39 top value parkland courses you should play this season…
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The new season is just around the densely tree-lined dogleg and below are 39 amazing value parkland courses you should pit your wits and skills against in 2017…
ENGLAND
Addington Court, Surrey
Excellent all round golf centre with two 18-hole layouts – the Fred Hawtree-designed Championship and Falconwood – supported by a 32 bay floodlight range.
Brampton Park, Cambs
Splendid mature parkland with a sound variety of holes with the signature being the daunting stroke index 1 par-3 4th played through a narrow avenue of trees to a virtual island green!
Bromborough, Merseyside
Surrounded by a stunning array of links, this is very much the Wirral’s parkland jewel and plays between 6,300-6,600-yards. In recent years it has hosted several national and county prestigious events.
Carlisle, Cumbria
Cumbria’s parkland pride is an attractive gently undulating track majestically lined by an assortment of mature trees. The 13th is a cracking par-3 through an avenue of timber.
Chartham Park, Sussex
An outstanding, fast-draining – it’s always in fine fettle – Neil Coles-designed par-72 layout with stunning North Downs views and a terrific variety of holes.
Cotswold Hills, Glos
Plotted amidst gorgeous open rolling Cotswold countryside and highlights include a demanding par-3 15th – a 198-yarder guarded by a wall on the left and trees on the right.
Hexham, Northumberland
Wonderful mature parkland course and though it sits close to the river Tyne it’s fast-draining and arguably boasts some of the best greens in the north east.
Leighton Buzzard, Beds
It’s Woburn-esque in places – and impressive combo of parkland and heathland golf – with many fairways overlooked by mature trees. Signature hole is the breathtaking par-3 11th.
Llanmynech, Shropshire
Top mature parkland where Ian Woosnam first learnt to play. It’s right on the England-Wales border – 15 holes are played in Wales and three in England – and is always in good condition
Pine Ridge, Surrey
Value-for-money is guaranteed at this Crown Golf venue with the course built through a pine forest on superbly draining sandy soil. It’s gently undulating, scenic, challenging and fantastic fun.
Pleasington, Lancs
An unusual parkland/heathland combination – 12 holes on the south side of the railway run through mature parkland while the other six weave through natural heathland. Great greens too.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorks
Undulating, quirky layout close to the coast and you need to take great care on the four par-3s, specially the 222-yards 12th overlooking the town and North Sea. Top views.
Scarcroft, West Yorks
Quality mature, gently undulating course, laid out in 1937 by Major Charles Mackenzie, and with the fairways being pretty generous you can regularly afford to pull out the driver.
Scraptoft, Leics
Top of the county’s parkland Premier League and the home of a mature as well as scenic par-70 parkland course which will test you every inch of its 6,300-yards route.
Silkstone, South Yorks
Formed in 1893, scenic Silkstone provides panoramic views and features strategically-placed bunkers, specially around the greens, along with water hazards.
Sitwell Park, South Yorks
Augusta maestro Alister MacKenzie created Sitwell a century ago and it’s always in good condition, offering a splendid variety of holes including some tough ones coming down the stretch.
Tehidy Park, Cornwall
One of the county’s best inland layouts can be found two miles from the coast and offers a good test besides a neat and tidy, picturesque and challenging layout.
The Astbury, Shropshire
Another quality modern parkland layout in the heart of the scenic Severn Valley and represented by Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke. A memorable round spectacularly climaxes with a 200-yard par-3 over a lake
Tilgate Forest, Sussex
The course majestically winds through mature woodland and with tree-lined fairways, tight doglegs and well protected greens, Tilgate Forest is definitely no stroll in the park. Outstanding pay-and-play venue.
WALES
Abersoch
Actually it’s a part parkland-part links in north-west Wales and is well worth trying if you’re visiting nearby Royal St David’s. Good enough to make sister magazine Golf World’s Top 30 Courses in Wales listing.
Newport
It’s been around for well over a century and is widely regarded as one of the best parkland courses in South Wales with the gently undulating layout located 300ft above sea level, amongst the birch, beech and oak trees of ancient Llwyni Wood.
Rolls of Monmouth
This under-rated parkland gem opened in 1982 and finishes in style with a stunning 200-yards par-3 over water with the stately mansion clubhouse a striking backdrop. A young Greg Norman once represented the club on Tour.
St Pierre (Old Course)
Follow in the footsteps of legends like Norman, Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer who have all tasted European Tour success here. Like Rolls above, this parkland masterpiece similarly spectacularly finishes with a 200-yarder over water.
Vale Resort (Lake Course)
The well established, aptly-named par 72 Lake course is dominated by a 20-acre lake and has water in play on 12 holes, most notably the par-4 12th with its island green.
Whitchurch
Fine century old parkland course on high ground and chiefly noted for its testing par-3s and 4s along with its superb views of capital Cardiff, Penarth Head and beyond.
SCOTLAND
Belleisle, Ayrshire
Top notch Braid parkland just outside Ayr and now backed-up by a smashing brand new clubhouse.Watch out for the pesky Curtecan burn which features on several holes.
Boat of Garten, Highlands
The hidden gem of the Highlands and one of Paul Lawrie’s favourite UK courses provides some of the best views and scenery you’ll find anywhere in Britain.
Crieff, Perthshire
A short drive from Gleneagles, you’ll discover this hidden gem of a venue which stars the par-71 Ferntower course which sits on gently sloping parkland terrain and is a fair but challenging test.
Downfield, Angus
Set in beautiful parkland, Dundee’s premier course has staged Final Open Qualifying, provides pure parkland pleasure and is a splendid foil for nearby links legend Carnoustie.
Edzell, Angus
Exquisite parkland/heathland combination plotted amidst 128 acres in the foothills of the Angus Glens and thoughtfully re-designed by James Braid in the mid-1930s.
Duff House Royal
Fine, flat and well maintained parkland course with lots of strategic bunkering and several two-tiered greens, all to be experienced in the coastal town of Banff.
Girvan, Ayrshire
Another excellent Braid municipal layout though this one is a short-but-sweet parkland/links combination affording stunning Ailsa Craig views. Good club selection and clever course management are critical.
Gleddoch House
Challenging mix of parkland and heathland with stunning Clyde estuary views and designed by J. Hamilton Stutt over 40 years ago, impressively weaving around a 360-acres estate next to a luxury hotel.
King James VI, Perthshire
This fun and quirky Old Tom Morris is Scotland’s only inland island course – it proudly sits on Moncreiffe Island where it has resided since 1897.
Kirkcaldy, Fife
A splendid and challenging parkland alternative for Fife’s many top links, Kirkcaldy was also designed by Old Tom Morris in 1904 and provides dramatic Forth views.
Renfrew
Fast approaching its 50th anniversary, Renfrew architect was Commander John D. Harris and has hosted many major tournaments. It also features 29 different species of trees!
IRELAND
Fota Island, Cork
Staged the 2014 Irish Open and is one of Ireland’s leading golf venues, being the home of a trio of courses scenically sitting amidst mature majestic parkland. With an on-site hotel, it’s a great place to stay and play.
Malahide, Dublin
A gently undulating parkland with 27 intriguing holes with elements of a seaside links. It is, after all, a short drive from legendary Portmarnock.
St Margaret’s G&CC, Dublin
One of Ireland’s leading parkland layouts has staged several top tournaments – it’s a major favourite of Padraig Harrington – and has a great variety of holes, terrific greens and a thrilling finale.
