The original Goodwood downland golf course was designed by James Braid. It now measures 7,100 yards but you'll need to befriend a member to play here.
The original Goodwood downland golf course was designed by James Braid. It now measures 7,100 yards but you'll need to befriend a member to play here.
Golf at Goodwood (Downs)
Golf in the Chichester area dates back to 1892 when a club was formed and a rudimentary 9-hole course came into play at Peckham Copse. The club received a noble helping hand at the turn end of the 19th century when the sixth Duke of Richmond offered to move the club to the foxhound kennels on his vast Goodwood Estate. Surely dog kennels would never make a comfortable clubhouse? Well, architect to George III, James Wyatt, designed these kennels in 1787 for the famous Charlton Hunt and they are of significant architectural importance and the finest example of Sussex flint work in the county.
The Duke of Richmond’s estate workers laid out the original course at Goodwood Golf Club, but James Braid designed a proper sporting course in 1914, the essence of which is played today and it still bears many of Braid’s hallmark doglegged holes and intimidating cross bunkering.
Naturally, the chalky South Downs provide not only excellent drainage but also dramatic elevation change, ideal for exciting golf and for panoramic views across the Goodwood Estate to Chichester Cathedral, the Solent and the Isle of Wight beyond.
In 2004, Howard Swan started a lengthy renovation of the historic Downs course. It was extended to a meaty 7,104 yards from the back tees but the integrity of Braid’s original design was cleverly maintained retaining the best of Braid’s holes while also creating holes that cater for today’s big hitting golfers. The new and spectacular par four 2nd is a great example, which combines two of Braid’s original holes. An accurate drive to an escarpment leaves an inviting approach shot to a large green sited in the valley below.
In 1989 Donald Steel added a second course at Goodwood Golf Club, known as the Park course and it’s open for pay and play amongst the majestic cedars. Unfortunately, the Downs course is only open to members and their guests unless you book a golf day and invite all your golfing friends to experience the best downland golf course in Britain.
In 2014, Goodwood commissioned Mackenzie & Ebert to refurbish the bunkers of the Downs course in a phased approach, which completed in April 2017.
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 100 Golf Courses of Canada 2013 Our 2013 Canadian golf course rankings include 12 new entries July 2013 In terms of visitors to the Top 100 website, Canadians rank third behind UK and US visitors. Given the large number of browsers from the Great White North, we felt we should take a longer and harder look at Canada’s best golf courses for 2013. First we have a new No.1 in the shape of St George’s Golf & Country Club. This fine old Stanley Thompson layout has pushed Highlands Links, another fine old Stanley Thompson course, into second place. Sagebrush moves into the Top 10… about time you may say, and Cabot Links debuts just outside the Top 10… no surprises there for those that have played it, other than to suggest it may have debuted even higher. One new entry that may surprise is the inclusion of Goodwood Golf Club, straight in at No.20. This Martin Ebert design is set out on the glacial moraine landscape to the north of Toronto and was conceived by the late Canadian entrepreneur Gordon Stollery as a private golfing retreat. Very few golfers will walk the Goodwood fairways but those that have teed it up here wax lyrically about the experience. In at No.36, leapfrogging the original Osprey and Redtail nines (now called the Predator course), is the new Ridge layout at Predator Ridge – the result of nine new holes added to a completely remodelled Peregrine nine by architect Doug Carrick. The routing of the Ridge course takes advantage of the site’s elevation changes to locate some lofty tee positions that thrill most golfers. So much has changed in our brand new Canadian Top 100 that it would require a detailed dissertation to describe all the changes. However, one thing worthy of mention is that we have extended our rankings for all ten Canadian Provinces. Our Best in Province rankings are now more detailed than most published ranking lists, but we’ve yet to create a Top 100 for Ontario, although we have managed to create an interesting Top 80. If you would like to help us improve our future Canadian golf course rankings, please get in touch via email to info@top100golfcourses.com - additionally if you know anything about golf in Canada’s remote territories of Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, please contact us. Scroll down to see our latest 