How the Walton Heath Trophy is pushing forward Elite Amateur Golf in England

While the course and its clubhouse have a decidedly quaint feel about them, Surrey's Walton Heath Golf Club has played host to more than its fair share of iconic golfing moments across the decades.

The sprawling heathland course, expanded in the early 20th century to encompass 36 of England's finest golf holes, has a Ryder Cup, multiple European and Senior Opens and, more recently, an AIG Women's Open to its name (the major took place here in 2023). 

But it's another, lesser-known tournament that has become perhaps more symbolic of the club and its commitment to grassroots golf in recent years. The Walton Heath Trophy, an amateur competition launched back in the early 2000s, has evolved over the years to become one of the prestigious and inclusive in the country.

Founded as the male-only South of England Amateur Championships back in 2005, the Trophy has no shortage of illustrious winners in its history. Masters Champion Danny Willett took home the gold in 2007, prior to turning professional. 

Ross Senior and Ross McGowan have also played for and won the Michael Lunt Salver: an enormous silver plate within which sits the Eisenhower Trophy Gold medal, won by Lunt as a member of the Great Britain & Ireland team in 1964. It's perhaps the largest trophy of its kind to be found anywhere in British amateur golf.

It was the club's hosting of the 2023 Women's Open, however, that opened eyes to the potential to present an entirely new format of elite amateur tournament. Club President Jill Thornhill, herself a three-time Curtis Cup Veteran and British Ladies Amateur Champion, spearheaded the push to expand the newly-rebranded Walton Heath Trophy to include both men and women, making unique use of the Old and New Course to great effect.

The 72-hole Trophy is now played by both men and women across three days, with both cohorts alternating between the Old and New courses on different days. This year's event promises to be the biggest yet, with plans to sync the playing times so both groups finish at the same time on the adjacent 18th greens.

While the men will compete for the Michael Lunt Salver as they always have, Women play for the Jill Thornhill Rose: a brand new prize designed in collaboration with Thornhill herself.

This year's Walton Heath Trophy will be played between July 21-23. You can find out more at Walton Heath's website.