Burnham & Berrow Championship
Tucked behind the dunes on the Somerset shore of the Bristol Channel, Burnham & Berrow is the finest links in the West Country and a course good judges rank among the best in England. Laid out over classic links ground by Herbert Fowler and refined by Harry Colt, it earns its keep as a Final Qualifying venue for the Open Championship, which tells you all you need to know about the quality of the test.
Photo: Burnham and Berrow Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Burnham & Berrow is proper links golf, the kind played firm and fast over rumpled fairways framed by towering dunes, with the wind off the channel rarely taking a day off. It is a natural, honest course that asks for control of trajectory and a cool head around greens that repel anything less than a committed approach. There is nothing tricked up here, just a great piece of golfing ground used to the full.
For the travelling golfer it rewards the journey west, a championship test that sits a clear notch above the holiday courses of the region and pairs beautifully with the links of South Wales just across the water. It suits the player who relishes a stiff breeze, a running ball and a course with real heritage, and who will take a hard earned par over a soft birdie any day. Play it once in a wind and Burnham earns a permanent place on your list of England's great links.
The Championship Course at a glance
- Designers
- Fowler, Colt and Hawtree
- Founded
- 1890
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 7,023 yds
- Green fee
- Around £225
Designers, history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. The club opened in 1890 on a Charles Gibson nine, was extended to eighteen by Herbert Fowler around 1910, then redesigned by Harry Colt from 1913 with later revisions by Fred Hawtree in 1977, playing about 7,023 yards, par 71. Green fees are indicative, around 225 pounds in 2026 high season. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The opening holes ease you in along the flatter ground near the clubhouse, but the course soon climbs into the dunes where its character takes hold. From there the routing weaves through sandhills that frame the fairways, hide the greens and funnel a misjudged shot into trouble, so club selection and flight matter far more than raw length.
The short holes are a particular strength, played to greens perched among the dunes where the wind can turn a mid iron into a decision rather than a swing. The par 4s ask you to drive into the right portion of a tilting fairway and then judge a running approach, while the closing stretch back toward the channel often plays into the prevailing wind and protects par to the last.
What lingers is the texture of the place: the firm turf, the sea light, the constant negotiation with the breeze, and the satisfaction of a score ground out rather than handed over. It is a links that demands thought on every shot, and gives back a richer round for it.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors and societies on most days; tee times are booked in advance through the club |
| Green fee | Around 225 pounds in 2026 high season, with lower rates in the shoulder seasons and for affiliated club members (indicative) |
| Booking | Reserve well ahead for summer and weekend times; a handicap certificate is normally expected |
| On the day | A walking links with a welcoming clubhouse; the second eighteen, the Channel Course, is on hand for a full day |
| Getting there | On the Somerset coast at Burnham-on-Sea, around an hour from Bristol and within reach of the M5 |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf; spring and autumn are quieter and the links plays beautifully |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Burnham & Berrow Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Burnham-on-Sea offers simple seaside lodging within minutes of the first tee, while the Georgian city of Bath and the harbour town of Clevedon sit within easy reach for a more characterful base. Most travelling golfers treat Burnham as the anchor of a wider West Country and South Wales links tour rather than a standalone stay.
The club's two courses mean a group can settle in for a full day without travelling, and the short hop across or around the Bristol Channel opens up the links of Glamorgan for a multi course trip.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Burnham-on-Sea.
Stay and play in the West Country
We arrange Burnham & Berrow alongside the best links of Somerset and South Wales, secure the tee times and sort a comfortable base with the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Burnham and Berrow questions
Who designed the Championship Course at Burnham and Berrow?
The links began as a Charles Gibson nine in 1890, was extended to eighteen holes by Herbert Fowler by around 1910, then substantially redesigned by Harry Colt from 1913, with later revisions by Fred Hawtree in 1977. The result is a classic links shaped by several of the great names of British architecture.
What is the par and length of Burnham and Berrow?
The Championship Course is a par 71 of around 7,023 yards. Its defence is less about length than the dunes, the firm running turf and the wind off the Bristol Channel, which can change the playing length of a hole completely.
Is Burnham and Berrow an Open Championship venue?
It is used as a Final Qualifying venue for the Open Championship, where professionals and leading amateurs play their way into the field. That role confirms its standing as one of the strongest links tests in the West of England.
How much does it cost to play Burnham and Berrow?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees are around 225 pounds in high season, with lower rates in the shoulder months and for members of affiliated clubs. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Burnham and Berrow?
Yes. It is a members club that welcomes visitors and societies on most days, with tee times booked in advance and a handicap certificate normally expected. Book well ahead for summer and weekend rounds.
Related
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Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, history, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.