Walton Heath has never been short of recognition when it comes to being regarded as one of the game’s great championship venues.
The Surrey 36-holer has played host to the Ryder Cup, European Open, Senior Open Championship, British Masters and, most recently and notably, the 2023 AIG Women’s Open.
The club also plays host to US Open Qualifying each year, with a mix of hopeful tour players and elite amateurs battling out over Walton Heath’s expansive land to punch their ticket to golf’s toughest test.
However, despite all those notable tournaments, it is the Walton Heath Trophy where the club is looking to build on its already deep-rooted legacy within the game of golf thanks to a pair of tournaments that are unique within the world of golf.
About the Walton Heath Trophy
Formerly known as the South of England Open Amateur Championship when it was established in 2005 with male golfers playing for the beautiful Michael Lunt Salver, the winner is presented each year with a seriously impressive piece of silverware with the Eisenhower Trophy Gold medal at the centre.
Notable winners of this tournament include Ross McGowan, Jack Senior and 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett.
In 2021, the tournament was renamed as the Walton Heath Trophy to reflect that elite amateur golf was being played across one of the world’s most iconic heathland venues.
What makes the current playing of the tournament unique?
Well, following on from the club’s hosting of the AIG Women’s British Open, the club, with legendary amateur golfer and former Curtis Cup player Jill Thornhill at the forefront of the launch, introduced the Jill Thornhill Rose, an elite women’s amateur tournament to run alongside the men.
Both 72-hole strokeplay tournaments take place concurrently across the intertwined Old and New courses – highlighting the club’s commitment to equality in the amateur game.
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The club’s aim is to have both tournaments conclude at the exact same time on the 18th greens which sit no more than 100 yards away from each other. To add to the logistics of running two 72-hole tournaments at the same time, during the first year of playing, both tournaments required extra holes to determine a winner.
Can you find such drama anywhere else in the game of golf?
That year’s edition of the Walton Heath Trophy saw Madeleine Smith who became the first-ever recipient of the Jill Thornhill Rose, with Daniel Nicholls securing the Michael Lunt Salver.
This year’s tournament will take place from July 21 to 23. For those interested, entries are open for the Michael Lunt Salver (Men) and the Jill Thornill Rose (Women). Spectators are made very welcome.
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