Best winter green fee deals at Top 100 golf courses!
Last updated:
Winter is a great time to get a discounted green fee on a host of Golf World Top 100 courses. These are the top 50 savings and our best tips to get the most from winter golf.
JUMP TO: The Top 50 Green Fee Deals
We are entering the time of year when the mercury battles to creep above zero even during daylight hours and it is easy to leave the clubs in the corner of the garage until the first glimpse of Augusta azaleas in April.
Cold, wet days added to golf clubs having to use temporary greens at the end of fairways that are a little soft underfoot is not an especially appealing prospect to everyone.
But there are actually very good reasons to play a lot of golf in the winter – with the savings you can make on green fees at Golf World Top 100 courses one of the principal reasons.
Here’s our guide to making the most of a time of year during which you might easily have some of the best golf experiences of your life.
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Savings
This is the best bit, clearly. We chart 50 incredible deals on this page – and just a glance down the list will surely whet your appetite for this task – Carnoustie (above), Birkdale, Porthcawl, The Grove, Saunton, and more.
You can find yourself teeing it up at Open venues for half the normal price or tackle courses that are always inside the top 40 of our Top 100 British and Irish Courses ranking for £65.
We’ve selected courses all over Britain and a few bucket-listers in Ireland, so there’s certain to be a venue fairly close to you. We’ve often highlighted a couple of courses close together, to make your journey to an area a little distance away especially worthwhile.
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Tactics
Tee times at the elite courses have been seriously scarce this summer because of Covid postponements being fulfilled and overseas golfers being desperate to travel again. But that will die off over the winter and give you some flexibility. Setting aside a day or two to travel and then leaving things as late as possible to decide your exact destination is ideal, so you can assess whether the weather is better in Sussex or Cornwall.
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: East v West
This is not a myth. If you especially hate playing in the rain, head east. If you especially hate playing in the cold, head west. Ayr in the west has about 1,000mm of rain a year, while somewhere like Campbeltown on Kintyre even more. North Berwick in the east has fewer than 700mm, St Andrews similar. The trade-off is that you generally lose a couple of degrees heading east.
RELATED
– Best Golf Courses in Scotland
– Britain’s Best Links Golf Courses
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Condition
The top courses winter incredibly well because they are either links or heathlands that as we all know naturally drain exceptionally well or they are inland courses manicured assiduously by a large team of greens staff.
Genuinely, the only difference between summer and winter playing pretty much all of the 50 we have chosen is the weather you will get; the course will be the same. While condition of these elite courses does not drop rapidly during the winter, happily the price to play them does.
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: Inland? Really?
Yes, we are not mad. There are two reasons we have included inland courses. Firstly, they are a heathland – or a moorland. Secondly, they are just presented beautifully all year round. Two parklands in the Top 100 England, The Grove and The Belfry (above), would blow your mind at their presentation in January. Berkhamsted (below) is another that you’ll find in superb nick year-round.
RELATED
– Best Inland Courses in Britain and Ireland
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Dreaded Mat
We usually note where a mat is required and that may put some people off. There aren’t many confirmed instances of it, but of course on the day circumstances may have changed and the club asks you to use one. We doubt it’s very often. And anyway, is it that much of a hardship to drop your ball in the wispy semi-rough? We quite like those flier lies when it’s 3C…
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Mid-Range Fee
This is mainly about getting an Open venue for £180 less than it usually costs, but for many of you, that will still feel too much money to spend on golf. If so, there are still some brilliant deals for you. Our favourites of the whole lot might be St Enodoc, Broadstone and The Machrie all at £65; incredible value. Southerness at £50 is terrific, Aberdovey AND Royal St David’s for £110 is sensational, and World Top 100 course Silloth at £45 is basically them paying you. Southerndown for £40? Fabulous.
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Rain Gear
It was a foul day at Lahinch when I was in a top-branded waterproof suit and my friend was in Galvin Greens that I last stepped on a golf course without the Swedish company’s gear in my bag. It’s expensive, I know, but it will last you for a decade and more; my suit is 12 years old now and working as well as ever. It’s light yet it keeps any amount of rain out – but lets you breathe so the clammy feeling is non-existent. Buy some and on the first day you’re wearing it in a monsoon you’ll laugh to yourself at how good it is!
RELATED
– Best Waterproof Jackets
– Best Waterproof Trousers
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Cold Gear
I was never a huge fan of skintight baselayers, but then ZeroFit came into my life. They claim to be five times warmer than a baselayer…and I believe them! This stuff is like magic. It doesn’t need to be skin-tight so is more comfortable than a baselayer, which I love. And you can go all out for socks, leggings, a top and a hat and I guarantee you will not feel cold. Like the Galvin Green waterproofs, I rate it so much I wear it skiing – baselayer etc on the slopes, hoodie off it.
