Guildford Rd,
Effingham, Surrey KT24 5PZ
Office
+44 (0)1372 452 203Pro shop
+44 (0)1372 452 203Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
James Gunning (Golf Professional, PGA of New Zealand).The Course:
18 holes. Tree-lined & open downland. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Woodland and open rural countryside.
Designer:
Original design by Harry Colt; restored by Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert (2018).
51.266969
-0.398911
o.3 mi S of Effingham / 7.5 mi E of Guildford.
From the double mini-roundabout at the north end of Effingham, head south past the Sir Douglas Haig pub (on your left). After o.3 mi turn right at traffic lights onto the A246. After 200 yds, golf is on your left.
Effingham
Effingham Golf Club: sitting high atop the North Downs with breathtaking views of the London skyline, Effingham is a traditional members golf club. It boasts a Harry Colt designed course, recently upgraded by Tom Mackenzie of leading golf architects Mackenzie & Ebert.
Laid out on a chalky subsoil the course is regarded as one of the best draining inland courses in the South East of England, ensuring excellent year round golf. The layout takes you on an enjoyable journey of two nine-hole loops. The front-nine wraps around two good-sized fields, while the stronger back-nine also heads out and back from the resplendent Georgian mansion clubhouse, standing alongside which is a centuries old cedar tree ( ... an obvious choice for the club logo). On each nine, the better holes seem to come on the inward stretch.
Effingham's generous landing areas give you plenty of room to work the ball, much needed when the wind blows across the downland. The good-width fairways also come in useful for those hard summer bounces, and for occasional blind or semi-blind tee-shots, required on a few of the uphill holes. Small copses of trees and Tom Mackenzie's recent bunker work combine to break-up the innate openness of the undulating terrain. Alongside the par-4 9th tee there's the chance to "recharge your batteries" at an excellently stocked halfway house.
Pick of the holes: from the par-3 13th green you'll get the best view of the City of London skyline. Wembley stadium and the faraway Chiltern Hills (north and west of London), feature on other holes. We most enjoyed the long par-4 15th, played downhill from an elevated tee with Tom Mackenzie's reworked bunkering much in evidence. The hangars and terminal buildings of Heathrow provide the distant backdrop to this hole.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and Sundays; no outside visitors on Saturdays.
Advance booking not required; worth checking ahead to ensure tee-time availability. Maximum handicap: men 28, women 36.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire (if pre-booked one week in advance).
Good
The affluent Surrey village of Effingham was for many years home to the famous British scientist and engineer Sir Barnes Wallis. He is perhaps best known for inventing the "bouncing bomb", which was used to deadly effect in May 1943 during the Second World War. The bombs, daringly delivered by the the RAF's 617 Squadron, breached the Eder and Mohne dams, causing catastrophic flooding in Germany's Ruhr Valley. Much of the development work for the bombs took place in a testing tank that was housed in a building that stands alongside the clubhouse of nearby Burhill Golf Club.
England's 97th best course (Golf World, 2024).
Women’s (British) Open: the last women’s major championship of the season is hosted by Royal Porthcawl GC. It’s the first time this fabulous seaside links course has hosted the event (July 31-Aug 3).
Walker Cup: the 50th playing of this prestigious men’s amateur event sees the GB&I go head-to-head against the defending USA team at Cypress Point Club, California (Sept 6-7). After that, all eyes turn to Bethpage State Park on Long Island, NY, where the American and defending European professional teams engage in the 45th Ryder Cup (Sept 27-29).
Lottie Woad: 21-year-old Woad burst onto the professional scene in July, with wins in the Women’s Irish Open (as an amateur) and three weeks later in the Women’s Scottish Open (as a professional). She nearly picked-up a major championship, placing third in The Evian in the same month.
Pádraig Harrington: the ever-likeable Irishman added the (British) Senior Open Championship title to his stellar array of tournament successes. His win came on Sunningdale’s spectacular Old Course. Harrington had already bagged the U.S. Senior Open title in June this year.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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