Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) - Lincolnshire - England

1st Lincolnshire - Best in Area 7th England Ranking 21st Britain & Ireland Ranking 62nd World Ranking
Woodhall Spa Golf Club,
The Broadway,
Woodhall Spa,
Lincs,
LN10 6PU,
England

  • +44 (0)1526 352511

  • Golf Club Website

  • 19 miles SE of Lincoln

  • Contact in advance - handicap certificate required

Visit Golfbreaks.com for a golf holiday at Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin)

The Hotchkin course at Woodhall Spa invariably fights with Loch Lomond and Sunningdale Old for the coveted position of “best inland golf course” in the British Isles. Originally, Harry Vardon laid out the course and it opened for play in 1905. Harry Colt, just before the Great War, made further modifications to the layout. But in the 1920s, the owner, Colonel S.V. Hotchkin, put the course through one last major redesign phase before the Hotchkin finally matured into its present layout. The English Golf Union purchased Woodhall Spa in 1995 for a reputed £8m and turned it into their headquarters.

An oasis in the heart of Lincolnshire. Set amongst glorious pine, birch and broom, this heathland course is an absolute delight to play. The sandy subsoil allows all-year-round golf, the springy turf making walking a real pleasure. Keep your ball in play and do your best to avoid the heather, gorse and bunkers. See if you can copy the feat of J.A. Wilson (8 h/cap) and his opponent L.D. Henshaw (12 h/cap). In 1982, Wilson holed in one at the 12th (a beautiful, long par three) but only managed a half because Henshaw also holed in one. Apparently they were hurrying their shots too because they had just been invited to play through. The four-ball standing behind the green were gobsmacked!

The Hotchkin is bunker heaven (or hell), notorious for its deep, cavernous sand traps. It is also helpful if you can hit the ball long and straight. Otherwise you will be presented with some very tough second shots. Woodhall Spa isn’t a tournament course, but it is supremely challenging and plays host to a number of distinguished national and international amateur competitions.

Many important matches have been decided on its famous 18th hole. This 540-yard par five finishing hole typifies what is so special about Woodhall Spa. If we can strike the ball with solidity off the tee and avoid the hazards, then we give ourselves a chance of scoring well. We can see the flag clearly in the distance but the drive is tight. We must land left of the sentry oak, but not too far left, otherwise we will be bunkered. We must be dead straight in order to find the crisp, sandy fairway and if we achieve all these things, and if we are a stout hitter, we may be tempted to go for the green with our second shot. It is tempting - the route to the green is visible but is protected by bunkers and there's a swale guarding its right flank. What can we say? “Go for it” perhaps?

It is definitely worth making the trip to play this gem and the green fee is tremendous value for money too (especially if you are a member of an English golf club). And remember - the Hotchkin is undoubtedly one of the premier inland courses in the whole of the British Isles. Can you afford not to play it?

In 2016 Tom Doak was hired to advise Woodhall Spa on a development plan that includes tree clearance and “generally removing visual clutter so that the unique bunkering can dominate the views”. Additionally bunker faces will be reconstructed to ease maintenance. The schedule of works was due to be completed by 2022, but we received an update from Tim, a Woodhall Spa member, in February 2017:

"The work Tom Doak is doing has been speeded up and should be completed by 2019. All bunkers are being remodeled, many that had disappeared are being reinstated and a small number of obsolete ones are being removed. Huge areas of undergrowth have been cleared so that the feel of an old fashioned heath with far reaching views across the course are being brought back. Although only holes 7,8,9,10,11 and 13 have been done so far, the changes are fantastic and when completed will elevate Woodhall further from its already lofty position. Some of the holes (still to be completed) will have significant work done to the greens and also the position of the tees."

