Burnham Beeches - Buckinghamshire - England

Fond memories. I was a junior member here until I was no longer allowed to be. Over a decade was spent here. Learning the game. Getting a handicap. Captaining the Junior Team. Making friends.

It was time to move on when I did but I certainly would like to go back soon.

Burnham Beeches GC sits within a 540-acre Site of Specific Scientific Interest and also a National Nature Reserve. A great parkland course and the oldest in Buckinghamshire. The fairways here are generous although it does still require you to be accurate as trees are plenty.

I have a Hole-in-One here. My only Hole-in-One in fact. I was 12 years old and on the uphill par-3 6t hole. You can’t see the bottom half of the pin. Driver pulled – I was 12. Went up to the green and couldn’t see it. Bam! In the hole it was. I haven’t had another in the 12 years since. Well if I get another before August 2020 then I guess it will be a once-in-a-twelve-year-event. Hmmmm – A challenge set.

Burnham Beeches provides a challenging but hugely enjoyable golf course in a beautiful setting. The undulating layout based on gravel, drains particularly well and the full greens, tees and fairway irrigation ensures good summer playing conditions.

The course is regularly used for county and national events with the four-day men’s open record holder for the lowest score being none other than Luke Donald.

Everyone who I have ever spoken to about the course, holds it in very high regard and enjoys the test. A recommendation, absolutely.

Designed almost 130 years ago this fine wooded parkland course didn't disappoint when I played there for the first time during July. I would describe Burnham Beeches as quintessential home counties golf. With a solid routing and a nice selection of interesting holes, J H Taylor's layout certainly has a classy feel to it and although not particularly long there are some challenging holes including five par 4's that stretch out over the 400 yard mark.

After a gentle downhill start the first real test arrives at the 2nd, an excellent long par 4 played along a ridge with out of bounds to the right . The short holes are all good at Burnham and the 3rd gets us off to a fine start playing downhill to a well protected green partially hidden by trees encroaching from the right. The 5th is another par 4 of real quality where a well placed drive will leave an enticing approach shot over a shallow valley and the 6th, possibly my favourite short hole, plays just under 200 yards back over the same valley. The green is well defended by three well placed bunkers and a craftily positioned swale to the left.

The back nine gets underway with another delightful par 3 protected by four bunkers including a rather impressive pit which dominates proceedings from the tee. Unusually located, well short of the green with a deep sleepered face, this is a feature straight from the golden age of golf design.

At 434 yards, the 12th is without doubt the toughest hole on the course. A solid tee shot over a valley and through a narrow gap in the trees is required to leave any chance of reaching a difficult sloping green in regulation.

The prize for the quirkiest hole of the round and the one most likely to split opinion has to be awarded to the 14th. Measuring a meaty 430 yards, another big drive is required if the green is to be reached in two. The blind approach is aimed at a distant marker post and must clear a down slope planted with square shaped shrubs to find a picturesque sunken green. This green has plenty of open ground on all sides to keep lost balls to a minimum and I for one really liked the hole.

The closing stretch has plenty of variety being made up of a driveable par 4, a par 5 that requires some strategic input, another strong par 3 and finally a testing par 4 to bring us back to the attractive old clubhouse.

There's no doubt that some bunkers would benefit from a renovation programme which would improve aesthetics from the tee but in reality there is very little to criticize at Burnham Beeches. Arguably, it could rank one or two places higher in the county.

Nice course with a mix of good holes and some more boring ones. Condition has been good when I've played.

Course condition in September 2019 was ok with good greens. Fairways and green aprons were very lush and green, infact for me they were too soft and this contrasted with areas off the fairway which were in poor condition/barren; early on in my round I found myself on hardpan soil just off the green leaving an impossible shot and I must admit this did affect my enjoyment of the round. Fairly standard parkland but with enough variety of hole and undulations to make it interesting enough without ever offering any memorable holes (although we were off yellow tees). Thought the 14th would have been a good hole and much better par 4 if the tee was forward 50 yards. If I had to choose favourite holes it would be the par 3's, especially at 6 and 10.

Played on a very pleasant September day. Great course, with several memorable long 4s and generous par 5s. Very few holes felt to be generous, but there were enough opportunities to score well. Very little rough or hazards so felt like a very good choice for society golfing. Will be back.

lovely members golf club and golf course.course in great condition and a fabulous J H Taylor design. every hole on it's own and set in beautiful surroundings, there is not a weak hole on the course. very under rated, one of the best courses in the county.

If you’re in the Slough, Windsor area, this is a real MUST PLAY parkland golf course set in the middle of Burnham Beeches with many challenging par 4’s, 3 big par 5’s and 5 very scenic par 3’s. Burnham Beeches Golf Club is the oldest course in Buckinghamshire and a real traditional members golf club.At approx 6500 yards, it’s not massively long but a real challenge with many elevated tees and beautiful tree lined fairways. We considered the 2 signature holes to be the 10th ,a 175 yard par three with railway sleeper faced enormous bunker protecting a long slim green, and also the 14th a 430 yard par 4 which requires a well position drive in order to attack a hidden green set some 30 feet below the fairway.We found the course to be in excellent condition and beautifully to a very high standard.

Golf has been played on the beautiful land at Burnham Beeches Golf Club for about 120 years and for a course designed then, there are plenty of plus points that are still great and trying to get near the par of 70 is certainly a challenge. This is very much a members club and that is where the club puts most attention – visitors and groups are very welcome but it is clear that the membership is paramount and whilst this is full (and it is) this feels ok. As I have said, this is quality land and comparable to Hertfordshire’s Ashridge GC with National Trust land all around. Another comparison can be made at the first hole (it is very similar to the opening hole at Surrey’s Coombe Hill) a short blind par-4 hole. The 2nd is a very strong par-4 with a right to left sloping fairway from the tee and the 3rd is a great looking downhill par-3. The remainder of the front nine has some good holes without being outstanding and can be described as ‘decent park-land golf’. The 10th is another pretty par-3 and includes a monster bunker short of the green complete with railway sleepers in the face. My choice of best hole on the course goes to the SI-1 hole, the 12th…a very tough drive through an avenue of trees and then a huge approach to this par-4 that turning left towards the green – there will definitely be more 6’s than 4’s here. A negative for me at the 14th. a long par-4 which starts ok but the approach is the problem, just a bit of a lottery really ….a carry is required over some dead ground where bushes are planted, I am sure even some decent shots will be punished, may need to play it a few times to understand what is going on. Great finishing hole though, a 435 yard toughie - I am glad I have played the course and will return next summer.