Best golf courses: England - South

England - South: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in this country or region. 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 for the rating definitions.
3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Bournemouth
Stutt, J. Hamilton

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

J. Hamilton Stutt

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.
Visitors welcome
Bath / Bristol
Thomas, Dave

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bath / Bristol

Designer

Dave Thomas

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Bournemouth
Dunn & Colt

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

Original layout by Tom Dunn (at the time Dunn was the Professional at nearby Meyrick Park GC). Dunn's layout was redesigned by Harry Colt (1914). Colt's new holes (from 5 to 16) transformed the course from a predominantly parkland layout into an entirely heathland course.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Southampton
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

Harry Colt

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkdays & Sun pm
Reading
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Wkdays & Sun pm

Nearest city

Reading

Designer

English course architect Harry Colt

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Bournemouth
Dunn, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

Original 9-holes designed by Tom Dunn, and known as Dorchester Golf Club. Extension to 18-holes by J.H. Taylor, later modifications by Harry Colt (1927).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Bath / Bristol
Stiff, Adrian

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bath / Bristol

Designer

Adrian Stiff

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Bournemouth
Hawtree, Martin

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

Martin Hawtree

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not Saturdays
Bournemouth
Hilton, Harold

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

Harold Hilton

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Reading
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Reading

Designer

Old Tom Morris

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

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

Original holes laid out by Tom Dunn, with subsequent changes by Harry Colt (1919) and J.H. Taylor (1927). Significant modifications made by Tom Simpson (1932, 1946).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Southampton
Hawtree & Taylor

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

Fred Hawtree & J.H.Taylor

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Southampton
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

James Braid designed the current layout (1920).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Bournemouth
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

Harry Colt

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Societies welcome
Southampton
Colt & Steel

Visitors?

Societies welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

The nine holes of Leckford's Old course were laid out by Harry Colt (1929). The nine holes of the New course were designed by Donald Steel (1989).

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

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Bath / Bristol
Alliss & Clark

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bath / Bristol

Designer

Peter Alliss & Clive Clark

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Southampton
Hamilton Stutt, J.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

J. Hamilton Stutt

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Weekdays only
Reading
Turner, John H.

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Reading

Designer

John H. Turner

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

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Weekdays only
Bournemouth
Braid, James

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

Original design by Willie Park Jr (1910); substantially redesigned by James Braid (1937).

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Reading
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Reading

Designer

Original course designed by James Braid (1910) and modified by Harry Colt (1913). Current layout mainly designed by Scottish course architect Philip Mackenzie Ross (1930s).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Bournemouth
Jacobs, John

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Bournemouth

Designer

John Jacobs

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Weekdays only
Southampton
Taylor, J.H.

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

John Henry "J.H." Taylor.

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Southampton
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

James Braid

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Southampton
Thomas & Alliss

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

Dave Thomas, Peter Alliss & Clive Clarke

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Mon, Tues & Thur
Southampton
Park Jr, Willie

Visitors?

Mon, Tues & Thur

Nearest city

Southampton

Designer

Willie Park Jr.

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Wkends restrictd
Reading
Stagg, Robin

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Reading

Designer

Robin Stagg

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Tournaments

Tournament of Champions: the PGA Tour’s calendar-year starts, as it has done since 1999, with this iconic event in Hawaii. The field is drawn from players who won a PGA Tour event in 2022, or were amongst the top 30 in last year’s FedEx Cup final standings (Jan 6-9).

Desert Swing: the European (DP World) Tour launches into 2023 with three events in its UAE “Desert Swing”. Up first is the Abu Dhabi Championship (Jan 19-22), followed by the Dubai Desert Classic (Jan 26-29) and the Ras Al Kaimah Championship (Feb 2-5).

Who's Who

Kathy Whitworth: the end of 2022 saw the passing of LPGA Tour legend Kathy Whitworth. Her 88 LPGA Tour victories is more than achieved by any other golfer on either the LPGA or PGA Tours. Amongst her victories were six major championship titles.

Barry Lane: the golfing world was also saddened by the passing of Barry Lane, one of the European Tour and European Senior Tours most popular players. Enjoying success on both Tours, Lane was know for his excellent ball-striking and amiable personality.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Costa Cruise & Golf

Costa’s "Cruise & Golf" allows golfers and their families to combine a unique golfing experience with the relaxation and fun of a cruise on board Costa Smeralda. Golf enthusiasts are offered a choice from 23 top-quality golf clubs; their chosen courses are played during the ship’s port calls in Italy, France and Spain. While the golfers are driving the fairways, accompanying non-golfers are able to enjoy the amenities and activities on-board, or explore wonderful places on day excursions organised by Costa. Read more ...

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