Hindhead Golf Club, Hindhead, Surrey, England Click any of the large images to return to the main Hindhead page All photographs courtesy of Hindhead Golf Club 1st hole 2nd hole 6th hole 7th hole 9th hole 10th hole 18th green

Top 40 Golf Courses in Surrey 2015 Surrey Best in County rankings updated One of seven Home Counties surrounding London, Surrey is estimated to have the best economic rating (highest GDP per capita) of any county in England. Armed with that impressive statistic, it’ll come as no surprise to learn that Surrey is reckoned to have the highest proportion of millionaires in the UK living within its boundaries. In such an affluent region, it seems only appropriate that Surrey should also be home to a significantly high percentage of prestigious, world class golfing establishments and this is certainly the case when you closely examine the Top 40 chart that we maintain for the county. Each and every one of the county’s top twenty courses currently reside within the Top 100 for England, with thirteen of those layouts also occupying positions in our Great Britain & Ireland Top 100. Indeed, at the very top of the tree, the four highest ranked tracks in Surrey all sit inside our World Top 100 rankings, indicating the level of golfing excellence in this region. At number 1 and 2 in the listings, we have the Old course and New course at Sunningdale where, as a combination, these layouts represent the finest 36 holes of golf on a single property in all of the British Isles. As one recent reviewer advises, “If you haven’t played here yet then do yourself a favour and treat yourself to a day here, fairly pricey but you won’t regret it.” Rising one position to number 3, the Red and Blue nines at St George’s Hill constitute what can only be described as a Harry Colt masterpiece. The fairways on both 9-hole circuits are laid out on the canvas of a heaving heathland landscape, with each nine returning to an imposing clubhouse that looms benevolently over the property. Swapping places with St George’s Hill, the Old course at Walton Heath drops down one place to number 4. A classic Herbert Fowler design, the heather-flanked fairways of the Old course invariably play firm and fast, allowing golfers to enjoy its links-like conditioning all year round. It’d hard to believe that James Braid was the club’s professional for almost half a century, a feat that will take some beating. The only other significant upward movement in the top half of the revised Surrey rankings involves Woking (up three to 8) which Bernard Darwin, a member for more than sixty years, spoke about as one of London’s “stars of sand and heather” and Hindhead (up two to 12), where the club has recently completed an impressive bunker upgrading programme. In the bottom half of the chart, a handful of courses make noteworthy moves in the right direction: the Willie Park-designed Old course at Burhill (up eleven to 23), the 18-hole Longcross layout at Foxhills (up nine to 24), the fabulous 9-holer at Reigate Heath (up thirteen to 27), the old J.H. Taylor track at Addington Palace (up eight to 29), and the Old course at the Royal Automobile Club (up six to 32). Half a dozen tracks make their debut in the lower reaches of the revised county listings: the Outer course at Royal Mid-Surrey (number 33), the old Tom Dunn-designed 18-holes at Richmond (number 34), Cuthbert Butchart’s West Byfleet (number 35), the James Braid redesign of Barnstead Downs (number 36), Simon Gidman’s New course at Burhill (number 37), and Bramley, another Braid redesign from 1935 (number 38). We’re grateful to everybody in the county who helped with our re-ranking process for Surrey. To view details of all the courses in our Surrey Top 40 rankings click the link. If you have extensive experience of playing across the south east 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

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.