2013 Canadian Top 100 golf course rankings. Keith Baxter Editor-in-Chief www.top100golfcourses.com NR – Not Ranked Golf courses that dropped out of the Canadian Top 100 (previous Top 100 ranking in brackets): (63) Marine Drive, (74) Fairmont Manoir Richelieu, (82) Bell Bay, (84) Angus Glen (South), (88) Bayview, (89) Wooden Sticks, (90) Eagle Ranch, (92) Sunningdale (Thompson), (95) Riverside, (97) Royal Mayfair, (99) Northern Bear, (100) Radium (Springs). Navigate to Canada’s Best In Province pages by clicking on the following links: Alberta – Best In Province Golf Courses British Columbia – Best In Province Golf Courses Manitoba – Best In Province Golf Courses New Brunswick – Best In Province Golf Courses Newfoundland and Labrador – Best In Province Golf Courses Nova Scotia – Best In Province Golf Courses Ontario – Best In Province Golf Courses Prince Edward Island – Best In Province Golf Courses Quebec – Best In Province Golf Courses Saskatchewan – Best In Province Golf Courses
Top 20 Golf Courses in Sussex 2015 Sussex Best in County rankings updated The historic county of Sussex is said to have its origins in the Kingdom of Sussex, where Ælle was the first king of the South Saxons in the late 5th century. Of course, the Romans flooded into Britain through this region 500 years before then and the Norman conquest of England began with the Battle of Hastings 500 years later in 1066 so the county has seen more than its fair share of trouble and strife over the course of the last two millennia. Nowadays, visitors to Sussex can still connect to the past through sightseeing trips to the 11th century Arundel Castle, 14th century Bodian Castle or Brighton’s 18th century Royal Pavilion but for sports-minded people who prefer to deal in the present, there are plenty of places to take in top class sporting action such as the horse racing at Goodwood, Fontwell Park and Plumpton or county cricket at Arundel, Horsham and Hove. For golfers who wish to play, rather than watch their chosen sport, there are more than sixty golf clubs spread around Sussex and we maintain Top 20 Best in County listings for these courses. We’ve just completed a period of consultation with golfing contacts in the region and have now revised our local county rankings, presenting the results below for your examination. The top three positions remain exactly as they were following our last update two years ago so the number 1 course in the county is still West Sussex, which Sir Guy Campbell and Major C.K. Hutchison laid out in 1930. Nothing much has changed with the layout of this heathland track in eighty-five years and the golfing world in general should be eternally grateful for that. Rye (Old) is at number 2 and, like West Sussex, it also sits comfortably within our Top 100 chart for Great Britain & Ireland. The first course designed by Harry Colt in 1894 when he was still a solicitor and only 25 years of age, it’s been described by a recent reviewer as “a knowingly understated, pure and simple golf club that presents you with a stiff challenge hole after hole”. The number 3 course in Sussex is the Old course at Royal Ashdown Forest, where the club achieved its royal prefix from Queen Victoria in 1893, five years after its formation. The fairways here are set out on rather hilly heathland terrain, with not a bunker in sight at any of the eighteen holes. It’s younger sibling, the West course, is a highly regarded companion at a wonderful 36-hole facility. Rising one place to number 4, Crowborough Beacon is an Alister MacKenzie re-design which is in much the same mould as Royal Ashdown Forest, its near neighbour. With springy heathland cum moorland fairways laid out across the southern slopes of the East Sussex High Weald, the course plays host to the Men’s Senior Home Internationals later this week. The two 18-hole layouts at East Sussex National also make positive upward moves. The West course climbs one place to number 6 and the East course nudges up two spots to number 7. Both tracks were designed by American Bob Cupp and constructed completely with bent grass, first opening for play in 1990. A full day at this 36-hole complex is recommended but visitors should expect a serious golfing examination when teeing it up here. The only other significant advance up the standings is made by Cooden Beach, which soars seven places to number 11. Located in Bexhill on Sea, this Herbert Fowler course dates back to 1912, when the master designer fashioned the layout with five par threes and five par fives. Two courses enter the Top 20 chart for the first time: Seaford debuts at number 10 and this club moved to its present site in 1907, twenty years after its formation, when J.H. Taylor set out a new course for the members. Cowdray Park also makes its first appearance at number 17 and this layout is set within the massive 16,500-acre Cowdray Estate in Midhurst, where golf has been played since 1904. We’re grateful to everybody in the county who helped with our re-ranking process for Sussex. To view details of all the courses in our Sussex Top 20 rankings click the link. If you have extensive experience of playing across the south region of England and would like to contribute to our next re-ranking exercise then please email Editor-in-Chief Keith Baxter at keith@top100golfcourses.com. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
