Six times an Open Championship Regional Qualifying course, Blackwell Golf Club is the quintessential English gem and has a proud history dating back to 1893.
Blackwell Golf Club
Six times an Open Championship Regional Qualifying course, Blackwell Golf Club is the quintessential English gem and has a proud history dating back to 1893.
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Getting to Blackwell feels like part of the experience. A short adventure along single-track country lanes and past a scattering of rather impressive houses eventually delivers you to one of England’s quieter architectural heavyweights. Despite its tucked-away feel, it’s straightforward to reach from both the M40 and M5, just south of Birmingham.
Nine holes were first established here in 1893, before the course was expanded to eighteen in 1923 by the formidable architectural pairing of Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson. The club has hosted Open Regional Qualifying on multiple occasions and has featured in Top 100 England rankings for several years, a pedigree that becomes increasingly apparent as the round unfolds.
The clubhouse complex is charmingly traditional. A main clubhouse, separate pro shop and a collection of old stables and outbuildings create a layout that feels organic rather than masterplanned. Inside, everything is clean and welcoming. The pro shop staff were exceptionally friendly, happy to let me head out slightly earlier with members and ensured I had everything I needed for the round.
The changing room is a delightful throwback, with wooden panelled lockers and traditional styling that feels entirely in keeping with the club’s heritage.
The course itself is rolling, undulating parkland played across sandy soil, with a pleasant mix of mature woodland, pines and open vistas across neighbouring holes. The terrain provides constant, gentle movement underfoot, sometimes severe, but always present. It is open enough to provide views across the property, yet sufficiently framed to keep the holes feeling distinct.
Tee boxes were uniformly excellent: flat, well-presented and offering multiple options (red, yellow and white, with additional championship tees). They encourage a mix of strategies, some holes invite you to swing freely, others require a more considered line, occasionally over blind crests.
Fairways are well-defined and well-drained, moving attractively across the natural contours of the land. Streams feature subtly but effectively on several holes, and the shaping of the ground allows for thoughtful positioning from the tee.
The greens and bunkering are the real stars. The putting surfaces are varied in shape and size, often accompanied by run-offs that reward precise distance control. Bunkers are beautifully integrated, carved into slopes, placed to influence angles of play, and varied in style. Several features have distinctive shaping that adds character without feeling contrived.
Restoration work is evident in places, notably around the 8th, and the results are impressive. Particularly eye-catching are the expansive cross-fairway bunkers on the 10th and the long bunker stretching up the right side of the 12th fairway, hazards that are as visually striking as they are strategically relevant.
The routing makes full use of the rolling landscape, winding its way across the property in a manner that sometimes feels slightly muddled. On occasion, the lack of signage requires a small amount of intuition (and, in my case, a helpful member pointing out that I had confidently pegged from the wrong tee). The multiplicity of teeing grounds on the 6th requires a brief moment of orientation, and the walk from the 15th green to the 16th tee is not immediately obvious. This likely reflects the historical expansion from nine to eighteen holes.
That said, the snaking nature of the routing brings welcome variety. There are glimpses of rolling farmland in the distance and the occasional church tower punctuating the horizon. A little road noise and the odd passing train gently remind you that civilisation still exists, but they never intrude meaningfully on the experience.
The course becomes particularly strong from the 7th through the 15th, one of the most consistent stretches of holes I have encountered in England so far. I think only Hindhead has such a consistent stretch of holes. The opening holes provide a solid introduction, and the closing stretch holds its own, but the middle portion steadily builds architectural interest and strategic depth.
The standout holes capture Blackwell at its best.
The 8th (Par 5, 455 yards) begins from an elevated tee with little hint of the dramatic dog-leg left that defines the hole. A drive of around 260 yards reveals the true angle of play. The approach features a crumbling outbuilding, a glimpse of water on the neighbouring 9th, a stream to navigate and newly restored bunkering that frames the green at the corner of the property. It is both strategic and visually distinctive.
