The Addington Golf Club

The Addington Golf Club sits on the highest ground in Croydon, just nine miles south of central London, where the Shard and Canary Wharf form the aiming line from hilltop tees. Founded in 1913, it is the only golf course in the world known to have been designed as a joint venture between J.F. Abercromby and Harry Colt, the two leading figures of early 20th-century British golf architecture. A rolling, ongoing restoration by Clayton, DeVries & Pont, commissioned in 2020, is bringing the original design back to a standard not seen since the club's inter-war heyday.

Why Play The Addington?

Experience one of Britain's most architecturally distinctive Golden Age layouts that sits inside the M25, and features par threes of the highest quality, including a hole described by Henry Longhurst as the finest one-shot hole in inland golf. No other course within striking distance of central London offers this combination of history, terrain and ongoing restoration ambition.

History of The Addington Golf Club

The origins of The Addington trace to July 1913, when the Addington Golf Syndicate Ltd was incorporated, with John Frederick Abercromby as the lead signatory. Abercromby had already built Worplesdon and Coombe Hill before turning his attention to The Addington, by then his most ambitious project. Understanding the scale of the undertaking, he enlisted Harry Colt as a consultant. Bernard Darwin visited the site during construction and noted that clearing the heavily wooded hillside required 500 labourers to remove 1,500 trees and 700 barrow loads of stones.

The club officially opened on 18th October 1919, with Abercromby remaining as chairman until he died in 1935. He was described by contemporaries as the course's sole, autocratic, and on the whole benevolent dictator, continually refining the design throughout his tenure.

The inter-war years represented The Addington's first golden period. The club became so popular that leading professionals, including James Braid, Percy Alliss and Abe Mitchell played an exhibition match to mark the New Course opening. The US Walker Cup team used The Addington as a practice venue before the 1933 match at Royal St George's. P.G. Wodehouse was a regular visitor, and his famously trap-prone relationship with the sixth-hole bunker led him to use the address "c/o the sixth bunker, Addington" for correspondence.

The Addington was privately owned for many years by Moira Fabes. She died in 2002, and in 2006 the course was acquired by Ron Noades, a self-made businessman and passionate golfer who also owned Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and Brentford football clubs. Ron Noades died in 2013, and his son Ryan subsequently became managing director. In 2020, Ryan engaged Clayton, DeVries & Pont (CDP) to begin a multi-year restoration programme aimed at returning the course to its 1913 character.

Course Layout & Playing Experience

The Addington occupies a piece of ground unlike anything else in British golf. Originally gravel hills, the rugged property features several ravines throughout and, though it has become more wooded in nature over time, the terrain resists classification as heathland, moorland or parkland — it is, simply, what it is. The routing spans the high ground of the Croydon hills, producing a course that plays longer than its yardage and demands a full repertoire of shots across a par of 69.

Wooden bridges transport players across grassy ravines, opulently-sized sand-faced bunkers guard wide and demanding greens, and several holes require blind tee shots into terrain that reveals its character only on arrival. The views from hilltop tees at the 14th and 16th take in the full London skyline — with the Shard, Canary Wharf and the Gherkin visible on the horizon — a juxtaposition that is unique in British golf.

The CDP restoration, which commenced in earnest in 2020, has already transformed the course's visual character. Massive tree clearance has opened up playing corridors across the entire layout, with the effect most dramatic at the eighth, twelfth, famous thirteenth, and the sweeping downhill par-five sixteenth. Green complexes are being expanded to their original footprints, and a full bunker rebuilding programme is underway.

Notable Architectural Features

The par-three 13th is The Addington's defining hole and one of the most discussed one-shot holes in the history of British golf architecture. Playing to over 230 yards, it carries across broken, ravine-cut terrain to a green protected by one of Abercromby's most demanding putting complexes. Henry Longhurst described it as the greatest one-shot hole in inland golf, exceeded only by the fifth at Pine Valley.

The par-three seventh is one of the most significant restoration targets, where the green originally extended further back to create a spectacular double punchbowl.

In May 2024, a new par-three hole was opened using an original green site that had been taken out of play at least a century ago and was revealed by tree clearance. Recreated by Mike DeVries, the hole plays from near the tenth tees and is intended to form part of an alternative routing that Ryan Noades hopes will eventually run on alternate days. The tenth hole itself was also altered at this stage, with a new tee position transforming the mid-length par four into a 525-yard par five.

