Burhill Golf Course – New

Burhill Golf Club is one of a list of famous “Surrey” courses situated on heathland which includes St Georges, Coombe Hill, West Hill and Worplesdon . The original Burhill course(s) were built by W. Park in 1907 and has hosted the Family Foursomes on an annual basis since 1937 . Prior to the second world war the club played on two courses, though the lower lying course was given up to aid the war effort. With the growth of golf in the 80’a and 90’s it was felt that the Burhill Golf Club needed another Championship golf course to supplement the existing 18 hole course and thus the New course was added.

Simon Gidman was awarded the contract and during the initial design worked closely with the PGA player Gary Orr and the head professional Lee Johnson in determining the final positions of some of the featuring, though it was the need to take parts of the course out of the flood plain that proved – from a planning point of view – the most arduous. The course is bordered by the beautiful river Mole which floods periodically and at least four of the fairways had to be raised to avoid any floodwaters. Any raising of levels had to be compensated for in both a volume by volume basis and also on an area by area basis. Despite the relatively high water table it was decided to line the two large lakes near the river. Flood compensation lagoons have also been included and vast areas given over to wild seed mix.

The course was built by Abbotts Ltd. who also installed the 18 hole fairway, greens and tees irrigation system.

Both Gary Orr and Paul Casey opened the course on their return from the German Open and neither broke par on the day!

 

 

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