Saunton,
nr Braunton, Devon EX33 1LG
Office
+44 (0)1271 812 436Pro shop
+44 (0)1271 812 013Fax
+44 (0)1271 814 241Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Albert MacKenzie (PGA Golf Professional).The Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.
Surroundings:
Coastal duneland.
Designer:
Herbert Fowler
18-hole par-71 West Course (6,403 yards from back tees).
51.116391
-4.207394
8 miles W of Barnstaple
From Barnstaple take the A361 to Braunton, then the B3231 to Saunton. Golf club is on your left heading west out of Saunton.
Saunton (East)
Saunton Golf Club (East course): Saunton's much celebrated East course occupies a wonderfully open and natural area of coastal duneland. This scenic and absorbing out-and-back layout is home to an abundance of excellent links golf holes that thread their way between good-size dunes. Between you and the ocean is a stunning area of even bigger sand hills, which thankfully provide some protection from Atlantic winds that blow in from the southwest.
The East course at Saunton is undoubtedly one of England's national golfing treasures. A classic, unadulterated and challenging links course from first to last. The number of blind drives demanded by the layout is kept to a minimum. Most of the time it's reasonably clear what's required from the nicely elevated tees, simply a matter of executing the shot! The greens are firm and true, as good as any in Britain, and the overall standard of upkeep on both Saunton's courses is usually excellent.
Assuming your objective is to score well, you'll definitely need to hit the fairways on several long par-4s. You'll not get much 'run' on the ball if you mess with the ball-grabbing rough and fine array of bunkering. Alternatively, you may simply want to enjoy the unspoilt naturalness of this glorious coastal gem. In which case a few journeys into the nether world beyond the crisp, undulating fairways should not be an undue worry.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends (after 9:30 am).
Must book in advance. Proof of handicap may be requested.
Credit cards accepted. [Last updated: 2019].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts and/or caddies available if pre-booked.
Good
Saunton was the scene of one of Sergio Garcia's early international wins, coming in the British Boys' Amateur Championship in 1997.
The nearby village of Braunton, is reputedly one of the largest villages in England. It took its name from the Goidel saint, Brannock, who came from South Wales as a missionary and started to convert the native Britons to the christian faith around 550 AD. The township that grew up around Brannock's church was named Brannockstood, which later became Brauntona and at the end of the nineteenth century, Braunton.
2019 Golf World rating: 31st best course in Britain & Ireland; 12th best in England.
Saunton, nr. Braunton, North Devon
+44 (0)1271 890 212
Visit websitePerched high on a cliff with miles of golden sands below, the Saunton Sands Hotel offers 4-star accommodation and wonderful views, stretching along the dramatic coastline and across the fascinating World Heritage Site at Braunton Burrows.
No
Saunton (o.7 mi)
Royal North Devon
Tournaments:
US Women's PGA Championship: located just outside Philadelphia, the famed Donald Ross layout of Aronimink Golf Club hosts the third women’s major championship of 2020 (Oct 8-11).
Scottish Open: first played in 1972, this year’s championship is again played on the Tom Doak-designed Renaissance Club course, which sits alongside mighty Muirfield in East Lothian (Oct 1-4).
Who's Who:
Jim Furyk: in winning the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links, “The Grinder” joined Arnold Palmer and Bruce Fleisher as the only players to win their first two starts on the PGA Tour Champions.
Georgia Hall: recorded her first win in an LPGA Tour event on American soil at this year’s Portland Classic, played at Columbia Edgewater Country Club … on the edge of the Columbia River.
Traigh Golf Course (pronounced "try", and meaning "beach" in Gaelic): You'll find this nine-hole seaside gem on the scenic coast road (as opposed to the more inland and quicker A830) between Arisaig and Morar. Although not on the well-beaten path of Scotland's "trophy" courses, if you are passing through this area, it's a must play.
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Cullen Links Golf Club: "immensely scenic", "quirky as golf can get", "short!", "hugely enjoyable" ... Cullen Links attracts as wide a variety of comments as it lays down golfing challenges. Shoehorned into this 4,600 yard treasure trove are ten par-3s, seven par-4s and a good-length par-5. Here you'll find all the seaside scenery a golfer could ask for, and a lot more besides. Read More...
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