Luton Hoo

This is the sixth and penultimate editorial relating to our English county revisions for 2023, covering the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. East England can by no means be classed the strongest golfing region in the country, but there are still around a dozen nationally ranked courses within its geographical boundaries, all of which are well worth travelling the extra mile to play. Bedfordshire The John O’Gaunt course at the 36-hole John O’Gaunt Golf Club in Sutton (pictured above) has been our #1 in Bedfordshire since we began ranking English counties more than a decade ago and it still leads the way in the county listings. Described as “a pretty course, with mature trees in pleasant surroundings” by a recent reviewer, this layout dates back to the early 1950s, shortly after the Pioneer Corps left the Sutton Park premises they had occupied during World War II. The club hosted the Boys’ County Finals just a few months ago, with Surrey winning the event from Yorkshire in second place. Luton Hoo We’ve added the course at Luton Hoo Golf Club to the chart at #10, replacing Bedford which is now closed. Opened for play around twenty years ago, this 18-hole layout lies mainly within a Grade 1 listed park designed by Capability Brown, which meant only minimal earth moving was allowed during construction and sand bunkers were not permitted. Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Bedfordshire. Cambridgeshire The Old course at Gog Magog Golf Club in Shelford Bottom (pictured above) has also enjoyed its status of #1 in Cambridgeshire since 2012 and it retains this position in our latest chart revision. The original 18-hole layout was created in 1901, a year before the golf club was founded, and it’s been improved down the years by a number of eminent architects such as Willie Park Junior, John Abercromby and Martin Hawtree. Cambridge Country Club Two newcomers enter the county chart, the first of which is Cambridge Country Club at #10. This place opened as Bourn Golf & Leisure thirty years ago, with the 18-hole layout occupying a 120-acre rolling property outside the little village of Bourn, where golfing fairways now replace the farming fields that were once evident here. The other new entry for Cambridgeshire is the course at Cambridge Meridian at #12. Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Cambridgeshire. Essex The 18-hole layout at Thorndon Park Golf Club in Brentwood (pictured above) is another course that retains the #1 county ranking it first achieved more than ten years ago. Designed by Harry Colt shortly after the Great War, this woodland track occupies part of the South Park of Thorndon Hall which was acquired for the purpose of establishing a golfing layout a century ago. Ken Moodie and his Creative Golf Design firm consult at the club and he directed a major refurbishment in 2019, removing trees and bushes as well as renovating greenside bunkers. Ingrebourne Links The North and East nines at the 27-hole Ingrebourne Links Golf & Country Club comprise our highest new entry for Essex, soaring straight into the county chart at #5. Set out on a large former landfill site, the rolling fairways and gently undulating greens are styled as an inland links, with revetted and timber-faced bunkers thrown in for good measure. We also add another two courses to the Essex listings: the Championship layout at Crondon Park Golf & Country Club [at #18] and Rochford Hundred Golf Club [at #22]. Abridge The most impressive upward move in Essex is made by the course at Abridge Golf Club in Romford which climbs five places to #6. A 1960s Henry Cotton design, the course was described in a review recently as “a thoroughly well-kept course, set in undulating woodlands… in immaculate condition with tee boxes, fairways and greens all manicured... both challenging and fair.” Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Essex. Hertfordshire Opened for play twenty years ago, The Grove in Rickmansworth (pictured above) is still our #1 for Hertfordshire. Designed by Kyle Phillips, the layout staged the WGC-American Express Championship in 2006, three years after its inauguration, with Tiger Woods winning the event by a comfortable 8-shot margin from runners-up Ian Poulter and Adam Scott. The Grove’s greens keeping team renovated all ninety bunkers on the layout in the summer of 2020. Harpenden Common The highest of three new chart entries for this county arrives at #29 and it’s the 18-hole layout at Harpenden Common Golf Club, which began life as a rather basic 9-hole track back in 1931. More land became available in the mid-1990s, allowing Ken Brown and Martin Gillett to double the size of the layout, producing the 18-hole track that’s in play today. The other Hertfordshire newcomers are the courses at Royston Golf Club [at #30] and The Hertfordshire Golf & Country Club [at #32]. Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Hertfordshire. Norfolk Retaining it’s #1 title in Norfolk, the course at Royal West Norfolk Golf Club (pictured above) also features prominently in both our England Top 100 [at #16] and Britain & Ireland Top 100 [at #43]. The club was established in 1892 and not much has altered here since Holcombe Ingleby, solicitor and politician, laid out the course more than a hundred and thirty years ago. Just the other week, a reviewer neatly summed up Brancaster (as it’s commonly called) when they posted: “From the moment we arrived and had to literally walk across the beach to get to the first tee it was clear this would not be a typical experience. The gate that guards the entrance to the first tee gives the deserved impression that you are about to enter a special place.” Swaffham We’re augmenting the Norfolk standings with a couple of new entries, the first of which is the course at Swaffham Golf Club (new at #11). The original 9-hole course was designed by Captain B.K. Wilson, the Royal North Devon secretary, then Steve Marnock and Jonathan Gaunt were called in to add another nine holes when more land was acquired at the start of the new millennium. The other new entry [at #12] is the course at Bawburgh Golf Club outside Norwich. Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Norfolk. Suffolk The Championship course at Aldeburgh Golf Club (pictured above) climbs one place into the top spot in our revised Suffolk standings. Situated on heathland close to the tidal Alde estuary, the course was founded in 1884 and it’s been upgraded a number of times down the years by the likes of Willie Park Junior, J.H. Taylor and Harry Colt. Plans are now in place to begin work next year on developing a couple of new holes and upgrading a couple of other holes, with Martin Ebert overseeing the work. Flempton Another Suffolk club where Martin operates is the wonderful little 9-holer at Flempton Golf Club, near Bury St Edmonds (up three to #7). The course dates back to 1895 but J.H. Taylor then redesigned the layout when an additional 12-acre tract of adjacent land was purchased eleven years later. Flempton is cleverly configured with three returning 3-hole loops, and, in the words of a reviewer last year, “delivers in a modern way” whilst retaining “the charming feel of golfing yester-year”. Two new courses also now grace the Suffolk chart: Haverhill Golf Club [at #11] and Gorleston Golf Club [at #12]. Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Suffolk. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

Top 100 Golf Courses continues its “Best In County” rollout 27th July 2011 In May 2011, Top 100 Golf Courses announced the extension of its golf course rankings to “Best In County” golf courses. Five counties were included in the initial rollout: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Cornwall, Devon and Hertfordshire. Development of the new Best in County initiative is progressing well and is ahead of schedule. Many will have already noticed the inclusion of further counties, but for those who haven’t, here is a list of the completed phase two counties. Click the blue link to navigate to the respective Best In County page: Cumbria Best In County Golf Courses Dorset Best In County Golf Courses Durham Best In County Golf Courses Gloucestershire Best In County Golf Courses Hampshire Best In County Golf Courses Herefordshire Best In County Golf Courses Northumberland Best In County Golf Courses Shropshire Best In County Golf Courses Somerset Best In County Golf Courses Surrey Best In County Golf Courses Sussex Best In County Golf Courses Wiltshire Best In County Golf Courses Various other counties are in a state of change on the website currently and the development process will be ongoing for the next few months. Announcements will be made periodically as more English counties are added and extended. In the meanwhile, keep checking your home county via the Top 100 England county map: England County Map The Top 100 Team If you have played county level golf or are simply passionate about your home county’s golf courses and would like to help us further develop this exciting and first-of-its-kind initiative, then please send an email to info@top100golfcourses.com. We’d love to hear from you.