Tim contacted us again in February 2018: "“The second phase of the three-year renovation program at Woodhall Spa is nearly complete. The changes this year are to holes 5, 6, 12, 14, 16 and 17. The changes to the two par fives (6 and 14) are particularly dramatic. Many trees have been removed. Many old bunkers have been reinstated and the visual impact of these changes are striking.”
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Reviews for Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin)

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Description: Woodhall Spa Golf Club is an oasis in the heart of Lincolnshire, set amongst glorious pine, birch and broom, this heathland golf course is an absolute delight to play. Rating: 8.6 out of 10 Reviews: 101
TaylorMade
Allan Wright
I played the Hotchkin on 19 April, for the first time in over 10 years, and possibly the fifth time in all.I just wanted to report that the course was in excellent condition, and very well presented, tee to green. Given that we have just had the coldest spring for years, I was very pleasantly surprised by the condition of the course. The only "issue" was that the greens were slow, although true, but their heavy covering of grass was the only sign that the greenkeepers were protecting the course from the incessant traffic it receives. The speed of play was also good, smack on 4 hours for a fourball with a short stop at the halfway house thrown in.As for the layout, well, it's superb; you have to play all the clubs in the bag, and if you stray off line you get severely punished.I don't care if the clubhouse is "homely". It's also friendly, the newish locker room is fine, the beer is well kept Bateman's. But frankly, a visit to Woodhall Spa is all about the golf course - as good an inland layout from the golden age as exists in the country
April 23, 2013
10 / 10
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Geoff Long
Did I enjoy the course? - YesWould I go back? - DefinitelyIs it the 4th best course in England? - NeverThe course wasn't in great condition, and the greens were very slow but true.Also, possibly the least welcoming course I have been to with the starter being downright rude to us.
May 24, 2012
6 / 10
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Max Monroe
The real deal, this needs to be played by all but beware you need some game to make it around all 18 holes. Very difficult and it is so much fun to play. There are two holes on the inward nine that need some work (I think par 5 14 + par 4 15??). Other than those this course is brilliant! Too bad it is out of the way of everything otherwise there would be Opens contested here.
July 24, 2011
10 / 10
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Malcolm Searle
After reading the wide range of opinions on this site, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this course. Like many others we drove up and played the Bracken one day and the Hotchin the next. The Bracken is a fun course and good warm up for the main event and it's greens are very challenging due to the huge contours on them. But the Hotchin was the course we'd come to play and I needn't have worried - what a great course! It's quite tight - and although it maybe a platitude - the advice to be 'straight & long' is crucial. Although there's a lack of elevation changes this is more than compensated for by the design and bunkering, you also need to think about plotting your way around and good course management was the key to good scores in our party.It was in fantastic condition considering the amount of footfall here and the greens were impeccable, the staff were very helpful and the lucky members were a nice bunch.Great value, have re-booked for next year, pity it's such a long way from anywhere!
July 06, 2011
10 / 10
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ian evans
played the bracken first, good course bit of room and flatish bunkers, greens probably the most undulating i have played but if you got on the right side you could make a score. played the Hotchkin next day and would go back. Bunkers like i have never seen, but keep away and a score can be made. Great experience and i will return, just a shame it's so far away.
June 16, 2011
10 / 10
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malcolm roberts
Finally got to play here after some years and it proved to be everything that I expected. Yes its flat (it's Lincolnshire for Gods sake) but there is not a weak hole on the course and the bunkering is just fantastic, what bunkers should be rather than these shallow american style "sand traps" that we see far too much of .In good condition in spite of the prolonged dry spell, greens fast and true. A real golfing treat.
May 24, 2011
10 / 10
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Joey
May 24, 2011
I can completely agree that the Hotckin was more than expected. However, to classify shallow bunkers as American is just incorrect. There are plenty of courses that have as much teeth as any of them at Woodhall or Ganton, or for that matter St. Enodoc or St. Georges. I am regularly miffed at the at the constant complaint of American golf as being bland. There are planty of amazing courses to see in the States. I understand they are very exclusive and that may take away from them. Visit Bethpage Black and try to tell me they are inferior to the Hotckin. Or for that matter check out Whistling Straits or Pinehurst. All of these courses are as playable and are equally enjoyable. I do not think there is a shortage of bland tracks in the U.K. or Ireland. Trust me, I love the golf there and would ultimately prefer playing there but can also enjoy a round at Cog Hill or Montauk Downs. There is quality golf on the RTJ golf trail in Alabama and plenty of great tracks in Arizona that need no more than a phone call. Save the American golf bashing for lesser audiences please.
