One of literature’s great enduring mysteries centres on the town of Sunningdale in Surrey, England. In 1926 Agatha Christie fled the home she shared there with her husband, a keen golfer, shortly after learning that he was seeking a divorce. The author vanished, prompting a nationwide hunt, only to re-emerge 10 days later, and 200 miles away, in the spa town of Harrogate. No explanation was ever offered and speculation about her flight remains rife to this day.
Of the Sunningdale Foursomes, first played at the golf club eight years after the Christie episode, there is no conundrum. True, there is an annual cast of characters every bit as eclectic as any Hercule Poirot whodunnit, but there is no need for the detective’s little grey cells to crack the riddle of its abiding popularity.
The secret of its success? That a straightforwardly good idea has never stopped producing a fun week of unconfined golfing rivalry. Its origins are golden age but in spirit it could hardly be more modern having been inclusive and diverse long before those words became buzzy.
... we all know that Sam Torrance ended the 1985 season holing the winning putt in an epic Ryder Cup match; few recall that he started it by winning this event.
Entrants can be amateur or professional, male or female, young or old. Pairings are permitted in any combination. Winners have included the famed Joyce Wethered in the 1930s, Champion Golfer of 1951 Max Faulkner, commentating legend Peter Alliss, former world No. 1 Luke Donald, and even the brother of Hollywood actress Kelly Reilly. Moreover, we all know that Sam Torrance ended the 1985 season holing the winning putt in an epic Ryder Cup match; few recall that he started it by winning this event.
As current as it feels, there is no need for the modern world’s usual marketing hoo-ha for the week to chase attention. Instead, it is that most wonderful of things: a word of mouth success, one the British golfing community holds close to its heart and soul. It helps that Sunningdale’s Old and New Courses are, as a sage visitor noted: “In finer condition in early March than most courses can aspire to be at any stage of the year.” Golfers also appreciate the exceptional and traditional quality of those two tests. They want to kickstart their season tackling them so tournament entries are routinely over-subscribed.
From practice on Monday through to Wednesday the club is a hive of activity. It’s a social, as well as competitive, occasion – old friends reconnect, memories are shared (never more so than in this first edition since before COVID-19 lockdown). Former European Tour CEOs Ken Schofield and George O’Grady swapped tales with bon viveur and Ryder Cup veteran Michael King, while Jackie Alliss, widow of Peter, was a guest of the club, to celebrate his victories in 1958 and 1961.
With 128 pairs whittled down to 16, the players’ focus narrowed on Thursday. Seventh out in the morning was a match-up that perfectly captured the tournament’s ethos, pitting grizzled former tour professionals James Heath and Adam Gee against England Golf amateur stars Rachel Gourley (17) and Lottie Woad (18). In truth, the engaging Heath could never be termed grizzled. After an 18th hole defeat at the hands of the youngsters, he stood beneath the club’s famous oak tree and said: “You know, this week has always symbolised the start of the season and the prospect of playing it gets you through the winter.”
A fresh admirer of Gourley and Woad, Heath also chuckled at older memories. “We played Laura Davies a few years ago when she partnered Barry Lane,” he recalled. “She’s a legend. She was hitting driver off the deck and then she’d be inches off the green, with an ultra-tight lie, and she’s got a lob wedge with absolutely no bounce in her hands. Next thing you know the ball’s stone dead. It was unreal. She smashed us.”
Gourley and Woad trundled on through the rounds. They’d started the week well-fancied and ended with their reputations fully enhanced. A birdie at the par-3 13th in Friday’s rain-soaked final secured a 6&5 triumph over the professional pairing of Paul Hendriksen and Jimmy Ruth.
They were fuelled by Woad’s love of the course and a habit of completing sentences, as well as playing golf, in alternate shots. “We’ve teamed up together for England ...” started Gourley, “… and we hit the same distance with a draw,” added her partner. “We knew Georgia Hall played here ...” said one, clearly inspired, “… and Charley Hull too,” added the other. “It’s a big event to win ...” smiled Gourley, “… a long week, a lot of holes,” sighed Woad happily.
More relevant, perhaps, was their unflappable nature allied to strong all-round games. If they found trouble they chopped out, stayed in the contest, and made their opponents win the hole. True, they had the advantage of the maximum shot allowance, but rarely can it have been so maturely used.
“We got beat by two very, very good young golfers,” Heath said. “It will be really fun to see where golf takes them.” In the short term, the answer is to college in America – Gourley to Auburn, Woad to Florida State. In the long term, who knows.
But the Sunningdale Foursomes? It’s endured for 88 years. It’s going nowhere.
Top: Sunningdale Foursomes winners Rachel Gourley and Lottie Woad (Courtesy Kevin Diss Photography)
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