Wayne Riley

I've enjoyed the professional events so far in 2025, but I want to take a step away from the pro game in this column. In two issues, Golf Monthly will reveal its list of the Top 100 Courses in the UK and Ireland, so here are my thoughts on some of the best golf courses on this side of the pond.

My all-time favourite golf club-not course - is Sunningdale. I think it's the best in the world, and I've spent plenty of time on the Melbourne sandbelt.

Obviously, both the New and the Old are fantastic, but it's about more than that. From the sausage sandwiches at the halfway hut to the general ambience, it doesn't get any better.

Going up the 18th on the Old course, and looking at the iconic oak tree next to the clubhouse in the distance, is always special. I'm so very jealous of the members over there! There's no better place to enjoy a Pimm's or beer afterwards, either. The clubhouse and the patio on a warm summer's day are wonderful. It's the best (a shout out must go to Worplesdon GC in Surrey here, too). Relaxing, chatting and people watching after a round of golf, while sitting on a lovely patio with a cold one in hand, is one of the most underrated elements of our game. You just feel so free and untroubled.