Saunton Golf Club

Saunton Golf Club golf course overview

Saunton Golf Club features two championship links courses, the East and West, set amidst the massive dune system of Braunton Burrows. These layouts are renowned for their natural routing and traditional links character, consistently ranking among the best courses in England. The terrain is rugged and influenced heavily by the shifting sands and coastal winds of the Devon coast.

Explore more golf courses in Devon.

How to score better at Saunton Golf Club

Success requires low-ball flights to navigate the persistent Atlantic breezes and tactical positioning away from heavy gorse and deep marram grass. Players should prioritise finding the fairways over raw distance, as the undulating terrain can easily deflect offline drives into unplayable lies. Strategic bunkering demands careful club selection on every approach.

Nearby courses include Dartmoor Country Club.

How Saunton Golf Club should actually be played

Success requires low-ball flights to navigate the persistent Atlantic breezes and tactical positioning away from heavy gorse and deep marram grass. Players should prioritise finding the fairways over raw distance, as the undulating terrain can easily deflect offline drives into unplayable lies. Strategic bunkering demands careful club selection on every approach. This is the defining strategy for Saunton Golf Club. Golfers who commit to this approach consistently score better here.

What makes Saunton Golf Club tricky

Scoring well depends on a disciplined short game and the ability to manufacture low-trajectory chips and runs. The courses reward patience, where taking a bogey on the most exposed holes is often a better result than risking a high score by attacking impossible pins. Green complexes are subtle, requiring a precise read of the natural slopes rather than looking for artificial breaks.

Who will enjoy Saunton Golf Club

Saunton Golf Club suits golfers who want to improve their scoring through better decision-making. Mid handicap players benefit most from playing conservatively, while lower handicap golfers can take advantage of scoring opportunities when they are clearly available.

Where most golfers lose shots at Saunton Golf Club

The most common error is failing to account for the wind strength when hitting into elevated greens, leading to short approaches that catch penal front bunkers. Golfers often attempt overly aggressive recovery shots from the dunes, which frequently results in multiple dropped shots. Underestimating the firmness of the turf leads to many approaches running through the back of the greens.

Scoring Zone strategy for Saunton Golf Club

On a typical 400-yard par 4 at Saunton Golf Club, the goal should be simple: two controlled shots. You don't need a perfect drive — you need a repeatable position that allows you to play your next shot with confidence.

Saunton Golf Club rewards discipline and clear decision-making. Familiarise yourself with the 'bump and run' shot before arrival to handle the firm links surroundings. Always check the wind direction at ground level versus the movement of clouds, as the dunes can create swirling air patterns. Keep the ball in play at all costs; the rough here is punishing and often necessitates a simple wedge out to the fairway.

Takes 2 minutes · No sign-up needed

Location

Nearby courses

Dartmoor Country Club

Devon

View course →

Widmouth Bay

Devon

View course →

Okehampton Golf Club

Devon

• Par 72

View course →