Heythrop Park - Oxfordshire - England

It's 6 years since I last played here so I recalled bits and pieces but forgot lots too. Really glad I came back as there are quite a few really good holes on this course. Fairways were in excellent condition and firm. Greens superb and smooth, whilst not being the fastest they could be with the slopes on the greens they were sensibly paced for a society outing. The course is fair with plenty of room before getting into big trouble and tests your placement on a few holes. Honestly there are the odd one or two holes that feel like they had to be fitted into a specific area rather than were properly planned out. 11 for example whilst being a nice hole is a little odd and the green placement is a bit extreme giving you not much room for a lay-up. The only real downside was that the bunkers were a bit patchy and indifferent - some had sand, some bare, some full of stones. If they sorted the bunkers (and surfaced some of the pathways) it would be perfect. Those who have been here will know there are a few long walks from green to tee, especially on the back 9 but often they are worth it for the stunning hole that greets you.

This course has some potential with some testing risk reward holes but the course is so poorly maintained that it would take an epic effort to get me to return. The greens were so slow they were almost unplayable, a lot of areas required seeding and general TLC and the bunkers were all inconsistent. Holes 5 and 6 are enjoyable but the finishing 3 holes are a let down. Hotel is good and food was ok. If they spent some money on the course it could reach a birdie rating.

Stayed and played here recently for a 1 night break - big mistake.The golf experience is pretty awful from start to finish. When you arrive you have to park in the middle of a muddy field - the only hard standing car park is reserved for the poor members. Refreshment in the club house was extremely limited and very expensive. They had no scorecards - we had to make do with a photocopy. Then you make your way to the course. The first 3 holes are a pretty good example of what is to come - essentially lots of bland, featureless holes on a very poorly maintained track. Tees were covered in moss, fairways not well maintained, what bunkers there were in poor state etc. The greens were Ok apart from the multitude of pitch marks that had been left unrepaired. there are a few nice holes - 5, 6 and 13 come to mind but beyond that all very unforgettable. Eventually you arrive at the 18th which has the claim of being one of the straightest holes in golf - it is also probably the most boring! Around 600 yards of arrow straight, very wide fairway, not a single bunker and a flat green at the end - very dull. The hotel was good enough, and the food was also OK, but we won't be returning. Possibly the dullest golf course I have ever played.

Played here a few days ago and wasn’t impressed, although this is partly influenced by the fact that the society I was with were on course for 5 hours but only managed to complete 16 holes. All due the society we were following paying 2-ball Texas scramble - can only assume it was their decision to do this, as if the club/course allowed this then I’d be even more disappointed. After 7/8 holes our organiser tried to contact the ‘pro-shop’ (and I use the term lightly) to speed things up, but when someone eventually answered was told they couldn’t send anyone out to marshall the slow pace, as there was only her & the barman available!As for the course itself, the holes were good, largely speaking, but the overall layout is very poor. There’s simply too far to travel between most of the holes, and in some instances the pathways from tee to fairway add considerable distance – buggies are almost a necessity.Additionally, the greens were being treated (obviously these things have to be done) which made putting a lottery.On the plus side, the food was good and there was plenty of it, but I can’t help feeling that it’s a hotel /country club with a golf course attached as an afterthought.And I’ll agree with some of the other reviewers, how it was ever ranked as the second best course in Oxfordshire is beyond me.In summary, if there’s no-one in front of me, and the greens aren’t being treated, and I’ve got a buggy then I might, just might, go back – but it won’t be soon.

This is a true test of golf in every sense. It is a distinct advantage to be able to carry the ball 200 yards of the tee shot. You will be able to use every club in the bag when it comes to approach shots, and once on the green a two putt is certainly no given, as the large undulating greens which roll fast and true are a game in themselves. A fantastic 18 holes of golf with risk and reward holes, positional tee shots and breathtaking scenery, a must play if you visit Oxfordshire.

