Extra round in Surrey?

[Greg Gilson]

I have a group from of club golfers visiting the UK for a couple of weeks late-ish 2017. We have room for an extra round in/around Surrey. They have a coach/driver so travel up to an hour each way is ok. This group has played (or will on this tour) all the normal must-plays. We were considering Worplesdon, Hankley Common, Woking or New Zealand. What says the DG & why? Which of these is the pick and/or have I missed something better?

Thanks for your help!

[Richard Fisher]

Totally personal, but in descending order as a unique visitor experience, I would go

Woking
New Zealand
Worplesdon
Hankley

The first two, in particular, are very special, and the third is very good. The fourth (Hankley) is good, and testing, but somehow less memorable (it also has the most modernised clubhouse, which may be contributing to this visitor evaluation a bit).

Hope this helps!

[Keith Phillips]

Wentworth East is highly under-rated - I was a member 15 years ago and I'd play the East 3x for every trip around the West.

[Sean_A]

I don't know what all the usual suspects are and where the hotel is to determine an hour's drive, but at a guess, I would suggest Woking as the #1 pick.  Worplesdon as the #2 pick.

Ciao

[Tom_Doak]

Totally personal, but in descending order as a unique visitor experience, I would go

Woking
New Zealand
Worplesdon
Hankley

I would put them in the same order for architectural interest.

[Mark Pearce]

Totally personal, but in descending order as a unique visitor experience, I would go

Woking
New Zealand
Worplesdon
Hankley

I would put them in the same order for architectural interest.

And I'd put them in the same order for sheer fun.  May not be that easy getting on New Zealand, it's rather more private than most UK private clubs.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Greg
Working no doubt about it....

[Greg Gilson]

Thanks guys. This input was greatly appreciated. We have approached both Woking & NZGC initially.

[Paul Nash]

I really like all courses but unlike most people on here I love Hankley - a unique site and a beautiful place to play golf. i would place it comfortably as one of my favourite in the UK

[Mark Chaplin]

Greg what are the must plays you are playing? Those mentioned for the extra round fall into the must play category rather than the most expensive category.

[Greg Gilson]

Hi Mark, I understand that these are all very good clubs & courses.

On a 2 week UK tour my groups typically MAY stay up to 5 days in SW London (we generally do the Channel Coast separately). The "must plays" as I called them are usually drawn from Sunny Old (& New if up for 36), Swinley, Walton Heath Old, Berkshire & St Georges Hill. Before anyone asks, I have an aversion for Wentworth - partly $ related.

The group I am currently working with have played many/most of the above so they are open to have me add in some "below radar" venues & that's why I have reached out to the DG. The input has been very helpful for me.

I know I am not surprising anyone when I say that the retail golfer's #1 priority is not necessarily architectural interest - so I have to moderate my itineraries to ensure travelling golfers return home with lots of impressive logo'd apparel not necessarily an improved ability to tell the difference between a Colt bunker and a Simpson one!

[Robin_Hiseman]

All top suggestions so far, but if you want me to throw a couple more into the ring for you then I would suggest Liphook, Camberley Heath, Tandridge, Addington and you can't overlook Walton Heath New. Or for a lot of fun...Reigate Heath.

[Mark Chaplin]

Is there a better (accessible) trip on the planet than Deal, Sandwich, Rye and three or four heaths? I cannot think of anywhere that matches the quality and variation of golf.

Greg you cannot go wrong with any of the 3Ws.

[Scott Warren]

Is there a better (accessible) trip on the planet than Deal, Sandwich, Rye and three or four heaths? I cannot think of anywhere that matches the quality and variation of golf.

Sandbelt/Mornington and Barnbougle?

[Peter Pallotta]

Is there a better (accessible) trip on the planet than Deal, Sandwich, Rye and three or four heaths? I cannot think of anywhere that matches the quality and variation of golf.

Greg you cannot go wrong with any of the 3Ws.

I've never been to Europe (not yet even to my parent's hometown in southern Italy), so I know all golf courses there only through books/writing. This may mark me as an absurdly romantic Anglophile, but there is no place else in the world (not even Scotland) that says 'proper golf' better than the Surrey assortment of courses. My meme: James Braid *knew*...he *knew*

[Sean_A]

Is there a better (accessible) trip on the planet than Deal, Sandwich, Rye and three or four heaths? I cannot think of anywhere that matches the quality and variation of golf.

Greg you cannot go wrong with any of the 3Ws.

Chappers


It took me about 5 years (~2003) of living in England before I fully realized I was sitting on THE gold mine of golf.  I still haven't seen all I would like and its only a bit of a small island....though it doesn't feel that way where golf is concerned.  To me, the Greater London area spreading to the southeast coast is golfing nirvana.  Its hard to imagine a better and bigger concentration of top quality courses.


Ciao

[Keith Phillips]

Sean, I lived in Virginia Water and played many of the greats in Surrey - I agree with your premise BUT it is a 114 mile drive from Swinley Forest to Deal and the number of commendable courses within a similar radius around NYC likely exceeds the comparable UK contingent by some multiple.  Now in fairness, I found it far easier to get on Sunningdale, Swinley Forest, Worplesdon and The Berkshire than I would Winged Foot, Baltusrol, Garden City or Shinnecock!

[Mark Chaplin]

Keith - accessible is a key word, I'm doing a little trip next year for 8 guys, odds on getting matches at on any of the courses you mentioned? Ok easy for me, we've hopefully two of those in the bank for matches but not the average travelling trip. Just how many of those wonderful NYC clubs could we play next week with a call to the pro and a green fee?

Scott - Deal to Mortfortaine is nearly half the distance of Melbourne to Barnbougle and doesn't involve a plane or ten hour ferry, Yet I wouldn't pair them together!