Saunton Historic Report 2017-07

Historical Study Of The East Course At Saunton Golf Club

Young caddy watches on as one of the Pitts Tucker 

founders plays his shot 

References: 

Richard Bass - 1996, Guide to the US Assault Training Centre North Devon (Un-published). 

http://www.assaulttrainingcenter.com/ 

The History of Saunton Golf Club 1897 -1987 

Saunton Golf Club 1897-1997

Timeline 

1929 Clubhouse Opening Exhibition Match, 

James Braid putting on the pre-war 2nd green 

Saunton Golf Club first formed 

Thomas Dunn 9 holes 

Clubhouse opened 

9 Holes extended to 12 holes 

12 Holes extended to 18 holes 

4 Holes rearranged 

WWI Outbreak - Course reduced to 12 holes due to lack of labour 

Exhibition match between Harry Vardon & J.H. Taylor 

Resumption of club - W.H. Fowler engaged to re-design the course 

Moving into the natural dune land - The same layout as today apart 

from the 1st, 2nd, 17th & 18th holes 

New club house built in location recommended by W.H. Fowler 

celebrated with exhibition match between J.H.Taylor , James Braid, 

Henry Cotton & Bradbeer (Saunton Pro) 

Second 18 holes commissioned W.H. Fowler to design & build 

WWII Outbreak - Clubhouse requisitioned 

Ken Cotton invited to restore the Old Course - 13 holes almost put 

back as they were with a few minor changes but altered the 1st,2nd, 

6th, 17th & 18th holes 

Course reopened 

Frank Pennink engaged to design the West Course 

9 Holes open on the West course 

Full 18 holes open on the West Course 

POW from Normandy tasked with clearing the war debris 

US Assault Training Centre created by US Engineers and used by the 

US 146th Engineer Combat Battalion in preparation for D-Day 

The Committee decide to move the 1st Green on the East Course left 

as original position deemed too close to the 17th West fairway and 

could be dangerous 

Practice ground created 

1st Green East Course moved back towards original location - 2nd 

green East moved back and right 

Donald Steel engaged to redesign the 2nd fairway on the West Course 

Donald Steel engaged to rebuild all 18 greens on the West Course - 

Irrigation added to all tees and greens and 7th, 11th, 12th , 16th & 

18th fairways on the East Course 

1897 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1912 

1914 

1919 

1923 

1929 

1935 

1939 

1943 

1944 

1950 

1952 

1972 

1974 

1975 

1975 

1979 

1980 

1987 

1992

Thomas Dunn 

Born Blackheath, England, 29th December 1849. Died Blagdon 1902 , aged 52. 

Tom Dunn became a professional at Wimbeldon Common (London Scottish) in 1870. The 

course had originally been laid out by his father , Old Willie Dunn, with 18 holes, but over 

the years it had been reduced to 7. In his first year at the club, Tom extended it to 18. He went 

on to hold professional positions at North Berwick, Tooting Beck, Meyrick Park amongst 

others. 

Dunn had four top-10 finishes in The Open Championship his best effort coming 6th in 

1869. 

He was the most prolific golf course architect of his day. He produced layouts that were 

inexpensive and serviceable, making it possible for increasing numbers of all social classes 

to take up the sport. 

He was a great salesman and is quoted as telling his clients; “God meant this site to be a golf 

course.” The first designer to work on inland courses rather than links he was a firm believer 

in a cross bunker requiring a forced carry from the tee, another for the approach and even a 

third on a three shot hole. 

Dunn himself considered Broadstone to be one of his greatest achievements where he was 

“not stinted for men, money or materials”. He felt Meryick Park the greatest challenge because 

of the densley covered heather, gorse and pine forest terrain. 

Tom was married to Isabel Gourlay, “the greatest women golfer of her day”. Tom travelled 

to America on several occasions visiting his brother Willie Dunn Jnr. (who also went on to 

become an architect). Despite his visits to the US, it is doubtful that he ever laid out a course 

there. While many American courses claim 

to have a Tom Dunn course, it is more 

likely they were laid out by one of the other 

Dunns. 

Tom’s work in Great Britain and on the 

Continent was extensive with more than 

137 courses. 

