Golf in Surrey, Berkshire & Hampshire

South west of London lies the greatest concentration of heathland golf in the world. Heather, pine and silver birch frame fairways laid out more than a century ago by legendary architects including Harry Colt, Willie Park Jr. and Herbert Fowler.

Better still, most of these courses are within 30 to 45 minutes of Heathrow, so you can land in the morning and be on the first tee by lunchtime.

Top 10 must-play courses

• Sunningdale Golf Club: Two of the world’s great heathland courses, the Old and the New.
• Walton Heath Golf Club: Wide open heathland that hosted the AIG Women’s Open in 2023.
• Swinley Forest Golf Club: Harry Colt’s understated masterpiece in the Berkshire pines.
• The Berkshire Golf Club: The Red and Blue courses, both designed by Herbert Fowler.
• Woking Golf Club: One of the founding courses of strategic golf design, and the first of the Surrey “Three Ws”.
• St George’s Hill Golf Club: Dramatic Colt heathland among the pines and rhododendrons.
• Hankley Common Golf Club: Wild, sandy heathland that feels close to links golf.
• Liphook Golf Club: Arthur Croome’s heathland classic on the Hampshire and Surrey border.
• West Hill Golf Club: Tight, tree-lined heathland next door to Woking and Worplesdon.
• New Zealand Golf Club: Secluded heathland near Woking, shaped by Samuel Mure Fergusson.

The top 10 at a glance

Getting there

Heathrow is on the doorstep and Gatwick is close to the Surrey courses. Southampton serves the Hampshire coast and the New Forest. Many visitors base themselves in one hotel and play a different classic every day.

Where to stay

Fairmont Windsor Park and Coworth Park are minutes from Sunningdale and Wentworth country. In Surrey, choose from Foxhills, Brooklands or Donnington & Co, and in Hampshire Old Thorns has golf on site.

When to go

Heathland drains superbly, so these courses play well for most of the year. Late summer is special, when the heather turns purple in August and September.