The interview is presented in two parts: historian and Sunningdale member Adrian Pepper discusses the club’s history, particularly the New Course, followed by golf-course architect Gil Hanse on the ongoing restoration work.

Pepper describes joining Sunningdale around 2000 and explains how he brought together earlier books, pamphlets, newspaper reports and archival material for his history of the club. Digitized newspaper archives, he says, made it easier to find historical details, including the first recorded hole-in-one on the New Course, made by club founder T.A. Roberts.

Roberts and his brother helped establish the club after building Ridgemount, where a few golf holes were laid out. The Old Course opened in 1901, followed by a nine-hole course for local villagers and chauffeurs, and then an 18-hole course for ladies. Pepper explains that Sunningdale’s sandy heathland offered a version of links golf near London. He contrasts earlier penal course design, focused on carrying hazards and hitting straight, with the strategic approach that encouraged golfers to make choices and use the land’s natural contours.

Pepper outlines Harry Colt’s role as secretary, course designer and later consultant. Colt refined Willie Park Jr.’s Old Course design, including reducing some greens and changing blind shots. The New Course was commissioned after the First World War as demand for golf grew. Pepper discusses Colt’s work alongside John Morrison and contractor Claude Harris, as well as Alister MacKenzie’s reported involvement. He also describes Tom Simpson’s redesign in the 1930s, intended to address changes in clubs and ball distance. Simpson’s work prompted disagreement among members; Morrison later rerouted parts of the course, and the club retained the Colt and Simpson layouts for a period.

The discussion traces further changes to the New Course, including repeated alterations to the first and 18th holes, the route through holes six to ten, and the growth of trees after the Second World War. Pepper attributes that growth to both planting decisions and reduced grazing and rabbit populations. He also names members and committees who helped restore and maintain the courses.

Hanse describes the restoration programme. The first phase included extensive tree removal, bunker and tee work, and a full rebuild of the fifth hole. The next phase is planned to expand greens and restore greenside bunkers, with further proposals for holes nine, ten and 18 subject to approval. The work uses historical photographs and Pepper’s book as references, with Colt and Morrison as the principal design guides.

Hanse says the New Course was originally more open, with features scaled to the landscape, and that restoration aims to recover that character while preserving its distinct contrast with the Old Course. He discusses specific holes, including the scale and setting of the fifth, the routing and landscape around holes 12 and 13, and design features at 14 and 16. He also explains how tee locations are being considered to offer suitable challenges for golfers with different abilities while retaining the courses’ design angles and character.

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In part two of our conversation with Dean Robertson, we discuss the build-up to the Walker Cup at Lahinch, including player selection, communication with the team, and preparations at Ballybunion. Robertson explains how the coaching staff used deliberate disruptions—such as removing phones, rangefinders and pin sheets—to prepare players for uncertainty and reinforce a focus on hitting the center of the green.

We hear how the team’s support staff and players were given specific roles, from tracking performance data and coordinating caddies to keeping players and their families connected and managing food and energy. The preparations also included a visit from County Clare hurlers and time together at Frawley’s, where Robertson describes an emotional speech from Connor Graham’s brother, Archie, and messages recorded by players’ families.

Robertson recounts the competition across both days. The team began strongly, then lost all four Sunday morning foursomes matches as the US players produced exceptional golf in difficult conditions. Facing a seven-point deficit in the singles, the team changed its order and focused on staying composed and making the most of opportunities. Robertson describes the key performances and moments that helped GB&I close the gap and secure the Walker Cup.

We discuss the emotion of the victory, the celebrations with both teams and their support staff, and the lasting connections formed during the week. Robertson also shares his view of the Walker Cup format and explains why Lahinch, where the course and town are closely connected, would be his choice to host the event again.

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Dean Robertson discusses his golf career, coaching work and experience captaining the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team. He has worked at the University of Stirling for 17 years, where he directs golf and develops a structured, performance-focused program for student athletes.

Robertson grew up in Paisley and began playing golf with his father. After studying civil engineering, he took a golf scholarship in the United States and later played professionally for ten years. He recalls his 1993 Walker Cup appearance as an important source of lasting friendships, though the team struggled with the fast greens and course conditions in the United States. He also describes the camaraderie among European Tour players in the 1990s and the support he received from Scottish professionals.

He reflects on the influence of coach Bob Torrance, whose training emphasized discipline and practical responsibility. Robertson recalls collecting, cleaning and washing golf balls, as well as measuring shot distances and learning courses through careful preparation. He applies similar principles at Stirling, where practice is structured around game-like challenges, measurable outcomes and honest performance data.

Robertson says his coaching approach developed through his work at Stirling and collaboration with sports psychologist John Mathers. Training programs have included winter camps, measured practice games and physical speed training. He also describes adapting practices during the COVID period, when the team used TrackMan and other exercises to continue training while socially distanced. Robertson emphasizes the value of learning from athletes in other sports at the university.

After applying for the Walker Cup captaincy in 2023, Robertson focused on selecting players by observing them across tournaments and building relationships with them. He describes the modern amateur golfer as increasingly supported in technical, physical and mental preparation, while noting that the distinction between amateur and professional has become less clear.

He recounts preparing for the 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point, including a reconnaissance visit and observations about the course’s greens and changing conditions. In reviewing the matches, he identifies key moments that shifted momentum, including a missed opportunity in the foursomes. He also explains changes to team arrangements at Lahinch, such as positioning the team room and practice area strategically and delaying the singles order until closer to play. Robertson credits the Irish crowd and Stuart Grehan’s contribution with helping energize the team.

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