By now, under normal circumstances the Sunningdale Foursomes would have been played. Last year attending this tournament was the last time I was on a golf course for many months. It was a great final between Essex club professional Jack Clarke and his partner Charlotte Austwick from Fulford who became the third mixed pair to win the coveted title after beating the all-pro pairing of Matthew Southgate and Simon Wakefield on the 18th hole of Sunningdale’s Old Course.This year the competition has been cancelled and will next be played on March 9-12 2022.
This unique competition which men and women, professionals and amateurs all play together off the same tees. From the third round the more elevated New course is played which the organisers felt the New would provide a fairer test.
28 pairs start the event on Tuesday, and are play a knock out until the final on Friday. Each year the tournaments receive entries from PGA & European Tour Professionals, former Ryder Cup & Walker Cup players and Major Champions.
Amateurs, Professionals, Ladies & Gentleman are eligible to compete in this Foursomes (alternate shot) knockout competition, with any combination of pairings permitted.
Players are handicapped but all play from the same tees/par.
Male Professionals play off +1
Male Amateurs play off 0
Lady Professionals play off 2
Lady Amateurs play off 4
Recently European Tour professionals as Tommy Fleetwood, James Morrison, Eddie Pepperell, Robert Rock, Nick Dougherty, Zane Scotland and Ricky Willison along with Sam Torrance and Paul Wessling from the Senior Tour have played recently. Inci Mehmet, Oscar Granstrom-Livesey and Max O’Hagan also competed.
In this unique tournament male pros play off -1, Male amateurs off scratch, lady professionals off 2 and lady amateurs receive 4 shots.
I’ve watched the Sunningdale Foursomes every year since 1987, it’s a non negotiable for me! The tournament, which began in 1934 could not have been played in better weather than last year it was glorious.