'SPION KOP'
Par 4, 403 Yards, SI 10
Named after the Battle of Spion Kop near Ladysmith in South Africa in January 1900 in the second Boer War where the British were defeated. Winston Churchill, Mohandas Ghandi and Baden Powell were all involved in the battle.
This will be the third time the name has been used at Burnham & Berrow. The first time was when the course was extended in 1901 for the 9th hole which was approximately 190 yards long and was played directly west-east over high sand dunes to a green close to today’s 11th green. The second time was in the 1910 extension by Herbert Fowler for the new 10th hole which was very similar to the old 9th in that is was an west-east tee shot over the line of forty foot sand dunes. The tee was close to the winter tee on the right hand side of the ditch of the present 9th hole and the green close to today’s 10th green. At 225 yards long the carry for the drive was at least 170 yards.
The current 10th hole was part of Colts’ 1913 proposal and opened for play in 1921.
Pro Tip
“A dogleg left to right with a blind tee shot over a sand dune. Avoid the temptation to be too aggressive from the tee – over the hill will do. Bigger hitters, especially down the wind can run out of fairway with a driver so think about using a shorter club off the tee. Once over the hill, unless you are into a strong wind, you will leave yourself a relatively short approach to a flat green.”
