By Rick Young

A good friend in the travel industry is often compelled to tell me, “Great golf, it runs like a river through Glasgow and Shannon (Airports).”  And it does—no question. But here’s what I’ll be telling my friend the next chance I get: Great golf also runs through Heathrow.

London, specifically the home county of Surrey, garners few mentions as one of the world’s finest destinations for teeing off.  That is, until you go. Take your pick: Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. George’s Hill, Wentworth, Woking, Swinley Forest. London golf is off the charts. It’s historical; it’s magical; it’s breathtaking. And it’s framed by one of the world’s great cities.

“This area is a bastion of incredible experiences,” says Ken Macpherson, former head golf professional at the stately Walton Heath Golf Club. “It compares to the sand-belt region of Australia or East Lothian in Scotland. It’s mind-boggling why more people don’t make a point to come here when Surrey is home to courses on many of the ‘top 100 in the world’ lists.”

Sunningdale “Old” and “New”
That begins with Sunningdale “Old” and “New,” designed by Willie Park Jr., and the legendary Harry Colt, respectively, and perhaps the best one–two combination of classic courses at a single club—anywhere.

There is an aura at Sunningdale, a cachet that makes you feel as if you are in the presence of royalty. In some respects, you are. Legendary amateur Bobby Jones shot his famous 66 on Sunningdale “Old” at the 1926 British Open qualifier. Golf aficionados, course designers and historians also consider Colt the game’s most influential architect, past or present.

The two courses are distinct. The Old course, which opened in 1901, meanders through groves of pine, oak and birch trees amid spectacular heathland terrain, framed by beautiful but beguiling heather. Of note is the sheer drama of the magnificent 10th, my favourite par five in the world. Not far behind is the ultra-tough, 226-yard, par-three 15th and the par-four 5th, perhaps the Old course’s very best, and one of England’s most picturesque.

The New course is the perfect complement. This Colt masterpiece opened in 1923, and is one of the sternest golf tests in the UK. It presents numerous challenges, not least of which are acres of heather that serve as the course’s principle protection mechanism. This punitive plant needs to be avoided—at all costs.

Beautifully routed, there is less of an overall “wow” factor when it comes to individual holes on the New course. Collectively, however, one hole after another, it is one of the hardest, and yet most “fun” tests of golf you could ever hope to play.

St George’s Hill
Colt’s history at Sunningdale is well documented, and so is the influence he had throughout London and Great Britain. Surprisingly, though, neither of the Sunningdale courses was Colt’s personal favourite. That distinction belongs to St. George’s Hill, a 27-hole gem that opened for play in 1913. Colt’s “Red,” “Blue” and “Green” nines combine to make St. George’s Hill a certified must-play. The par-three, 180-yard 8th hole alone is worth the greens fee. Even St. George’s Hill’s clubhouse is grand.

“Every single shot, whether from the tee or the fairway, asks a question at St. George’s Hill,” says former club captain Jeremy Lowe in the St. George’s Centenary book. “I have yet to find a club that beats its majesty.”

Walton Heath
There might be one. A short distance away are the 36 holes of Walton Heath, a club with a unique environment and heritage. The late touring pro Seve Ballesteros once said of it: “Walton Heath is nothing less than one of the world’s greatest.”

In something of a mirror image of Sunningdale, Walton Heath consists of an Old and New Course, both designed by architect Herbert Fowler. These courses are the true epitome of inland links. The shot values, feel and routing all capture the essence of seaside golf from start to finish—albeit without the ocean.

Covered in gorse and heather (the purple flowering plant is the club logo), Walton Heath has hosted a number of high-profile championships, including the 1981 Ryder Cup, five European Opens and a Senior Open Championship. Legendary British  professional James Braid, winner of five Open Championship titles, served as club professional for 47 years. Even the membership is tied to a fabled history. Former British Prime Ministers David Lloyd George, Bonar Law, Arthur Balfour and Winston Churchill were all proud Walton Heath members.

The great golf writer Bernard Darwin said of the club, “If there is anything that golfers want and do not get at Walton Heath, I do not know what it can be.” Bad weather might prevent play seven to ten days each year. “Our club policy is like many in the area,” says Walton Heath’s resident historian and ambassador. “The two courses at Walton Heath are never closed because they close themselves. Golf travellers love that. The Walton Heath centenary book is titled Heather and Heaven. How true!”

Like nowhere else
Perhaps this could extend to the entire area, in a general sense. Golf in Surrey, just outside London, is like nowhere else. Come once, and right away you’ll be planning to return post-haste. And rest assured, I’m not the only one who holds that opinion.

“I would say London is probably the greatest city in the world for golf,” says Andrew, a frequent visitor over the years. “That’s just a statement on the quality of the golf. Everybody knows Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St. George’s Hill. From there, you can go to probably 14 or 15 more great courses in the area. The staggering quality of golf throughout the heathlands, through that one particular region of London, is mind-blowing,” says Canadian golf course architect, Ian Andrew, a frequent visitor over the years.

Award-winning golf writer/author Rick Young is one of Canada’s most trusted voices on golf and matters related to the golf industry. A founding member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, Young’s articles have appeared in publications throughout North America.