With only 25 affiliated golf clubs, the Bedfordshire County Golf Union is one of the smallest counties in the English Golf Union but its foundation dates back to 1923. Bedfordshire, Dunstable Downs, South Beds and Mid Beds (now Bedford & County) were the four founding Bedfordshire clubs and each of these golf courses feature prominently in our Best in County rankings.

Bedfordshire Ladies’ County Golf Association has 21 clubs affiliated to the association and its main objectives are to a) uphold the rules of England Golf, b) further the interests of girls’ and ladies’ golf, c) give support and advice on the running of ladies’ sections, and d) organise county matches and competitions.

The Bedfordshire Golf Club is now 120 years old and it’s the oldest club in the county but its course is one of the county’s newest – opening for play in 2000. The renowned British golf writer, Henry Longhurst, was an active member of the Bedfordshire Golf Club in the 1930s.

According to Wikipedia, the traditional nickname for the people from Bedfordshire is “Clangers”. The name is not derived from the cult BBC children’s TV series of the same name, but a local dish comprising a suet crust dumpling filled with meat or jam or both. Sounds Yummy?

Our Bedfordshire golf course rankings were updated in 2019. Click the link to read the story.