Saunton East Course: 2026 Access and Booking Update
Set against the great dune system of Braunton Burrows on the North Devon coast, the East Course at Saunton is a Herbert Fowler links of the old school and one of the finest courses in the southwest of England. Here is where access, conditions and booking stand in 2026, and how to fold it into a Devon golf trip.
The news: a classic Fowler links, open to visitors
The story for 2026 is that Saunton remains one of the most welcoming of England's truly great links, a members club that offers visitor play across its two courses rather than guarding access. The East Course is the headliner, a layout first laid out in the 1890s and redesigned by Herbert Fowler in 1919 after the First World War, the architect whose name also sits behind the heathland masterpieces of the Berkshire and Walton Heath.
What keeps Saunton on every list of the best courses in England is the quality of the links land it is built on. The East runs through the towering dunes of Braunton Burrows, a protected biosphere of sand and marram, with the Atlantic and the Taw and Torridge estuary filling the views. For travelling golfers it offers championship class links golf in a corner of England better known for surf and beaches than tee times.
The course: dunes, firm turf and a stern finish
The East Course plays to a par of 71 over roughly 6,870 yards, threading natural dune corridors with firm, fast running turf and the true, quick greens the club is known for. Fowler's routing uses the land rather than fighting it, so the holes rise and fall with the dunes and the wind off the Atlantic becomes the principal defence, as it should on a links of this calibre.
It is a course with a genuine sting in the tail, a demanding closing run that has tested championship fields over the years, and a layout that rewards flighting the ball and managing the ground rather than carrying everything through the air. The sister West Course shares the same magnificent dune land and is well worth a round of its own, which is what makes Saunton a destination rather than a single round.
How to play it in 2026
Saunton sits on the North Devon coast near Braunton, a scenic if longer drive from the motorway network, which is part of why it stays a touch under the radar compared with the famous links further north. For 2026 it continues to welcome visitors across both courses, with tee times arranged through the club alongside member play.
The booking notes are simple. Reserve ahead, particularly for weekend and high season rounds, and note that a per person deposit is typically taken at the time of booking with the balance due on the day. Indicative visitor green fees for 2026 run in the region of 125 to 175 pounds for 18 holes depending on the season, with twilight rates available later in the day through the warmer months. All figures are indicative for 2026 and should be confirmed directly before booking. Links golf here plays well from spring through autumn.
Our take
Our take is that Saunton is one of the most underrated golf destinations in England and a course that belongs in any serious links itinerary. It does not carry the Open rota fame of the great northern and Scottish links, and that is exactly why it appeals: world class Fowler links golf among spectacular dunes, with genuine visitor access and a coastline worth the drive.
For 2026, pair the East and West courses with the wider Devon and Cornwall golf scene and you have a memorable few days of southwest links golf. Read our Devon and Cornwall 2026 season outlook, book ahead for the season, and let the Atlantic wind do the rest.
Plan your North Devon golf trip
From the East and West courses at Saunton to the wider Devon and Cornwall coast, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
Who designed the Saunton East Course?
The East Course at Saunton was first laid out in the 1890s and redesigned by Herbert Fowler in 1919 after the First World War. It plays to a par of 71 over roughly 6,870 yards through the dunes of Braunton Burrows in North Devon.
Can visitors play Saunton East in 2026?
Yes. Saunton welcomes visitor play across both its East and West courses in 2026, with tee times arranged through the club alongside member play. A per person deposit is typically taken at booking, and visitors should reserve ahead, especially for weekends and the high season.
How much does it cost to play Saunton East in 2026?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees run in the region of 125 to 175 pounds for 18 holes depending on the season, with twilight rates available later in the day through the warmer months. All figures are indicative and should be confirmed directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, designers, opening dates, access rules and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from club, tour and golf travel sources; conditions, access and fees change through the season, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.