The 12th (Par 5, 524 yards) is particularly memorable. The tee sits attractively beside the 11th green, framed by a copse of pines and landscaping. A fairway bunker around 230 yards sets the initial challenge, while a long bunker running up the entire right side of the fairway subtly shapes decision-making on the second shot. The green is carved into the hillside, protected by run-offs and bunkers that reward a thoughtful approach.
The 13th (Par 3, 143 yards) plays downhill from an elevated tee across a stream to a green guarded by a cluster of bunkers ready to collect anything underhit. The 14th tee sits nearby, creating a compact and characterful corner of the property. There is a decision to be made, play conservatively and maybe lay up for a bogey or take on a more aggressive line in search of a par or better.
Elsewhere, approach shots frequently ask you to thread between trees or use the natural humps and hollows to gather the ball toward the target. There are pleasing glimpses of the attractive clubhouse at various points, reinforcing the sense of cohesion across the property.
The course can be testing in places, but opportunities to recover are never far away. With multiple teeing options, forgiving turf and an emphasis on positioning rather than brute force, the layout should be enjoyable for a wide range of golfers.
Practice facilities include a putting green, short game area, indoor practice net and additional practice nets outside. Professionals are available for lessons, providing everything needed to prepare properly.
I paid £75 for a late-March Sunday morning tee time, which felt good value given the quality of the course and its weekend availability. The welcome from staff and members was excellent, and it is certainly somewhere I would happily return.
Blackwell is not overly showy, but its strengths become clearer with each hole. Subtle land movement, intelligent bunkering and a particularly strong middle stretch combine to create a course that rewards thoughtful play, even if it occasionally asks you to double-check which tee you’re standing on.
Alex Dawson
Round Information
Date Played
March 22, 2026
Standout Holes
#8, #12, #13
Rating Breakdown
Strategy
Green Complexes
Variety
Facilities & Amenities
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
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Top 10 Golf Courses in Worcestershire 2015 Worcestershire Best in County rankings updated Explore the Sports section of the official Visit Worcestershire website and you’ll find references to historical venues such as Shelsley Walsh (which has held motor sport events since 1905), Worcester County Cricket Club (where the sound of leather on willow has been heard since 1865), and Worcester Racecourse, one of the oldest equine racetracks in Great Britain, founded in 1718. Click the website’s link for Golf and you’ll find only three clubs listed: Wharton Park Golf & Country Club, The Abbey Hotel, Golf & Spa and Hagley Golf & Country Club. Now, for a county with over thirty clubs in membership of the regional golf Union, we think its golf facilities deserve better coverage than that. Just as well then that we maintain a Top 10 chart for Worcestershire, featuring the best courses on offer in the region. We’ve just updated the county ranking positions and it’s “as you were” regarding the number 1 position, with the beautiful parkland course at Blackwell retaining the top spot. Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson laid out this classic old track in 1923 and it occupies a place in our Top 100 for England. It’s a layout that recent reviewers have certainly appreciated, with comments like: “classy… always in excellent condition… one of the best club/course combinations around”. Three courses follow Blackwell into positions 2, 3 and 4, with each of them rising two places to their new slot in the chart. The first of these is Worcester Golf & Country Club, a fine Alister MacKenzie design from 1927. The next one is Moseley Golf Club, which was remodelled in 1918 by another big name architect, Harry Colt, and the third climber is Worcestershire Golf Club, which was founded in 1879, making it the oldest club in the county. Stourbridge is a new entry in the rankings at number 9, and its original 9-hole course was set out on the old Pedmore racetrack in 1892. The club’s modern day 18-hole layout has recently had its holes re-sequenced so that a round now ends in front of the clubhouse. Another newcomer at number 10 is Evesham, where the fairways are laid out the banks of the River Avon, configured in rather an unorthodox manner with nine greens and eighteen tee positions. We’d like to thank everybody in this region who contributed to our re-ranking process. To view more details of the courses in our Worcestershire Top 10 rankings, click this link. If you’ve played extensively across this region and would like to help us with the next edition of the chart then please drop Editor-in-Chief Keith Baxter an email at keith@top100golfcourses.com. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