Travel & Planning

Regional Golf Context

The Addington sits within one of the finest concentrations of inland golf anywhere in the world. The Surrey–Berkshire heathland belt, stretching from the Croydon hills to the Berkshire sand lands, encompasses more top-ranked inland courses per square mile than any other region in Britain.

Within 30km (19 miles): Walton Heath Golf Club lies approximately 16km (10 miles) south-west, around 20 minutes by car, with both the Old and New courses ranked among Britain's finest heathland layouts. Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, a Harry Colt design, is approximately 13km (8 miles) west, around 15 minutes. Addington Palace Golf Club and Croham Hurst Golf Club are immediately adjacent, within 3km (2 miles).

30–60km (19–37 miles): St George's Hill Golf Club lies approximately 35km (22 miles) south-west, around 40 minutes. Wentworth Club and Sunningdale Golf Club are both within this range, approximately 40–50km (25–31 miles) west via the M25 or A3, around 45–55 minutes. Tandridge Golf Club is approximately 25km (16 miles) south, around 30 minutes. Swinley Forest Golf Club is approximately 50km (31 miles) west.

60km+ (37+ miles): The Berkshire Golf Club, Hankley Common and West Sussex Golf Club are all achievable on extended itineraries from a Croydon or central London base.

A base in central London or Croydon itself gives access to all Surrey and Berkshire heathland courses, with the flexibility to combine a morning round at The Addington with afternoon travel to the south-west corridor. Croydon hotels include Hilton and Premier Inn properties within a short taxi ride of the club.

Practical Planning

The Addington operates a visitor policy on weekdays, with weekend play available from midday. Advance booking is required. The club is moving progressively towards a more private membership model, so early contact with the pro shop is advisable to confirm visitor availability. Practice facilities include a driving range, a four-bay practice net, two short-game greens and a full-size putting green.

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Transport ✈️

London Gatwick Airport (LGW): Approximately 34km (21 miles), around 27 minutes by car via the M23 and A235. Car hire is available at the airport with direct motorway access.

London Heathrow Airport (LHR): Approximately 35km (22 miles) by road, around 45–50 minutes by car via the M25 and A22. Major car hire facilities on site.

By rail: East Croydon station is approximately 3km (2 miles) from the club, with fast trains from London Victoria taking around 15 minutes. From East Croydon, a taxi to the course takes approximately 10 minutes.

Ground transport: The course is accessed via Shirley Church Road (B253), off the A2022. From the M25, leave at Junction 6 and follow the A22 towards Croydon. Addington Village is clearly signposted from the Addington roundabout.

Private aviation: Biggin Hill Airport (London Biggin Hill) lies approximately 12km (7.5 miles) south-east, around 15 minutes by car, and handles private and charter aircraft.

Seasonal Timing

Spring (March–May):
The turf drains freely, and the course typically comes into excellent condition from late March onwards. Recent restoration work has increased natural light across the layout, benefiting both playing surface quality and overall presentation. Visitor demand begins to build from April, so advance booking is recommended.

Summer (June–August):
The course is in full condition, with firm, fast fairways that suit The Addington’s strategic design. Long daylight hours through July and August extend the playing window. Visitor demand is at its highest during this period, though green fee rates remain consistent with the broader peak season from May through October.

Autumn (September–October):
Often considered the finest time to play, with heather in bloom and rich autumn colour across the hillsides. Course conditions remain excellent through October thanks to the free-draining sandy subsoil, with ongoing restoration continuing to enhance playing quality year on year.

Winter (November–February):
The course performs exceptionally well through the winter months. Its elevation, gravel base, and extensive drainage system allow it to remain playable when many other courses struggle, and it is rarely closed except in cases of snow. Temporary greens have not been in use for several years. Winter visitor packages are typically available Monday to Thursday—contact the pro shop to confirm current arrangements.

The Addington: The Verdict

What makes The Addington unique is ultimately its collection of golf holes, set on a property that defies classification — rugged gravel hills dissected by ravines, unlike anything else in the British Isles. That it sits nine miles from central London, and that its design represents the only collaboration between the two principal schools of Golden Age British architecture, makes it one of the genuinely irreplaceable venues in English golf. The CDP restoration, now well advanced, has already produced a course that more closely resembles Abercromby and Colt's original intent than at any point in the past half-century. For travelling golfers assembling a London-based heathland itinerary, The Addington belongs in any serious conversation alongside the Surrey greats.