Heythrop Park - Oxfordshire - England

Heythrop Park is spread over a huge area with its own Country House and Estate. The holes are laid out in an imaginative and fascinating way so as to create a golf course that blends in well with the surrounding Cotswolds countryside and trademark stone cottages.

The fairways are generous and of top quality, the bunkers strategic and reassuringly minimalistic in number and the greens are large, well-maintained and of a good pace. These three key components for a golf course ensure that good shots get fair reward.

You play yourself in over the first three holes and then encounter a classic simplistic par 5 with a stone wall running all along the right, strongly penalising a sliced shot. In my view, holes 5 and 6 are the best holes on the front nine, both requiring a well struck drive over water to reach the safety of green grass, and further challenges beyond before a good score on the hole is achieved.

Steady progress is then maintained until the high-calibre 11th. This is a lovely downhill par 5 with a wide straight fairway before the approach shot to a well-protected green over water and jealously guarded by a large tree to the left. A suitable stroke index one indeed! Holes from 13 to 16 are of high quality with 13 being a daunting long par 3, followed at 14 by a sharp dog-legging par 5 that requires a drive from low down, to cross a wall and then hit a sloping fairway. The final two holes and just straight and long, although the views of the Hall are quite majestic as you stroll up the 18th.

The undulating nature of the Estate and often long distances between holes, sometimes poorly sign-posted, makes Heythrop Park an arduous walk, we would probably buggy next time. Fortunately we played on a dry windless April day, with the many trees beginning to grow their leaves ready for the summer ahead. Only small moans but the teeing areas were decidedly average and some course paths were in desperate need of an upgrade.

My conclusion is of an unloved sleeping giant of a golf course, a lot of money has clearly been spent in the early days and massive potential still exists. I can’t help feeling that over it’s 11 year history to date this stylish facility has been under-utilised and only fully appreciated by those who have ventured here to play, and they have kept the secret to themselves.

made an effort to seek this out while spending sometime locally, the weather was so poor we couldn't play but having tried two holes without success I was happy to make the trip to go back and play a full 18. really accommodating and friendly pro shop/ reception. lovely course, go play it

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.