stagings of the British Masters in the 1940s and 1950s; the 1974-79 Colgate European Open; the 1987 Walker Cup; the 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1992 European Open and the 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2008 Women's British Open. The Open Championship, International Final Qualifying has been held annually over the Old and New Courses since 2004. It was also the venue of the 2009 Senior British Open Championship, which was won by Loren Roberts.
Bobby Jones had great fondness for Sunningdale. He scored 66-68 over it during qualifying for the 1926 British Open, with the 66 consisting of 33 full strokes and 33 putts, with every hole played in either 3 or 4; this has sometimes been described as the perfect round of golf. Jones said afterwards: "I wish I could take this course home with me." The original course is now called the Old Course, with the club having opened the New Course in 1923; it is also excellent and was designed by Harry Colt.[2]
The club's first professional was Jack White, winner of the 1904 British Open, played at Royal St. George's. Nick Faldo has the course record on the Old Course, with a round of 62. Graeme Storm holds the course record on the New Course, a 62 recorded during the Open Championship, International Final Qualifying, Europe, 2009.
A spectacular opening burst of scoring, with an eagle followed by an albatross on the two opening par-5 holes, was put together by English lady professional Karen Stupples, on her way to a final round of 64 and a win in the 2004 Women's British Open at Sunningdale (Old). This score of five under par after only two holes is believed to be a world record at any level of competition.[3]
Sunningdale's Old Course was ranked #33 in the world rankings by GOLF magazine, and #10 among courses outside the United States by Golf Digest magazine in 2009.[4]
In the most recent Top 100 Golf Courses of the World poll in 2009.[5], Sunningdale Old Course was ranked #2 in England, #10 in the UK and #19 in the world.
Sunningdale New Course was ranked #19 in the UK by Golf Monthly magazine in 2008.
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jiyai Shin | South Korea | 270 (−18) |
| 2004 | Karen Stupples | England | 269 (−19) |
| 2001 | Se Ri Pak | South Korea | 277 (−11) |
| 1997 | Karrie Webb | Australia | 269 (−19) |
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Loren Roberts | United States | 268 (−12) |
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Peter Thomson | Australia | 274 |
| 1960 | Jimmy Hitchcock | England | 275 |
| 1953 | Harry Bradshaw | Ireland | 272 |
| 1948 | Norman Von Nida | Australia | 272 |