Best Golf Courses in Nottinghamshire

The best golf courses in Nottinghamshire offer some of the best inland golf in England.

The first two or three names in this ranking of the best golf courses in Nottinghamshire will be no surprise, but after that we are certain we will identify courses that deserve your attention.

In fact, we had a lot of debate about the No.6-12 section… these are all exceptionally good and evenly-balanced courses. Even without the top five, Notts has bags of quality.

Why you can trust our ranking of the best golf courses in Nottinghamshire

Our Top 100 panel has been ranking the finest courses in England for a decade and has the most comprehensive knowledge in the game, which is why you can trust this to be the most accurate reflection of the best golf courses in Nottinghamshire.

We welcome your feedback on all of our rankings and know that everyone will have an opinion on their favourite’s position. We’d love to hear from you via email, on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

And, once you’ve enjoyed this ranking, please do take a look at some of our others – including the best golf courses in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Europe.

Best Golf Courses in Nottinghamshire

1. Hollinwell

Notts Golf Club, better known as Hollinwell, is probably the best golf course in the Midlands.

It’s packed with fantastic holes that require good imagination. Hollinwell is a great test, with heather, gorse, bracken and pine in abundance, and always in fantastic condition.

Hollinwell is right up there with the likes of Woodhall Spa as one of the very finest inland courses around. From the moment you break out of the trees on the way in and spot the white clubhouse, welcoming you with smoking chimneys and traditional English fayre such as teacakes and bacon rolls, you know you’re in for a special day. And you are not disappointed.

Set in the gently rolling hills at the heart of Robin Hood country in a natural valley within Kirkby Forest that fully utilises the natural undulating terrain, Hollinwell offers heathland golf at its very best.

RELATED: Hollinwell Golf Club review

2. Sherwood Forest

Sherwood Forest is a good match for Hollinwell in terms of quality and condition. It’s a quality heathland that can get fast-running in a dry summer and is a match for much more illustrious inland names.

Majestically plotted between rows of silver birch, pine, and oak trees standing proud in Clipstone Woods within the legendary Sherwood Forest itself, this track isn’t regarded as one of England’s finest heathland layouts for nothing. Indeed it’s another slice heathland heaven at the heart of Robin Hood country and also touched by the hands of Colt and latterly Braid. The greens are quality and you’ll do well to negotiate all 94 bunkers.

The English Golf Union, when staging the England Boys’ Amateur Stroke Play Championships here in 2006, described Sherwood as being, “in a league of its own”.

RELATED: Top 100 Best Golf Courses in England

3. Coxmoor 

Coxmoor is a hilly heathland just across the road from Hollinwell.

Recent tree clearance, heather regeneration, and bunker work is paying dividends and bringing this great course back to life.

Coxmoor has been a regular Open qualifying venue and US Tour player Greg Owen and former Ryder Cupper Oliver Wilson are both honorary members.

It’s a top-quality track and not an easy one to crack, especially being about 600ft above sea level and exposed to the winds from the north and east.

The upside to being one of the highest points in the country is the scenic views –  from the clubhouse you can see into the Leicestershire Wolds and the Vale of Belvoir while from the 13th tee over Mansfield and on a clear day, Lincoln Minster.

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4. Worksop 

Worksop, the home of Lee Westwood and Mark Foster, plays through a mix of heathland and woodland, with the holes in the mature woodland at the far end of the site being the standout stretch.

5. Wollaton Park 

Wollaton Park is a classic parkland in the grounds of Wollaton Hall, laid out on sandy terrain and with the local deer for company. A slightly cramped front nine gives way to the best of the golf on the back nine.

6. Stanton-on-the-Wolds

Stanton-on-the-Wolds is a mature parkland with a gentle but tight start that gives way to a series of holes played back and forth across a valley and the brook below.

7. Newark  

A gentle walk on sandy ground playing through a mix of pines and silver birch. Accuracy required at Newark!

8. Radcliffe-on-Trent 

Mature parkland over gentle terrain that is the home of the McGregor Trophy (England Boys U16s). Radcliffe-on-Trent offers a solid routing with compact greens requiring accurate approach play.

9. The Nottinghamshire (Championship)

A modern parkland. The front nine plays in and around several man-made lakes before climbing back up to the clubhouse.

10. Rushcliffe 

A very hilly parkland with some great views over the surrounding countryside. It can be a tough walk in places, but there are some thrilling shots across the hillsides.

11. Oakmere (Admirals Course) 

Modern parkland recently revamped by Tom Mackenzie. A thrilling opening tee shot down an escarpment is the highlight. Let down by an awkward ascent back up said escarpment.

12. Beeston Fields 

Mature parkland with a grand old clubhouse. The course is split into three paddocks with a nice start becoming a bit cramped in the far paddock on the back nine. It finishes on a fun, driveable par 4.

13. Norwood Park 

Norwood Park is a strong parkland course with views over the surrounding countryside from its setting in the historic park. Free-draining USGA greens make it a terrific option all year round.

14. Mapperley

Like playing across the Himalayas, but some thrilling par 5s down and across the hillside compensate for the big climbs.

15. Rufford Park

A modern parkland played over undulating terrain. The 17th – a drop-shot par 3 over a pond – will linger long in your memory.

16. Ramsdale Park (Seely)

A modern parkland with a relatively gentle front nine that leads into a hilly second half where the downhill tee shots at 15 and 18 are the highlights. The 18-hole par 3 course is worth a look, too.

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17. Ruddington Grange

A modern parkland played between grand old oaks and over ditches.

18. The Nottinghamshire (Signature)

A new Peter Alliss ‘signature’ design, nine holes were added to the original ‘C’ nine which has now also been upgraded to create this modern parkland. Its front nine plays across the hillside and between ponds, the back hurdles ditches and old field boundaries before reaching the new island green 18th.

19. Bulwell Forest

The original home of ‘Notts Golf Club’ before it moved out to Hollinwell. This compact old course has lots of charm but becomes increasingly cramped with a busy road running alongside. It gets very firm and bouncy in the summer.

20. Retford

Starting high on a plateau, you drop down the hillside into a mature forest before the big climb back up. Some nice golf, but it gets a little cramped. Bisected by the railway line.

RELATED: Woodhall Spa Golf Club review