feb24 eastberks

Swan Golf Designs’ dramatic transformation of East Berkshire Golf Club is under way in what promises to be a natural and distinctive rejuvenation of the course.

Howard Swan’s plans will bring the course into the 21st century, making its layout more suited to the modern game whilst retaining the character and intent of the original architect’s design.

The broad aim of the renovation process is to reinvigorate the playing strategy of the course, shape each bunker in proportion with its context, enhance the visual presentation of each hole and enable and encourage the fragile ecology of the remnant heathland areas of the course to thrive and spread.

The plans will see most of the existing bunkers refurbished, with those remaining returned to grass as their positions are no longer strategically relevant. A total of 33 new bunkers will be created.

Tree-lined fairways with welcoming approaches to the greens will see the new bunkering placing a premium on accuracy and giving great variety of shot making.

The golf course features gentle undulation; golf holes framed by woodland, with pockets of heather across the landscape.  

Colin Day, Club Secretary, said: “Howard’s presentation consolidated my Board’s impression of his professional architectural qualities, sensitive to our wishes for and the needs of the course’s future.

“We are now embarking on a five-year programme to modernise our bunkers and our tees and to enhance the landscape and the environment of the holes.”

Day, delighted with the progress, went on to say: “My Board took the decision, albeit in the midst of a recession, to spend and upgrade our greatest asset, knowing that at some stage we will come through the recession and it might be the survival of the fittest, who can illustrate they have an exceptional course, that actually survive.”

Work began on the renovation in early January 2009, and the first phase is scheduled to be completed within a two-month period.