Burnham & Berrow – Golf Course Review

Golfer’s Tips

• Fairways narrow at around 240 yards on the 1st and 2nd, which are testing early holes, so for longer hitters there is the opportunity to hit iron to a wider fairway as an early nerve-settler.
• The par 5s are where you need to get your scoring done, especially on the front nine. Teeing areas feel wider, as do landing spots for your second shot, providing a better chance for a more attacking wedge approach.
• The line for the approach into 18, which is a tough finisher, is further left than perhaps you might think. The green sits left of the clubhouse, and feels very close to the left extreme of the property, nearing the trees and flagpoles. There is a relatively open, flat fairway area 30 yards short of the green (and devilish three bunkers dotted short right), which is a safe spot for those who have very long approaches in.

Signature Holes

• 4th – a fabulous par 5 playing from an elevated tee box with superb panoramic views of the Bristol Channel and back across the course to the Quantocks. The hole shapes diagonally left to right from the tee, but the straighter approach to the raised green is lined by dunes on the right and trouble left.
• 15th – the quintessential Burnham & Berrow hole. A strong par 4 with another elevated tee offering further beautiful views, with the blind tee shot played over a hill to a very undulating fairway, and then an approach to a green set within a hole with a forboding ridge in front.

Review:

A charming links providing the right amount of wild and rustic touches, nicely blended with quality and an altogether friendly feel.

Burnham & Berrow somehow feels more lush than its compatriots on the South East coast, evidenced by the water hazard next to the green on the challenging 7th hole, but is still that classic links that possesses firm, undulating surfaces and ultimately that unique challenge and requirement for inventive shots.

The course starts off with two similar-length par 4s playing on rolling and gently turning fairways, with towering dunes on either side, playing up to greens that are surrounded by bumps and hollows. Find yourself on the wrong side of the dunes, providing the spine and shape to most holes, and there are blind shots, thick rough and difficult stances to administer. One can only imagine how tough the course would play when the elements are up, as even on a relatively benign day, the course showed its teeth.

The course is broadly a classic there-and-back setup, with the front nine generally playing into the sea breeze, and after the 3rd (which switches back and plays into a punchbowl green), the 4th then regains the direction with a fantastic par 5 playing out towards the Bristol Channel and then up and through the sand dunes to a raised green. Mixed in with longer holes on the front nine are two nicely framed par 3s – the 5th is aptly named ‘Colt’ and provides all of the classical elements that you would expect from a Mr Harry-designed par 3, and then the difficult 9th is played into a raised, diamond-shaped green with bunkers swallowing anything underhit left or right.

10 to 12 then starts the turn and procession back towards the clubhouse with three par 4s that begin to yield more scoring opportunities if the dunes are navigated and fairways are found. 13 is a longer par 5 that turns gradually from right to left, and then the 14th is yet another challenging par 3 sitting seemingly cut into the hill, with anything slightly short or left leaving a very testing pitch back up a steep bank.

The finish is a strong one, in terms of both challenge and quality. The 17th is an attractive yet perilous par 3, the green perched on a plateau that will be held by only the most accurate tee shot, with steep drop offs with bunkers lurking below. The 18th is a tough finisher, the tee shot is ideally to be shaped right to left around the towering mound on the left-hand side, and then the long approach to the green is played to the far corner of the plot sitting front left of the clubhouse with the famous lighthouse beyond.

Overall, Burnham & Berrow is a wonderful experience, further helped by the very friendly welcome received from the Pro Shop and all members seen on the day. The ‘Top100’ ranking feels absolutely bang on in this instance when compared against the other leading links in southern England – it feels slightly behind Royal St George’s and Deal in terms of dramaticism and overall architecture, but rightly ahead of Prince’s and Hunstanton. A terrific course.

• “Top 100” Ranking: 1st (Somerset), 26th (England), 62nd (GB & Ireland)
• Golfer View Rating: 84%

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