The course descriptions may have been relevant at the time of writing or when the course was redesigned in 2009 but the current course bears no resemblance to some of the review now. Played the course at the end of June with 16 members as a society package bacon bap on arrival, 27 holes of golf light lunch and evening meal. The course was in poor condition, greens left a lot to be desired,edge of the bunkers uncut, inconsistant sand, tee off areas were flat but not a blade of grass. The shared club house and spa area had no means of dealing with 16 society members for light lunch or for an evening meal, we had to serve ourselves, request cutlery, condements and we're all sat seperately some even had to eat the food on their laps As a well established society we've played over 70 courses within an hours drive of Swindon this is the worse society day out we've ever had. Definitely not one of Oxfordshire's best courses and definitely not a course for a society. Over rated, over priced, we'll not be going back.

nice course and good facilities some memorable holes on the front nine and some nice par 3s on the back, overall good experience

Played Heythrop last week, and was very impressed. We had 'Millionaires Golf', an empty course on a Monday morning, possibly the best value course I've played. A gentle start, as long as you are accurate, leads beautifully to a middle 3rd of holes that are hard to beat. 5, 6, 7 and 8 being the real pick, fantastic design using the natural elements of trees, water and contours, all have a Wow Factor. 10 and 11 are also very strong. I don't consider there to be a weak hole on the course. Go and try it, the condition was very good, greens challenging if a little slow. Deserving of it's ranking, I will be back very soon for a return visit.

I have played Heythrop many times since it opened a few years ago, it is an OK track that is often in good condition and with nice greens.However there is no way this should rank 2nd in Oxfordshire.

A year after my first visit to Heythrop Park I returned to find a course that is slowly maturing into a quality venue. Due to the history of the Heythrop Estate certain restrictions were placed on designer Tom Mackenzie’s work. This meant that much replanting was required to reproduce the original parkland layout and some areas could not be changed in any way. Inevitably this created issues when it came to the routing of the course and there are a couple of brisk walks between greens and the next tee, but overall I think the design has character and variety.

Before taking on the first tee shot I would recommend spending a few minutes warming up on the excellent practice area. The main reason for this being the Jesuits graveyard on the left of the first fairway which combined with mature beech trees on the right puts you under pressure right from the off. The next memorable hole for me is the 4th, a good par 5 with three bunkers set at an angle across the fairway waiting to catch the misjudged second shot. An attractive stone wall runs along the right hand side for the full length of the hole. The fifth is a lovely hole, dog-legging right across a water filled valley, you must decide how much to bite off. A well struck shot on the tiger line may well challenge the green and set up a good birdie chance whereas the poorly struck ball could well be lost. The 6th is a real beauty and my favourite hole on the course. Hitting from on high again over water to a fairway running across you, you must choose your line carefully. The green nestles on the waters edge protected by an attractive stand of pine trees and with the grand old bridge situated behind this is one of the prettiest spots on the course. The 8th is a strong hole, dog-legging right and uphill; it requires two well struck shots to get home and the 9th is a pretty par three protected by water all the way up the right side of the hole.

The 11th is an unusual downhill par 5 which is unique in my experience. The safe option is to get as close as you can to the old skating lake in two before hitting your third over to the green which is tucked away to the left in woodland. Looking back up the fairway you get a wonderful view of the majestic old Hall. This is a tough but good looking hole and another of my favourites. The 13th is a picturesque par 3 running downhill to a green set beyond a small water feature and the 14th is a cracking par 5, initially uphill over a wall, it bends left all the way before leaving you a downhill shot to an attractively positioned green. The finishing hole is a poker straight par 5 heading straight for the main entrance of the Hall. There are no bunkers but the green is guarded by a series of grassy mounds and hollows.

The greens were in great condition for October and have enough contouring to keep you attentive throughout your round. If Heythrop continues to improve I can see it making a strong bid for an English Top 100 place sometime in the not too distant future. Brian W