East of England – Best in County Rankings 2019 We reach the halfway stage of our biennial re-ranking process for England with this news release for the East of the country, encompassing the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The results of these reappraisals will contribute towards the upcoming evaluations for our England and Great Britain & Ireland listings. The East region extends to more than 7,300 square miles and the six million people living within the six counties are spread out across a broad landscape with little variation in elevation. We showcase ninety courses, maintaining at least a Top 10 chart for each county. Although there are no Open venues or world-ranked layouts in the area, there’s lots of good golf to be found at the 250 or so clubs operating here. To prove the point, thirteen courses are currently ranked inside our Top 100 for England, which makes the East region one of the strongest nationally. So, without any further introduction, let’s see how the numbers stack up. Bedfordshire The John O’Gaunt course at John O’Gaunt Golf Club remains the No. 1 track in Bedfordshire. Designed just after World War II by Fred W. Hawtree, the John O’Gaunt layout is the longer and tougher of two 18-hole courses at the best parkland venue in the county. John O'Gaunt Golf Club - 18th hole John O'Gaunt course The club hosted the Amateur Seniors Championship in 1988 and 2003 and Final Qualifying for the Women’s British Open was held here in 2016. Bedfordshire Top 10 Golf Courses 2019 Rank/ Cambridgeshire The Old course at Gog Magog Golf Club is still the undisputed No. 1 golfing layout in Cambridgeshire. Established in 1899 as a 9-hole track, it was quickly doubled in size before both Willie Park Junior and John Abercromby left their stamp on the course that’s in play today. Gog Magog Golf Club - Old course “The overall layout of the old course is great,” wrote one reviewer earlier this year. “It weaves in and amongst the neighbouring Wandlebury course and it has been in great condition the few times I have played… although there isn’t much other quality in this county, it’s still worth a visit.” Cambridgeshire Top 10 Golf Courses 2019 Essex The Top 20 chart for Essex is still headed by Thorndon Park, an early 1920s layout from the respected design company of Harry Colt and Hugh Alison. The club has been renovating bunkers and removing trees in an effort to generally improve playing conditions and this upgrade work should be finished in good time to celebrate the club’s centenary next year. Thorndon Park Golf Club The most significant upward move is made by Toot Hill, a 1990s production from local architect Martin Gillett, rising four spots to number 10. In the bottom half of the Essex table, there are new entries for Theydon Bois Golf Club (#17) in Epping Forest, which dates back to 1897, and for the Heron and Hawk nines at South Essex Golf & Country Club (#18), located right next to Thorndon Park. Essex Top 20 Golf Courses 2019 Hertfordshire The Grove in Chandler’s Cross has warded off a strong challenge from Hadley Wood to maintain its No.1 position in Hertfordshire. First opened for play at the start of the new millennium, the course has developed into one of the best golfing layouts inside the M25 as vouched for only last week by a review from yet another satisfied pay and play golfer: “You need to remember that this is Watford so the land isn’t exactly spectacular. The architect, Kyle Phillips, has done a wonderful job and there are many exciting holes, twists and turns, and interesting green complexes… The conditioning of the fairways and greens has always been excellent and is a real trademark of The Grove. The turf can get a bit soggy but again this is in not links land, but North London clay beneath.” The Grove Three century-old layouts make noteworthy 3-place advances in the new Hertfordshire listings: Porters Park (#8) at Radlett, which Cuthbert Butchart had a hand in designing; the Willie Park Junior-designed Knebworth (#15) outside Stevenage; and the old Harry Colt West course at Moor Park (#17) in Rickmansworth. Porters Park Golf Club A little further down the table, Verulam, Samuel Ryder's home club in St Albans, which James Braid expanded to an 18-hole track back in 1912, climbs a commendable four places to number 22. Hertfordshire Top 30 Golf Courses 2019 Norfolk The top three courses retain the same chart positions they occupied when we last re-ranked the English counties two years ago so Royal West Norfolk holds on to the No. 1 slot. Our US Consultant Fergal O’Leary was here a few months ago and his review was tinged with more than a touch of envy: “The members here are amongst the luckiest souls that play the game… certain clubs give you a glimpse of the origins of the game on a level that is rarely matched… furnishings from 1892 are still in place and things don’t change much at all as you escape from modern day… both the course and the clubhouse have stood the test of time, and are relentless with their pursuit of preserving the past. With upcoming improvements to the course on the horizon, it further puts Royal West Norfolk into a category of its own.” Royal West Norfolk Golf Club 9th hole - photo courtesy of Kevin Murray Another Norfolk course with a regal prefix makes significant progress in our revised standings and it’s Royal Norwich, rising five rungs on the ladder to No. 4. The club has just moved from its old location close to the city centre to a new site where Ross McMurray from European Golf Design has mapped out a new 24-hole complex, with Ian Poulter officially opening the course at Weston Park just last month. Royal Norwich Golf Club 3rd hole at Weston Park Norfolk Top 10 Golf Courses 2019 Suffolk The Purdis Heath course at Ipswich Golf Club regains the top spot in Suffolk, taking over from Aldeburgh which slips back to the runner-up slot. Ipswich was formed in 1895 on common land near Rushmere Heath but it moved to Purdis Heath thirty years later, with Fred G. Hawtree and J.H. Taylor constructing a new course from the plans of James Braid. Ipswich Golf Club - Purdis Heath course Today, this delightful heathland track has benefitted from a recent bunker renovation by Martin Hawtree, whose grandfather helped construct the original course. Using old photographs, the architect was able to return the sand hazards to the same style of ninety years ago, with the course now looking as good as it ever has during its 90-year history. Suffolk Top 10 Golf Courses 2019 The next English region to come under the magnifying glass is the North East, when we’ll be focusing on the counties of Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses