Sand Martins - Berkshire - England

15th Berkshire - Best in Area
Sand Martins Golf Club,
Finchampstead Road,
Wokingham,
Berkshire,
RG40 3RQ,
England

  • +44 (0) 118 9893893

  • Chris Mackenzie

  • Edward T. Fox

  • Andrew Hall

In 1991, Edward T. Fox purchased the 120-acre property that’s now occupied by the 18-hole layout at Sand Martins Golf Club, designing the course that’s in play today. The golf facility was almost sold to developers in 2005 but members and management were successful with a rival bid to take control of the business and ensure it remained as a thriving golf venture.

The front nine to the north of the clubhouse is parkland in style, with several water features in play, while the back nine to the south is more of an inland links, featuring a number of revetted bunkers on these holes. All the greens were built to USGA specifications so they’re an absolute pleasure to putt on.

Sand Martins extends to 5,763 metres from the back tees, playing to a par of 70. Highlight holes include the short par 2nd (with water protecting the green), the right doglegged 3rd (which is the only par five on the front nine), and the trio of par threes on the back nine at the 12th, 14th and 17th – they’re all wonderful little holes that are set up to fully examine short iron play off the tee.

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Reviews for Sand Martins

Average Reviewers Score:
Description: Sand Martins Golf Club is intriguing, with two distinctly contrasting nines. The front nine is park-like and the back nine feels like an inland links. Rating: 5.8 out of 10 Reviews: 5
TaylorMade
Mark

What a lovely course. I arrived in the evening hoping to make 18 before the sun went down which I just managed to do. A really friendly club, several members spoke to me on the way round, most apologising that I was playing just after the greens had been treated. I didn't feel it effected play at all but I was really impressed at how proud they all were of the course and they we justified in being so in my opinion. The front 9 is a real contrast to the back which is much like an inland links. The first 9 is a typical parkland with really nice water features. Definitely a course worth seeking out if you are in area.

August 11, 2021
6 / 10
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Sand Martins is nice, but the front nine doesn't help it. The front nine gets repetitive and boring, while the back has far more land movement and is often described as "linksy". I wouldn't go this far, but there are mounds between holes, and it makes for a far nicer 9 holes than the front.

April 29, 2020
5 / 10
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Niall
Played Sand Martins recently and was very impressed. Wasn't sure what to expect as I'd read the review below and wasn't expecting much, but I found it to be an intersting course that held my attention all the way round. It's not the best in Berks by any means but it's better than some of the reviews below suggest.
May 15, 2011
8 / 10
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Andrew
May 21, 2011
A typical modern course, as pointed out previously, there are many of a similar nature. For example, in the same general area, Billingbear, Chobham, Clandon Regis, Pryford, Sutton Green, Traditions and Wildwood. This is, at best a three-ball course, to score it this high places it on the same level as the courses at the Berkshire. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, if you regard Sand Martins as a five-ball course how do you score the very best inland courses, Sunningdale, Ganton, Woodhall Spa, Hollinwell, Walton Heath?
Niall
May 21, 2011
Your point Andrew I think requires a response. Sometimes a course exceeds expectations and based on the relatively poor reviews below I had low expectations of Sand Martins but they were exceeded. I had high expectations of Woodhall Spa but I was disappointed with it when I played it a few years ago. The condition of Woodhall wasn’t great and I felt the course too short off the regular tees plus the greens were slow and the sand in the bunkers (if you can call them that) was inconsistent. For a world ranked course this simply is not good enough. Woodhall’s design is excellent but its condition when I played it was average. I went to Sand Martins expecting an average course and found an interesting one that is varied, entertaining and in good condition. What more can I say? Walton Heath Old = 6-balls. Walton Heath New = 4-balls, Notts = 6, Sunningdale both = 6, Ganton = 6. Perhaps I should have marked Sand Martins 4 but as it exceeded my expectations I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Niall.
Gareth Williams
I have, so far, around 150 different courses on my golfing CV and Sand Martins barely makes my personal top 100. I played it on a gorgeous sunny day and it was in reasonably good condition. However, it really is nothing out of the ordinary, a few nice par 3's but nothing truly memorable - I would hazard a guess that most golfers could find dozens of examples of similar standard courses without racking their brains too hard. If you're in the area and can utilise one of the discount schemes then drop in, but don't go too far out of your way.
April 27, 2006
4 / 10
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Billy
One of the companies I used to deal with many moons ago had corporate membership here at Sand Martins and I used to skive off and pretend to have a meeting on the course... those were the days! Anyway, this is a really nice course which does indeed have two distinctly different nines and personally I prefer the back nine, probably because it suits my game better and I have a habit of scoring well coming home here. All in all a nice club and very friendly too. Well worth playing.
April 24, 2006
6 / 10
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