RELATED
– Best Base Layers
– Best Beanie Hats
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: The Extra Gear
You can get fancy waterproof caps these days but there is IMO nothing better than a beanie hat on a rainy day. There are hand warmers people swear by but I’ve always been a fan of the golf mitt – they are not expensive and are a godsend. And if you lose them, resort to driver headcovers, as my mate did on a brutal trip to Norfolk a few years back. He would have walked in without them! And make sure you invest in a good pair of winter golf gloves which will help keep your hands warm and dry!
Oh, and I’m sounding like your mum now, but ALWAYS have a spare pair of golf socks in the car.
Winter Golf Green Fee Deals: 50 Brilliant Bargains at Top 100 Courses
Turnberry Ailsa £350 (£425 non-resident) Fri-Mon down to (>) £120 (£200) Fri-Sun
turnberry.co.uk
Carnoustie £270 > £135
carnoustiegolflinks.com
Cruden Bay £165 midweek > £75 midweek
crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk
Royal Aberdeen £195 > £95
royalaberdeengolf.com
Dornoch £210 > £115
royaldornoch.com
Nairn £190 Mon-Sun > £50-£60
nairngolfclub.co.uk
Royal Birkdale £295 > £185
royalbirkdale.com
Gullane £195 Mon-Fri > £98
gullanegolfclub.co.uk
North Berwick £200 Sun-Fri > £110
northberwickgolfclub.com
Prestwick £220 Mon-Fri > £105
prestwickgc.co.uk
Western Gailes £190 including lunch Mon-Fri > £70
westerngailes.com
Southerness £90 > £50 (£60 weekend)
southernessgolfclub.com
Gleneagles £230 > £78
gleneagles.com
The Machrie £80 (£130 visitor) > £65 both
themachrie.com
Royal St George’s £225 > £125
royalstgeorges.com
Ganton £150 Mon-Fri > £80
gantongolfclub.com
Alwoodley £175 > £125
alwoodleygolfclub.com
Moortown £150 weekend > £75
moortown-golf-club.co.uk
Hollinwell £150 Mon-Fri > £75
hollinwell.co.uk
Sherwood Forest £100 > £55
sherwoodforestgolfclub.co.uk
The Grove £199 Thu-Sun > £135
thegrove.co.uk
Aldeburgh £125 Sun-Fri > £65
aldeburghgolfclub.co.uk
Thorpeness £70 > £45
thorpeness.co.uk
The Berkshire £255 weekend > £195
theberkshire.co.uk
Woking £140 > £100
wokinggolfclub.co.uk
West Hill £140 > £90
westhillgc.co.uk
St Enodoc £135 Mon-Fri > £65
st-enodoc.co.uk
Saunton £130 > £80
sauntongolf.co.uk
Hayling £120 > £80
haylinggolf.co.uk
Hunstanton £125 > £85
hunstantongolfclub.com
Royal Ashdown Forest £120 > £75
royalashdown.co.uk
West Hill £140 > £90 (Mon-Thu)
westhillgc.co.uk
Crowborough Beacon £75 > £60
cbgc.co.uk
Goswick £65 weekday > £45 (£35 mat)
goswickgolfclub.com
Bamburgh Castle £65 > £30
bamburghcastlegolfclub.co.uk
Broadstone £110 > £65
broadstonegolfclub.com
Ferndown £160 Mon-Fri > £80 Mon-Fri
ferndowngolfclub.co.uk
Beau Desert £95 > £70
bdgc.co.uk
Little Aston £135 > £70-£85
littleastongolf.co.uk
Silloth £80 > £45
sillothgolfclub.co.uk
Appleby £35 midweek > £25
applebygolfclub.co.uk
Royal Porthcawl £175 > £125
royalporthcawl.com
Royal St David’s £105 > £60
royalstdavids.co.uk
Aberdovey £90 Sun-Fri > £50
aberdoveygolf.co.uk
Pennard £85 Mon-Thu > £55
pennardgolfclub.com
Southerndown £85 > £40
southerndowngolfclub.com
Royal County Down £290 weekday > £150 weekday
royalcountydown.org
Portstewart £215 > £70 (mats in use)
portstewartgc.co.uk
Portmarnock £235 Mon-Fri > £145
portmarnockgolfclub.ie
READ NEXT: Best Golf Resorts in Britain and Ireland
Become a Today’s Golfer member for premium content and exclusive rewards!
-
Cruden Bay is among our best winter green fee deals.