A good halfway house can turn a great round of golf into a memorable one. It might be a cold beer on a Scottish links, a burger with a spectacular view or a hot drink to warm you up before the back nine. Whatever is on offer, the best halfway houses give golfers a chance to forget about the scorecard for a few minutes and enjoy the experience. We recently asked the Top100 Golf Courses community to share their favourite halfway houses, uncovering plenty of memorable stops around the world. We've picked five of their recommendations, alongside five more renowned halfway houses that are well worth knowing about. What is a Halfway House? A halfway house is a food and drink stop positioned around the turn of a golf course, usually between the ninth and 10th holes. Some are little more than a hut serving snacks and drinks, while others have become destinations in their own right, offering everything from full meals and cocktails to fires, views and plenty of local character. Five Halfway Houses Chosen by the Top100 Community Sunningdale Golf Club (England) There is a reason the halfway hut at Sunningdale has become one of the most famous refreshment stops in golf. The small Swiss-chalet-style building has been in place since 1903, sitting where the ninth holes of both the Old and New Courses meet their respective 10th holes. But the building itself isn't the main attraction. That would be the sausage sandwich. Sunningdale's legendary hut serves a simple sausage on buttered bread, with other food and refreshments available alongside it. The hut has become such an established part of the experience that the club's own tradition says everybody stops, but does so speedily. It's not fancy, and that's rather the point. After nine holes of heather-lined fairways, a hot sausage sandwich and a cup of tea can feel like exactly what golf ordered. Nairn Golf Club - The Bothy at Nairn (Scotland) The Bothy at Nairn has a history that goes well beyond golf. Built in 1877, the stone building and neighbouring icehouse formed part of the Easter Delnies Fishing Station, one of five salmon fisheries operating along the coast between Nairn and the mouth of the Findhorn. In a good season, the fishery could catch up to 5,000 salmon, with ice collected from local rivers and a specially made pond and stored in the icehouse to keep the catch fresh. The buildings have since been given a new lease of life, with the Bothy converted into a halfway house where golfers can stop for snacks and refreshments at the turn. On a cold day beside the Moray Firth, there's also a fireplace to warm up beside. The historic stone building, Highland setting and views across the course provide plenty of atmosphere. One of our community members put it rather simply: a dram of whisky and a fire are hard to beat. Hard to argue with that. Turnberry Ailsa (Scotland) Turnberry's halfway house is about as far removed from the traditional golf hut as you can get. The Ailsa's ninth hole now finishes beside the famous Turnberry Lighthouse, which doubles as a halfway house for golfers. The lighthouse itself dates back to 1873, while the golf course's dramatic ninth was redesigned as part of the Ailsa's major renovation. Inside, golfers can stop for food and drink before heading to the 10th, but the real attraction is outside. From the lighthouse, there are views across the Firth of Clyde towards the Isle of Arran and Ailsa Craig. It's a halfway stop that feels more like a destination than a quick pit stop. When your halfway house is a historic lighthouse overlooking one of Scotland's most spectacular stretches of coastline, you've got a pretty good excuse to take your time. Ardglass Golf Club (Northern Ireland) At Ardglass, the halfway-house experience is wonderfully straightforward: have a Guinness and enjoy the view. The course's old cottage halfway house at the back of the 7th green has become one of its most memorable features, with golfers able to stop for a pint before continuing their round. A recent visitor described it as a gorgeous cottage with Guinness, while another praised the combination of a Guinness, sausage roll and views over the Irish Sea. It fits Ardglass perfectly. The County Down links is already one of the most