Sunningdale Old Course: 2026 Access and Booking Update
A hundred years ago this June, Bobby Jones played what is still called the perfect round at Sunningdale Old. As that centenary arrives in 2026, the Willie Park Jr heathland masterpiece in Berkshire remains one of the most coveted rounds in England. Here is where it stands, and how to play it.
The news: a centenary for the perfect round
The headline for 2026 is a date. On June 16, 1926, the amateur Bobby Jones played the Old Course in a 66, two halves of 33, made up almost entirely of threes and fours, while qualifying for the Open Championship he would go on to win at Royal Lytham. It was hailed then, and still is, as the perfect round, and 2026 marks its centenary, a milestone that puts Sunningdale back at the centre of golf's story exactly a hundred years on.
The course that Jones played is essentially the course you find today. The Old was laid out by Willie Park Jr and opened in 1901, the elder of Sunningdale's two great heathland courses, later refined as the famous planting and conditioning developed under Harry Colt's long stewardship as club secretary. It is a par 70 of about 6,627 yards, and it remains a benchmark by which other heathland courses are judged.
The course, and the access reality
What sets the Old apart is its natural beauty and its strategic subtlety. Tree lined fairways run between heather and silver birch, the greens are fast and gently undulating, and the routing flows so naturally over the Berkshire sand that the round feels inevitable rather than designed. It is not a course that overwhelms with length; it asks for placement, judgement and a deft touch around quick greens, which is precisely why Jones's measured perfection has never been bettered in spirit. For the full design and access detail see the Sunningdale Old Course profile.
The access reality is that of a private members' club with a strong visitor tradition. Green fee play is available by prior arrangement, generally Monday to Thursday through the main season of roughly April to October, with the companion New Course giving the option of a 36 hole day. For the wider region see the England destination guide and our ranking of the best heathland courses in England.
How to play it in 2026
Heathland plays best from late spring through autumn, when the heather colours and the sandy ground runs firm and fast, the conditions in which the Old reveals its quality. The practical 2026 plan is to book a midweek date well in advance, ideally building in the New Course for a full day on one of the finest 36 hole properties in the world, and to allow time for the famous halfway sausage and the walk beneath the great oak by the clubhouse.
Sunningdale anchors the Surrey and Berkshire heathland belt, within easy reach of London and a short drive from Wentworth, Swinley Forest and Walton Heath, so it pairs naturally into a multi course inland trip. Indicative 2026 high season green fees for the Old or New are in the region of 325 to 395 pounds, with a both courses day ticket higher again, so treat any figure as indicative and always confirm directly before booking.
Our take
Our take is that the Sunningdale Old Course is the definitive English heathland course and one of the most complete rounds in golf, a layout whose charm and strategy reward every standard of player. The centenary of Jones's perfect round only sharpens the case for playing it in 2026, a chance to walk the same holes a hundred years to the season.
For 2026 the advice is to book early for a midweek date, make a day of it with the New Course, and base in the Surrey and Berkshire belt to add Wentworth, Swinley Forest and Walton Heath to the trip. Do that and you experience the heart of English inland golf in the year its most famous round turns a hundred.
Plan your Surrey and Berkshire heathland golf trip
From the Old Course at Sunningdale to Wentworth, Swinley Forest and Walton Heath, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge arranges access and builds the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
Who designed the Sunningdale Old Course and when?
The Old Course was laid out by Willie Park Jr and opened in 1901, the elder of Sunningdale's two great heathland courses in Berkshire. It was later refined as the famous tree planting and conditioning developed, much of it associated with Harry Colt's long tenure as the club's secretary. It is a par 70 of about 6,627 yards.
What happened at Sunningdale in 1926?
On June 16, 1926 the amateur Bobby Jones played what is still called the perfect round at Sunningdale Old, a 66 of 33 out and 33 back made up almost entirely of threes and fours, while qualifying for the Open Championship that he went on to win at Royal Lytham. The year 2026 marks the centenary of that round, a milestone the club and visitors will mark.
Can visitors play Sunningdale Old in 2026?
Yes, by prior arrangement and generally Monday to Thursday through the main season of about April to October. Indicative 2026 high season green fees for the Old or New are in the region of 325 to 395 pounds, with a both courses day ticket higher again. Treat any figure as indicative and always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, design history, the 1926 Bobby Jones round and access verified June 2026 from club, ranking panel and golf history sources; conditions, access and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.