Burnham and Berrow Golf Club

Burnham & Berrow is a fantastic golf course from start to finish, with one of the best five-hole opening stretches anywhere in Britain.

There are few better five-hole starts anywhere in Britain than that at Burnham & Berrow. Even if from the 6th it became consistently mediocre, it would still be a very fine links.

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It doesn’t though, and is thus one of England’s most appealing venues, combining steadfast championship challenge with plenty of entertainment.

The start is stupendously good, a narrow corridor of dunes pointing you toward the green of the 1st, which is only 383 yards off the very tips but will have ended many a medal challenge before it has begun.

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It is followed by an elevated drive at the 2nd that permits a welcome opportunity to take in the panorama of linksland before you turn left on what is an exacting stroke 3 two shotter. This early tempo is, if anything, picked up at the next, another hole that dog legs and whose  endearing quality is a blind, fantastic punch bowl green that it ends on.

By now we are alongside the shore and from the elevated 4th tee, a fader’s dream, we snake round the coastline to a sloping green tucked up on the right. The first short hole, a point-to-point par 3 with nothing attractive between the safety of tee and green, completes a magnificent stretch.

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There is nothing wrong with the rest of the nine either; two more strong par 4s following the line of the shore as well as a par 5 where variously a canal, pot bunkers and a benched green are your opponents.

A short hole across the site ends the back nine and while the start to the second half is not quite so explosive, B&B returns to the highest calibre to close with strong holes from the 13th.

Some funky greens and fairways – as well as semi-blind approach to the wonderful 16th, which is a match for most of those on the celebrated front half – set up a muscular finish in front of the stout clubhouse.

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It is an impressive end to an adventure of rare enjoyment, first laid out by Charles Gibson but refined by a star-studded design cast that includes Fowler, Mackenzie, Colt and Hilton.

• Course has: Bar
• Course does not have: Buggy Hire
• Course has: Driving Range
• Course does not have: Practice Green
• Course has: Pro Shop
• Course has: Restaurant
• Course has: Trolley Hire
• Course does not have: Dress Code
• Course has: Club Hire
• Course has: Handicap

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• 5 out of 5 Top quality links golf 14 October 2015

  By Jocky

  I've just spent a wonderful few hours playing what has got to be one of the best links courses I've had the privilege to play, and that's saying .something as I grew up between carnoustie and St Andrews in Scotland.The club upholds all the traditions associated with a quality course,great staff a wonderfully friendly and helpful Starter called Ray..I cannot recommend this course enough,put it on your must play list.

• 5 out of 5 Channel Course 06 August 2011

  By BAC-937

  Just played the Channel Course. From the moment I called the Pro Shop to check I was able to play as a lone player to the pint of cider I devoured in the 19th at the end, I was made to feel totally welcome and fully enjoyed my experience. Every person I met, be it an employee of the club or one of the members, was friendly and welcoming. Always a plus for any Golf Club these days. The course itself was my first experience of a links course and I loved it. All holes were well kept and challenging, although I would have liked more bunkers to be in play to challenge me more. The teeing areas - wel marked and well maintained. Through the green - well kept and a tough test for any golfer (I lost a fw balls I admit). The greens - great surface and very true. Overall - great value and a great experience.  

• 2.5 out of 5 Tough Test 15 February 2009

  By klaw

  I played the Channel Course in Oct 08. We played it on a very windy day which made the course very tricky. You certainly cannot blast your way around this course, it requires good course management. The greens were fast and true even though there had been torrential rain the evening before. Not much bunkering on the course but long grass and reeds are waiting to gobble up any wayward shots.

• 2.5 out of 5 fast greens 13 November 2008

  By lexo

  boy those greens were fast when i played, the course starts off in real links surrounds but after the 9th it seems to drift off a bit and become a bit scruffy before returning to the rolling bumping fast running course we had liked at the start. nice clubhouse

• 3 out of 5 Burnham and Berrow Championship Course 28 February 2008

  By xiiipaul

  Great test of golf and well worth a visit for that alone. Accuracy and course management is key for this testing course. It was a shame for me that the welcome in the pro shop and clubhouse was a little wanting in warmth but dont let that put you off a must visit for the area.

• 4.5 out of 5 Burnham and Berrow Golf Club, Championship Course 19 December 2007

  By Rob S

  Having only played a links course once before (there aren't too many in the Midlands) I was looking forward to a difficult test of golf. Needless to say I was not dissapointed with no easy holes on show. The majority of the holes meander through grassy dunes making it difficult to pick out the fairway and the inevitable pot bunkers. On a high proportion of the holes you can not see the flag until you are half way down the fairway, and on some not at all! My favourite hole was the par 5 8th, the tee is set off at an angle and elevated by approx. 50ft. It looks out over the Channel Course and the reed beds to the sea. Requiring a shot of around 200yds to hit the fairway below you, massive dunes to the right and the reed beds to left it is both picturesque and daunting. Everything on course was immaculate from tee to green. I was particularly impressed with the trueness of the greens given the recent weather and the time of year. I think there had been a competition the morning before we played and the pins were all at the front of the back to front sloping greens. I had a few more 3 putts than I would have wished..... We stayed in the dormy house on their winter package - a round on the Saturday, B&B followed by another round on the Sunday. We were looked after very well by all the staff, and whilst we did not meet many of the club members, those we did seemed friendly enough. The dormy house accomodates 8 (in pairs) and whilst it would not look amiss on the set of George & Mildred it was comfortable enough for us as we only slept there for 1 night. They did say it was due for a refurb next year. Hopefully it is as at only 1.5 hours down the M5 I think we will be going back when it is a bit warmer than our 3deg centigrade this weekend. It has 2 fantastic courses, driving range, well stocked pro shop, cart hire, large changing rooms, snooker room, tv room, dining room and of course a bar with local ales. Add to this just £70 for the winter package and I would recommend it to anyone. You can't usually play courses of this quality once for £70, let alone twice with an overnight stay.

• 4.5 out of 5 Burnham and Berrow Golf Club, Championship Course 05 November 2007

  By Andres

  I can honestly say there is not a bad hole on this golf course. Upon arriving it was very difficult to work out from the view from the clubhouse what to expect, but after walking part way down the first fairway it becomes clear very quickly that this is a real golfing test. The front nine all run along the coast line with the sea (Bristol Channel) and South Wales in view on nearly all of the holes. After the ninth you simply turn and pay the back nine in a straight line back to the clubhouse. Each hole looks as though they have been cut through dunes covered in long grass. There are very few holes where you see anyone else on the course due to the size and placement of these huge sandhills. The greens were superb, both fast and true. All of the greens are full of undulations, humps and bumps giving at times tricky pin placements where I was pleased to two putt. Alot of the holes start from an elevated tee position that allows you to see the hole and negotiate you way between the hills. It is clear to see why this course is used as an Open qualifier. It has length, with 7 par 4's over 400 yards. As I have already said, there are no bad holes but on reflection the 3rd, and the final 4 holes stood out, especially 15 and 18 which are long par 4's requiring good drives to put you in reach of the green. The only down side I felt was paying £50 and being told that we had to use the Yellow tees. When paying such an amount, in my experience clubs usually allow you to play the true length of the course or at least allow you to use the white tees. At Burnham and Berrow they had White and also Green (Championship)tees and we all felt as disappointed that the pro insisted that we used the Yellow tees. The atmosphere within the club could have more friendly and welcoming. This should not put anyone off playing this course though, it really is superb.