Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club

Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club

Golf Links Rd, Worlington,

Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 8SD

  • Office

    +44 (0)1638 712 216
  • Pro shop

    +44 (0)1638 715 224
  • Fax

    +44 (0)1638 717 787
  • Golf pro

    Ben Kerr (PGA Head Professional).

About the course

  • The Course:

    9 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.

  • Surroundings:

    Rural countryside and woodland.

  • Designer:

    Original layout by Tom Dunn (1893); later revisions by Harry Colt (1906).

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
3121
2893
2856
Par
35
35
37
SSS or slope
34.9
34.2
36.2

Location

Latitude:

52.331038

Longitude:

0.492174

How to get there:

22 miles NE of Cambridge

6 miles north-east of Newmarket. Take the A14, then A11 direction Thetford. Turn left to Worlington just before the Little Chef / Barton Mills roundabout. Located o.5 miles south-east of Worlington village, near Mildenhall.

Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.

Est. 1893

Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club: located alongside the village of Worlington, this much revered nine-hole layout was once dubbed "The Sacred Nine" by legendary golf writer Bernard Darwin. Often referred to as "Mildenhall", after the now defunct railway station of that name ( ... rather than the nearby town or RAF base), it is often ranked the world's best stand-alone nine-hole golf course.

Laid out on easy-draining sandy soil, the good-width fairways are lined with difficult grassy rough and many well-sited grass-fronted bunkers. Although the opening par-5 1st creates the impression of a rather flat and open layout, several mature trees and some splendid Scots pines lend real character to this engaging course.

The closing par-4 offers a fitting end to your front and back nines (assuming you are going round twice). This short two-shotter doglegs to the right, with OB on one side and a road to cross in front of the green. This is a very pleasing, excellently maintained and deceptively testing layout, which arguably gains greater notoriety as a nine-holer than if it was home to a full 18.

Pick of the holes: many would say the layout's three par-3s are the real show stealers. The long par-3 2nd plays 220 yards to an upturned saucer of a green, while the testing par-3 5th is right up there with the best short holes in the country.

List of courses: England - East
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
  • Photo of Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays; more restricted at weekends. Predominantly a two-ball & foursomes (alternate shot) club; 3 and 4-balls permitted on Thurs pm. Junior visitors (under 18) must play with an adult.

Must book in advance. Handicap required.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes in high season (April thru' Oct): weekdays £120; weekends £140. Note: the visitor GF covers two rounds on the nine-hole course; there is not a nine-hole rate for visitors.

Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2025].

Other information

Players generally walk this course.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

The club's logo simply features a Pink Jug, symbolic of the club's notorious and oft' consumed cocktail drink. The potent concoction, based on a bottle of Moussec with various added spirits, and served in a pink jug (of course), was created in 1934 by club members, John Morrison and James ‘Boxer’ Cannon. As an esteemed “Royal”, the club also uses a more official-looking and traditional logo.

Royal Worlington is the home club of the Cambridge University golf team ("the Light Blues"), a tradition that dates back to when the Club was formed in 1893. The first golfer listed on the Cambridge Captains' Board, which hangs in the clubhouse, is none other than legendary course designer Harry Colt.

Queen Victoria conferred the Royal prefix on Worlington & Newmarket GC in 1895. By royal prerogative, 19 English golf clubs use the "Royal" title, namely: Ascot, Ashdown Forest, Birkdale, Blackheath, Cinque Ports, Cromer, Eastbourne, Epping Forest, Household (Windsor Castle), Liverpool (Hoylake), Lytham & St Annes, Mid-Surrey, North Devon (Westward Ho!), Norwich, St George's, West Norfolk (Brancaster), Wimbledon, Winchester, Worlington & Newmarket.

Published ranking

England's 39th best course (Golf World, 2024).
Britain & Ireland's 104th best course (Golf World, 2025).

Where2Stay

  • Riverside Hotel3-star

    Mill Street, Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 7DP

    +44 (0)1638 717 274

    Visit website
    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Royal Worlington & Newmarket

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      No

Find a course

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Tournaments

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).

Who's Who

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 GC, The Netherlands

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.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

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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