Other courses nearby to Trump National Doral, Blue Monster

US South Atlantic Division Best in State Rankings 2016 Another eight States in our South Region are revised in the fifth of nine US divisional updates We’ve now reached the halfway mark in our Best in State biennial re-ranking process for the United States of America. In 2014, we conducted this exercise in four phases, looking at states in the geographical groupings of West, South, Midwest and North East. This time around, we’re spreading the reappraisals across nine district divisions and this re-ranking announcement (the fifth of our 2016 US reviews) covers the eight South Atlantic states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. We’re also increasing our coverage across almost every state in the country. For example, in this eight-state South Atlantic division, we’re adding seventy new courses, which means we now feature a total of 375 ranked courses for the states under scrutiny. Florida We maintain a Top 100 chart for the Sunshine State of Florida, which might appear to be rather a lot of courses to feature in just one state but in actual fact it represents less than 10% of the overall number of courses within post-war America’s golfing capital. Miami and Palm Beach were once the main state hotspots for golf but Orlando, the Panhandle and Naples have witnessed unprecedented growth in the last thirty years. The top six positions in our Florida listings remain exactly the same as last time around, with five of these courses nationally ranked in what is a very strong golfing region. That means the Donald Ross layout at Seminole remains the number 1 course and a recent reviewer, alluding to its difficulty, had this to say about it: “Like a number of great courses, Seminole might be a bit much for anyone but expert golfers to play regularly. But the opportunity to play here should not be missed.” Three courses make significant upward moves at the top end of the chart. The first of these is Mountain Lake (up twelve to 8), a wonderful old Seth Reynor gem from 1917 that’s peppered with several typical template holes. The next big climber is the West course at John’s Island (up eight to 11), which is a terrific late 1980s Tom Fazio track, located within a smart 54-hole private club. The third track is the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral (up five to 17), where Gil Hanse carried out a much-admired renovation in 2013. Rank/ Click this link to see full details of our 2016 Florida Best in State rankings Georgia We’ve added ten courses to our chart for the Peach State of Georgia, where Augusta National retains its position at the top of the standings. For 99.99% of golfers, it’s just a pipe dream to play here but one of the Top 100 Team did just that a few years back and if you haven’t read Fergal O’Leary’s story before then click this link. Meantime, and back to this year’s Masters tournament, who would have dreamt it would all start to unravel for the defending champion at the short par three 12th on the last day, allowing an Englishman to overtake him and eventually win the event by three shots… The Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw resort course at Cuscowilla is almost twenty years old but it’s still one of their earlier projects. Situated to the east of Atlanta, on the shores of Lake Oconee, this very natural looking layout just appears to improve with age, maturing into one of the finest tracks in the South Atlantic Region, which is reflected in its latest upward chart movement, rising three places to number 3. The highest newcomer to the revised chart at number 20 is Cobblestone, a top trending track where twelve of its holes were routed alongside Lake Acworth by Ken Dye back in 1993. Owned by Cobb County and operated as a municipal facility, the course is one of the most popular public golf complexes in the North Atlanta region. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 Georgia Best in State rankings South Carolina We’ve increased the number of courses in our chart for the Palmetto State of South Carolina by 50%, adding another twenty-five tracks to form a Top 75. The Ocean course at the Kiawah Island Resort remains as the number 1 golfing layout in the state and it also sits comfortably within our US Top 100 and World Top 100 charts so don’t expect to see it knocked off the top perch anytime in the near future. The last review for this layout sums up its allure: “the setting in the South Carolina Atlantic Dunes is exceptional, stirs human emotions and presents natural conditions that make the course even more complex and challenging.” The next two courses in our state chart swap places, with Seth Reynor’s 1926 classic at Yeamans Hall dropping one place to number 3, with Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort leapfrogging over it into the runner-up position. Host to the Heritage Classic on the PGA Tour since 1972, the course underwent a major renovation last year, when tees and fairways were replaced with Celebration Bermuda grass and greens were re-grassed with Tif-Eagle Bermuda. A couple of other courses make strong strides up the new table: May River (up five to number 10), which our Canadian correspondent Dave Finn played last year – “Nicklaus gently created a masterpiece with minimal disturbance to the existing property yet maximum impact by using the existing live oak trees and the May River as his canvas” – and Old Tabby Links (up six to number 14), where Arnold Palmer upgraded the course in 2012, two decades after his original design was first unveiled. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 South Carolina Best in State rankings North Carolina The Tar Heel State chart has been augmented with another ten courses so we now feature a Top 60 for North Carolina, where Pinehurst (No.2) remains the number 1 track. A recent reviewer had this to say about the course: “I had never played it pre Coore & Crenshaw renovation but can imagine that the course that’s there now is a huge improvement… from an architectural perspective it’s sheer genius with some of the most interesting greens you may ever see, coupled with great strategy off the tee and plenty of width to increase playability.” Old Town leaps seven places to number 3 in the state rankings (it was also a new entry in the US Top 100 at #49 six months ago) and the words of a recent reviewer might at least partly explain its meteoric ascent: “Want to make a huge impact on the world of golf? Take a place that’s desperately in need of some serious renovation… have the means to bring in the dynamic duo of Coore & Crenshaw on a wonderful property with the bones of Perry Maxwell. Talk about a formula for success and a poster-child for the golf industry of how to hit a homerun!” Three other courses making impressive moves in the upper reaches of the chart are worthy of mention: Tobacco Road (up five to 9) is Mike Stanz’s audacious and highly original late 1990s creation, Roaring Gap (up thirteen to 12) is an old Donald Ross design that was recently restored by Kris Spence, and Mid Pines (up twenty to 17), is another 1920s Ross layout which received the restorative attention of Kyle Franz in 2013. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 North Carolina Best in State rankings Virginia The Old Dominion state listings have been extended to a Top 40, which means we’ve added ten extra courses in this revision. Still the state number 1, the Kinloch course was host venue for the US Senior Men’s Amateur Championship in 2011. It’s a new millennium co-design from Lester George and Vinny Giles that’s routed around a 70-acre lake, with an additional par three 19th hole intended as a tie-breaker. Two courses make modest upward moves at the top end of the chart: Robert Trent Jones (up one place to number 3), where four of the first six Presidents Cup matches were held from 1994 to 2005, and Olde Farm (up one spot to number 4), which is a Bobby Weed design that opened for play in 2000. The highest new entry arrives at number 22 and it’s Foundry, a fine walking golfer’s course that’s complemented by an excellent caddie program. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 Virginia Best in State rankings West Virginia The number of courses in our Mountain State of West Virginia chart has been increased by 50% to fifteen. There’s not much movement within the new table, indeed all of the top five courses remain in the same position as last time, meaning that Pete Dye retains the top spot in the state standings. There’s a quite a story attached to the length of time it took to convert the site of an old coal mine into a championship golf course – suffice to say its esteemed architect is not short of stamina! The highest new entry of the five state newcomers is the Meadows course at the famous Greenbriar Resort. Originally called “Lakeside,” it opened as a 9-hole layout in 1911, was subsequently expanded to an 18-hole course by Dick Wilson in 1962, then redesigned by Bob Cupp in 1999, when it was also given its current name. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 West Virginia Best in State rankings Maryland Things are rather static in the Old Line State of Maryland – where five courses have been added to its ranking chart – with the top six positions all staying exactly as they were when we last re-ranked in 2014. Baltimore (East) is therefore the state number 1 and it’s a course with a stellar tournament pedigree, having hosted the USPGA Championship (1928), US Amateur (1932), Walker Cup (1965), Women’s US Open (1988) and three US Senior Players Championships (2007-9). The only course to make a positive move within the state Top 10 is the century-old layout at Chevy Chase Country Club. Originally designed by Donald Ross in 1910, the course was rebuilt by Harry Colt’s associate, C.H. Alison, in 1922. A reworking of the greens and bunkers by Arthur Hills in the late 1990s has given this parkland track a new lease of life. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 Maryland Best in State rankings Delaware The First State of Delaware has been expanded to a Top 15 chart, with the South course at Wilmington Country Club holding onto the top spot. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr, it’s the longer and tougher of two 18-tracks that opened with a year of each other at the club in the early 1960s. The club has since hosted the US Amateur (1971), two US Junior Amateur Championships (1965 and 1978), the US Girls’ Junior Amateur (1978) and the US Mid-Amateur (2003) so its commitment to the non-professional game can hardly be questioned. Steaming up four places to the runner-up position, the course at Bidermann is a Dick Wilson design from 1965 which is shared by two clubs, Vicmead Hunt and Bidermann, located within a few miles of each other. With a combined membership of only around three hundred people, tee times are not required on a course that sees less than eight thousand rounds a year. Click this link to see full details of our 2016 Delaware Best in State rankings We’re always keen at Top100 to get feedback about our re-rankings so please let us know what you think about our eight newly updated US Best in State charts. Are there any other courses that deserve to be included or is there one or two that really shouldn’t be listed? Whatever your thoughts are, please click the “Respond to this article” link at the top or at the bottom of this page to share your opinion. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

The city of Cambridge sits close enough to the Gog Magog Hills to claim two outstanding parkland layouts on its doorstep, and within a short drive you will find Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club — ranked #87 in England and widely regarded as the finest nine-hole course in the world. For the business traveller staying in the city centre or the leisure golfer planning a long weekend, this compact corner of East Anglia delivers far more quality per mile than its flat fenland reputation suggests. Top 3 Golf Courses in Cambridge Best Golf Course in Cambridge — Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club #1 in Suffolk | #87 in England | #3 in East England Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 40 km (25 miles) — approximately 40 minutes via the A14 and A11 Tom Dunn laid out these nine holes on sandy Suffolk soil in 1893, and Harry Colt refined them a generation later. Bernard Darwin, who chose two holes here among the 18 greatest inland holes in Britain, dubbed the layout the Sacred Nine — a name that has stuck for good reason. The home course of Cambridge University Golf Club since its founding, Royal Worlington plays faster and firmer than almost any inland course in England, with green complexes that demand imagination and precision in equal measure. Note that this course sits beyond the standard 30-minute drive from Cambridge city centre, but its national ranking and unique standing in golf history make the extra distance worthwhile. #2 Golf Course in Cambridge — The Gog Magog Golf Club (Old) #1 in Cambridgeshire Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 8 km (5 miles) — approximately 15 minutes Established in 1901 on the chalk escarpment of the Gog Magog Hills, this centurion layout rises south from the city across terrain that surprised Bernard Darwin when he first played it: undulating, fast-draining downland in one of England's flattest counties. Willie Park Junior, John Abercromby and Martin Hawtree have each shaped the course over more than a hundred years, and the result is 6,398 yards of accuracy-first parkland where rare perennial flax blooms blue in the rough each summer. The par-three 13th, played over a depression to a green with a spinney lurking left, is as good a one-shotter as the region produces. Host of the Lagonda Trophy since 1975, the Old course counts Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Andy Sullivan among its past winners. #3 Golf Course in Cambridge — The Gog Magog Golf Club (Wandlebury) #2 in Cambridgeshire Access: Contact Club Prior to Visit Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 8 km (5 miles) — approximately 15 minutes Sharing the same hilltop address as the Old course, the Wandlebury opened in 1997 after Martin Hawtree combined eleven new holes across freshly acquired downland with seven from an earlier nine-hole layout. At 6,735 yards it plays longer than its sibling and carries its own credentials: the R&A selected it for Open Championship Regional Qualifying between 2007 and 2011. The join between old and new holes is softening with time, and some members prefer the Wandlebury's flow to the Old. Stone Age flint tools discovered on the 4th fairway during construction — following a mandatory archaeological survey — add another dimension to a course that already has one of the finest settings in East Anglia. Can't Play the Top 3? Try These Instead The Links Golf Club, Newmarket #4 in Cambridgeshire Access: Visitors Welcome Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 22 km (14 miles) — approximately 25 minutes Set out in 1902 on the southeast perimeter of Newmarket racecourse. Colonel S.V. Hotchkin — the architect behind Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin course — redesigned the layout in the 1930s and his work remains largely unchanged today. A training