Anthony Daniels
Played the Hotchkin on 11th April expecting great things. However, I came away distinctly underwhelmed. The layout is good, but not great, although the back nine is much better than the front. The condition of the fairways was poor, and it was obvious that this due to the amount of traffic they have on the course, but if you have a course ranked supposedly in the top 50 in the world you should be able to employ the greenstaff to keep it in great condition whatever. The greens were true but were very slow as they had far too much grass on them, again a consequence of having so many people playing, I would suggest. Contrary to several other reviews I think the bunkers were superb - great fun to try to get out of if you were unfortunate enough to go in them, and also made you think about your strategy and how to get around the course. Finally, although the welcome was very warm, the clubhouse is appalling. It's basically a garden shed and is in no way in keeping with a course that is ranked this high, but then neither is the course. On the long journey home one of my pal's described Woodhall Spa as being the best municipal course in the country. I think this is pretty accurate. It is not in the same league as either course at Sunningdale, or as good as many other inland courses I've played. Highly overrated, but good value.
April 23, 2011
4 / 10
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Paul Michael
May 11, 2011
The best muni in the country? I'd love to play the rest of your top 10 muni tracks if you count Woodhall Spa as a municipal course. When did a muni ever have this course, welcome, layout or National Golf Centre? The Hotchkin is very much deserving of it's ranking.
am
May 15, 2011
Reading the above the criteria for a top-ranked course would be conditioning and presentation, a large well-appointed clubhouse and, as the only comparative courses mentioned were at Sunningdale, a degree of exclusivity and expense. Design quality, shot values and ambience are of little significance. Conditioning is partialy dependent upon the time of year, April in Lincolnshire sees the onset of the growing season, perhaps a visit in September for the Senior Home Internationals will see the course at it's best. In Spain, there any number of average courses in top condition with palacial clubhouses. If municpal is implied as a degrogatory term, St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Bethpage are municpals and, like the Hotchkin, are considered to be among the World's Top Fifty Courses. To quote Steely Dan "You wouldn't know a diamond if you held it in your hand". Read the review by Jim McCann for a golfer's perspective.
ewjh
February 03, 2012
How very quick some golfers are to immediately blame greenkeepers for a bad round/experience, based on absolutely no knowledge of the subject. I am a head greenkeeper of many, many years and this is typical of the uneducated comments made by arrogant golfers who know nothing of the amount of science involved in greenkeeping. The, 'cut the grass shorter and the greens will be faster' mentality. I came from Surrey to play the Hotchkin the same week and the course was exceptional! Courses are prepared for the season at the start of spring, largely dependent on a 'typical' wet and warm period to follow. This spring was hot and incredibly dry from the very time all the vital work was carried out. The greens staff at Woodhall Spa had done an exceptional job adapting their strategy when many, many others failed to do so. Furthermore, the extra grass was, more than likely, an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of stress placed on the plant by such a prolonged, dry spell. This will have helped prevent them losing their greens for the whole summer. Maybe they considered this more important than your one particular round. And no, 'putting the irrigation on' doesn't solve this problem. Irrigation water is too cold in spring to instigate growth, resulting in a wet surface that not only doesn't aid growth but will later encourage the development of undesirable grass species and turf diseases. But I wont bore you with the science, you probably wont understand! Why not go away and see if you can educate yourself before you criticise a fantastic course and insult what is, undoubtedly an excellent greenkeeping team that must have been very well selected, paid, trained and managed.
Hugh
February 04, 2012
Greenkeepers get paid for doing a job, golfers pay to play golf courses and therefore have every reasonable right to expect the greenkeepers to have done their job. It's arrogant for a greenkeeper to think otherwise.
ewjh
February 04, 2012
The greenkeepers did their job. In the spring and summer imparticular, the condition in which a course can be presented is dictated by the weather. The weather last spring was freakish to say the least and the department did an excellent job to produce a course playing as brilliantly as it did. If more golfers took time to understand why a course is not in perfect condition all the time, their attitudes to greenkeepers would greatly improve. I was a single figure handicap golfer for many years before taking up greenkeeping and was embarrassed at the time by members blindly blaming greenkeepers for course conditions when they had no grasp of any facts. Anyone with a genuine love of the game surely has enough time to listen to the factors influencing course preparation? I guess not, some people just like to complain because something is anything less than unattainable perfection. They could have had 200 greenkeepers and the greens would have been in the same condition. A golf course is a living organism it tells you what it needs. Not the other way round. What produces a fantastic result one day/week/year can have a huge detrimental effect the next. Learning to adapt, as they did, is all that can be done. I can perfectly accept remarks saying the course was a disappointment for the reasons given above because a golfer has paid their money. Fine. I don't doubt this was true. But blindly blaming greenkeepers for it when they presented the course as well as any greenkeeper in the world could have, is pure ignorance
Anthony Daniels
February 06, 2012
ewjh, I wrote the above review and I appreciate your comments in respect of why the grass on the greens may have been longer. I actually found your explanation very interesting and wasn't aware of the reasons prior to reading your post. Therefore, I could accept that I may have been ignorant in this respect. However, to call me arrogant based on a few written words is surely way over the top (although I realise you are not the only person in this posts who seems to have formed a very inaccurate portrayal of me as a person and golfer!). You also assumed (wrongly) that I had a bad round and was blaming this on the greens staff. This couldn't be further from the truth. I played okay. My point was that the condition of a course ranked so highly was not what I would have expected and certainly didn't compare with other courses I've played which are ranked similarly. As I say, I was very interested in learning a bit about why a particular course may be presented in a certain way. The best thing about this website is the wide and varying opinions that different people have in respect of the various courses. These opinions should not, however, lead to personal attacks and conclusions being drawn as to whether any given reviewer may be a nice person or not.
Hugh
February 06, 2012
It’s nice to receive a lecture in agronomy but most golfers are not that interested in the science. They pay their money and then expect reasonably fast and true greens. If Woodhall planned to leave the greens long and fluffy then surely it would be reasonable to make the customer aware beforehand and perhaps offer a reduction based on the fact they are not up to scratch for whatever reason? Most golfers will accept general conditioning issues but it is really disappointing to make the effort to travel, take the time out and pay good money to play an alleged top course only to find that the greens are slow, fluffy and you have to bash the ball at the hole. In any case whatever happened to the art of watering the greens? Surely sprinklers could have been used to alleviate the “freakish” conditions assuming you are blaming the dry spring for the poor greens? The more likely reason for the slow greens was that on Monday 11th April they hadn’t been cut since Friday.
Keith Baxter
February 07, 2012
I’d like to thank everyone for responding to this review. In fairness to the reviewer and Woodhall Spa, I’m now drawing a line under this. If however, you’ve played the Hotchkin course recently then please post your own player review and share your on-course experiences through that process. Keith Baxter - Editor
Robert Smith
Played here over the week-end of 16th/17th April and came away a little disappointed. Sure, it's in a beautiful setting, and the welcome we received from everybody was great. But too many bunkers. Far too many. As another reviewer states, you could take away half of the bunkering and still be left with a fantastic, but fairer, course. I've played Chart Hills in Kent, a course renowned for it's large number of bunkers. But at least you can see where they are. The fairways, especially on the front 9, were very scruffy, bare in places. They improved a little on the back 9 though to be fair. Greens were quite slow compared to the greens on the Bracken course, thankfully they didn't have the humps and hollows though! A nice course, yes. But not, in my opinion a GREAT one. I didn't walk off the 18th thinking "I must get back here to play again one day" as I have done at other, lesser known courses. Shame. It may not be the best course I have played, but it was certainly the toughest with all those bunkers. And I didn't really find that many of them!
April 20, 2011
6 / 10
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AJ
April 21, 2011
So whats your point about the bunkers then if you didnt find them ? Did they put you off ? Do you not find it exhilarating to stand on the tee and know you need to hit a great drive to avoid the hazards ? I suggest playing it again with a different mindset.
Joey
April 21, 2011
I must agree with AJ, the predominant features are there to see. The fun is avoiding them! They are some of the most amazing hazards to be found anywhere in the world. I would never criticize a course that is only charging such a nominal fee to enjoy it!
Robert Smith
July 26, 2011
The fact that I didn't find that many of them doesn't mean there aren't too many. It just seemed to me to be "tricked up" by the large amount, some that were really unnecessary. One hole in particular had a deep pot bunker literally 50 yards in front of the tee in amongst deep heather. OK if somebody has hit a bad tee shot penalise them. Put them in the heather. But why have a great big pot bunker in there too? If it were a par 3 I could possibly understand it. But on a long par 4?
Jim McCann