England is home to some of the best golf courses in the world, and its five highest-ranked layouts can be played without being a member. From a 15-time Open venue on the Kent coast to some of the finest heathland golf in Surrey and Berkshire, plus a spectacular links course in Cornwall, these are the five highest-ranked courses in England that welcome visiting golfers. Royal St. George’s Golf Club (Kent) World Ranking: 19th | England ranking: 1st | Green fee: £430 Royal St George’s offers the chance to play one of England’s most historic and challenging links courses. Founded in 1887, it was the first English course to host the Open and has staged the championship 15 times, including the most recent edition in 2021. Routed through towering dunes in a loose figure of eight, Royal St George’s has undulating fairways, uneven lies and plenty of elevation changes that can make even seemingly straightforward shots difficult. The fourth hole is particularly memorable, with a huge bunker carved into a towering dune guarding the fairway. Despite its reputation as a demanding championship test, the course is as enjoyable to explore as it is difficult to score on. Wildflowers and dune grasses line the fairways, while views stretch across Pegwell Bay towards the white cliffs beyond. Add in distinctive features such as the thatched shelters and St George’s flags, and there is plenty to keep you entertained between the inevitable moments of frustration. Sunningdale Golf Club - Old Course (Surrey) World Ranking: 22nd | England ranking: 2nd | Green fee: £485 The Old course at Sunningdale is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful inland courses in the British Isles. Opened in 1901 by Willie Park Jr, it was one of the first great courses to emerge from the Surrey and Berkshire sand-belt, with Harry Colt later reshaping the layout and giving it the intimate, tree-lined character it has today. Pine, birch, oak and heather frame the fairways, while the firm heathland turf makes Sunningdale a joy to walk and play. The course has hosted plenty of memorable golf, too, including Bobby Jones’ remarkable 66 in Open qualifying in 1926 and Nick Faldo’s 62 at the 1986 European Open. The 10th is a particular highlight, with its elevated tee offering a spectacular view before the halfway hut provides one of golf’s more welcome rewards. The 15th, a 226-yard par three, is another standout. For golfers visiting England, Sunningdale Old offers a classic heathland experience in one of the country's finest golfing regions. Sunningdale Golf Club - New Course (Surrey) World Ranking: 41st | England ranking: 3rd | Green fee: £485 The New course at Sunningdale provides a rather different experience to its famous older sibling. Opened in 1923 and designed by Harry Colt, it is more open and rugged than the Old, with elevated tees, heathery terrain and long carries placing a greater emphasis on driving. At 6,700 yards and par 70, the New is no pushover, with narrow fairways and plenty of undulation making it a particularly demanding test from the back tees. Even the professionals have struggled to make it look easy: Jack Nicklaus once held the course record with a 67 before Graeme Storm carded a remarkable 62 during Open qualifying in 2009. The course has also benefited from an ongoing tree-management programme, allowing more heather to return and restoring views across Chobham Common. The fifth, a picturesque par three played across the heath, is one of the highlights. The result is a course that rewards good driving without becoming a purely distance-based test, with the heathland setting providing plenty of visual interest along the way. St Enodoc Golf Club - Church Course (Cornwall) World Ranking: 49th | England ranking: 4th | Green fee: £190 St Enodoc is unlike almost any other links course in England. Overlooking the Camel Estuary in Rock, with views across to Padstow, the Church Course takes its name from the 13th-century church that sits beside the 10th green. Remarkably, the building was completely buried by sand in the 19th century before being excavated in 1863. Founded in 1891 and redesigned by James Braid in 1907, St Enodoc is defined by its towering dunes and constantly changing terrain, where no two holes feel quite the same. The sixth is the course's signature hole, demanding two blind shots over the towering 'Himalayas' dune to reach the hidden green. The 10th, played across a natural valley to a narrow fairway below, is another memorable challenge. If your ball strays towards the churchyard, you'll also find the grave of Poet Laureate John Betjeman, whose poem Seaside Golf was inspired by the course. The combination of huge dunes, unusual holes and views across the Camel Estuary makes St Enodoc a particularly distinctive addition to any English golf trip. Swinley Forest Golf Club (Berkshire) World Ranking: 52nd | England ranking: 5th Swinley Forest offers a quieter, more understated version of heathland golf on the Surrey and Berkshire sand-belt. Set among mature pines and heather, it has a wonderfully quiet atmosphere and an old-fashioned character that is increasingly difficult to find. The firm, fast-running fairways and purple heather in summer give it all the hallmarks of classic heathland golf. Designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1909, Swinley measures around 6,400 yards and plays to a par of 69. The short holes are particularly strong, with a varied collection of one-shotters that require careful club selection. Around the greens, false fronts, run-offs and subtle slopes provide plenty of opportunities for a good round to unravel. For much of its history, Swinley was an intensely private club where visitors were few and far between. It now welcomes green-fee golfers, although the club retains much of its distinctive character. The result is a course that feels removed from the modern world, with little of the glamour associated with some of its better-known neighbours. For golfers who enjoy traditional heathland golf, that simplicity is a large part of Swinley's appeal. Green fees quoted are summer 2027 rates where available.
