Your Top 20 Favourites (or Best) in ENGLAND

[Tony_Muldoon]

Timely discussion.  I will be in Ipswich from 20th to 27th December this year.

Happy to hear from anyone who would like to play a round of Golf or join me for the annual dip at Lowestoft on the 26th.

[Tony_Muldoon]

So another 2 years on and

Played Woodhall again on a lovely summer’s day, nice course but still nowhere near my list.

IN with a bullet this time, Notts, Perranport and St Enedoc. Revised list (this is getting tougher...

Addington
Alwoodley
Berkshire Red Been a long time since I was there.
Burnham and Berrow
Formby
Ganton
Huntercombe
Liphook
Notts
Peranporth
Princes, shore and Dunes.
Royal Cinque Ports
Royal Liverpool
Royal St Georges
Royal West Norfolk
Royal Worlington
Rye
Saint Georges Hill
Silloth
Sunningdale Old
St Enedoc
Swinley Forrest
Woking

[Niall C]

To all those with Silloth on their list, can you please note there are two l's in Silloth. For those of you who don't have Silloth on your list, well shame on you.


Niall

[Ed Tilley]

I've not played the same number of courses as many on this site - I've "only" played 64 courses in England, mostly in the South. I do, however, know how to spell Silloth and I do rate it very highly!

1 Royal St. Georges
2 Sunningdale Old
3 St. Enodoc
4 Sunningdale New
5 Formby
6 Silloth on Solway
7 Saunton East
8 Burnham & Berrow
9 Worplesdon
10 Saunton West
11 Broadstone
12 Perranporth
13 Woburn Duchess
14 Royal North Devon
15 Beau Desert
16 Forest of Arden
17 East Berkshire
18 Parkstone
19 Frilford Heath Red
20 Huntercombe

[Ryan Coles]

Ed


Did you play the other courses at Woburn?

[Ed Tilley]

Ed


Did you play the other courses at Woburn?

Ryan,

No. I am a member at Frilford and we have a friendly club match with Woburn that I played in this year. You (very gratefully!) play the course you are given and we were put on the Duchess which I did enjoy. I am a bit wild off the tee and this was the tightest course I've ever played. You miss the fairway and you're in the trees. I genuinely think there's a great course in there if someone could be selectively let loose with a chainsaw. I'm told the other 2 courses are a bit more open - which frankly wouldn't be difficult!

Ed

[Garland Bayley]

Ed,


Oh the sacrilege. You put Saunton East above Burnham and Berrow! How could you possibly do that?

[Mark Pearce]

Ed,


Oh the sacrilege. You put Saunton East above Burnham and Berrow! How could you possibly do that?

Unlike Garland I quite like Saunton.  The above is a good question, though!

[Sean_A]

Ed,


Oh the sacrilege. You put Saunton East above Burnham and Berrow! How could you possibly do that?

Unlike Garland I quite like Saunton.  The above is a good question, though!

I can see why folks would prefer Saunton over Burnham as Burnham is quite narrow.  Man does Saunton have a great set of 4s. Both are very, very good, but they are too expensive for my list.

Ciao

[Ed Tilley]

Ed,


Oh the sacrilege. You put Saunton East above Burnham and Berrow! How could you possibly do that?

Unlike Garland I quite like Saunton.  The above is a good question, though!

I can see why folks would prefer Saunton over Burnham as Burnham is quite narrow.  In the end though, I would plop for Burnham because of its balance of terrain...Saunton is a bit more flat and moorlandy than I would prefer.  But man does Saunton have a great set of 4s.  Both are very, very good, but they are too expensive to for my list.


Ciao

As Sean says, both are very good in my eyes and very similar in standard. They are next to each other in my list and I would have no problem putting them the other way round.

[Jon Wiggett]

Niall,

I do not know when it was carried out other than it was post 1995 but I know it has been done.

Sean,

I often hear people saying 'just thin out the rough' but have never worked out how this is done mechanically nor know anyone who has achieved it. As far as I know the only way is to reduce the nutrients including water to reduce growth which is a long term project. As Alwoodley has seemingly embarked on a strategy of doing exactly the opposite I doubt there will be any chance of thinning the rough out.

Jon

[Thomas Dai]

Saunton -


Most posters, if not all, seem to rank Saunton's East course as superior (more challenging/harder?) to the West course.


I've played both courses back-to-back, always from the white tees, on several occasions now. Sometimes I've played the West course first, sometimes the East course first, but every time my gross score has been closer to par on the East even though the West is 300 yds shorter, which is all rather curious.


Atb

[Garland Bayley]

Saunton -


Most posters, if not all, seem to rank Saunton's East course as superior (more challenging/harder?) to the West course.


I've played both courses back-to-back, always from the white tees, on several occasions now. Sometimes I've played the West course first, sometimes the East course first, but every time my gross score has been closer to par on the East even though the West is 300 yds shorter, which is all rather curious.


Atb

You seem to have missed several posters opinions. I and Tony Muldoon have both expressed a preference for the west. It actually seems quite common in my recollection. I think if you just look at the Sandy Saunton thread, you might even find Ian Andrew agrees.

