Golfing Road Trips

With any luck, 2013 won’t be as much of a wash out as 2012 and we’ll all find more sunny reasons to get out on the golf course.  For those looking to venture away for a couple of nights, over the coming weeks we’ll be profiling a few possible itineraries around the country (and beyond) in our “Road Trip” series.  The aim is to give you some ideas that aren’t the “usual suspects” by suggesting clusters of golf courses and a local place to stay that perhaps offer something different. Here’s the first instalment looking at trips to Hampshire, Kent and Suffolk.

Suffolk – Woodbridge, Thorpeness, Fynn Valley

Out on an eastern limb but very accessible from London, the Midlands and beyond, Suffolk boasts an excellent standard and variety of courses, together with some of the best weather the country has to offer. Take Woodbridge GC, for example, a golf club with an esteemed history that dates back to 1893 and two fine heathland courses. The James Braid designed Heath Course embraces a characteristic blend of heather, gorse and tree lined fairways, whilst the more recently opened Forest Course adds an attractive 9 hole option for those looking to extend their day at the club. There’s value to be enjoyed here, too, with their current special offer of 18 holes plus either breakfast or a fish & chips lunch available at just £32pp.

A little further east, Thorpeness Golf Club is another James Braid design but with a coastal feel that adds to the attraction of this gem on the Suffolk seaside. Situated in a peaceful location no more than 5 minutes from the beach, the hotel at Thorpeness has a fine reputation for accommodating the ‘play & stay’ golfer, too. Throughout January and February, Thorpeness are offering a 1 night golf break for just £85pp that includes dinner, bed & breakfast and 18 holes. If you can afford the time to stay for 3 nights, then one of the rounds of golf can be enjoyed on the very special and renowned Championship course at nearby Aldeburgh.

Further inland at Witnesham, Fynn Valley GC extended its array of quality facilities last year with the opening of several high specification self-catering lodges. Huge sofas, king sized beds, private saunas and hot tubs ensure that each lodge offers a real indulgence after a couple of rounds on this thriving parkland golf course near Ipswich. If you’ve only got time for a shorter stop at Fynn Valley, why not enjoy their ‘Winter Offer’ of 18 holes, coffee, and a choice of filling meals for just £25pp.

Kent – Tudor Park, Chart Hills, Littlestone

There’s a well recognised (and well worth a visit) tour to the Kent coast that takes in three neighbouring courses that have all hosted The Open over the years – Royal St George’s, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s.  The latter now offers terrific accommodations at the Apartments at The Lodge, Princes, making the Sandwich area a genuine golfing destination. But I want to look elsewhere on this occasion, as there are quality courses in the county that merit admiration, too, and indeed recommendation for a visit.

Where to stay?  Well, Marriott Tudor Park in Bearsted is very well placed and affords excellent facilities and a very enjoyable golf course in beautiful Kent countryside. The course was skilfully designed by renowned architect Donald Steel, sweeping through pine trees and making use of natural features from an ancestral deer park.

A short distance away is Chart Hills Golf Club, the Nick Faldo designed championship course that has played host to European Tour School on a number of occasions. The course, the practice facilities, and the clubhouse are all top class meaning the best thing to do is get there early and spend all day on-site enjoying the amenities. A gentle warm up (including some bunker practice), followed by 18 holes, lunch and perhaps even another 18 if you’re feeling up to it – a lot of golf but unquestionably a rewarding day.

For a challenge of a different nature, head to Littlestone Golf Club.  Here’s a championship standard links course that has held final qualifying for The Open on numerous occasions. Rightly proud of its history, Littlestone is laid out on natural undulating land and has a justifiable reputation for some of the best greens in the country. Links courses often thrive in the winter, so their ‘Winter Offer’ of a green fee for £50 represents an exceptional opportunity to play one of the country’s best courses at a very reasonable rate – available until the end of March.

Tudor Park, Chart Hills and Littlestone present a superior combination of quality courses, and being within close proximity to each other they serve as an ideal destination for a short golf break in Kent.

Hampshire – Stoneham, Bramshaw, Cams Hall and Hayling 

One of the attractions of golf in Hampshire is that while the standard of golf courses is high, not many people award them the recognition they deserve and so they tend to be easily overlooked. As a result, green fees tend to offer good value for money and courses tend to be less crowded, which is never a bad thing when you’re visiting.

I really like the idea of this little ‘tour’.  Starting at Stoneham GC near Southampton, you can begin with a classic Willie Park Jnr design.  Surrey heathland courses often receive the plaudits, but Stoneham is a course that competes with the very best of them, and its elegance makes it one of the most notable in Hampshire, and indeed the South of England. Until the middle of April, a fourball can enjoy a round of golf at Stoneham and a meal in the clubhouse for just £174 in total.

Then it’s west on the M27 to the New Forest and your hotel, The Bell Inn in Bramshaw.  This comfortable and welcoming inn is the ideal golfing stop-over and currently offers packages at £109 that includes b&b, dinner and 36 holes at nearby Bramshaw Golf Club.  Bramshaw is the oldest club in Hampshire and its two excellent and contrasting 18-hole courses offer a terrific day’s golf before retiring back to the inn for dinner and another welcome night’s rest.

The final leg takes you back east along the M27 to Cams Hall and/or Hayling Golf Club.  The Creek Course at Cams Hall is a 1993 Peter Allis design that offers excellent value and reliable conditions all year round. Close to the sea, the wind can and usually does play a determining factor in what is bound to be an enjoyable round. If the wind’s blowing at Cams Hall, Hayling promises an even sterner test for the afternoon, being the only genuine links golf course west of Rye on the south coast of England. Established in 1883, the course is consistently ranked inside the Top 100 Courses in the UK, and there are many challenging holes that meander through gorse and dunes. The clubhouse is worthy of a mention, too, as it’s a great place to relax and soak up the panoramic views that stretch off across the southern coastline.