Newbury & Crookham

Newbury & Crookham Golf Club is one of the oldest in England and J.H.Turner, the professional at Frilford Heath between 1914 and 1952, laid out their present course at Greenham, fifty years after the club’s 1873 formation.

During World War II, only seven holes were left open for play as sheep were allowed to graze on part of the course and aircraft taxiways were constructed on today's 1st, 14th and 15th fairways. After the war, the suggestions book in the clubhouse included an entry from someone asking for the broken concrete runway on the first hole to be painted green to help members find their golf balls.

Measuring a shade under 6,000 yards from the medal tees, the course is by no means overly long – there are only two par fives, at holes 13 and 18 – but it’s tight in many places, with towering trees bounding many of the narrow fairways.

Three of the five par threes on the card are played on the front nine though the best of the short holes is probably the last one played at the 170-yard 17th, where the beautifully bunkered elevated green slopes gently from right to left.

Aficionados of old-fashioned golf will appreciate the pair of short par fours here. The first of these is a left dogleg across a small valley at the 2nd and the other is the 292-yard 12th, played to a heavily bunkered green.

The Howard Swan design company has been credited with course modifications in recent times.