dramatic places to play golf in Northern Ireland, with the Irish Sea never far away. Add a pint of Guinness just before the turn and you've got a halfway house that feels distinctly of its surroundings. Sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel. Blair Atholl Golf Estate (South Africa) Blair Atholl might have been one of the less obvious names to appear among the community recommendations, but the descriptions made it impossible to leave out. The halfway stop sounds less like a quick break and more like an event. One golfer highlighted the chicken burger, a chef cooking a barbecue beneath the trees and a deck sitting beneath a stream. Another mentioned silver-service high tea. That's quite the halfway-house menu. It's also a good example of why the best stops aren't necessarily the most famous. A halfway house can become memorable because of the food, the setting or simply the feeling that you're being looked after rather than rushed back onto the course. Five More Renowned Halfway Houses St Andrews Links - The Old Course (Scotland) If we're talking about halfway houses, it makes sense to visit the place that has a claim to starting the tradition. In the 19th century, David "Old Da" Anderson sold ginger beer and other refreshments from a cart on the Old Course at St Andrews. It has been described as golf's first refreshment stand. The modern version sits behind the ninth green and keeps the tradition going, albeit with a rather more substantial menu. The pork and haggis sausage roll is a popular choice, while the club's own Tom Morris 1821 Lager provides a suitably Scottish accompaniment. It's difficult to think of a more fitting place for a halfway stop. The Old Course is steeped in golfing history, and even the break between nines has a story of its own. Pine Valley Golf Club (New Jersey, United States) Pine Valley's halfway house is memorable before you've even ordered anything. Rather than a conventional hut, it is built into the base of an old water tower, which golfers encounter around the eighth hole and again near the 12th tee. It's an appropriately unusual feature for one of the world's most unconventional golf courses. The tower doubles as a stop for drinks and snacks, giving golfers a chance to take a breather before continuing around Pine Valley. It even boasts an impressive collection of golf balls from around the world. There aren't many halfway houses that can claim to be built inside a water tower. Quivira Golf Club (Baja California Sur, Mexico) Quivira has taken the halfway-house concept and spread it across the entire round. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course has multiple all-inclusive comfort stations, each offering golfers food and drinks as they make their way around the Cabo San Lucas layout. The most spectacular is The Cliffs, perched almost 300 feet above the Pacific, where golfers can stop for a breakfast burrito and take in the views over the ocean. Then there's The Oasis, the main halfway house near the ninth green. Here, the emphasis is on the food, with freshly prepared Baja cuisine including tacos and tostadas, alongside a full tequila bar. A final stop, Cañada, sits near the 16th tee, while another comfort station beside the oceanfront practice facility offers snacks and cold drinks before golfers even reach the first tee. The food and refreshments are included in the green fee, making Quivira's comfort stations much more than somewhere to grab a quick drink. Tacos, tequila and spectacular Pacific Ocean views make the breaks almost as memorable as the golf. Whistling Rock Country Club (South Korea) At Whistling Rock, there isn't just one halfway house to look forward to. The South Korean club is made up of three nine-hole loops, each with its own themed tea house: Cocoon, Temple and Cloud. The three buildings are each distinctly different. One is a rounded structure between a lake and forest, another is a formal wood-and-glass building, while the Cloud tea house sits high among the trees. The result is a halfway-house experience that feels distinctly different depending on which nine you're playing, with each tea house adding another layer to the Whistling Rock experience. Royal Dornoch Golf Club (Scotland) Royal Dornoch's halfway house is proof that sometimes the best idea is a simple one. The stop sits behind the ninth green of the Championship Course, with views back across the links towards the Dornoch Firth. And then there's the traditional order: hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Cream, a combination that makes considerably more sense when you're standing on a Scottish links in a North Sea wind. It's a small detail, but one that has become part of the Royal Dornoch experience and exactly the sort of halfway-house tradition golfers remember.