This timeline has been constructed 

using information from various 

sources, such as club histories, club 

websites, “The Architects of Golf ” by 

Cornish and Whitten. 

Born 1849 

Ashley Wood, Dorset - 9 holes 1893 

London Scottish Golf Club - Added 9 holes 1870 

Bath 1880 

Bramshaw - Manor Course 1880 

Felixstowe Ferry - 9 holes 1880 

Kinsdown 1880 

Cork - Ireland 1880 

Northe Berwick- Remodel 1883 

Brighton & Hove - 9 holes 1887 

Seaford 1887 

Dinard, France 1887 

Coubert - France 1888 

Blairgowrie 1889 

Bromley: Bude & North Cornwall GC 1890 

Eltham Warren 1890 

Tooting Bec 1890 

Ganton 1891 

Huddersfield 1891 

Lindrick 1891 

Northwood 1891 

Richmond 1891 

Royal Cinque Ports - 9 holes 1892 

Royal Mid Surrey 1892 

Royal Worlingon & Newmarket - 9 holes 1892 

Seacroft 1892 

Ventnor - 9 holes 1892 

Weston-Super-Mare 1892 

Enfield 1893 

Hastings & St. Leonards 1893 

Hastings 1893 

Royston 1893 

Woking 1893 

Haagsche - Netherlands 1893 

Buscott Park & Chiselhurst GC 1894 

Hampstead - 9 holes 1894 

Lansdown 1894 

Meyrick Park 1894 

Surbiton 1895 

Frinton 1896 

Saunton 1897 

Broadstone 1898 

Maidenhead 1898 

London Scottish Golf Club - Remodel 1901 

Bulwell Forest 1902 

Sheringham; Sherwood Forest - 9 holes 1904 

Erewash Valley 1905 

Beckenham Place Park 1907 

Burhill - 9 holes 1907 

North Oxford 1908 

Nottingham City 1908 

Whickham 1911 

Ralara - Canary Islands 

Unknown 

Littlestone - Remodel 

Unknown 

Died 1902

William Herbert Fowler 

Born Edmonton, England, 28th May 1856. Died London 13th April 

1941, aged 85 

Arthur Croome, one of Fowler’s design partners once write that: 

“Mr W. Herbert Fowler is a true aristocrat if ever there was one...Had 

he lived in Paris at the time of the revolution the mob would certainly 

have searched the city for a lantern high and strong enough to finish him 

off. The marks of your true aristocrat are a firm belief that the best dog 

must come out on top eventually, an instinct for discovering the best of 

everything and an unshakeable conviction that what he selects as the best 

is the best... You will very soon find that his real contempt is reserved for 

what is second-rate, ignorant or ignoble. That is why he has so seldom 

been proved wrong about golf, though he has given utterance in the most 

unequivocal terms to more categorical statements than most people.’ 

This short quotation says a great deal about the man. He was born into a 

wealthy family and matured into a fine sportsman. He concentrated on 

cricket and played county cricket and for the MCC before discovering 

golf at the relatively old age of 23. Within a decade, he had achieved a 

handicap of scratch and was competing in The Amateur where he made 

the quarter finals before being soundly thrashed by Harold Hilton and 

in The Open where he tied for 26th in 1900. This rapid rise demonstrates 

just what an able sportsman he was. He was a large man, measuring a 

strong 6’3”. 

Around the turn of the century, his brother-in-law, Sir Cosmo Bonsor, 

approached him about a possible project south of London which was 

later to become Walton Heath, the course that launched his career 

as a golf course architect in 1907. By 1913, he had teamed up with 

Tom Simpson forming one of the great partnerships in golf course 

architecture that lasted until the late 1920s when Fowler was in his 70s. 

They worked across Europe and Fowler made several trips to the USA, 

designing Eastward Ho! (named after his beloved Westward Ho!) and 

Los Angeles Country Club as well as re-designing courses including 

creating the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. 

Both he and Simpson (pictured in the cartoon to the left) were highly 

intelligent and controversial figures. Fowler did not write all that much 

about architecture but Simpson certainly did, contributing regularly 

to Country Life, Golf Monthly and being featured in numerous other 

periodicals. He also co-authored with Joyce and Roger Wethered’s 

father one of the great books on golf course architecture called 

“The Architectural Side of Golf ”. His clear views were most probably 

formulated in discussions with Fowler. 

