Wentworth Club

Wentworth Club stands on the south-western edge of London, near Virginia Water in Surrey. The privately owned golf and country club occupies a 19th-century house once home to the Duke of Wellington’s brother-in-law. Its grounds were shaped in the 1850s by the widow of a Spanish Carlist commander who planted trees brought from the continent. The estate was later developed as a residential golf community by builder W. G. Tarrant, who commissioned Harry Colt to design the first courses. The club’s West Course hosted the 1953 Ryder Cup and remains the venue for the PGA European Tour’s annual championship. The club is best known for its close ties to professional golf. Its three 18-hole courses include the Harry Colt-designed West and East Courses, opened in 1926 and 1924 respectively, and the more recent Edinburgh Course by John Jacobs. The PGA European Tour has its headquarters at the club, and the West Course regularly stages major tournaments. South African golfer Ernie Els became the club’s worldwide touring professional in 2005 and lengthened the West Course by 310 yards while adding 30 bunkers. The estate also hosts homes of top players and celebrities within the adjoining Wentworth Estate. Visitors find a clubhouse that once belonged to the Duke of Wellington’s family, set among mature gardens and parkland. The West Course measures more than 7,200 yards and has hosted the Ryder Cup and BMW PGA Championship. The East Course, slightly shorter at 6,200 yards, was the site of the inaugural Curtis Cup in 1932. A nine-hole par-3 course and a tennis and health club with a gym, spa and indoor pool offer alternatives to golf. The grounds remain entwined with the surrounding estate, where many professionals live close to the fairways and greens.