Royston Golf Club

When bad weather is around, golfers keen to stay on-course head for Royston on the Herts/Cambs border. The course is perched high on fast-draining chalk-based heathland and offers splendid views. It’s over a century old and with firm, fast fairways and greens plays very much like an inland links.

A good, unusual layout with a great mixture of holes. It’s a heathland course with a real links feel. Being built on chalk downs, it has no drainage problems. Greens are good. The 225-yard 10th plays down a valley and is a great looking par-3.

More Top 2-FORE!-1 heathland courses

The Royston golf course is set high on heathland with spectacular views overlooking Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The natural contours of the heath give every hole a distinct character with varying wind conditions adding an ever-changing and fascinating dimension.

• Course has: Bar
• Course has: Buggy Hire
• Course does not have: Driving Range
• Course does not have: Practice Green
• Course has: Pro Shop
• Course has: Restaurant
• Course has: Trolley Hire
• Course has: Dress Code
• Course has: Club Hire
• Course does not have: Handicap

• 5 out of 5 Unique course in this area 21 May 2015

  By St Lucia

  A spectacular course which is a physical test as well as a test of golf. Excellent views and demanding and very varied holes. Open in all weathers but a strong wind is the norm and the rough is usually very rough! The only drawback is that on a really windy day the 'top' holes (especially the 9th) can be virtually unplayable for middle to high handicappers. But still worth the effort - the 18th alone is worth the walk!

• 4 out of 5 Play with the ups & downs 06 April 2014

  By Trevor Castle

  This golf course is different to many other local courses and is open in all weathers. It's short by todays standards but it still offers a great challenge you have to plan where you land your ball on and around the green and it gives it a links feel. The par 3's are all interesting and the green are pacy and true. it is hilly,and exposed to the winds but you can hire buggys. The staff and members were all very friendly and recommend it to everyone.

• 4 out of 5 Very different 06 August 2012

  By Anonymous

  Being used to playing on flat fenland courses this was very different. The very friendly welcome received in the pro shop upon arrival started the day perfectly and the course lived up to expectations. Well worth a visit and very good value especially when using 2 fore 1 vouchers, but be prepared for some steep hills and a good walk. Views are outstanding.

• 4 out of 5 The areas finest? 22 September 2010

  By WarboysCliff

  This golf course is really something special. It's short by todays standards but it still offers a great challenge. The rough seems a bit shorter these days and the fairways a little wider but this doesn't mean that you'll burn it up. In summer the greens are slick and true. The fairways are tightly mown and in superb conditiion. The tee boxes are neat and tidy and the bunkers, despite being the courses weakness are perfectly acceptable. The layout means that after 9 holes your almost at the furthest point from the clubhouse but you'll not want to stop after nine holes so it's not a problem! It's playable all year at a good price. It may put the faint hearted off because it's a pretty demanding walk but let's face it golf is a sport! To summarise it's hilly, exposed to the winds, the tenth tee is about three miles from the clubhouse, the rough in places is waist high and the walk from the 15th green to the 16th tee may finish a few people off. Having said that the welcome is friendly, it's sensibly priced, it's unique for the area and is over 100 years old. Having played 95% of all courses within a 50 mile radius of Royston, in my opinion this course is your best bet. I challenge anyone to name a course in Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire as welcoming, sensibly priced and as playable all year round as this little gem.

• 3.5 out of 5 Superb Views 02 September 2010

  By stevewt

   We played this course a couple of weeks ago and found it an interesting test. The first tee is 500 yards from the clubhouse and the constant changes in elevation make it a hard walking course. The greens and fairways were in excellent condition and the grass tees were also good but there ware a couple of mats in use. The views from the higher points of the course are spectacular. The clubhouse is welcoming and the catering good. 

• 3 out of 5 OK if you are a goat 29 August 2007

  By ColinAM

  Good old fashioned course. Quality condition. Just hard work. Still worth a visit.

• 3.5 out of 5 If you enjoy a hike 13 May 2007

  By jcprideaux

  Lovely old course with plenty of variation. You would think a course like this would be more likely situated on The Dunstable Downs and not in North Hertfordshire. Very friendly clubhouse with a long walk to the first tee, narrowish fairways with some dificult rough, especially on the slopes. Greens were a bit rough as they are quite exposed and had not long been worked upon. Even more difficult when windy with not that much shelter on the fairways. Bargain mid-week 2-fore-1, a planner would be useful as not all fairways and routes are obvious.