Burhill (Old)

Burhill is a historic property that dates back to the 18th Century, with the Old Course being one of two layouts at the 36-hole venue.

The Old Course at Burhill Golf Club opened in 1907, at the same time the club did, with two-time Open Champion Willie Park Jr being the man behind the design of the layout.

Having been around the more than a century, the course has not changed too much in that time, with plenty of trees and sand traps causing the problems for players of abilities.

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Golf came to Burhill in 1907, but the history of the venue predates that by a couple of centuries. 1726 saw the mansion built on the land.

A fire destroyed the property in the mid 1860s, but it was quickly rebuilt, within the space of a year. Rupert Guinness leased the mansion and land at the start of the 20th Century, and Burhill Golf Club came to be in 1907.

The Old Course opened at the same time, and it was Willie Park Jr – a two-time winner of the Open Championship – who designed the layout. It would be almost a century before the New Course, opened in 2001, would make Burhill a 36-hole venue.

The layout is set in the beautiful Surrey parkland, and astute course management is required to score well around the Old Course. It has some of the trickiest greens in Surrey. With many hidden slopes and undulations, local knowledge is a definite advantage. Mature trees line the fairways together with some typical Surrey heather, which ensure a premium on accuracy from the tee. At 6,479 yards with a par of 70 it is not long by modern standards but it is a great challenge, whatever your handicap.

It is a tough start to the Old Course at Burhill, with a lengthy par 4 to begin with. The fairway pinches in thanks to a strategically placed bunker on its left side. At 433 yards, it will require two solid blows to reach the long and narrow putting surface. The fairway on the 2nd runs out at the 280-yard mark. Get close to that with your tee shot and it should be no more than a wedge to the green. The 3rd is easily the longest hole on the Old, pushing past 575 yards from the tips. It plays as a dog-leg right, and it will be a three-shotter for all but the very longest of hitters. The drive needs to get to the corner for you to have a view of the green, even if you won’t be going for it with your second. Three bunkers guard the green, along with out of bounds on three sides thanks to the corner of the property.

That aforementioned course management is very much in play on the 4th. It is only 318 yards in length, but the tee shot has to find the left side of the fairway so you have a view of the green. 5, 7 and 8 are all par 4s of more than 400 yards, and are three every different holes. The 5th has a generous fairway, before you play your approach across the road that runs through the course. 7 is a sharp dog-leg left, and another hole where you must get to the corner with your drive, so you have a view of the green. The 8th features another split fairway, this time with a pair of bunkers in your way. Your tee shot must stay short of those, but that does mean it will be a longer second shot in.

In amongst all that sits the shortest hole on the course. The 6th is just 116 yards in length, but that does not mean it is easy. The green is large, and you have to find the right portion of it to have a chance of making birdie. 9 brings the front side to a close with a dog-leg right par 4. If you can cover the bunkers on the corner, then your approach will be much shorter. The ‘Kings House’ sits to the right of the 10th hole. This building was presented to King George V in 1935 and was later occupied by Lord Trenchard. The 10th is the longest of the four par 3s on the Old Course, pushing 210 yards from the tips. Four bunkers in total, but two of those sit on either side of the putting surface to catch anything slightly mishit.

There are five bunkers in play on the 11th, with four of those in the landing zone of the tee shot. The green has just the one, to the left of the surface. 12 is the easiest hole on the Old Course, with a generous fairway. At just 325 yards, the plan is to get as far down there as possible to leave the shortest shot you can to a small, but round green. 13 and 16 are par 3s of a similar length, but offer different challenges. The former has a large green, one surrounded by trees; while the 16th green has six bunkers guarding a long and narrow putting surface.

Accuracy is paramount on the par 5 14th, the last of the 5s on the Old. If you can find the left side of the fairway with your tee shot, you have a view of the green, but at 530 yards, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will be going for it with your second. Between the 14th and 15th fairways lies ‘Dick Turpin’s Cottage’. This cottage was previously an alehouse, and some say it was used as a hideout by the legendary highwayman. 15 is the first of three long par 4s in the closing stretch, and although there is a generous fairway to attack with your tee shot, at 440 yards, it might still require a long iron or hybrid for your approach.

The final two holes are both tricky prospects. Both have a thick set of trees running down their right side, so anything pushed off the tee might well be in trouble and see you reaching into your bag for a second ball. The 17th has a split fairway, with two bunkers between the two stretches of short grass. The green is then set in the trees, surrounding two sides of the putting surface. The Old Course’s final challenge also has a split fairway, but one much closer to the tee box. Stay short of the bunkers and then have a long approach in? Or take on the traps and try to reach the second part of the fairway?

Where is Burhill Golf Club located?

Burhill Golf Club is one of several venues located inside the M25, London’s Circular Ring Road. The venue sits on the southwestern edge of London, with the centre of England’s capital city just 25 miles away. Burhill sits between the regions of Weybridge and Cobham, with both the M25 and the A3 in close order.

Weybridge is the nearest train station to the venue, with services operating between London Waterloo and Woking on a regular basis, all running via Weybridge. London Heathrow – the United Kingdom’s biggest and busiest airport – is just ten miles to the north of Burhill, while London Gatwick is less than 30 miles away to the south.

Are there any NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby?

With Burhill being located in the county of Surrey, it is perhaps no surprise that there are plenty of NCG Top 100s: England venues within just a short drive. St George’s Hill is a stone’s throw away, while the likes of New Zealand, West Hill, Woking, Worplesdon, Swinley Forest and Sunningdale – with its Old and New Courses – all in reach.

What golf facilities does Burhill Golf Club offer?

Along with two high quality golf courses, Burhill Golf Club also has a wonderful driving range facility. There are 20 bays, all of which are covered, while there is also a short game area and a putting green to the side of the range, giving members and guests alike the opportunity to work on all parts of their game before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Burhill Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Burhill Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Burhill Golf Club, visit their website here.