What do notable figures like Robert Rock, Eddie Pepperell, Sir Andy Murray, Charley Hull, Ronan Rafferty, Kipp Popert, Gareth Bale, and even NCG’s Nicola Slater and myself have in common? We are all participating in this year’s Sunningdale Foursomes. This unique tournament brings together professionals and amateurs, women and men, across all ages, playing from the same tees in mixed pairs, all governed by a fair and straightforward handicap system.
Established in 1934, the Sunningdale Foursomes has consistently held its traditional spot in the second week of March. Its illustrious list of past champions includes golf legends such as Max Faulkner, Peter Alliss, Sir Michael Bonallack, Peter Oosterhuis, Sam Torrance, Ronan Rafferty, and Chubby Chandler. Each year, the field routinely features top tour professionals and veterans of prestigious team events like the Ryder, Solheim, Walker, and Curtis Cups, representing both male and female players.
A key aspect of this format is that all players compete from the same tees and to the same par, utilizing a simple, unique handicap structure:
- Male professionals play off +1
- Male amateurs play off 0
- Lady professionals play off 2
- Lady amateurs play off 3
The Foursomes format also excels in pace of play. Despite limited daylight in early spring, the tournament typically completes 36 holes daily. Even rounds that go the full distance are planned to finish in under four hours, showcasing an efficiency often sought in modern golf.
Having played in the event three times myself, I can attest to its unique challenges and joys. In 2015, my retired LET pro partner and I reached the third round before being overcome by talented teenage Swedish phenoms. My subsequent attempts in 2016 and 2019, with my teaching pro, were met with less success, falling to a wardrobe malfunction and a challenging storm, respectively.
Foursomes truly embodies the essence of golf. It demands patience – whether your partner leaves you in a tricky spot or you miss a crucial putt. A skilled foursomes player avoids apologies, focusing instead on setting their partner up for the next shot. The format rewards consistency; pairs often navigate a rollercoaster of sublime and ridiculous shots, striving for par after par or struggling to find rhythm. There’s an unparalleled intimacy that develops between partners in this format.
Moreover, Foursomes naturally lends itself to the playful, often absurd, side of golf. There’s a particular humor in hitting a shot off your knees from a gorse bush where your partner inadvertently placed you – moments that define the memorable silliness golf can offer.
While golf currently attempts to rebrand itself with trendy additions like shorts, background music, and a forced modernity – akin to an awkward uncle at a wedding – I believe younger generations, particularly the ‘TikTok generation,’ would gravitate more towards the speedy, engaging, equitable, and refreshingly authentic experience of early spring days at Sunningdale, rather than the often contrived atmosphere seen on professional tours today.
