[Chip Gaskins]

Fellow Treehousers-

Six of us are planning a trip to London next May.  Three Yanks and three Brits for a mini-Ryder Cup.

Three of the golfers live in London (one actually a member at St. George's Hill) so they certainly know the courses to play.  However I would love to hear a few out of the way courses around London that we should try and play. 

Our current list is in the order we think we want to play:

1) Sunningdale
2) Swinley Forest
3) St. Georges Hill
4) Wentworth
5) Walton Heath
6) Woking

With that said I am asking you guys to make a few suggestions....

 

[David_Tepper]

The Addington and New Zealand are both worthy of consideration.

[Joshua Pettit]

Woodhall Spa is well worth the trek if you have time.

[Tony_Muldoon]

David is right go see The Addington.  Forgotten for many years until Tom Doak chose it as one of his 31 flavours of golf.   I'll bet that at least one of your London hosts has never heard of it.  Just starting to creep back into and up the top 100 lists.  Under new management it's playing better than ever.

NZ is not in this league.

You don't say how long youll be over for.  Your list of 6 includes about 9.5 top notch courses.  But if time allows and you fancy a change  playing links golf,  Royal St Georges and Deal are less than 2 hrs from any of the above.

Also consider West Sussex it has an excellent reputation.

Wentworth usually has a tournament in May.  Its too expensive and not as good as the others. Avoid.

[Scott Macpherson]

A little 'hidden Jem' I saw recently, designed by HS Colt, is Blackmoor GC. It's about a hour or so drive from Heathrow.

scott

[Sean_A]

Chip

The Addington, West Sussex and Huntercombe should keep you busy with Addington being a must see.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

I would think playing Wentworth East is a better option than playing Wentworth West...

One of my favourites that sometimes gets forgotten is Hankley Common... Whereas most of the Heathland courses (aside from Walton Heath) are more or less tree-lined, Hankley is on a vast 800 acre heather common with the open holes around the turn especially recommended...

[Chris_Clouser]

Surprised no one has mentioned the Berkshire. 

[Paul Nash]

I agree with Tony that Wentworth is overrated and overpriced. But, I think New Zealand is a great course and at least the equal and probably better than St George's Hill.

Hankley gets my vote as the best of the heathland tracks in the area that I have played, but I suspect that West Sussex and Sunningdale (and maybe the Addington) will challenge that when I get round to playing them. I would also much rather a day at the Berkshire than Walton Heath. The Berkshire is opposite Swinley and I think, overall, it would get the nod over it, not least for having 36 holes, and it is cheaper. Swinley may also be hard to get on.

If you want a non heathland option in May, Bearwood Lakes should be in lovely condition then with many areas lined with rhododendrons amongst the various trees.

[Mark Chaplin]

Chip,

Wentworth West will be closed pretty much all of next year, totally new greens are to be laid. IMO Wentworth East is not value for money a round will be £110-£130 where as a day at West Sussex is £80 or £110 at Deal.

I'd agree with Tony the courses you have listed are all fabulous but you can have too much heather and silver birch. A trip to the Kent coast with a night at the Kings Head in Deal gives you the option to play Royal St Georges (3/4 ball Tuesday only) or Royal Cinque Ports (3/4 ball Tuesday or Thursday). May is ideal as the courses are firming up but the rough isn't too thick.

If you want to stay in the area, New Zealand, Addington and West Sussex are all worthy and a lighter on the wallet.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I can't underatand how some people don't rate St Georges Hill that highly... I think it is a cracking course... truly a must play...

I can understand why some people don't go for Walton Heath but again the really open feel and the quality of some of the holes makes this a must play and a different experience to the heavily tree-lined Berkshire courses which are both wonderful... but as said above, you can have too much silver birch... most of the heathland courses were designed on open commons and Walton Heath gives the best example of this

[Deucie Bies]

I have heard Rye is worth playing

[Adam_Messix]

The suggestions I've seen here are great so far.  If you're traveling that far, the drive down to Royal St. Georges and Rye isn't bad if you catch it at the right time of day.  Of course, anything involving travel on the M25 can be iffy.  

[Tom Birkert]

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan!

Swinley is a gem, I really like St George's Hill and, although I'll admit to being biased, Sunningdale is fantastic. I'd recommend doing both the Old and the New.

You won't be able to play Wentworth as already mentioned, and even so I wouldn't anyway. The changes made by Ernie Els are hideous.

It's about a 2 hour drive to Royal St George's, Deal etc and I'd highly recommend you do that if you can fit it in.

Good luck, I hope the weather will be favourable for you!

