
England
Golf began in England soon after the unmarried Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603, when James VI of Scotland moved court to London, taking up residence at the Royal Palace in Greenwich becoming James I of England. His royal entourage is thought to have contained a number of golfers and they found the perfect ground at Blackheath on which to play their beloved game.
Royal St George's Golf Club
Kent, United Kingdom
Royal St George's Golf Club
There's nothing artificial about Royal St George’s Golf Club; there's a natural look and feel to the course that blends beautifully into its historical Sandwich surroundings.
Sunningdale Golf Club (Old)
Surrey, United Kingdom
Sunningdale Golf Club (Old)
The Old course at Sunningdale is one of the British Isles’ most aesthetically pleasing inland courses. Arguably, it was the first truly great golf course to be built on the magical Surrey/Berkshire sand-belt.
Sunningdale Golf Club (New)
Surrey, United Kingdom
Sunningdale Golf Club (New)
Taken together, the New and Old courses at Sunningdale Golf Club represent the finest 36 holes of golf in the whole of the British Isles.
Swinley Forest Golf Club
Berkshire, United Kingdom
Swinley Forest Golf Club
Swinley Forest Golf Club is an absolutely charming golf course sited on the famous sand belt, but it’s a club that is frozen in time, exclusive, unusual and eccentric...
St Enodoc Golf Club (Church)
Cornwall, United Kingdom
St Enodoc Golf Club (Church)
St Enodoc Golf Club is certainly a quixotic and rather hilly links course, set amidst towering sand dunes clad with tufts of wild sea grasses.
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club is the most northerly of the English championship links courses, situated only 10 miles from Royal Birkdale.
Ganton Golf Club
Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Ganton Golf Club
This sandy, gently undulating site was once a North Sea inlet. Consequently, Ganton Golf Club has all the characteristics of a links and a heathland course.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Royal Birkdale Golf Club is the favourite English course on the British Open rota according to the results of a Top 100 poll...
St George's Hill Golf Club (Red & Blue)
Surrey, United Kingdom
St George's Hill Golf Club (Red & Blue)
The spectacular golfing panorama from the front of the St George's Hill clubhouse is a view that grabs you and makes your heart pound...
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club
Kent, United Kingdom
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, or Deal as it is somtimes called, is an absolute brute of a links course. Its back nine, or rather the last seven holes, are relentless...
West Sussex Golf Club
Sussex, United Kingdom
West Sussex Golf Club
West Sussex Golf Club is one of our favourite inland courses. It is sheer delight to play golf on this charming sandy outcrop of heathland.
Rye Golf Club (Old)
Sussex, United Kingdom
Rye Golf Club (Old)
Rye Golf Club was founded in 1894 and was the inaugural design of 25-year-old Harry Colt. With a measly par of 68, and a layout that measures over 6,300 yards, Rye has to be one of the toughest courses in Britain.
Woodhall Spa Golf Club (Hotchkin)
Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Woodhall Spa Golf Club (Hotchkin)
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.
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club
Check the tide times before you plan your trip to Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, the course plays on a narrow strip of links-land which gets cut off at high tide, turning it into an island.
Walton Heath Golf Club (Old)
Surrey, United Kingdom
Walton Heath Golf Club (Old)
Walton Heath Golf Club is where links golf meets inland golf. There is no salty whiff of sea air, but the course plays and feels like a seaside links.
Royal Liverpool Golf Club
Cheshire, United Kingdom
Royal Liverpool Golf Club
Without doubt, Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a tough links. Only six holes are in the dunes – otherwise there is little protection from the ever-changing Hoylake wind.
Alwoodley Golf Club
Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Alwoodley Golf Club
The Alwoodley Golf Club is home to one of the finest and most subtle inland courses in the British Isles, located in a secluded spot.
Hollinwell
Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Hollinwell
“After being too long away I lately went back to Hollinwell, which, as all the golfing world knows, or ought to know, is the course of the Notts Golf Club.”
Silloth on Solway Golf Club
Cumbria, United Kingdom
Silloth on Solway Golf Club
It’s well worth the time (and the money) to get to Silloth on Solway Golf Club and once you get here, you won’t want to leave...
The Berkshire Golf Club (Red)
Berkshire, United Kingdom
The Berkshire Golf Club (Red)
Many people say that there is nothing better than a day’s golf amongst the forest, heather and springy turf of the Berkshire Golf Club.
Hillside Golf Club
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Hillside Golf Club
Hillside Golf Club is an underrated gem, separated only by a footpath, but hiding in the shadow of its noble next-door neighbour, Royal Birkdale.
Formby Golf Club
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Formby Golf Club
Formby is the prettiest of the eight top-notch links courses located between the seaside town of St Annes and the city of Liverpool. It is bordered on three sides by pine trees, giving the links a decidedly softer, heathland feel.
Saunton Golf Club (East)
Devon, England
Saunton Golf Club (East)
If there is a need for another seaside Open Championship venue, then the East course at Saunton Golf Club might be a worthy candidate.
