The golf course at Farnham is located in peaceful and charming Surrey countryside about one mile to the east of this delightful market town. The exact site is known locally as the ‘The Sands’ which helps to explain the course’s enviably good drainage.

The course is bisected by a country lane and the holes on one side number nos 1 to 4 and 13 to 18 are of a parkland nature, while the middle holes on the other side nos 5 to 12 are heathland over a more hilly terrain. But these two very different characteristics work together well to produce a varied and interesting challenge.

I like golf courses that start or end with a par five, and Farnham does both. Both these holes give the average golfer a good chance of getting near to the green in two with the resulting encouragement that this provides as you set off or complete your round.

The best of the other holes are the heathland stretch of 8 holes that provides a bit of everything. A dogleg right to a plateau green that slopes sharply downhill from the back starts the run at 5, and is followed by a 170 yard short hole well protected at the front by a wide bunker. Two short and very tight par fours at 7 and 8 come next and then a 400 yard hole with a blind tee shot over a hill which then dips and rises again before the green. Not to be outdone there are two other gorgeous mid length holes from a raised tee to a well protected green at 10 and 12 and these are interspersed by the longest par five 11th which doglegs left and uphill to a deceptively big green, if you can carry the bunkers.

Fairways and greens run well, and the many tall pine trees help give definition as well as penalising errant shots especially from the tee box on many of the holes. The riveted nature of some newly modified bunkers is however more links-like and not totally in keeping with the style of the course.

Farnham golf course has been in existence at this site for over 100 years, and it’s gentle unassuming ambience sets up the golfer for an enjoyable experience and happy round of golf.