[Paul Gray]

I'll vouch for Woodbridge. Lovely golf course. I say that with the disclaimer that I played Woodbridge and Ipswich once only whilst working on an appalling contract and I probably would have considered sticking nails through my eyelids as a pleasant alternative to being in that particular office after 5pm.

[Sean_A]

TD

I don't know about posters, but without question most people I have spoken with (and rankings) confirm Saunton East as superior to The West.  The West has about the same number of really good holes, but isn't as consistent as The East even if it is a bit more adventurous.  The main reasons are the East's greens are a lot better and the 4s are better.  Even way back in the early 90s when I really learned each course quite well (these were the first two links I played a lot...and nearly joined the club) the greens on the West were obviously inferior to The East. I like The West though and think it is under-rated. Bottom line, people play The West because it is next door to The East. 

Ciao

[Michael Whitaker]

A sort of Gourmet Guide...definitely not top 20 best.

Kington  1*
St Enodoc  2*
Sacred 9  1*
Perranporth  1*
Goswick Winter Course 1*
Cavendish  1* 
Woking  1*
Cleeve Cloud  R
Reddish Vale  R
Sutton Coldfield Winter Course  R
Reigate Heath  R
Sandwich  2*
Ganton  2*
Leckford Old  R
Silloth on Solway  R
Cumberwell Park Orange 9  R
Huntercombe  R
Rye  1*
Princes 1*
Minch Old  R
Whittington Heath  R
Liphook  R

Updated 11.12.17

Sandwich & Huntercombe out; Whittington Heath & Liphook in.

RECOMMENDATION GUIDE                  

3* Don’t Miss For Any Reason                 
2* Plan A Significant Trip Around This Course                 
1* Worth An Overnight Detour                 
R Worth A Significant Day Trip (no more driving than it takes to play and have drinks)                 
r  A Good Fall Back On/Trip Filler                 
NR Not Recommended                 

Ciao

Sean - I am surprised to see Princes on this list. I'm not much of a fan of Princes... too many holes on too little land, resulting in way too narrow in the wind.

[Mark Pearce]

A sort of Gourmet Guide...definitely not top 20 best.

Goswick Winter Course 1*
Silloth on Solway  R

Delighted to see Silloth and Goswick in here.  We need to get you up to play Goswick in the Summer.

[Sean_A]

Sean - I am surprised to see Princes on this list. I'm not much of a fan of Princes... too many holes on too little land, resulting in way too narrow in the wind.

I seem to be unique in having always thought highly of Princes.  It's true, Princes has a ton of cross-wind holes making for a tough day in moderate wind.  There are a lot of very good holes at Princes and a very good bunker scheme which many fail to recognize. Princes isn't as good as some courses in the area, but it is much, much more affordable and plenty good enough.  I plan to be down in March for Princes and may look to play Deal while down.  It may be another chance to compare the two. 

Ciao

[Ben Stephens]

Sean,




There has been quite a lot of work carried out on the Himalayas nine at Princes. See link below

https://twitter.com/golfarchitects/status/946828013966118912


2nd and 3rd are now one long par 5 with a new par 3 after the old 5th (new 4th) the Himalayas bunker is being restored.




Cheers
Ben

[Ben Stephens]

In no particular order


LINKS COURSES


Birkdale
Brancaster
Deal
Hunstanton
Lytham
Perranporth
Rye
Sandwich
Seacroft
St.Enodoc


HEATHLAND/INLAND COURSES


Alwoodley
Beau Desert
Cavendish
Ganton
Hollinwell
Liphook
Luffenham Heath (because I am from Rutland!)
Sacred Nine
Sunningdale (Old)
Woodhall Spa

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark Pearce I’ve still not played Ganton but I’m doing an MCC golf tour to Alwoodley, Moortown and Ganton plus another to St Endoch and Trevose in 2018 so it will be a good year for new courses. We plan to spend the season in St Andrews so I’ll hopefully fill in some north of the border gems as well.

[jeffwarne]

Three things that will eventually alter my list
1.Have only played 2 heathlands near London
2.Have walked Birkdale (Open)-so can't count
3.Have walked and driven through only some of Kington-so can't count


In No particular order

Deal
St Enodoc
Perranporth
Hoylake
Swinley
Hunstanton
Brancaster
Formby
Burnham and Barrow
Westward Ho
Lytham
RSG
Wallesey
Northforeland
Camberly Heath
West Cornwall
Saunton West
Woodhall Spa
Seacroft
Sacred 9

[Thomas Dai]

As a geographically challenged individual was once heard to say "The best courses in England are to be found in Scotland and Ireland". Regrettably true.
atb

[Mark Chaplin]

Sean you said a couple of years ago B&B and Saunton are too expensive for you list yet they are £30 and £50 respectively cheaper than Rye. Even Ganton is £40 less than Rye for 2018, admittedly Rye’s fees are more about keeping the links quiet than pure revenue raising.

[Sean_A]

Sean you said a couple of years ago B&B and Saunton are too expensive for you list yet they are £30 and £50 respectively cheaper than Rye. Even Ganton is £40 less than Rye for 2018, admittedly Rye’s fees are more about keeping the links quiet than pure revenue raising.

Mark

But I prefer Rye so I would pay more to play it...don't know for how much longer though. Burnham is going into £100+ territory for 2018.  Golf at the highest level is just too damn expensive.

Happy New Year