track known as the Gallops surrounds the course and at the 7th and 15th, the tee shot must clear the white racecourse rails before reaching the fairway. The bunkers are numerous and classically placed, with a full fairway-width specimen guarding the approach at the left-doglegging 16th that is as old-fashioned and effective as any hazard on the course. Royston Golf Club #28 in Hertfordshire Access: Visitors Welcome Best Time to Visit: April to October Distance from City Centre: 22 km (14 miles) — approximately 20 minutes Laid out by Harry Vardon on chalk heathland straddling the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire border, Royston is one of the most unusual courses within reach of Cambridge — hilly, exposed and entirely unlike the flat fenland landscape that surrounds it. At 5,910 yards and par 70, the course offers no refuge in length, but the fast-draining chalk base keeps conditions firm and true year-round, and the rough in summer plays as demanding as heather. Nick Faldo won the junior championship here. The first formal golf course was recorded on this ground in 1869, making Royston one of the oldest clubs in England, and the layout has changed little since Andrew Kirkaldy became the club's first professional in 1893. More Golf Courses Near Cambridge Beyond the top five, Cambridge sits within an hour of several other ranked courses worth exploring. In Cambridgeshire itself, Ely City Golf Club — a Henry Cotton design opened in 1973 by Lee Trevino — lies 24 km (15 miles) north of the city, while St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club, Cambridge Country Club (Bourn) and Cambridge Meridian Golf Club each provide solid parkland golf within 30 km to the north and west. Cross into Suffolk and the county's heathland gems open up: the nationally ranked Ipswich Golf Club (Purdis Heath) and Aldeburgh Golf Club (Championship) are further east but reward the drive for golfers building an East Anglian itinerary. For a full ranked and reviewed list of courses across the region, visit top100golfcourses.com. Frequently Asked Questions What is the best golf course in Cambridge? Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club is the highest-ranked course within reach of Cambridge, sitting at #87 in England. Known as the Sacred Nine, this nine-hole Suffolk layout is widely considered the finest nine-hole course in the world and has been the home course of Cambridge University Golf Club since 1893. For golfers wanting the best course within 15 minutes of the city centre, The Gog Magog Golf Club (Old) is ranked #1 in Cambridgeshire and has hosted the Lagonda Trophy since 1975. Is golf in Cambridge open to visitors? The Gog Magog Golf Club requires visitors to contact the club in advance to arrange a tee time. Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club also operates on an advance-booking basis, with visitors required to have an official handicap certificate. The Links Golf Club in Newmarket and Royston Golf Club both welcome visitors and allow direct booking. When is the best time to play golf in Cambridge? April to October offers the most reliable conditions, with longer daylight hours and firmer, faster surfaces as the season progresses. The chalk and sand-based courses — Royal Worlington, the Gog Magog layouts and Royston — drain exceptionally well and remain playable through most of the winter, making Cambridge a viable golf destination outside the peak season. Getting There Cambridge station sits on the Great Northern main line, with direct services to London Kings Cross taking from 49 minutes. The station is approximately 2 km (1 mile) from the city centre. Nearest airport: London Stansted Airport (STN), 48 km (30 miles) south of Cambridge city centre, approximately 35 minutes by road to the Gog Magog Golf Club. For international connections: London Heathrow Airport (LHR), 110 km (68 miles) southwest of Cambridge city centre, approximately 80 minutes by road under normal traffic conditions. Best Time to Play Golf in Cambridge The golf season in Cambridge runs comfortably from April through October, with May, June and September representing the sweet spot of firm ground, reliable weather and manageable course pressure. The chalk and sand-based courses — Royal Worlington, the Gog Magog layouts and Royston — drain exceptionally well and remain playable through most of the winter, making Cambridge a more viable year-round golf destination than much of East England. Summer brings long evenings and the blue flax rough in flower on the Gog Magog hills. Autumn sharpens the light and empties the courses. Spring offers the best green fees for early-season visitors willing to take a chance on the weather. Plan Your Cambridge Golf Trip For full rankings, course reviews and visitor information, visit top100golfcourses.com. Use the site to compare courses across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Hertfordshire, read panellist reviews and build your East Anglian golf itinerary from one of the most comprehensive golf course databases in the world.

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.