ON SURREY'S HEATHLAND TRAIL

Three clubs in the heart of picturesque Surrey highlight Harry Colt’s underrated genius as one of England’s greatest course architects.

- JU KUANG TAN

TECHNOLOGY, FASHION, AND MUSIC can-not help but change with the times. And so, it seems, has golf course design. The preference for layouts extending beyond 7,500 yards, with greens large enough to house a bungalow with its garage, and fairways wide enough to land a small aircraft have taken over the subtlety of designs past. But for purists, and many experts who understand what it takes to truly challenge a golfer, there are courses that not only withstand the test of time, but also remind us that sadly, like art masterpieces, they don’t make them the way they used to.

In the first place, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more ideal place for golf in all England. This region in the South-East of the country is filled with idyllic hamlets that offer a rustic, village-like atmosphere that feels like a million miles away from London – which, incidentally, is just a half-hour car ride away.

Given this perfect location, the private golf clubs in Surrey are highly sought after for their proximity to the City, and their high-end residential neighbourhoods. The excellence of the courses here is just icing on the cake.

Few discussions of what are the best courses in the country cannot come without mentioning the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club. Willie Park’s original design here has long been considered the best in the land. After then Club Secretary Harry Colt’s redesign of a few holes several years after the course opened in 1901, it elevated the course to the top of the list.

“The architecture, flow and mix of long and short holes are the perfect blend when playing the (Old) Course,” admits Tristan Hall, Sunningdale’s Secretary. “I believe that these are the key factors that ensure it continues to be ranked so highly.”