Despite Fowler’s background, his life was dogged by financial difficulties 

and it would appear that he was not great at managing money. In 1902, 

he was on the brink of bankruptcy when he was forced to sell his estate 

in Devon, moving close to London to find gainful employment in the 

form of designing Walton Heath. By 1912, things had turned for the 

good and he moved into a purpose built house near Walton Heath 

designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. But late in his life, however, his troubles 

returned and in 1928 he was declared bankrupt, living out the rest of 

his life in accommodation and full board provided by Walton Heath 

Golf Club. 

“He will plant a difficulty just the least bit nearer 

to the hole than any other architect, for the shot is 

nearly good, he has little mercy.” 

Horace Hutchison 

The magnificent 1935 portrait of Fowler by Sir James Gunn RA

William Herbert Fowler Timeline 

Born 1856 

Cricket (Essex, Somerset and MCC) 

Started golf 1879 

Joined The R&A 1894 

Down to Scratch 1889 

Tied for 26th in The Open 1900 

To last 16 of The Amateur Championship, losing to Harold Hilton in his prime 1901 

Heavily indebted, sells up his house in Devon and moved close to Walton Heath. 1902 

Joined The R&A Green Committee 1902 

Walton Heath Old Course designed 1902 

Walton Heath Old Course opened 1904 

Walton Heath New Course designed 1907 

Westward Ho! re-opened after major work by Fowler 1908 

Fountainbleu, France 1910 

Delamere Forest - original layout 1910 

West Surrey, Surrey 1910 

Simpson joined Fowler 1910 

LA Country Club (initial consultation) 1911 

Moved into “Chussex” a house designed in classical style by Edwin Lutyens and with a garden by Gertrude Jekyll close to WHGC 1912 

Beau Desert, Staffs 1912 

North Foreland, Kent Main 18 1912 

Woodcote Park, Surrey (CW) 1912 

Walton Heath New Course opened 1913 

Bull Bay, Wales (Club website) 1913 

Bickley Park Estate, Chislehurst, Kent 1914 

Shirley Park, Croydon Surrey 1914 

Dieppe, France 1914 

Spent much of WWI in the USA 1914- 1918 

West Kent, Kent 1916 

Yelverton, Devon (Club website) 1919 

Saunton East Course, Devon (Club Website) 1919 

Delamere Forest - revised layout 1920 

Fowler working on Eastward Ho! & Los Angeles Country Club 1920 

Fowler and Simpson set up an office in California 1920 

North Foreland, Kent Short Course 1920 

Fowler, Simpson, Abercromby and Croome formed 1921 

Eastward Ho! USA 1921 

Pebble Beach, California - extended 18th hole to its current design 1922 

Abbeydale, Yorkshire 1922 

Bradford, Yorkshire 1923 

Blackwell, Worcestershire 1923 

Crystal Springs, California 1924 

Knole Park, Kent 1924 

Cruden Bay, Scotland 1926 

Fowler, Simpson, Abercromby and Croome disbanded 1927 

Declared bankrupt 1928 

The Berkshire Red Blue opened 1928 

Manor House Hotel, Devon (now Bovey Castle) Mostly Abercromby? 1930 

Saunton, Devon 1935 

Died 1941 

“An erratic genius... 

perhaps the most daring 

and original of all golf 

course architects” 

Bernard Darwin 

This timeline has been constructed 

using information from various 

sources, such as club histories, club 

websites, “The Architects of Golf ” 

by Cornish and Whitten.

The Words of William Herbert Fowler 

“Bunkers should only act as hazards for wide shots.” 

“I think that a bunker should mean on average the loss of one 

stroke, .......the ball should always be in the bottom of the bunker, 

and not hard up against the face” 

“I have often thought that the importance of the hazards of 

a course is very much under-estimated by makers of courses, 

Green Committees, and players generally, and yet I think that 

good hazards are really almost the most important feature of a 

course. To my mind it is a near thing between the hazards and the 

greens as to which is more important to the making of a first class 

course.” (from Golf Greens and Greenkeeping, edited by Horace 

Hutchinson, 1911) 

“In my opinion, a course of from 6,300 to 6,500 yards is amply 

long enough, and the latter should not be exceeded. For all 

championships I think there should be specially laid-out courses, 

one in England and one in Scotland, and then one could have a 

course which would be long enough to test even the longest hitters. 