If the Old Course at St.Andrews is rightly regarded as “The Home” of Scottish golf then the Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa deserves the same title for English golfers - it’s such a lovely setting in rural Lincolnshire for a national golfing treasure and the course deserves to be played at least once by each and every EGU member.



I was a wee bit concerned as I walked onto the 1st green to see a couple of very Woodhall Spa Golf Course - Photo by reviewernondescript small mounds defining the rear flank of the putting surface (who in their right mind ever thought they might add any strategic value or aesthetic quality to the hole?) but from there on it was top quality design all the way to the end. Very like Sunningdale in places, with severe carries across heather on several tee positions, the Hotchkin course is a wonderful layout that will keep you engaged for every inch of the 6519 yards that you’ll play from the yellows. Some seem to think that’s too short – not for me it isn’t when cavernous bunkers abound on every hole. I thought I’d seen it all by way of intimidating sand traps when I played Ganton a few years ago; well, those were mere sand pits for kiddies compared to some of the monster bunkers here – not quite sizeable enough to take a double decker bus but a few of the larger, grass-ramped specimens could comfortably hold a single deck minibus.



The three par threes vary in length from 143 to 187 yards from the regular markers and they’re all excellent short holes, especially as two of them (holes 8 and 12) play slightly uphill from tee to green. If you’re looking for affordable, top quality golf then you’ll be very hard pressed to pay a better value green fee than that charged here. I echo an earlier review from someone who called Woodhall Spa a place “for proper golfers” – how very true. Jim McCann

April 04, 2011
9 / 10
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Andrew Whiteley
I played The Hotchkin twice on 1st November 2010, having first carefully examined all the reviews to date. My expectations were high due to high ranking; 4th England, 14th British Isles and 45th in the World. I travelled over 200 miles to get there and believe me I wanted these claims to be true. The greeting and friendly service from all the staff was 1st class. I teed off and walked up the first to be met by a poor quality fairway. It’s fair to say it had been hollow tined but I allowed for that at this time of year. It was bear in many places and just had the feel that it had been played to death. However, the greens were in very good condition As I continued through 4 holes it slowly dawned on me that this may not be all its cracked up to be. It’s flat, well of course it’s flat it’s Lincoln, but I just expected to be blown away by the quality and lay out and I wasn’t. The par 3s holes 5 & 12 some of the best I’ve played and I found the back 9 more interesting and pleasing to the eye. It’s a tough test of golf which demands solid accurate ball striking. Penalties are severe and you can really rack up a number if you pay a visit to the heather or the huge bunkers. The 2nd round I joined another guest who played off 2, he had played many quality courses around the country. He also agreed that the Hotchkin wasn’t as good as the rankings suggested. We both gave it a 7/10. I’m a 5 HC and I played close to it so please don’t think this review is because I hit a high number. Indeed it is a good course with some particularly beautiful holes but if there are only 44 courses better than it on the planet I’d be very surprised. If you play expecting a good quality inland course you won't be disappointed. But I just felt it was good but not great.
November 02, 2010
6 / 10
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Simon
November 03, 2010
Nice review - I am planning on playing up there next April and will have similar high expectations given its ranking, good to see a balanced review irrespective of your good scoring. Simon
Andy
November 03, 2010
Further comment from initial reviewer, I wouldn't put anybody off playing The Hotchkin. Maybe it was the time of year that led to the poor fairways? The price is a steal, if I lived closer I'd play it a few times a year. I found it a bit short off Whites the main bunkers were around 230 mark and my drives were carrying them. Maybe off back blue tees it would have been more interesting?
Edgaras
November 08, 2010
That's a very fair review. I played the course on 5th of November and I totally agree with the reviewers opinion.
AJ
December 29, 2010
Play it off the medal or blue tees in a competition and get back to me. I had the same experience when I played it off the yellows. Its an excellent golf course, definitely one of the best in the UK.