England's Second Hundred 2011

Woburn Golf Club is the only club in England with all three of its courses continuously ranked in the Top 100, and all three sit within 15 minutes of Milton Keynes town centre. For any golfer visiting the area, whether for business or leisure, that is an offer that simply does not exist anywhere else in England. ⛳️ Top 3 Golf Courses in Milton Keynes 🥇 Best Golf Course in Milton Keynes — Woburn Golf Club (Marquess) #59 England · #1 Buckinghamshire Access: Visitors Welcome — Weekdays Only Best Time to Visit: Apr–Oct Distance from City Centre: 15 min Set within 200 acres of majestic mature woodland on the Woburn Abbey estate, the Marquess opened in 2000 as the youngest and most expansive of Woburn's three courses. Fairways are wider and more undulating than its siblings, featuring oak, yew, chestnut, rowan and beech rather than dense pine, measuring well over 7,000 yards from the back tees. It has hosted the British Masters four times and the Women's British Open twice, cementing its place as the standout course of one of England's finest golfing venues. 🥈 Golf Course in Milton Keynes — Woburn Golf Club (Duke's) #73 England · #2 Buckinghamshire Access: Visitors Welcome — Weekdays Only Best Time to Visit: Apr–Oct Distance from City Centre: 15 min The original Woburn course, opened in 1976, is classical rather than modern in its design. Subtle dog-legs and holes played in magnificent isolation from one another define the layout, with the famous downhill par-three 3rd standing out as one of the most memorable short holes in English parkland golf. It has hosted the Dunlop Masters, the British Masters and the Women's British Open. A must-play. 🥉 #3 Golf Course in Milton Keynes — Woburn Golf Club (Duchess) #100 England · #3 Buckinghamshire Access: Visitors Welcome — Weekdays Only Best Time to Visit: Apr–Oct Distance from City Centre: 15 min The tightest and most intimate of the three Woburn courses, opened in 1979. At 6,651 yards it is the shortest of the three, but towering pine trees make every hole appear exceptionally narrow. Use your driver sparingly on a course where keeping the ball in play is everything, and one many members quietly regard as their personal favourite. 🔁 Can't Play the Top 3? Best Alternative Golf Courses Near Milton Keynes Northamptonshire County Golf Club #96 England · #1 Northamptonshire Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: Year-round Distance from City Centre: 45 min Designed by Harry Colt in 1909 on the borders of the Althorp Estate in Church Brampton, this is a traditional layout that carries a distinctive heathland feel despite its parkland setting. Donald Steel described it as offering a test of inland golf that, of its type, is as good as any. Exceptionally well-drained and playable year-round, it is a genuine hidden gem within easy reach of Milton Keynes. Aspley Guise & Woburn Sands Golf Club #2 Bedfordshire Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: Year-round Distance from City Centre: 10 min Sandy Herd's 1914 parkland design sits just ten minutes from Milton Keynes town centre, making it the most accessible alternative when Woburn is unavailable. Extended from nine to eighteen holes in the 1970s, it is a mature and well-regarded layout that hosted the 2009 County Championships and drains well throughout the year. 📋 More Golf Courses Near Milton Keynes Milton Keynes borders three counties, giving travelling golfers a wide choice of verified courses within 60 minutes of the town centre. In Buckinghamshire: Bedfordshire Golf Club, Buckinghamshire Golf Club. In Bedfordshire: Bedford & County Golf Club, Millbrook Golf Club, South Beds Golf Club. In Northamptonshire, north and east of Milton Keynes: Brampton Heath Golf Centre, Collingtree Park Golf Club, Kettering Golf Club, Kingsthorpe Golf Club, Northampton Golf Club, Staverton Park Hotel & Golf Club, Wellingborough Golf Club and Whittlebury Park. Full rankings and reviews for all courses are available at top100golfcourses.com. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Golf in Milton Keynes How many Top 100-ranked golf courses are near Milton Keynes? Three — all at Woburn Golf Club. The Marquess (#59 England), Duke's (#73 England) and Duchess (#100 England) are each independently ranked and all sit within 15 minutes of Milton Keynes town centre. Is Woburn Golf Club open to visitors? Yes, but on weekdays only. All three courses welcome visiting golfers from Monday to Friday throughout the year. Advance booking is required and a handicap certificate is recommended. Woburn is closed to visitors at weekends. What is the best golf course in Milton Keynes? The Marquess at Woburn Golf Club is ranked #59 in England and #1 in Buckinghamshire, making it the highest-ranked course within reach of Milton Keynes. It is the recommended first choice for any travelling golfer visiting the area. ✈️ Getting to Milton Keynes for Golf Milton Keynes Central station sits on the West Coast Main Line with direct services into London Euston from 32 minutes. London Luton Airport (LTN) is the nearest airport at 40km (25 miles) from Milton Keynes town centre, approximately 35 minutes by car to Woburn. London Heathrow (LHR) offers the widest international connections at 70km (43 miles) from Milton Keynes town centre, around 55 minutes by car to Woburn. Car rental is available at both airports and is strongly recommended for reaching Woburn, Northamptonshire County and the wider area. 🌤️ Best Time to Play Golf in Milton Keynes May through September offers the most reliable playing conditions, with temperatures ranging from 15°C (59°F) to 22°C (72°F) and monthly rainfall averaging 50–60mm (2–2.4in). October brings superb autumn colour through Woburn's pine and beech woodland. Northamptonshire County and Aspley Guise drain exceptionally well and are playable through winter. The Woburn courses play best from April onwards. Plan Your Milton Keynes Golf Trip Full rankings, reviews and course details for every course listed on this page are available at top100golfcourses.com.

England's East Midlands may not draw the same headlines as the links coastlines of Lancashire or the heathland corridors of Surrey, but the region's ranked courses tell a compelling story about architectural heritage, quiet excellence, and a handful of layouts that can match almost anything in the country. Spread across Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, the region holds some of the finest inland and coastal golf in England. For travelling golfers willing to venture beyond the obvious, this is genuinely rewarding territory. The region's golfing identity is rooted in the Golden Age. Names such as Willie Park Junior, Harry Colt, Alister MacKenzie, James Braid and Tom Williamson are woven through the county rankings, and it is their work that gives the East Midlands golf so much of its character. More recent renovation projects, including Tom Doak's celebrated work at Woodhall Spa, have refreshed rather than reimagined these originals, ensuring they continue to rank among the finest courses the country has to offer. Current Rankings: The Best East Midlands Golf Courses The five counties that make up the East Midlands region each carry their own distinct golfing character. Nottinghamshire leads the region for sheer depth of quality and commands the greatest presence in the national rankings. Lincolnshire provides the region's outstanding heathland destination alongside a compelling traditional links. Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, and Northamptonshire each add architectural variety to a region that rewards proper exploration. What the Rankings Tell Us Stability at the Summit The most striking feature of the current East Midlands rankings is the consistency at the head of each county table. All five county number ones — Cavendish, Luffenham Heath, Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin, Northamptonshire County and Hollinwell — have held their positions across multiple ranking cycles, a testament to the enduring quality of their original design. Three of the five carry the influence of Harry Colt, directly or through his design partners, and two others bear the unmistakable stamp of Alister MacKenzie and Willie Park Junior, respectively. When Golden Age architecture is in good health, it tends to stay at the top. Nottinghamshire's Heathland Spine No county in the East Midlands matches Nottinghamshire for depth of quality, with three courses among the finest in England and a county list that extends to fifteen ranked layouts. Lincolnshire's Twin Anchors Lincolnshire's position in the regional hierarchy rests on two very different propositions. Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin course defines heathland golf in England, and its Tom Doak-led restoration has drawn renewed admiration from panellists across the country. Seacroft, meanwhile, provides a completely contrasting experience: a no-frills, old-fashioned Willie Fernie links on the Lincolnshire coast that rewards those prepared to make the journey to Skegness. Together, they give the county a compelling two-course case to any travelling golfer. The Architect Legacy MacKenzie is the presiding genius in Derbyshire via Cavendish — a Buxton hillside layout he designed for the Duke of Devonshire in. Northamptonshire County, Harry Colt's 1909 design with subsequent contributions from James Braid, C.K. Cotton and Donald Steel, carries perhaps the most illustrious list of design consultants in the region. Luffenham Heath near Rutland Water was C.H. Alison's work — from the Colt & Alison partnership — subsequently revised by Braid and Cotton, then given a major bunker renovation by Martin Hawtree in 2003. A History of East Midlands Golf Rankings 2017: The First Regional Top 10 The inaugural East Midlands regional Top 10 was published in May 2017 as part of a new seven-region framework for England, replacing the previous county-by-county format. Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin headed the list by some distance, with Hollinwell second and Sherwood Forest third. Notable in that first edition were the respective Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire county introductions: Cavendish returned to head the Derbyshire rankings after a period of inconsistency, while Coxmoor was recognised mid-way through a decade-long heathland restoration project. Tom Doak's then-ongoing renovation work at Woodhall Spa was highlighted as the region's most significant course development. 