Some day, no doubt, this will be made, but until it arrives I do 

hope courses will be kept to a reasonable length.” (c1920 Lecture 

to Golf Greenkeepers’ Association) 

On Selecting a suitable Club Secretary, he advised Abbeydale 

Golf Club in Sheffield: 

“What you want is a man of character, who is capable, has good 

manners, and is patient with idiots.” 

“A great deal has been written of late years in favour of making 

holes of one, two and three full shots in length, as if this would 

make such holes interesting. Such theories are upset by the first 

strong wind that blows; but a hole which is properly guarded can 

be made interesting, and as difficult as desired, by the proper 

placing of hazards, no matter what its length may be.” (from Golf 

Greens and Greenkeeping, edited by Horace Hutchinson, 1911) 

“We want more cross bunkers in addition to the flanking ones 

to curtail the long drivers from getting nearer the green than a 

certain distance to play their approaches.” Golfing 1915 

“There is one test of a good slope from a bank. One should never be 

able to point to any spot where the slope ends. There is a lot more 

in this than one would at first imagine.” (c1920 Lecture to Golf 

Greenkeepers’ Association) 

“In laying out a course, great care should be taken to see that the 

one-shot holes are of the best possible quality. Personally, I think 

a course is never a good one unless this class of hole is really firstclass. 

Now that inventors have so spoilt the game by making it 

possible to hit the ball to impossible distances, the only thing a 

golf architect can do to get decent two shot holes is to increase the 

number of holes of the one-shot variety.” 

(c1920 Lecture to Golf Greenkeepers’ Association)

The Words of William Herbert Fowler 

This text is taken from a chapter that Fowler wrote in a book 

called “Golf Greens and Greenkeeping”, edited by Horace 

Hutchinson and published in 1911 a few years after Walton Heath 

Old Course opened and shortly after he and Simpson teamed 

up. They were both inspired by the work of John Low and Stuart 

Paton at Woking Golf Club, Simpson so much so that it prompted 

him to change career from law to golf course design. 

This early article by Fowler shows that at this stage his thinking 

was relatively under-developed and his thinking evolved over the 

years. Simpson was a great thinker and prolific writer about golf 

design and the two men must have spent hours debating topics as 

they were both outspoken characters. 

These quotations give a good impression of Fowler’s approach to 

design which is helpful. He did not write too much about the strategic 

approach that Horace Hutchison mentioned in his quote: 

“He will plant a difficulty just the least bit nearer to the hole 

than any other architect, for the shot is nearly good, he has 

little mercy.” 

It is interesting, though, that by 1922, the Fowler, Abercromby, 

Simpson and Croome brochure dedicated an entire page to the 

following clear statement: 

“It is true to say that at least 90% of those who play golf 

are firmly convinced that courses are planned 

for the benefit of the scratch player. 

One moment’s reflection should dispel the idea 

that courses are laid out for 1% of those who play golf. 

We are business men, and do not lay out courses 

for the benefit of our health, 

and if in fact we only consulted the interests of 1% 

we should soon cease to have a business, 

for no one would employ us or recommend us.”

Historic Club Photographs 

Note the open sand areas in this post war shot of the 18th designed by Ken Cotton around 1950

Drive from the then 1st Tee Before WWII 

Historic Club Photographs

11th Green 

Archive photograph - 8th August 1946

Historic Newspaper Articles 

“Golf.” Times [London, England] 12 June 

1925: Bernard Darwin 

“..one of the courses 

of the world” 

“..there is scarcely an 

artificially cut bunker” 

“Parliament.” Times [London, England] 10 Apr. 1913: 

Bernard Darwin

Historic Newspaper Articles 

“Golf.” Times [London, England] 9 

Nov 1935: Bernard Darwin 

“Golf.” Times [London, England] 8 Aug. 1929: 

Bernard Darwin 

“..What more 

can a golfer 

want?”

The Course Evolution

1st Course Layout 9 Holes - 1984 (As Remembered By Philip Harris) 

Saunton’s original 9 hole Course is credited to Thomas Dunn

2nd Course Layout 18 Hole (As Remembered By Philip Harris)

Course Layout - 1921 W. H. Fowler

Course Layout - 1935 

Hole Yards Par 

1 210 3 

2 380 4 

3 384 4 

4 460 5 

5 120 3 

6 400 5 

7 440 5 

8 375 4 

9 386 5 

Out 3155 38 

10 316 4 

11 360 4 

12 460 5 

13 140 3 

14 475 5 

15 480 5 

16 421 5 

17 170 3 

18 418 5 

In 3240 39 

Out 3155 38 

Total 6395 77

Course Layout - 1951 (C. K. Cotton)

Current Course Layout - 2016 

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World War II the Occupied Years

The US Assault Training Centre Occupied 1939 - 1951 

In 1943 work started on The Assault Training Centre based at Saunton. It was created due to an oversight at the 

highest levels of the American War Planning Office which had assumed that American troops sent to lead the 

spearhead assault into Europe would be trained for assault. This was not the case as most infantry divisions were 

‘green’ or inexperienced in combat and this had to be addressed urgently with the invasion planned only a few 

months ahead. 

At this time, the only published advice in the US Army Field Manual was “Fortified areas are to be avoided in 

the initial assault and then taken from the rear.” The plan to attack the Normandy coastal defences would require 

a head on beach assault using multi skilled teams or ‘Assault Sections’ including demolitions, rocket launchers, 

flame throwers and machine gunners. 

The ATC (Assault Training Centre) brief was to train these assaults sections under realistic conditions including 

overcoming on and off-shore obstacles, reduction of fortifications, repulsing of counter attacks and establishing of 

the beach head. 

The British and Canadians were well ahead with their training and had already claimed all suitable beaches except 

Woolacombe. Woolacombe had been deemed too stormy for amphibious landing craft by the British. Many 

natural features including the sand type, dune-scape and tides made Woolacombe an almost exact match for their 

destination ‘Omaha beach’ in Normandy. The ATC was divided into lettered areas along the coastline from A-M, 

Saunton being allocated ‘D’ containing the greatest concentration and variety of assault and training facilities. 

The 398th Engineer General Service arrived on 1st September 1943 and were given orders to build replicas of 

structures included a full-scale German-type ‘Hedgehog’ that the American troops were likely to encounter 

in Normandy. Once the initial construction had been carried out, the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion took 

charge in September 1943 of maintenance and rebuilding. American Troops were to visit the ATC for 3 weeks of 

training. 

After D-Day, the ATC was occupied by the 18th Field Force Replacement Depot to house and feed replacement 

troops on their way to Europe. It is certain that the training and research that took place at Saunton and all along 

the 16 mile stretch of coastline that was used by the ATC was vital to the success of D-Day. Colonel Paul W. 

Thompson, the then commandant said “If the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton, then the 

Assault Training Centre contributed in no small measure to the success of D-Day”.

The US Assault Training Centre Occupied 1939 - 1951 

Obstacle Course 

Concrete wall 

Target Pits 

Ships Sides 

Tank Trap 

Wire Cutting 

Anti-Aircraft 

Battery 

Clubhouse 

Troops billeted in 

Nissan huts 

Pillboxes 

LCVP-LCM Mock Up Area 

LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel 

LCM Landing Craft, Mechanized 

Flame Thrower Range 

‘Hedgehog’ Mock Up Area 

The hedgehog defence is a military tactic for defending against a 

mobile armoured attack, or blitzkrieg. The defenders deploy in 

depth in heavily fortified positions suitable for all-around defence. 

The attackers can penetrate between these “hedgehogs”, but each 

position continues to fight on when surrounded. This keeps large 

numbers of attacking troops tied up, attacking the well-defended 

strong-points, while allowing the defenders to successfully 

counter-attack against the units that bypass these strong-points 

with their own armoured reserves by cutting them off from their 

supporting elements. 

