Musings from the Jar
October 2023
Premium Inclusive: The Family Experience at Sunningdale Heath
Since 2018, when Wentworth professionals Kristian Baker and Tom Reid had a bright idea to revitalise and transform this charming plot of land adjacent to Sunningdale Golf Club, I have often heard about its remarkable inclusivity and warm atmosphere. Such an image, for many, might seem surprising considering its proximity to its revered and distinguished neighbour. Yet, originally formed in 1902 as Sunningdale Ladies Golf Club, this Harry Colt design has been providing golf in a shorter format for over a century. A couple of weeks ago, I spent some time up at Sunningdale Heath for the very first time, and took with me my mum, Elaine, who’s relatively new to the game. Playing off a handicap of 23, I was really interested to find out more about what Sunningdale Heath can offer to the golfer that is looking to improve and sharpen their game. There is no doubting that [...]
Portmarnock Golf Club: 5 Things You Should Know About Dublin’s Masterpiece
Today, the news was officially announced that Portmarnock Golf Club, the historic Dublin links, is seeking government support to host the AIG Women's Open and The Open in the coming years. It would be the first time the trophies are taken outside of the United Kingdom and to the Emerald Isle. Yet, golfing purists would not be surprised by the decision to go to Portmarnock. It is an elite championship links with a rich history and is already due to host the Women’s Amateur Championship next year. (Image Credit: Portmarnock Golf Club) In light of the news, I took some time to learn a little more about Portmarnock, a course which I played for the first time this year and am itching to go back to. Here are 5 things you must know: The original course design was overseen by Mungo Park in 1893/4 Brother to Willie, [...]
Five Meditations on Rome’s Ryder Cup
Ahead of this year’s staging of the biggest celebration in golf, I must admit to being apprehensive about the on-the-ground experience on offer at Marco Simone for The Ryder Cup. Hearing of the Herculean crowd to be expected (250,000) and with the relative lack of groups on the course, I was not optimistic about being able to witness much golf. Having experienced the crowds at last year’s Open at St Andrews and once again this year at Hoylake, the type of fan within me that just wants to watch loads of golf shots has been left underwhelmed. Et Romae, this was going to be no different. However, having been lucky enough to obtain tickets through the ballot for Thursday’s practice day and Saturday, I came away from the event very impressed. In an Aurelian spirit, below are five ‘meditations’ on the fan experience and perhaps some tips and advice for [...]
September 2023
On-Call, on the Course.
Alister MacKenzie gained the nickname ‘The Good Doctor’- he served as a field surgeon in the Boer War not long after graduating from Cambridge, then it was time to ply his trade around Leeds, his hometown. He traded the scalpel for topography maps and golf course design after World War One. Harry Colt gave up his Law career after a couple of years to design courses, while MacKenzie saw out nearly twenty (intermittently) as a Doctor. I suspect the Good Doctor was less-than-full time at the Doctoring during these years; he produced Alwoodley GC as his first design in the middle of this period. Colt wasn’t cash strapped- he took the Sunningdale Secretary job for £150 a year when the average London Lawyer was earning £1500 per annum. These men partnered up in design for a brief period of time but [...]
Les Bordes: The New Course – Gil Hanse
As part of the recent development work at Les Bordes under the stewardship of the Private Equity group RoundShield who acquired the estate in 2018, a second 18 has been built on the higher sandy ground nearer the entrance to the 1,400 acre estate (the second largest privately owned estate in France... the largest being Disneyland in Paris). Gil Hanse was commissioned to design and layout the course with one simple brief; ‘This is a members club, a second club for almost everyone and as such it was important to create a course which was walkable and enjoyed short transitions between holes’ In contrast to The Old which is verdant and watered, The New sits on firm sandy soil, rich in fescue with the occasional smattering of heather. This is a course built with the charm of the Surrey/Berkshire heathlands and the fast running Carolina’s in mind, taking some of [...]
Les Bordes: The Old Course – Robert Von Hagge
An honours board commemorating those that have broken 80, or kept the same ball in play all the way round. A course that is famed for its difficulty and an obscenely small membership (as low as 3 if some rumours are to be believed), Les Bordes has been the stuff of legend and mystique for many years. More recently however with events like The Bridges Cup and the addition of a second course (The New) by Gil Hanse, this club is creating a fresh history of its own. Not surprisingly then, when an invitation came through to visit and see the estate that Baron Marcel Bich (pen, lighter and razor magnate) called home many years ago, we leapt at the chance. What was possibly a more austere setting back then with only one course designed by Robert Von Hagge, now sits the same classical French gite clubhouse which has been [...]
5 Things That Will Amaze You About Babe Zaharias
Babe Zaharias is a figure in the game with a career that is quite simply incredible. Her story is one of enormous achievement, not just in the game of golf but as a multi-discipline athlete. She overcame sexism and prejudice, she challenged stereotypes, she influenced the women's game in a way like no one else and set records which still stand today. We think every golfer should know her amazing story. We recorded a podcast with Susan Cayleff, a Pulitzer Prize nominee who has dedicated endless time to researching Babe’s career, back in 2021 which we strongly encourage you to listen to. You can find that here: As a short primer for any golfer who wants to know more about this amazing character, here are 5 things you should know and that are simply amazing: She is the only track and field Olympian of all time to win [...]
The 49th Walker Cup: GB&I Take 3 Point Advantage
USA 4.5 – 7.5 GB&I (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) Walker Cup Saturday from St Andrews will live long in the memory. Glorious September sunshine lit up the Old Course for the most historic of matchups. Play got underway at 08.30, with Dylan Menante sending one down the middle alongside Gordon Sargent and taking on Barclay Brown and Mark Power. Menante and Sargent got off to a quick start, birdieing the first and giving the American fans a huge fist pump to get them going. Not only were they off to a quick start, but they were also setting a formidable pace of play at the top of the order. Sargent, the World #1 and his unassuming partner played some excellent golf, including an eagle to a very tough pin on 12 to seal victory 3&2. The dash of red first to go up on the [...]
The Walker Cup: 5 Things
We are very lucky here at Cookie Jar Golf to have subscribers and followers who love to share their thoughts on the game. John Haddon has written this short piece about the weekend's play ahead and what to look out for at The Walker Cup. Thanks John, it is going to be a great weekend. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) 1) The Score A quick glance at the match series score paints a dark picture if you’re a Great Britain & Ireland supporter. The USA leads the series 38-9-1. A quick check of recent results does little to raise the spirits either, with the USA winning the last 3 matches. However, after the USA won an astonishing 28 of the first 31 matches (1 draw, 2 losses), a turning point came in 1989, when GB & I won on US soil for the first time, at [...]
August 2023
The 49th Walker Cup: A Seminole Reflection
Team Great Britain and Ireland and Team USA pose for a photograph during a putting contest at the Himalayas - (Photo by Ross Parker/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) As anticipation builds and with just four days until the opening tee shot at the 49th Walker Cup, taking place 100 years since the first staging, it’s worth taking a brief moment to reflect on the last transatlantic battle that took place at Seminole in May 2021. The build-up to Seminole lingers in the memory for a rather peculiar reason; Florida played host to the Walker Cup during the remnants of the COVID golf era, marked by woggles in holes and foot raking in bunkers. So, when the GB&I team crossed the pond, they were still completing daily screenings for the virus. When a number of players from both sides took ill just a couple of days before play, confusion abounded [...]
