Sunningdale Golf Club : Visitor information : Interesting Facts

Sunningdale Golf Club was founded on 12th March 1900 when a Founders' Committee under the direction of the Club's Founders, Tom and George Roberts, met in the Café Monico in London. It was agreed to impose an annual subscription of 5 guineas and admit '200 gentlemen as original members'
Willie Park Jnr., son of Open Champion Willie Park was given £3,000 to design and create a course of exemplary character.
The Club's first professional was Jack White of East Lothian, who won the Open Championship in 1904 at Royal St. Georges, Sandwich. He was a nephew of Ben Sayers.
Harry S. Colt was employed as the Club's first Secretary at an annual salary of £150.
The Club took out an insurance to protect the clubhouse premises 'from retribution by Suffragettes'.
In 1903 the Club staged the first professional matchplay championship sponsored by the News of the World. It was won by James Braid.
Harry Colt designed the New Course in 1922.
Major Championships have been staged in every decade of Sunningdale's history and its Champions include James Braid, Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Max Faulkner, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Bob Charles, Gary Player, Ian Woosnam, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer.
Lady winners include Joyce Wethered, Judy Rankin, Nancy Lopez, Si Re Pak Annika Sorenstam and Karen Stupples.

Visitor Information

The photo shows the original eighth hole on the New Course, now buried in the woods to the right of the tenth hole of the Old Course. On the right is Count Paul Munster who played at Sunningdale both before and after WW2. The photo came from member Dru Montagu's family album. It was used for the background to the clubs posthumous portrait of Harry Colt.