Saunton Golf Club

Saunton Golf Club is home to two of the best rated courses in Devon, rated one and three, and there’s no disappointment playing either. The East Course No.1 in Devon is as high as 13th in England, designed by Herbert Fowler, who crafted this master piece weaving great links golf, through towering dunes, giving stunning views over the north Devon coast. Similarly the West Course, No.3 in the county, is hardly a step down from the East, towering dunes still bring fear to all golfers, similar spectacular views, and similar pristine condition. It must be said for 36 holes of Links Golf, there may not be much better in the whole country. Obviously the set up of two magnificent links courses, it has attracted many amateur tournaments, such as The British Boys Championship, which in 1997 was won by Sergio Garcia at this venue. 

Accuracy is essential otherwise you will be climbing and searching the many sand banks. A brilliantly designed links with a wide variety of holes. Can be fairly benign on a calm day but with a touch of wind a real challenge. Perfect springy seaside turf, wildlife all around, and a collection of classy long par 4s.

A shining star of the classy collection of Atlantic Links courses and arguably the best links venue in the south west. Indeed six-times major winner Sir Nick Faldo once declared: “I have no doubt that if the East Course were located on the coast of Lancashire or Kent, it would have hosted an Open by now.” Faldo has a point: the East is Saunton’s main attraction is both good and challenging enough to examine the best players so you had better turn up with your A game, specially if the wind is blowing.

While the newer West course - it opened in 1974 -  the higher and more spectacularly rugged duneland towards the sea, the century old East has always been the Championship layout and serves up one treat after another. None more so than at the stroke index one 4th which demands your Sunday best drive to a fairway that narrows into a neck protected by four pot traps.

Saunton Golf Club has to be one of the biggest accumulations of linksland anywhere in the world with enough dunes to build 15 golf courses let alone two. Don't play the star-studded East without a warm-up because you start with a devilish 472-yard par-4 and things don't get much easier after that, with two more long par-4s in the next three holes.

Saunton Golf Club was formed in May 1897 and was originally a nine-hole golf course but was extended to 12 holes by 1906 and to 18 holes in 1908. A clubhouse was built in 1907 at a cost of £1,000 and can still be seen as a private house to the right of the East Course's 16th fairway. 

In 1923 an exhibition match was arranged between Harry Vardon (who had won the Open six times and the US Open) and J.H.Taylor (five times Open Champion). Then in 1929 another exhibition match was arranged to celebrate the opening of a new Clubhouse, which the club uses today. It was between J.H.Taylor, James Braid and the up and-coming Henry Cotton! Saunton has another cracking links layout on its hands in the form of the 18 hole 6,403 yards par 71 West Golf Course.