The Berkshire is a stunning golfing venue, that is home to 36 holes of glorious heathland golf. The Blue is one of those two amazing lay-outs at the club.

Herbert Fowler was the man behind both courses, which were designed in 1928. Fowler's repertoire also includes both courses at Walton Heath, along with Saunton and Cruden Bay.

The Berkshire is also the home to The Red Course. The two courses are named Red and Blue after the red and blue armies who used this land for manoeuvres prior to the First World War.

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Both courses at The Berkshire were laid out by Herbert Fowler at the same time, across a 372 acreage plot of Crown Estate heathland. 1928 was the founding of the golf club.

The two courses follow Fowler's idea to try and let the course flow through the land and to change the surroundings as little as possible during construction. Heather, trees and streams were all used to his advantage during the design of the Blue Course.

The English Amateur Championship, British Seniors Open Championship, English Ladies’ Close Amateur Championship, English Senior Ladies’ Matchplay Championship, Women’s Home Internationals and the Vagliano Trophy have all been played at the venue.

The Club also hosts two amateur events annually, the Astor Salver for ladies and the Berkshire Trophy. Past winners of the latter include Sir Nick Faldo, Sir Michael Bonallack, Peter Oosterhuis, Sandy Lyle, Eddie Pepperell and Ross Fisher. The Berkshire also played host to the finals of the Rose Ladies Series in 2020.

The Blue Course at The Berkshire Golf Club unusually begins with a par-3, but it is a tricky test to get the round underway. In total, the par-71 Blue Course measures in at 6,366 yards, with four par-3s and three par-5s.

As aforementioned, the Blue begins with a 217 yard par-3, a tough start. The green sits on a mound, more than across a sea of heather. There is trouble short and right of the green, to catch a weakly hit slice and back left of the green to punish the hooked shot which is likely to go too long. A short par-4 and par-5 follow before a 153 yard par-3 provides another tough test.

Another short par-4 follows before the longest hole on the course, the 6th. At 526 yards, the dogleg left par-5 is still reachable in two for the longer hitters, but it can cause havoc to your scorecard. The 7th is another dogleg to the left, this time at just over 350 yards, before the hardest hole on the course, the 8th. A driveable par-4 finishes the front nine, at just a click over 300.

The back nine also begins with a par-3 but an easier prospect lies in front of you. It is carded at 200 yards from the back tees, but it plays downhill so less club will be required. The par-5 11th is a quirky hole, with a stream zig-zagging down the left hand side after coming across the fairway to begin with. Another one reachable for the big hitters in two, but those going for it should be wary. A couple of short par-4s sandwich the last par-3, the 13th.

Three of the last four holes on the Blue Course at The Berkshire measure at over 400 yards. The 15th is 409, with the 16th then being the hardest hole on the back side. The 453 yard par-4 has a stream about 70 yards in front of the green and can kill a card. The last two holes show off The Berkshire’s charm, as you aim to finish the round as well as you can. 

The Berkshire Golf Club is situated in the village of Ascot, which is in the eastern part of Berkshire, not far from London. The nearest train station to The Berkshire Golf Club is Ascot railway station. It's well-connected to the larger railway network in the region, including regular services to London Waterloo and other destinations. Upon arriving at Ascot station, you can arrange for transportation to the golf club, which is just a short distance away.

Both the Red and Blue Courses at The Berkshire cost the same price in green fees. Throughout the summer months, to play at The Berkshire costs £220 through the week, while it costs £300 to play on the weekend.

Visit The Berkshire's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.