Saunton Golf Club (West)

Overview: Saunton West is an 18-hole links course in the dunes of Braunton Burrows in North Devon. The current profile is par 71 and 6,596 yards, and the course asks for clever placement from the tee before the approach to its demanding green complexes. The club says the West has the general characteristics of Saunton's East Course but its own distinctions and no weak hole. Raised and contoured greens, dune ground and the need to choose the correct running line make the approach game central to the round. The course can look generous across the open land, yet a poor angle leaves a difficult recovery or a demanding shot into the green. Its links character is playful but not casual: the best score comes from using the contours, controlling flight in the wind and committing to the line that allows the ball to run safely onto the putting surface.

History: Saunton Golf Club was formed in 1897, beginning with nine holes before expanding to 12 in 1906 and 18 in 1908. In 1935 the club asked Herbert Fowler to create a second course, now known as the West. The Second World War interrupted the project and the courses and clubhouse were occupied by the military until 1951, with the dunes used for battle training. The West was subsequently redesigned by Frank Pennink and reopened in 1974. Its greens were relaid in 1987 and 1988, and the club has continued to update tees and bunkers as equipment and playing standards changed. The result is a modern championship course with a clear Fowler origin and a distinct Pennink playing identity.

Did You Know? Saunton's dunes were used for military battle training before the D-Day landings, and American tanks were based on the property. After the war the West Course had to be rebuilt and was eventually brought back into play through Frank Pennink's 1974 redesign.