Sunningdale New Course
Everyone knows the Old. The connoisseur asks for the New. Harry Colt's 1923 design climbs onto the higher, wilder heathland above its famous sibling, trading shade and serenity for wind, exposure and acres of heather, and many members will tell you, quietly, that it is the tougher and the more honest examination of the two. This is heathland golf with the gloves off.
Photo: Sunningdale Golf Club via Google, contributor Mark Glithero.
The verdict
The Old Course at Sunningdale is one of the most loved in the world, and rightly so, but the New Course is no afterthought. When Harry Colt laid it out in 1923 on the rougher ground behind the clubhouse, he built something with a harder edge: more open to the sky, less softened by mature pine and birch, and defended by heather that turns a wayward shot into a long walk and a hacked recovery. Where the Old charms you, the New tests you.
For the travelling golfer the appeal is simple. You play two of the great heathland courses in the world, side by side, from a single clubhouse, in a single day, on the sandy soil that drains fast and plays firm through much of the year. Take the day ticket, walk the Old in the morning for the romance and the New in the afternoon for the examination, and you will understand why this corner of Berkshire is the spiritual home of inland golf in England.
Sunningdale New Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1923
- Designer
- Harry Colt
- Type
- Heathland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- 6,729 yds
- Green fee
- Around £325
Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; the New Course opened on 10 November 1923 to a Harry Colt design and plays par 70 at around 6,729 yards from the championship tees. Indicative 2026 summer visitor green fee is around 325 pounds for a single round, with a day ticket of around 550 pounds for both the Old and the New. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The New asks its questions early. The opening holes climb away from the clubhouse onto the exposed top of the property, where the wind that the Old's trees keep at bay suddenly has the run of you, and the heather crowds the fairways into narrow ribbons of green. Miss the short grass here and you are not chipping out sideways from the rough so much as searching for your ball in the gorse.
The par 3s are the heart of the round. Colt was the master of the short hole and the New gives him room to prove it, with short holes that play across heather and into greens perched on the natural roll of the land, exposed to the breeze and ringed by sand. There is no bailout that does not cost you, and club selection in a crosswind is a genuine examination of nerve and judgement.
What stays with most visitors is the texture of the place. In late summer the heather turns the whole course purple, the fairways run fast and brown, and a well struck shot that finds the firm turf will chase forward and reward you. It is golf stripped back to strategy and ball striking on glorious sandy ground, and it is every bit the equal of more famous names.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members club that welcomes visitors on weekdays, typically Monday to Thursday from April to October |
| Green fee | Around 325 pounds for a single summer round, with a day ticket of around 550 pounds covering both the Old and the New in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Apply ahead through the club; visitor tee times are limited and the best pairing is to play both courses in a day |
| On the day | A walking course with caddies available; a smart dress code applies and the clubhouse and lunch are part of the occasion |
| Getting there | At Sunningdale on the Berkshire and Surrey border, about 45 minutes from central London and 20 minutes from Heathrow |
| Best months | May to October for firm, fast heathland turf, with late summer the most beautiful as the heather flowers |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Sunningdale Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Sunningdale heath sits in a cluster of the finest inland golf in Britain, so a base here is a base for a week. Wentworth is minutes away, Swinley Forest and the New Zealand Golf Club are close, and the villages of Sunningdale, Ascot and Virginia Water offer country house hotels and quiet inns within a short drive of the first tee. Coworth Park, near Ascot, is the address for the full occasion.
London is close enough to combine city and golf, with the West End around 45 minutes away and Heathrow just 20, so many groups fly in, play the Surrey and Berkshire heathland for three or four days, and barely move the car.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Sunningdale.
Stay and play the Surrey and Berkshire heathland
We secure the weekday tee times at Sunningdale, build the week around Wentworth, Swinley Forest and the heathland classics, and sort a country house base and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Sunningdale New Course questions
Who designed the New Course at Sunningdale and when did it open?
The New Course was designed by the architect Harry Colt and opened on 10 November 1923. Colt, who was the club secretary at Sunningdale, laid it out on the higher, more open heathland behind the Old Course as a sterner and wilder companion to it.
What is the par and yardage of Sunningdale New Course?
The New Course plays as a par 70 of around 6,729 yards from the championship tees. It is tighter and more exposed than the Old, with narrow fairways framed by heather and fewer trees, so accuracy off the tee matters more than raw length.
How much does it cost to play Sunningdale New Course?
Indicative 2026 summer visitor green fees are around 325 pounds for a single round, with a day ticket of around 550 pounds covering both the Old and the New. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Sunningdale New Course?
Yes. Sunningdale is a private members club that welcomes visitors on weekdays, typically Monday to Thursday from April to October. Tee times are limited and demand is high, so apply well in advance through the club or a trip planner.
Is the New Course harder than the Old Course at Sunningdale?
Many members and visitors regard the New as the tougher of the two. It sits higher and more open to the wind, with less tree cover and more punishing heather, while the Old is the more celebrated and forgiving of the pair. Most golfers try to play both in a day.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.