Top 10 Courses in England

Golfspy_CG2 · July 24

Will Porter took a look at this top 10 courses in England. What are your thoughts on any you have played, did he miss any that should have been on the list.

My Golf Spy Top 10 Courses in England

Gravenor · August 6

On 7/24/2024 at 5:42 PM, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Will Porter took a look at this top 10 courses in England. What are your thoughts on any you have played, did he miss any that should have been on the list.

My Golf Spy Top 10 Courses in England

Not on this list, but worth a mention regardless: West Sussex Golf Club (WSGC).

I was a member here from approximately 2015-2019.

First of all I want to preface this by saying that WSGC is by far the best golf course I have ever played. They have a unique ability to keep the course in a consistently near-perfect condition all year round, which is hugely beneficial for members who play outside of the traditional season like myself at the time. I think this is mainly down to the sandy texture of the surface and the thick heather framing every hole on the course that helps to dry the turf out even in extreme weather conditions. The website "top100golfcourses.com" ranks WSGC as number 12 in England.

Pros:

1). Beautiful. I don't even know how to put into words how amazing this course is aesthetically. In the height of summer, it feels like a links course. As I said before, the surface dries out considerably more than a lot of other courses I have played in the region, similar to courses you find on the coast. The heather in the height of summer is beautiful, and frames the entire course.

2). Condition. The condition of the course is always fantastic. Of course, there are some situations in the height of winter where there may be inevitable "GUR" areas through unforeseen circumstances and our famously unpredictable weather, but this is less common than most courses and never really impacts the way the course plays. The greens are always fast, The fairways are always short and in great condition, and the course plays completely differently depending on the season which makes for an interesting round no matter what time of year you go.

3). Difficulty. Whilst WSGC isn't the hardest course I have ever played, it is certainly one that requires strategic thinking. Pulling driver every hole will result in a horrific score. Trust me, I am speaking from experience. Course management and strategy is very important here, and intelligent positional play will be rewarded. You will often find yourself pulling a 5 or 6 iron on a long par 4 because the inevitable approach shot gives you more green to work with, which in the height of season is essential because you will not be able to hold a green due to the rapid speed. I found that my golf improved hugely whilst playing here, especially when I would take a half bag or reduced club set-up. Whilst my technique and general ability did improve during my time at WSGC, my improved mental game and course management was the big factor in this.

Also worth noting that if you are not a great ball striker, or you struggle with dispersion off the tee, you will struggle here. You are almost always going to be hitting off of a tight lie in the fairway, and wayward tee shots are brutally punished because the heather is so thick and unforgiving.

Cons:

1). Culture. Whilst this will not affect anybody who is just coming to play a round of golf here, I thought this should be mentioned because it was the reason I eventually ended up leaving. The culture is... "stuffy", to say the least. This is an old fashioned golf club, and you will know about it from the second you walk in. Their rules are no different either. Most members generally move in small cliques, and have been there for decades, so it is very difficult to integrate yourself within the club as a new member. Even after a few years of playing there multiple times a week, I still felt like the "new guy" by the time I left. Having said that, I was a junior member at the time so I suppose this is somewhat understandable. The general demographic of the members is probably in the 65-80 year old range, and it shows. Almost all members are retired and extremely wealthy, or currently work in some very executive, high end job and have money to burn. The junior members are all privately educated, and live in their own secluded bubble of money and luxury and are impossible to relate to or connect with if you come from the "real world" like me.

Upon completion of our round of golf, we used to have to go to the changing rooms and change into a suit if we wanted to enter the clubhouse restaurant for food and drinks. However it has been a few years since I have played there so this may now have changed. Also, if you want to wear shorts, you will most likely be told to wear knee-high socks...

Having said that, when people are paying tens of thousands of pounds a year for a membership, I suppose they expect nothing less. On my reduced junior membership of £250 a year and coming from a normal, middle-class background, I don't think I could ever quite wrap my head around the type of people I was associating with here.

Anyway, WSGC is a hidden gem in the South of England, and I never see it being spoken about amongst the top courses in the country. If you play a round of golf here, you will love it. It is by far the best course I have ever played and I would love the opportunity to play it again. It rewards players who understand the strategic side of the game, and you can't cheat the course. If you join here as a member however, (and good luck getting a reference), unless you move in certain "circles" shall we say, it probably won't be for you, unless you're comfortable with all the formalities.