The Berkshire Golf Club

The Berkshire Golf Club's Red Course, designed by Herbert Fowler and opened in 1928, represents one of the finest examples of heathland golf in England. Fowler, who also created Walton Heath and Eastward Ho!, routed the Red through classic Surrey-Berkshire heathland terrain characterized by sandy soil, mature pine and silver birch trees, heather, and gorse. The course sits on elevated ground near Ascot, providing natural drainage and firm playing conditions throughout much of the year. Fowler's design philosophy emphasized strategic options and natural contours, with minimal earth-moving that allows the golf to flow across the property's rolling topography. The Red Course measures over 6,300 yards from the championship tees and features a balanced routing with strong two-shot holes and varied par threes. The bunkering follows Fowler's characteristic style—deep, revetted hazards positioned to challenge both tee shots and approaches. Several holes play along ridgelines or through corridors of heather and trees, requiring accuracy as well as length. The greens are typically firm and subtly contoured, rewarding precise iron play and thoughtful approach angles. The Berkshire operates as a members' club with two eighteen-hole courses—the Red and Blue—both designed by Fowler and both highly regarded in British golf. The club maintains a traditional atmosphere, with a focus on the quality of golf rather than elaborate facilities. The Red Course has hosted various amateur championships and regularly appears in rankings of England's best inland courses.