Dragon’s Teeth 

Mine & Booby 

Trap Area

Historic & Current Day Aerial Photography

Historic Aerial Photography 

Points of Interest 

1. The aerial photographs where taken by RAF 58 (1916 to 1976) & 540 (1942 to 

1956 ) photo-reconnaissance Squadrons of the Royal Air Force mainly operating 

Mosquitoes and Anson’s. Based at RAF Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. 

2. The aerial photography shows the essential part that Saunton played in the 

American preparations for World War II D-Day assault on the Normandy 

beaches. The first aerial from 1946, shows the extent of the destruction that took 

place during occupation by tanks, landing craft, demolition practice etc. 

3. The aerial photographs provide information regarding the evolution of green 

shapes and sizes, the number of bunkers, the bunker locations, bunker sizes, 

bunker shapes, open sand areas, fairway widths and the extent and nature of the 

vegetation. 

4. In terms of the greens, its seems as though a number of the greens may have 

survived the war. The actual green boundaries are hard to make out on the 1946 

aerial. 

5. Tees locations have been adjusted over the years as would be expected with the 

advances in ball and club technology. The centre lines shown on the hole by hole 

comparison plans are those of today to illustrate just how far tees have gone 

backwards and directions of play have been adjusted for some of the holes. 

6. The aerial photographs are interesting in what they reveal with respect to the 

bunkers. The 1946 aerial shows no man-made bunkers but there are vast blown 

out sand dunes/ craters, however, as well as a number of smaller size sand scrapes 

that look like they could have been bunkers from the pre-war course left by the 

Americans and maybe some of these were original features of Fowler’s Course. 

Certainly, the plan from 1935 shows the locations of ‘sand pits’ and bunkers. 

There is a significant change in sizes and shape of the bunkers between the 1957 

and the 1989 aerial, with the 1989 larger and distinctly more rounded shapes. 

The average size of the bunkers between 1989 and the current 2016 aerial have 

reduced but the number of bunker has increased from 38 to 56. 

7. The fairway widths look as though they were generous by comparison with those 

of today. This is a common finding in historical studies of courses.

Bunker Analysis 

Histotrical Bunker Count 

1935 Bunker count = 25 /12 open sand 

1957 Bunker count = 45/18 os 

1989 Bunker count = 38 

2016 Bunker count = 56

The Evolution Of The Course 

The 4th Hole 

Fairway widths 

Fairway widths have tended to reduce as it has become easier to hit the ball straighter and as new fairway 

mowers have been introduced. 

The 7th Hole 

Bunker Style 

There is little evidence of the early bunker style. The 

earliest plan showing bunkers is from 1935 and this 

shows a combination of man-made bunkers and ‘sand 

pits’. In 1925 Bernard Darwin wrote “..And though 

there is such a profligate wealth of trouble there is 

scarcely an artificially cut bunker on the course”. Over 

time, bunkers have become simpler in shape as has 

occurred on many links courses. 

5th July 1957 

5th July 1957 4th May 1989 Current Day

May 1946 RAF Aerial Photography 

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November 1952 RAF Aerial Photography 

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July 1957 RAF Aerial Photography 

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May 1989 RAF Aerial Photography 

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Current Day Aerial Photography 

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Hole By Hole Comparisons Of The 

1946, 1949, 1952, 1957, 1989 & Current Day Layouts

East Course - Hole 1 - 1946, 1952 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison 

Current day centre line 

shown on all plans 

5th May 1946 

Major destruction to 

original Course 

24th November 1952 

Ken Cotton green location 

Current Day




Large blow out sand area 

5th July 1957 

Original green location 

All that remains of natural bunkers 

4th May 1989 

More rugged bunker shapes 

Left bunker has gone 

New bunkers 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

Original direction of play 

Mock up ships sides 


Current Day 

New green

Hole 2 - 1957, 1989 & Current Day Aerial Photograph Comparison 



5th July 1957 


New green location 

4th May 1989 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

Large sand craters 

Blown out dune 


Current Day




5th July 1957 

4th May 1989 

Current Day

East Course - Hole 3 - 1957 Oblique View 

Green 

Tees 

2nd Hole

East Course - Hole 3 - Current Day Oblique View 

West 10th Hole 

West 9th Hole 

West 6th Hole 

West 5th Hole 

15th Hole 

2nd Hole




5th May 1946 

Blown out dunes 

Crater bunker 


Current Day




Remnant bunkers? 

