Sunningdale Golf Club
Encyclopedia
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 course
s: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the most recent Top 100 Golf Courses of the World poll in 2009., 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.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
club, located approximately 30 miles (45–50 km) to the west of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in Sunningdale
Sunningdale
Sunningdale is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.-Location:Sunningdale is located close to the present border with Surrey, and is not far from Ascot, Sunninghill and Virginia Water. It is situated 24 miles west of London and 7...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Sunningdale Golf Club was founded in 1900 and has two eighteen hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s: the Old Course, designed by Willie Park, Jr., and the New Course, designed by Harry Colt.
Sunningdale has been host to many presigious golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournaments, including the British Masters, Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
, Women's British Open
Women's British Open
The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
and The Senior Open Championship. Since 2004, Europe's International Final Qualifying tournament for The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
has been held over both the Old and New courses at Sunningdale.
History
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 ClubPine Valley Golf Club
Pine Valley Golf Club is a golf course in Pine Valley, Camden County, in southern New Jersey. It was ranked the number one course in Golf Magazines 100 Top Courses in the U.S. and the World in 2009.-History:...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. 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.
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
Colgate European Open
The Colgate European Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1974 to 1979. It was an unofficial event in 1974 and 1975. It was played at the Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England.-Winners:Colgate European Open*1979 Nancy Lopez...
; the 1987 Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
; the 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1992 European Open
European Open (golf)
The European Open was a European Tour golf tournament. Founded in 1978, up to 1994 it was played at various courses in England, including Sunningdale and Walton Heath, except for the 1979 event, which was held at Turnberry in Scotland...
and the 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2008 Women's British Open
Women's British Open
The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
. 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
Senior British Open Championship
The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open is a professional golf tournament for men aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Prize money won in the event is official money on both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
, which was won by Loren Roberts
Loren Roberts
Loren Lloyd Roberts is an American professional golfer.-Early life:Roberts was born in San Luis Obispo, California. He competed for San Luis Obispo Senior High School and Cal Poly-SLO...
.
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
had great fondness for Sunningdale. He scored 66-68 over it during qualifying for the 1926 British Open
British Open
The British Open is the Open Championship men's golf tournament.British Open may also refer to:* Women's British Open of golf* British Open Show Jumping Championships* British Open Squash Championships...
, 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.
The club's first professional was Jack White
Jack White (golfer)
Jack White was a Scottish professional golfer.White was born at Pefferside, four miles east of North Berwick. He was the son of an agricultural labourer and worked as a caddie from the age of ten. Like many early professionals he trained as a clubmaker...
, winner of the 1904 British Open, played at Royal St. George's. Nick Faldo
Nick Faldo
Sir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
has the course record on the Old Course, with a round of 62. Graeme Storm
Graeme Storm
Graeme Raymond Storm is an English professional golfer.Storm was born in Hartlepool. He learnt his trade at Hartlepool Golf Club, where he still holds the course record of 62...
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
Albatross
Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellariids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes . They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific...
on the two opening par-5 holes, was put together by English lady professional Karen Stupples
Karen Stupples
Karen Louise Stupples is an English professional golfer who plays primarily on the U.S. based LPGA Tour and is also a member of the Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:...
, 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.
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
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
magazine in 2009.
In the most recent Top 100 Golf Courses of the World poll in 2009., 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.
Women's British Open
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jiyai Shin | 270 (−18) | |
| 2004 | Karen Stupples Karen Stupples Karen Louise Stupples is an English professional golfer who plays primarily on the U.S. based LPGA Tour and is also a member of the Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:... |
269 (−19) | |
| 2001 | Se Ri Pak Se Ri Pak Pak Se Ri is a South Korean professional golfer, playing on the LPGA Tour. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2007.-Career overview:... |
277 (−11) | |
| 1997 | Karrie Webb Karrie Webb Karrie Ann Webb AM is Australia's most successful female professional golfer, and one of the top players in the history of global women's golf. She currently plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and also turns out once or twice a year on the ALPG Tour in her home country. She is a member of... |
269 (−19) |
Senior British Open Championship
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Loren Roberts Loren Roberts Loren Lloyd Roberts is an American professional golfer.-Early life:Roberts was born in San Luis Obispo, California. He competed for San Luis Obispo Senior High School and Cal Poly-SLO... |
268 (−12) |
British Masters
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Peter Thomson | 274 | |
| 1960 | Jimmy Hitchcock Jimmy Hitchcock (golfer) James Hitchcock is an English professional golfer.Hitchcock was born in Bromley. He won several major professional tournaments including the 1960 British Masters and the 1965 Agfa-Gevaert Tournament... |
275 | |
| 1953 | Harry Bradshaw Harry Bradshaw (golfer) Harry Bradshaw was a leading Irish professional golfer of the 1940s and 1950s.Bradshaw was born in Delgany, Wicklow. He was the son of the Delgany professional golfer Ned Bradshaw and he and his three brothers Jimmy, Eddie and Hughie all became professional golfers... |
272 | |
| 1948 | Norman Von Nida Norman Von Nida Norman Guy Von Nida was an Australian professional golfer.Von Nida was born in Strathfield and grew up in Brisbane. He turned professional in 1933, after attracting attention by winning the Queensland Amateur aged just 18... |
272 |
- Bolded years signify major championship