2019: Post-Renovation Momentum Two years later, the rankings were refreshed with a county-by-county reappraisal. The headline news in Lincolnshire was the completion of Tom Doak's three-year renovation of the Hotchkin, which drew effusive praise from panellists, noting that tree clearance and bunker improvements had left the course looking better than at any point in recent memory. In Leicestershire & Rutland, Rothley Park climbed following consultancy work by Tom Mackenzie, while the 9-hole Charnwood Forest course also advanced. The Nottinghamshire listing welcomed Oakmere Park's Admirals course as a new entry following Frank Pennink's original layout, receiving bunker renovations from Tom Mackenzie, and Northamptonshire saw Peterborough Milton rise on the back of continued good form. 2023: Expansion and New Panels The most substantial revision prior to the current edition arrived in August 2023, with new ranking panels assembled for every county and a significant expansion of the listed courses. All five county number ones retained their positions for a third successive cycle. Planning Your East Midlands Golf Trip For travelling golfers, the East Midlands rewards a strategic approach. Nottinghamshire makes the most compelling single-county destination, with Hollinwell, Sherwood Forest and Coxmoor all accessible within a short drive and representing three distinctive forms of English inland golf. Add Worksop, where Lee Westwood learned his craft, for a fourth round that requires no great diversion, and a Nottinghamshire golf break begins to look genuinely appetising. Lincolnshire demands a slightly different mindset. Woodhall Spa is destination golf in its own right — the Hotchkin alone justifies the journey from virtually anywhere in England, and the Bracken course provides a perfectly capable supporting act. The drive to Seacroft adds a links element, completing a well-rounded county visit. Northamptonshire County in Church Brampton is the anchor for any visit to the south of the region, with Wellingborough and Northampton within straightforward reach. For those drawn to architectural history, Cavendish in Buxton and Luffenham Heath near Rutland Water offer two of the most distinctive Golden Age experiences in the Midlands, and both are often overlooked by those unfamiliar with the region's riches. For the complete county-by-county rankings and course listings, visit Top100GolfCourses.com.

Top 10 Golf Courses in Northamptonshire 2015 Northamptonshire Best in County rankings updated For many people, given the task of associating Northamptonshire with a chosen sport, they might link the county with the Silverstone motor racing circuit and the British Grand Prix, though some could also nominate Northampton Town FC or one of the region’s semi-professional football teams. Perhaps the County Cricket Club would also come into the reckoning. Almost certainly, very few would connect Northamptonshire with golf, which is a real shame. It’s not exactly a golfing hotspot, nonetheless there are a good number of courses worth playing in this region, ten of which we feature in our latest ranking chart for a county that’s known to some as “The Rose of the Shires”. The course at Northamptonshire County comfortably retains its number 1 position in the new county listings. Formed in 1909, the club has architects Harry Colt and James Braid to thank for its 18-hole layout, though Cameron Sinclair also added three holes in more recent times, allowing golfers to play a quick 9-hole circuit that brings them back to the clubhouse. Moving up two places to position 4 in the standings, the 18-hole course at Brampton Heath Golf Centre is a mid-1990s design which, although still maturing, continues to gain favour with an ever-increasing number of casual and regular visiting golfers. It’s also part of a 27-hole modern facility that offers fantastic value for money. Also making an upward move in the chart, albeit only one position to number 9, the traditional parkland layout at Kingsthorpe Golf Club is an old C. H. Alison design that dates back to just before World War I. What’s most remarkable about this course is the fact that all eighteen holes fit into a very tight 72-acre plot of land, which is a ludicrously small area to squeeze a golf course into. A couple of new entries also make it into the Northamptonshire Top 10 rankings. The first newcomer is Peterborough Milton at number 6 and this is a James Braid-designed course that first opened for play in 1937. The other newcomer appears at number 7 and it’s the course at Kettering, where the original 9-hole layout was pegged out in 1891 by another famous golfing Scotsman, Old Tom Morris. We’d like to thank everybody in this region who contributed to our re-ranking process. To view more details of the courses in our Northamptonshire Top 10 rankings, click this link. If you’ve played extensively across this region and would like to help us with the next edition of the chart then please drop Editor-in-Chief Keith Baxter an email at keith@top100golfcourses.com. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses