Best golf courses: Guildford

Guildford: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in and around this city. Each golf club has been visited and/or researched by Where2Golf. Click on the course name below to discover more. The course ratings below range from 5 highest, to 2 lowest. They attempt to provide an indication of the golfing experience you might expect at the course (based on its design, condition and surroundings). Hover your cursor above the Rating Key below for the rating definitions.
3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Wkends restrictd
Guildford
Cotton, Pennink & Lawrie

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

After several relocations, the club settled into its current site in the early-1970s, and a course designed by C.K. "Ken" Cotton, Frank Pennink and Charles Lawrie (1974).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Weekdays only
Guildford
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Harry Colt (the full 18-hole course was completed in 1924).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Weekdays only
Guildford
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Harry Colt

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not Saturdays
Guildford
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Original design by Harry Colt; restored by Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert (2018).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
White & Nicholson

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Original 18-hole course designed by the reigning Open Champion and Sunningdale GC professional Jack White (1904). Significant revisions made by Mr R.T. Nicholson (a director of the Club) (1923).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Taylor, J.H.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Laid out as a six-hole course (1886), which was gradually expanded to 18 holes by 1901. Course subsequently redesigned by J.H. Taylor, assisted by Frederick G. "Fred" Hawtree (1925).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

James Braid, with later revisions by Harry Colt.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Taylor, J.H.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

J.H. Taylor

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not Fri & Sat
Guildford
Croome & Simpson

Visitors?

Not Fri & Sat

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Arthur Croome & Tom Simpson

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Alliss & Clark

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Peter Alliss & Clive Clark

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Guildford
Braid, James

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Original design by James Braid (1904). Later revisions by Harry Colt (1913), Tom Simpson (1930) and Donald Steel (2001).

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Wkends restrictd
Guildford
Alliss & Thomas

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Smith, Clive

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Designed by original owner, Clive Smith.

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Not weekends
Guildford
Steel, Donald

Visitors?

Not weekends

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Original nine holes date from 1894. Significant redesign and addition of five new holes (10 thru' 14) by Donald Steel (1980s).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Dunn, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Tom Dunn is thought to be the original designer.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Guildford
Fowler, Herbert

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Guildford

Designer

Herbert Fowler

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Tournaments

Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.

Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.

Recently visited

Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.

The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.

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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Bethpage State Park (New York) host of the Ryder Cup 2025

Hamburger GC - Falkenstein

Golf de Chantilly (Picardie, France)