The city of Cambridge sits close enough to the Gog Magog Hills to claim two outstanding parkland layouts on its doorstep, and within a short drive you will find Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club — ranked #87 in England and widely regarded as the finest nine-hole course in the world. For the business traveller staying in the city centre or the leisure golfer planning a long weekend, this compact corner of East Anglia delivers far more quality per mile than its flat fenland reputation suggests. Top 3 Golf Courses in Cambridge Best Golf Course in Cambridge — Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club #1 in Suffolk | #87 in England | #3 in East England Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 40 km (25 miles) — approximately 40 minutes via the A14 and A11 Tom Dunn laid out these nine holes on sandy Suffolk soil in 1893, and Harry Colt refined them a generation later. Bernard Darwin, who chose two holes here among the 18 greatest inland holes in Britain, dubbed the layout the Sacred Nine — a name that has stuck for good reason. The home course of Cambridge University Golf Club since its founding, Royal Worlington plays faster and firmer than almost any inland course in England, with green complexes that demand imagination and precision in equal measure. Note that this course sits beyond the standard 30-minute drive from Cambridge city centre, but its national ranking and unique standing in golf history make the extra distance worthwhile. #2 Golf Course in Cambridge — The Gog Magog Golf Club (Old) #1 in Cambridgeshire Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 8 km (5 miles) — approximately 15 minutes Established in 1901 on the chalk escarpment of the Gog Magog Hills, this centurion layout rises south from the city across terrain that surprised Bernard Darwin when he first played it: undulating, fast-draining downland in one of England's flattest counties. Willie Park Junior, John Abercromby and Martin Hawtree have each shaped the course over more than a hundred years, and the result is 6,398 yards of accuracy-first parkland where rare perennial flax blooms blue in the rough each summer. The par-three 13th, played over a depression to a green with a spinney lurking left, is as good a one-shotter as the region produces. Host of the Lagonda Trophy since 1975, the Old course counts Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Andy Sullivan among its past winners. #3 Golf Course in Cambridge — The Gog Magog Golf Club (Wandlebury) #2 in Cambridgeshire Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 8 km (5 miles) — approximately 15 minutes Sharing the same hilltop address as the Old course, the Wandlebury opened in 1997 after Martin Hawtree combined eleven new holes across freshly acquired downland with seven from an earlier nine-hole layout. At 6,735 yards it plays longer than its sibling and carries its own credentials: the R&A selected it for Open Championship Regional Qualifying between 2007 and 2011. The join between old and new holes is softening with time, and some members prefer the Wandlebury's flow to the Old. Stone Age flint tools discovered on the 4th fairway during construction — following a mandatory archaeological survey — add another dimension to a course that already has one of the finest settings in East Anglia. Can't Play the Top 3? Try These Instead The Links Golf Club, Newmarket #4 in Cambridgeshire Access: Visitors Welcome Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 22 km (14 miles) — approximately 25 minutes Set out in 1902 on the southeast perimeter of Newmarket racecourse. Colonel S.V. Hotchkin — the architect behind Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin course — redesigned the layout in the 1930s and his work remains largely unchanged today. A training track known as the Gallops surrounds the course and at the 7th and 15th, the tee shot must clear the white racecourse rails before reaching the fairway. The bunkers are numerous and classically placed, with a full fairway-width specimen guarding the approach at the left-doglegging 16th that is as old-fashioned and effective as any hazard on the course. Royston Golf Club #28 in Hertfordshire Access: Visitors Welcome Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 22 km (14 miles) — approximately 20 minutes Laid out by Harry Vardon on chalk heathland straddling the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire border, Royston is one of the most unusual courses within reach of Cambridge — hilly, exposed and entirely unlike the flat fenland landscape that surrounds it. At 5,910 yards and par 70, the course offers no refuge in length, but the fast-draining chalk base keeps conditions firm and true year-round, and the rough in summer plays as demanding as heather. Nick Faldo won the junior championship here. The first formal golf course was recorded on this ground in 1869, making Royston one of the oldest clubs in England, and the layout has changed little since Andrew Kirkaldy became the club's first professional in 1893. More Golf Courses Near Cambridge Beyond the top five, Cambridge sits within an hour of several other ranked courses worth exploring. In Cambridgeshire itself, Ely City Golf Club — a Henry Cotton design opened in 1973 by Lee Trevino — lies 24 km (15 miles) north of the city, while St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club, Cambridge Country Club (Bourn) and Cambridge Meridian Golf Club each provide solid parkland golf within 30 km to the north and west. Cross into Suffolk and the county's heathland gems open up: the nationally ranked Ipswich Golf Club (Purdis Heath) and Aldeburgh Golf Club (Championship) are further east but reward the drive for golfers building an East Anglian itinerary. For a full ranked and reviewed list of courses across the region, visit top100golfcourses.com. Frequently Asked Questions What is the best golf course in Cambridge? Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club is the highest-ranked course within reach of Cambridge, sitting at #87 in England. Known as the Sacred Nine, this nine-hole Suffolk layout is widely considered the finest nine-hole course in the world and has been the home course of Cambridge University Golf Club since 1893. For golfers wanting the best course within 15 minutes of the city centre, The Gog Magog Golf Club (Old) is ranked #1 in Cambridgeshire and has hosted the Lagonda Trophy since 1975. Is golf in Cambridge open to visitors? The Gog Magog Golf Club requires visitors to contact the club in advance to arrange a tee time. Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club also operates on an advance-booking basis, with visitors required to have an official handicap certificate. The Links Golf Club in Newmarket and Royston Golf Club both welcome visitors and allow direct booking. When is the best time to play golf in Cambridge? April to October offers the most reliable conditions, with longer daylight hours and firmer, faster surfaces as the season progresses. The chalk and sand-based courses — Royal Worlington, the Gog Magog layouts and Royston — drain exceptionally well and remain playable through most of the winter, making Cambridge a viable golf destination outside the peak season. Getting There Cambridge station sits on the Great Northern main line, with direct services to London Kings Cross taking from 49 minutes. The station is approximately 2 km (1 mile) from the city centre. Nearest airport: London Stansted Airport (STN), 48 km (30 miles) south of Cambridge city centre, approximately 35 minutes by road to the Gog Magog Golf Club. For international connections: London Heathrow Airport (LHR), 110 km (68 miles) southwest of Cambridge city centre, approximately 80 minutes by road under normal traffic conditions. Best Time to Play Golf in Cambridge The golf season in Cambridge runs comfortably from April through October, with May, June and September representing the sweet spot of firm ground, reliable weather and manageable course pressure. The chalk and sand-based courses — Royal Worlington, the Gog Magog layouts and Royston — drain exceptionally well and remain playable through most of the winter, making Cambridge a more viable year-round golf destination than much of East England. Summer brings long evenings and the blue flax rough in flower on the Gog Magog hills. Autumn sharpens the light and empties the courses. Spring offers the best green fees for early-season visitors willing to take a chance on the weather. Plan Your Cambridge Golf Trip For full rankings, course reviews and visitor information, visit top100golfcourses.com. Use the site to compare courses across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Hertfordshire, read panellist reviews and build your East Anglian golf itinerary from one of the most comprehensive golf course databases in the world.