Wentworth Club (West)
Surrey, United Kingdom
Wentworth Club (West)
The West course at the Wentworth Club is Surrey's most famous golf course. It closed for its latest makeover in 2017 and reopened prior to the 2018 BMW PGA Championship.
Hankley Common Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
Hankley Common Golf Club
There is an overwhelming feeling of spaciousness at Hankley Common, so much so that it seems plausible that a second or third course could be intertwined between the existing 18 holes.
Burnham & Berrow Golf Club (Championship)
Somerset, United Kingdom
Burnham & Berrow Golf Club (Championship)
Burnham & Berrow Golf Club has played host to many important amateur championships over the years and the course is regularly used for Open Championship qualification.
Woking Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
Woking Golf Club
There is absolutely no doubt that Woking Golf Club is located in an idyllic spot and the unusual pavilion clubhouse only adds to the charisma.
Queenwood Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
Queenwood Golf Club
Queenwood Golf Club, in a similar mould to Loch Lomond and the Wisley, is reserved for its small but perfectly formed membership and their very lucky friends.
Hunstanton Golf Club
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Hunstanton Golf Club
Hunstanton Golf Club is a connoisseur’s golf course, jammed full of memorable quality golf holes.
Liphook Golf Club
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Liphook Golf Club
Liphook Golf Club is as pretty as a picture. A delightful, classic heathland course for the connoisseur, not for the dilettante.
Worplesdon Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
Worplesdon Golf Club
Worplesdon Golf Club is one of the prettiest and most delightful of Surrey’s many heath and heather courses and it’s arguably the best of the trinity of “Ws”...
West Hill Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
West Hill Golf Club
If it’s charm that you are looking for, then you need look no further than West Hill Golf Club. This is a truly delightful golf course.
Parkstone Golf Club
Dorset, United Kingdom
Parkstone Golf Club
We’ve classified Parkstone Golf Club as a seaside heathland course. It’s not a traditional links and neither is it very far inland.
The Berkshire Golf Club (Blue)
Berkshire, United Kingdom
The Berkshire Golf Club (Blue)
The Blue course at the Berkshire Golf Club is the Red’s more conventional and slightly shorter sister. A more standard four par 3s, three par 5s and eleven par 4s make up the configuration for this delightful par 71 course.
West Lancashire Golf Club
Lancashire, United Kingdom
West Lancashire Golf Club
Its esteemed Royal neighbours keep West Lancashire Golf Club out of the limelight but it is a truly classical links course, located on a charming stretch of prime links land.
Prince's Golf Club (Shore & Dunes)
Kent, United Kingdom
Prince's Golf Club (Shore & Dunes)
In 1932, Prince’s Golf Club proudly hosted its first and only Open Championship. "The Squire", Gene Sarazen, was the eventual winner.
The Addington Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
The Addington Golf Club
The Addington Golf Club is a natural inland golfing paradise, with plenty of heather, pine, bracken and silver birch. Very little has changed since the club was founded in 1914.
Broadstone Golf Club
Dorset, United Kingdom
Broadstone Golf Club
Broadstone Golf Club is laid out on glorious rolling terrain. The elevated homeward nine provides panoramic views of the Purbeck Hills and Poole Harbour.
JCB Golf & Country Club
Staffordshire, United Kingdom
JCB Golf & Country Club
Constructed on a 240-acre site next to multi-national engineering and construction company JCB’s main manufacturing site in Staffordshire, the course at JCB Golf & Country Club was designed by Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design.
Hindhead Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
Hindhead Golf Club
The front nine at Hindhead Golf Club is laid out through heather strewn Ice Age valleys and the back nine plays on a heathland plateau.
Walton Heath Golf Club (New)
Surrey, United Kingdom
Walton Heath Golf Club (New)
Both courses at Walton Heath Golf Club are intertwined and have a very similar look and feel. The Old is tougher, although the New is a demanding course with memorable holes of great variety.
Delamere Forest Golf Club
Cheshire, United Kingdom
Delamere Forest Golf Club
Delamere Forest Golf Club is a classical Herbert Fowler designed course where the architect made full use of the natural, undulating heathland.
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club is a relative youngster and it is set amongst exhilarating dunes and tangly heather.
Moortown Golf Club
Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Moortown Golf Club
Moortown Golf Club is classic moorland golf course with lovely peaty turf that provides the bouncy cushion-effect when walking, a course that is gentle on the feet.
Wallasey Golf Club
Cheshire, United Kingdom
Wallasey Golf Club
Wallasey Golf Club, world famous as the "Home of Stableford". An undiluted links course with its undulating fairways framed with spectacular dunes.
New Zealand Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
New Zealand Golf Club
Founded in 1895 and designed by Samuel “Mure” Fergusson, New Zealand Golf Club is a top-class course located within the famous Surrey heath belt.
Ipswich Golf Club (Purdis Heath)
Suffolk, United Kingdom
Ipswich Golf Club (Purdis Heath)
The Purdis Heath course at Ipswich Golf Club compares favourably with any inland layout in the British Isles... it's a James Braid classic.
Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club (Old)
Sussex, United Kingdom
Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club (Old)
Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club is set stunningly, affording fantastic views from the high parts of the course across the forest and the rolling Sussex countryside.
Beau Desert Golf Club
Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Beau Desert Golf Club
One of the many treats at Beau Desert Golf Club is that you play most holes in splendid isolation; you can lose yourself in the trees here. Additionally, the holes are varied and memorable.
Wentworth Club (East)
Surrey, United Kingdom
Wentworth Club (East)
Wentworth West is the course that everybody rushes to play, but the East is more enjoyable for the average player. It is also more sandy, intimate and charming.
Aldeburgh Golf Club (Championship)
Suffolk, United Kingdom
Aldeburgh Golf Club (Championship)
Founded in 1884, Aldeburgh Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in Suffolk and is separated from the tidal Alde estuary by an unusual strip of coastal heathland.
Sherwood Forest Golf Club
Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Sherwood Forest Golf Club
Sherwood Forest Golf Club is set on a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it contains the largest area of low-lying heathland in the Midlands.
Ferndown Golf Club (Old)
Dorset, United Kingdom
Ferndown Golf Club (Old)
Ferndown Golf Club plays across a sandy outcrop of land where there is a proliferation of heather and pines... it’s an inherently pretty golf course.
Woburn Golf Club (Marquess)
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Woburn Golf Club (Marquess)
The Marquess course at Woburn Golf Club straddles the county boundary of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and is set within 200 acres of majestic mature woodland...
Hayling Golf Club
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Hayling Golf Club
Hayling Golf Club is set upon a Site of Special Scientific Interest, on the South West peninsular of Hayling Island.
Saunton Golf Club (West)
Devon, England
Saunton Golf Club (West)
The West is the second course at Saunton Golf Club and was originally laid out in the mid-1930s. It’s shorter than its older sister but, nonetheless, the West represents a challenge.
Woburn Golf Club (Duke's)
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Woburn Golf Club (Duke's)
With fairways flanked by stately pine, birch and chestnut trees, the Duke’s at Woburn Golf Club is an intimate golf course. Each hole is played in splendid isolation.
Bearwood Lakes Golf Club
Berkshire, United Kingdom
Bearwood Lakes Golf Club
Bearwood Lakes is an oasis of calm and beauty with dramatic views of the whole Bearwood Estate. An exclusive golf club which appears mature beyond its age.
Stoneham Golf Club
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Stoneham Golf Club
Designed by Willie Park Junior in 1908, Stoneham Golf Club is set in a delightful, historical deer park which was originally planted by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown.
Little Aston Golf Club
Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Little Aston Golf Club
Little Aston Golf Club is hidden away on the edge of exclusive suburbia in acres of tranquil, mature parkland. The former grounds of Little Aston Hall.
Remedy Oak Golf Club
Dorset, United Kingdom
Remedy Oak Golf Club
Remedy Oak Golf Club opened for play in November 2005 and former Englishman and Ryder Cup Captain John Jacobs designed the golf course, which is set in more than 250 acres of ancient woodland...
Coombe Hill Golf Club
Surrey, United Kingdom
Coombe Hill Golf Club
Coombe Hill Golf Club is one of the few courses designed by J.F. “Aber” Abercromby and the heavily wooded layout is quintessentially English.
Royal North Devon Golf Club
Devon, United Kingdom
Royal North Devon Golf Club
Royal North Devon Golf Club, or should we say Westward Ho! This nostalgic and monumental links course fits firmly into the “must-play” category.
Blackmoor Golf Club
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Blackmoor Golf Club
Blackmoor Golf Club is sandwiched between the North and South Downs at the western end of the glorious sand belt, which cuts swathe through Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire.
Huntercombe Golf Club
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Huntercombe Golf Club
Huntercombe Golf Club is just far enough removed from London to have effectively become an historical footnote in golf architecture.
Littlestone Golf Club (Championship)
Kent, United Kingdom
Littlestone Golf Club (Championship)
Littlestone Golf Club is an unsung gem, overshadowed by the Open Championship links courses in Kent: Royal St George’s, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince's.
Seaton Carew Golf Club (Micklem)
Durham, United Kingdom
Seaton Carew Golf Club (Micklem)
There are now 22 holes at Seaton Carew Golf Club - the members therefore have a number of playing options. The club claims that it can make five different 18-hole layouts, but we're bemused as to how and why.
Perranporth Golf Club
Cornwall, United Kingdom
Perranporth Golf Club
Perranporth Golf Club is probably the most underrated links course in the South West of England. The stunning views are worthy of the excellent value green fee alone.
Trevose Golf & Country Club (Championship)
Cornwall, United Kingdom
Trevose Golf & Country Club (Championship)
With dramatic views across the golden sandy shore of Boobys Bay to the rugged coastline, Trevose Golf & Country Club is sheer drama.
The Wisley (Church & Garden)
Surrey, United Kingdom
The Wisley (Church & Garden)
Concealed behind the RHS gardens at Wisley lies one of the most delightful private golf clubs in the British Isles... The Wisley.