[David_Tepper]

I would highly recommend a full day at Sunningdale, playing both the Old and the New. I did that many years ago and thought the New was every bit as good as the Old.   

[Pete Lavallee]

Chip,

Here's yet another vote for the Addington; truely a unique course and you get to drive through Croyden too! If you get to Walton Heath do play both the Old and New with lunch in between; hopefully they won't be out of their famous tounge sandwiches when you visit.

If you are flying into or out of Gatwick I highly recomend Royal Ashdown Forest; surely the finest bunkerless course in the world. I doubt access is an issue for your group, but they are one of the few well known privates that allows unaccompanied play on the weekend.

[Robert Thompson]

I don't mean to steal this thread, but I'll be in London for three days while my wife is at the London Book Fair. It would appear St. George's Hill is readily accessible by rail, but what others could one get out to and back in a regular day? I'll have time to play three days at the end of April...

[Chris Kane]

I went to Swinley Forest by rail.  45 minute trip, then a fifteen minute walk.  Sunningdale is nearby too.

[Chip Gaskins]

Can't make it out to Sandwich.  Have to do that next time.

Sounds like we should totally skip Wentworth (top 100 in the world, that sounds weird to skip, but I trust you guys)

Sounds like do all day at Sunningdale and Walton Heath.

I doubt I will try the tounge sandwich, hey I didn't do the snapper soup either.

Sounds like we should add Addington in place of Wentworth.

No one has even commented on Woking?  Not so good?

Round trip airfare from DC is $610 right now....lets hope the U.S. dollar keeps getting stronger.  Maybe the clubs will let me prepay and lock into to today exchange rate

Thanks for all the recommendations guys!

[Sean_A]

I don't mean to steal this thread, but I'll be in London for three days while my wife is at the London Book Fair. It would appear St. George's Hill is readily accessible by rail, but what others could one get out to and back in a regular day? I'll have time to play three days at the end of April...

Robert

Addington is doable by train out to Croydon then a 5 minute cab ride. 

Berkshire is only a few miles away from Swinley so its a train ride to Ascot and a 5 minute cab ride. 

The 3 Ws are all close to a train station.


Chip

Woking is definitely a keeper.

Ciao
 

[Richard Boult]

don't forget to check out the course photos before you go

http://delicious.com/golfclubatlas/England

[Michael Whitaker]

Chip

The Addington, West Sussex and Huntercombe should keep you busy with Addington being a must see.

Ciao

Chip - If you visit Huntercombe be sure to play all 18 holes. Sean has told me that 10, 11 and 12 are excellent holes and should not be skipped under any circumstance. Correct, Sean?

[Michael Whitaker]

David is right go see The Addington.  Forgotten for many years until Tom Doak chose it as one of his 31 flavours of golf.   I'll bet that at least one of your London hosts has never heard of it.  Just starting to creep back into and up the top 100 lists.  Under new management it's playing better than ever.

NZ is not in this league.

You don't say how long youll be over for.  Your list of 6 includes about 9.5 top notch courses.  But if time allows and you fancy a change  playing links golf,  Royal St Georges and Deal are less than 2 hrs from any of the above.

Also consider West Sussex it has an excellent reputation.

Wentworth usually has a tournament in May.  Its too expensive and not as good as the others. Avoid.

Tony - I'm coming over early spring... let's plan to visit The Addington. We can invite "Quince" Arble to join us.

[Gerry B]

Robert:

it just happens that the head of British Rail was a Sunningdale member in the early days  - you know the rest - Swinley and Wentworth are very close as well.

You can do a day trip to Walton Heath very easily or go by car.



nice thing about Sunningdale and Walton Heath is that you get 2 courses at each - yes Wentworth has multiple courses as well but not as compelling.

The pair at Sunningdale are both great as is the club and the pro Keith Maxwell is a gem.  might be my favorite club in England

[Chip Gaskins]

Is silver birch that bad?  I like the thick forest look actually as long as it isn't right up against the playing corridors.  That's why I am so in love with Bandon Trails, those forest holes are just fantastic.

This post about Swinley Forest has me wanting to play there everyday honestly: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32651.0.html

Doesn't the heather bloom twice in England?  Spring and Fall?  (sorry, I have only golfed in Scotland and Ireland so I don't know the blooming seasons in England)

It really sounds like Sunningdale should be the cornerstone of the trip.  Both courses are that good.

We will have a car/van, so driving to course won't be that big of a deal.

Would you guys play the new courses at Sunningdale and Walton Heath in lieu of picking up an afternoon round at Birkshire or Woking?

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