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Saunton (West), England |
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Saunton Golf Club
Braunton
North Devon
EX33 1LG
England |  | Frank Pennink |  | Albert MacKenzie |
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 | +44 (0)1271 812436 |  | 8 miles west of Barnstaple. |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Contact in advance - handicap cert req |  | Peter McMullen |
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Saunton Golf Club is located on the beautiful unspoilt North Devon coast. On the edge of Bideford Bay and the estuary of the River Taw, lie the mountainous Braunton Burrows – one of the largest systems of sand dunes in England.
The West is the second course at Saunton and was originally laid out in the mid-1930s. The land was used as a training ground during the Second World War and it lay dormant for over 40 years. Frank Pennink brought the West back to life and the course opened for play in 1975.
It’s shorter than its older sister – the East – but, nonetheless, the West represents a fine test, measuring 6,403 yards from the medal tees. The West challenges the very best golfers, playing host to a number of County Championships and the EGU Seniors Championship. It’s a worthy understudy to the East, requiring accuracy from the tee. Both courses at Saunton have par set at 71, but the configuration of holes on the West’s inward nine is unusual. Three back-to-back par fours in the middle and three par threes and three par fives interspersed at the beginning, and then again, at the end.
A number of narrow streams (if we were in Scotland we’d call them burns) come into play and many of the holes feature doglegs. Apart from the opening hole, which plays directly through towering dunes, the rest of the course plays over pleasant undulating links land, where the dunes are far less imposing.
Possessing some of the best putting greens in England, the West is an excellent course. But alongside the mighty East, the West will always play second fiddle. | |
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If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |  | | | Playing both Saunton courses last week in a strong wind, after all this year's rain and then some heat, the rough was utterly fearsome. This was more of a factor on the West, which is much tighter due to the almost total lack of any band of light rough by the fairways. Any stray drive was a lost ball.
I would agree with all previous comments, the West is indeed an excellent course in its own right with some outstanding holes. We felt, however, that it was generally in poorer condition than the East. |
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| 19 August 2012
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| Response: | | | thomas | 16 March 2013 | | Saunton is a terrific golfing venue and its West course an excellent test of links golf. Mostly the course is fairly spacious off the tee but then it's thinking cap time as the greens are not only firm and true rolling but are also cunningly contoured, at times severely so, thus effecting approach play. There are some really excellent holes like the 7th, where you play over the ditch twice, plus the 13th, 14th and short par-4 15th which needs your full attention. There are really no weak holes on this course which I thoroughly recommend. |
| | The west course at Saunton was our morning round at the club and a great introduction to the sprawling links land here. The first hole is quite short but perfectly sculpted with a raised tee and green and much interest in between. The land is perfect for a links in that it meets most people’s television-inspired view of a links, with very few flat holes  The par threes are almost as good as those on the East course with the 4th, 16th, and 18th, played from raised tees, all excellent. The long holes offer great variety although maybe not as much as the East course which is epic. However, I would echo the thoughts of others that the West is no addendum, it is fantastic in its own right. The par 4 7th could be played in any number of ways but picking the correct line to carry the stream and stop in the fairway while keeping the approach as short as possible is a tough task for the first timer, but is enticing and infuriating in equal measure. Those who think that a links course should be ‘fair’ will not regret playing here. The fairways are firm so some bounces may be unexpected but I struggle to remember a tricky blind shot and the greens are well kept on both courses at Saunton. There is always a choice of shots into the greens so you don’t have to hit towering approaches to score well. Stay out of the long rough though, especially when it is drying out from the early morning sea mist. |
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| 15 June 2012
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| | A friend and I did something very silly in the summer of 2011, we travelled 160 miles to have a days golf at Saunton (that's not the silly part). After the 36 we decided we wanted another game, and after much discussion we both agreed that we would play the beautiful West course for a second time, we loved it that much, the last few holes in the setting sun were magical. It's such a great Match Play course and the back nine is dynamic with 3 par 3's, 3 par 4's and 3 par 5's. The silly part is, we are both 48 year's old and it took us both about 3 days to recover. We are going to do it all again this summer and every summer we can manage it. |
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| 04 March 2012
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| | Saunton West is yet another course that would be ranked higher (and I definitely think it should) if it didn't have such an esteemed neighbour. People should definitely play both courses at Saunton and make their own opinion to decide which they prefer. I liked the East more but I would feel very priviledged to be a member at Saunton. For there are 36 wonderful golf holes. Cedric |
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| 14 April 2011
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| | I have played this course about 12 times now with my golf mad son and have to say it is a very good golf links in a lovely setting. It is not a long course but requires a lot of good course management on your way around with limited scope to take the driver out of the bag unless you are swinging extremely well in the often breey conditions. Bad shots can cause serious damage to your card very swiftly so making a good score here is no mean feat. Staff very friendly and I would rush back to have a holiday near here to play this lovely course and its bigger brother East course in a flash - if only my wife would let me! I think I prefer the East course but only slightly and this course is worth a trip to Saunton in its own right if you can find the time to do so and you like a nice challenge when you play your golf. |
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| 15 September 2010
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| | The West course at Saunton does not have the “bigness” of its older brother the East, but in my view, the West is more enjoyable for the handicap golfer, especially played from the back tees. Considering the West’s modest yardage, even from the tips, the course did not feel in any way short, nor was it easy. With tighter fairways, smaller teeing areas and slightly smaller greens, the West is a perfect warm up to those fit enough to take on 36 links holes. The clubhouse terrace is a fabulous place to enjoy lunch and a drink on a fine day. Saunton might be England’s only 36-hole seaside experience but it’s a brilliant facility and without doubt Devon’s premier golf club. |
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| 24 April 2009
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| The first thing that strikes you as you look out from the front of the clubhouse is the vastness of the landscape before you – over 400 acres, I’ve heard. There’s so much land untouched that I’ve been told by someone who’s walked through the dunes that a third course could easily have been laid out in and amongst the sand hills - though maybe not nowadays, of course, with the (environ)mental lobby protecting our precious numbers of snails and the like living on our coastal fringes.
 Anyone who visits Saunton must surely warm up for the East by playing the West; just don’t expect it to be an easy stroll because it isn’t. Measuring a comfortable 6138 yards off the white tees with a SSS of one less than the par of 71, the West can flatter your game (as it did mine) in benign conditions but it will test your game nonetheless. I found it hard to believe the course had only been in existence for less than 35 years as it had the feel of a links that had been there for a very long time. I really enjoyed the short holes, even if they were a little long with only one of the five par threes less than 177 yards off the tee. Two of these testing short holes are played at 16 and 18, either side of an eminently birdieable par five, adding a nice match play twist to the end of the round. Indeed, my partner and I found ourselves two down with three to play then proceeded to win all three closing holes for a 1 up victory – did I mention earlier how much I liked the par threes here? Jim McCann |
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| 08 April 2009
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| | This course is wonderful in its own right, but will always be overshadowed by its big sister East course, if this course was on its own I think it would get even better reviews. Unusually the best holes here are the 1st and 2nd, two fantastic par 4's that wouldn't look out of place on the East course here. You wouldn't think the course was only 30 odd years old it seems like its been there nearly as long as the East. The greens here are very true and the whole course was in very good condition for November. Many interesting and unusual holes here, look out for the 7th in particular. Really enjoyed this course and would recommend it highly, your be hard pushed to find 36 holes better than this. |
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| 04 December 2008
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| | Although it is definitely the junior of the two courses, it's still very good indeed, and the second half of a very enjoyable day’s golf amongst the same rolling dunes. It’s not a long course at 6400, but a good iron player will beat a long driver every time as you need to be precise. Some greens are tightly nestled amongst the dunes, so their thick rough can come to within a couple of feet of the putting surface and you can make 6 from nowhere. Conversely, there are also some great sweeping green surrounds to bump and run. You can almost always see the putting surface from the fairway, which many people prefer. The most divisive feature of the course is probably the ditches that zig-zag around a number of the holes, and border a number of dog-legs. They often force an iron from the tee hit into the corner of the dog leg. They make the course play longer than its yardage by stopping you hitting woods from the tee, but can be a little frustrating. The course is actually not that old (1970s), but feels like it has been there a lot longer. The greens were all replaced 20 years ago and are true, if not was slick as many of the longer established links courses. Of the holes, the 15th is one of the great short par 4s that gets harder the closer you drive to the green. The opening par 4s are lovely and the par 3 4th is a treat, especially if the pin is tucked away. I probably wouldn’t make the trip just for the West course alone, but in combination with the East it’s a very worthwhile day. |
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| 29 September 2008
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| | They say that the West course is the easier of the two courses! I have to disagree, it may be shorter but of the tee it is much tighter and the fairways are very narrow. This is a great Top 100 course and deserves to be in there with its Sister Course the East. If visiting Devon it should not be looked on as the poor second course but as another must play, we played both courses in September and the wind did blow!!! Both courses are a must for “Links” lovers and offer great value green fees with a bar meal thrown in for good measure. |
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| 12 October 2007
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| | Though slightly less difficult than its neighbour this is still a hell of a test of golf. Wonderful scenery and holes that require your best game or prepare to lose lots of balls. I found it to be one of the hardest courses I have played and if the wind gets up it must be a nightmare! Well worth the visit. |
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| 29 August 2007
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| | On a trip to Devon in the summer of 2006 we played the West Course in the morning and the East in the afternoon. Saunton has to be one of the friendliest clubs in the southwest and the guys in the pro shop looked after us really well. I have to say that quite a few of us enjoyed the West course more than the East, but perhaps tiredness kicked in after a great lunch which was included in the day ticket price. The West has fast greens, some blind shots, and is a great little links course in its own right. Pulpit the P3 16th is a cracking hole but honestly there are no weak holes on the course and despite the fact that it doesn’t have the length of its big brother the East, the West is definitely the real deal. You need to be on top of your course management and have your wits about you, especially off the tee. It’s a little cracker! |
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| 23 January 2007
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| | Saunton is the perfect place for a full day of golf, it’s a fantastic club and I doubt if a day here could be beaten anywhere in England. The wild and rugged sand dune setting make this an inspirational place to play golf. The West has some classic and memorable holes and it will test the best golfers just as much as its big brother the East. It’s fabulous and a must for links lovers. |
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| 22 April 2005
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| | Not quite up to the standard of the truly fantastic East course, but the West is a wonderful classic links nonetheless. It's not of championship length, but it has everything going for it and it's an exacting test of golf. Don't expect to play to handicap first time round... there are plenty of nuances here. From an interest perspective, I think the West has an edge over the East. Anyway, with two courses of this quality, Saunton should be at the top of any serious golfer's must-play list. |
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| 30 December 2004
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