Stapleford Park Country House Hotel & Sporting Estate Est. 2001

Few Stay&Play locations in Britain and Ireland match the tranquillity, comfort and service provided at Stapleford Park. Here is a sporting estate that sits easily alongside the likes of Loch Lomond, Skibo Castle and Mount Juliet. The stately home, around which the golf course journeys, is quite superb, full of history and not encumbered by any modern extensions or annexes. Donald Steel's well crafted course provides an enjoyable and testing outing for golfers of all abilities. The opening holes occupy the flattest terrain in this expansive area of predominantly open parkland. On a roaming, U-shaped out and back layout, the outward front-nine holes are often flanked by an inward back-nine hole, with plenty of space (and long uncompromising grassy rough) between the two. Quiet, rolling, rural countryside and water meadows like Constable paintings surround the course, while several holes are crossed at various points by the meandering River Eye. Stout, centuries old oaks break up the gently undulating, open landscape, and occasionally become integral to the play of the hole, as at the dog-legging par-5 15th. The only dwellings you'll see are the clubhouse and the stately home, which feature at the beginning and end of your round. Holes like the short par-4 8th and downhill par-4 10th require precise course management, while many others allow you to give full vent to your driver as you take aim at the generally good-width fairways. A classic English countryside/parkland course set in a beautiful and peaceful country estate.