Originally named the Windmill course when it opened in 1995, designed by former Ryder Cupper Brian Huggett, the American-styled Championship course at Hawkstone Park features a clutch of dramatic do-or-die water holes.
Originally named the Windmill course when it opened in 1995, designed by former Ryder Cupper Brian Huggett, the American-styled Championship course at Hawkstone Park features a clutch of dramatic do-or-die water holes.
Hawkstone Park Golf Club (Championship)
Hawkstone Park lies close to the small village of Weston-under-Redcastle, consisting of landscaped grounds, caves, crags and follies based around the medieval Red Castle.
Hawkstone Hall, an impressive early-18th century country mansion now operates as a luxury wedding and events venue, with the fairways of the Hawkstone Park Golf Club laid out a couple of miles to the southwest of this property.
Golf was first recorded here in 1920, when a 9-hole course opened for play. Another nine was added by professional Bert Sheppard then in 1930 James Braid was called in to re-design and improve the layout which is now called the Hawkstone course.
The club’s professional and greenkeeper Alex Lyle – father of Sandy Lyle – laid out a tight, par 66 course (called the Weston) in 1975 but twenty years later, under new ownership, this was remodelled by Brian Huggett and renamed the Windmill course.
Subsequently retitled the Championship, this layout now extends to 6,472 yards, playing to a par of 72. The 531-yard 10th (“The Road Hole”) is regarded as the signature hole, with the fairway hugging the cliff top as it doglegs around water on the way to the green.
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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The purpose of the Review of The Month feature is twofold. Top100GolfCourses has always aimed to salute and encourage those who are putting admirable effort into reviewing the world’s great golf courses. Moving forward, we are also looking to learn from these experts! We’ll be chatting with the month’s star authors and discussing topics such as golf in their area, what they like to see in a strong course review, and of course dig a little deeper into their own winning review. March 2022’s Review of The Month comes from Faiz Alam, who gave readers a keen insight into Church Stretton Golf Club. 1. You open by noting that Church Stretton presents both "bewilderment" and "adventure." Is there a fine line when walking between those ideas? Yes, I think there can be a fine line but a real adventure needs a bit of bewilderment to make it challenging and more exciting. On the other hand, too much bewilderment might just make it a stressful experience! I think Church Stretton is bewildering for so many reasons: the blind shots, the massive changes in elevation but most of all I found myself coming back to the incredible notion that the founders thought this was a good site to build a golf course. Some amazing foresight at a time when the locals must have thought it was absurd. To play golf so high looking down on the valleys and land beneath lends the course a certain magical aspect. 2. Blind shots can be divisive when analyzing a golf course. Do you believe Church Stretton may appeal to one golfer and not another? Certainly, I think as a traveling golfer you need to approach each course with an open mind and appreciate the quirks and charm of each course. Church Stretton is not a long course and I feel that the blind shots play an important part in the course’s defence. One part of the round which I really enjoyed was tackling these blind shots and the feeling of satisfaction when you finally saw your ball on the green or fairway. 3. Much of the current course is attributed to James Braid. How does Church Stretton stand among the other Braid designs you've had the opportunity to play? Amongst the Braid designs I've played, Church Stretton is undoubtedly my favourite. I would argue that it is a bit underappreciated. I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did given some past reviews. I am not sure that it qualifies as a top 100 course but if there was such a thing as “top 100 experiences,” this would rank highly for me. 4. The photos you included as part of the review demonstrate the jaw-dropping views across Shropshire from the course. Course design aside, do such views impact the enjoyment of your day at the club? I think it would be hard to play at Church Stretton and not be blown away by the stunning scenery. We are fortunate to play a sport that highlights the surrounding natural beauty and this course presents you with beautiful England at every turn. You can't help but drink it all in on every hole. 5. Now that you're a celebrated "Review of The Month" winner, let us know what factors you appreciate in a strong golf course review! My favourite part of the site is reading through reviews of courses that I may never even get to play. I am lucky to have won Review of The Month but there are many styles of review that I appreciate and learn from. Some are short and concise but capture the essence of the course. Others are longer and tell of the experience throughout the day. Both have their place but what is most important for me is to remain open-minded and try to describe what makes the course worth visiting. What lingers in your memory, what would bring you back. And please share pictures! 6. What's one course that you'd love to write a review for during 2022 (or plan to)? I am slowly trying to complete the English Top 100 and next on the list is Ganton.
Top 10 Golf Courses in Shropshire 2015 Shropshire Best In County rankings updated The Salop county of Shropshire is easily accessible from just about anywhere in England, but it’s far enough away from the madding crowd such that it has remained peaceful and unspoilt. The Shropshire and Herefordshire Union of Golf Clubs take care of the interests of 33 golf clubs in the union, two-thirds of which are located in Shropshire. It may therefore seem overly generous to feature a Top 10 for this relatively diminutive golfing county. However, we feel the quality of Shropshire’s golf courses is sufficiently interesting and unsung to warrant such coverage. The course that remains at the head of our Shropshire rankings has a Welsh name that most non-Celtic speakers will struggle to pronounce. Fifteen holes at Llanymynech (meaning “Church of the Monks”) lie within Wales, but Llanymynech is an English golf club. From atop this limestone plateau, surrounded by sheer cliff faces, you can see the Shropshire Plain with its quilted patchwork of fields and trees stretching out for miles. It’s an awe-inspiring location on a clear day. Set within an extensive property that attracts many visitors to the caves, tunnels, trails and towers of its 18th century follies, the Hawkstone course at Hawkstone Park moves up one place to 2nd. This James Braid design from the 1920s was renovated by Welsh golfing legend Brian Huggett when the Principal Hayley Group acquired the estate in the 1990s. Up two spots to 3rd place is Oswestry Golf Club, another James Braid design, this time from the 1930s. Routed across an undulating, free-draining site, the course is blessed with a fine set of par three holes. Two short par fours at 7 and 11 are also worthy of mention, with the former doglegging slightly left to the green and the latter playing to a small raised putting surface. To see our new 2015 Shropshire Top 10, click the link. If you have played golf extensively across any English county and would like to have your say, please contact me (keith@top100golfcourses.com). In the meanwhile a big thank you to everyone who contributed to our Shropshire Best In County ranking process. Keith Baxter Editor-in-Chief 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.
