In 1896, James Braid became the professional at Romford Golf Club and the five-time Open Champion should take much credit for popularising golf and designing many fine Essex courses. Sir Henry Cotton designed numerous courses in his lifetime too, but his first and last legacies are here in Essex. Incredibly, two members of Thorpe Hall Golf Club, Sir Michael Bonallack (perhaps England’s finest amateur) and Peter Dawson became secretary of the R&A. The Essex Golf Union was inaugurated in 1924 with twenty-three founding clubs. Today, there are 72 golf clubs affiliated to the Essex union, playing over more than 80 golf courses. Essex won the Boys County Championship in 1997 and then tied with Yorkshire in 2004. In 2009, Essex won the English Men’s County Championship. Essex Ladies’ County Golf Association celebrated its centenary in 2000, so it was looking after the interests of female golfers in the county some twenty-four years before the men’s Union was formed. Our Essex golf course rankings were updated in December 2023.
Essex, United Kingdom
Many of the holes at Thorndon Park Golf Club are surrounded by mature oaks, some of which are more than 500 years old.
Essex, United Kingdom
Essex, United Kingdom
Orsett Golf Club is unique... a heathland course in Essex. Designed by James Braid in 1928, Orsett is an Open Championship Regional Qualifying course that's full of charm and variety.
Although Chelmsford Golf Club was founded in 1893, today’s course dates from 1924 and is largely the handiwork of Harry Colt who routed the holes cleverly across a valley.
F.G. Hawtree and J.H. Taylor designed the course at Chigwell Golf Club in 1924 and little has changed since then. The 6,296-yard course is routed across undulating parkland… it’s a thoroughly engaging experience.
Ingrebourne Links Golf & Country Club originally featured the North nine in 2017, with the East nine following three years later. The 9-hole South circuit was subsequently added to form a formidable 27-hole complex.
Founded in 1964, Abridge Golf & Country Club was Henry Cotton's inaugural design. Today, the golf course hosts Open Championship Regional Qualifying and Abridge facilities are amongst the finest in Essex.
Colchester Golf Club was founded in 1907 and the gently undulating parkland course at Braiswick is the handiwork of the prolific James Braid.
Founded in 1900 and affectionately known as “The West”, West Essex Golf Club is a challenging 6,289-yard parkland course that James Braid routed through the glorious Epping Forest.
Boyce Hill Golf Club, as the name implies, is one of the hilliest courses in Essex where you’ll be presented with plenty of awkward stances and fine views. Playing to handicap on this charming 6,003-yard parkland course is more difficult than it may seem.
Romford Golf Club was founded in 1894 and this six-time Open Championship Regional Qualifying course was described by Bernard Darwin as “neither short nor easy”.