Blown out dunes 

5th July 1957 

One left bunker 

4th May 1989 

One right bunker remains 

New right bunker 

4 bunkers 

Left bunker has returned 

Current Day




Original bunkers? 

5th May 1946 


Crater bunkers 

Current Day




Large sandy areas in carry 

Green extended 

5th July 1957 

Bunker off to the right 

4th May 1989 

Bunker filled 

Current Day


Tees 

Green

East Course - Hole 5 - Current Oblique View




5th May 1946 

No evidence of green 


Greens back 

Current Day




Open sand scrape 

5th July 1957 

4th May 1989 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

Three humps 

Bunkers made sense 

in bogey 5 hole 


Current Day




5th July 1957 

2 Bunkers 

The fairway was much wider and 

extended further back towards the tees 

Remains of old bunkers 

Green-side bunker enlarged 

4th May 1989 

Two bunkers merged into one 

Current Day 

This bunker is out of range 

from the tee and irrelevant of 

par 4 

Bunker moved




Concrete wall 

Blown out dune 

5th May 1946 

The characteristic amphitheatre 

8th green 


Blown out dune left after the 

demolition of the wall 

Current Day




5th July 1957 

4th May 1989 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

The flame thrower range 


Current Day




5th July 1957 

No drive bunkers 

Approach bunker added 

4th May 1989 

A ‘threesome’ on the green 

Green extended further right 

Approach bunker moved to 

green edge 

Current Day 

Drive bunkers added




5th May 1946 


Current foregreen is green 

Current Day




5th July 1957 

Green has reduced in size 

Large expanse of fairway for the 

landing area 

Two approach bunkers added 

4th May 1989 

These two approach bunkers 

have been enlarged 

The green surface was 

mown out to the bases of the 

surrounding mounds 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

Trenches? 


Current Day




The fairway was mown out to the left 

Greenside bunker in the hollow 

5th July 1957 

The 11th green was historically 

played from the opposite direction. 

The 5th hole on the 9 hole 1st course 

and the 4th hole on the 18 hole 2nd 

course. This accounts for the fall on 

the green. 

Two small bunkers 

Original direction of play 

4th May 1989 

Two small bunkers 

merged into one 

Current Day




Trenches 

5th May 1946 


Current Day




5th July 1957 

Single greenside bunker 

Left-hand greenside bunker added 

4th May 1989 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

Bunkers? 

Bunker at the rear of the green 


Bunkers 

Large sand crater 

Current Day




5th July 1957 

4th May 1989 

Current Day




5th May 1946 

The obstacle course 

Blown out sand dune 



Blown out sand dunes 

Current Day




Left hand bunker has appeared 

5th July 1957 

Single bunker 

Left hand bunker has gone again 

4th May 1989 

Old bunker 

2 bunkers 

Current Day 

Old bunker 

4 bunkers




5th May 1946 




No bunkers 

Current Day




5th July 1957 

Two bunkers set into the humps 

and hollows 

4th May 1989 

Current Day




Open sand crater 

Ships sides 

5th May 1946 

Pillboxes 


Blown out sand dunes 

Original 8th green 

location (9 hole layout) 

Current Day




5th July 1957 

Large rough edged bunker 

4th May 1989 

Approach bunker added 

Drive bunker reduced in size 

Current Day 

These bunker have 

since been moved


Green

East Course - Hole 16 - Current Oblique View




5th May 1946 



Current Day




5th July 1957 

4th May 1989 

Back tee positioned to the left 

Green moved to current location 

Current Day 

Bunker configuration has changed 

since 1989




Barracks 

5th May 1946 

No bunkers surrounding the 

green just humps and hollows 


Ken Cotton 18th hole 

Current Day




Approach bunker 

5th July 1957 

4th May 1989 

Drive bunker added 

Approach bunker enlarged 

3 Drive bunkers 

Current Day 

5 Greenside bunkers

Saunton Historic Report 2017-07

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