Princely courses with aristocratic links
Correspondent • Published 25 Aug 2011 09:30
Standing on a links course with the wind blowing you off your feet and the whipping rain chilling you to the bone is golfing heaven…to a deranged masochist.
Why would we take that gruelling trip to the coast when Berkshire and Surrey are renowned as God's own golfing country?
And although Surrey has 11 courses in the Golf World Top 100 to the Royal County's five, Berkshire hosts every challenge a golfer could wish for.
From the 627-yard par five fifth hole at the otherwise friendly West Berkshire club in Chaddleworth (thewbgc.co.uk) to the famous first four holes at Goring and Streatley which climb 300ft to the heights of the fifth tee. Of course, all that climbing is rewarded with relaxing downhill finishing holes. Great value at £34 a round or £50 for a day (goringgolf.co.uk).
Few courses are more picturesque than Reading Golf Club at Emmer Green which has a hard-won reputation for wonderful greens. Fees for 18 holes are £40 mid-week but for just £25 you can play after 4pm at weekends (readinggolfclub.com).
Down the road you can steep yourself in tradition at Sonning golf club designed by the greatest of all course architects Harry S Colt whose philosophy was: "God builds the par threes, I link them together with par fours and fives." The Almighty was having a good day when he devised the 175-yard par three sixth at Sonning, an avenue of trees and four deep bunkers making a three some achievement (sonning-golf-glub.co.uk).
Wentworth designer Colt was also busy at the eastern end of the county building Sunningdale New Course in the 1920s and the exclusive Swinley Forest where visitors must be invited by a member. Sunningdale costs £195 to play the old, £160 the New or both for £270 (sunningdale-golfclub.co.uk).
Another aristocrat of the golf world is The Berkshire. Two world-class courses and although 18 holes is pricey at £120 the £150 deal for 36 is worth every penny. (Put it on your birthday list - theberkshire.co.uk.)
Of course, bargain golf is available across the county. The Downshire in Bracknell is £20.70 for a weekday round (Bracknell-forest.gov.uk/leisure) and at Bird Hills it is £23 (birdhills.co.uk).
More exclusive than even Swinley is the course in the private grounds of Windsor Castle which was built by Henry Cotton for King Edward VIII when he was Prince of Wales in the 1930s. It is now used by members of the Royal Household - and Prince Andrew.
But you can get a similar experience on the Home Park side at Datchet Golf Club. Similar imposing views of the Castle, the Thames rolling alongside, this charming nine-hole course - different tees the second time round to create an 18-hole experience - is one of Berkshire's hidden gems. A must visit at just £25 for 18 holes (datchetgolfclub.co.uk).
So much brilliant golf and we haven't mentioned Temple, Maidenhead, East Berks, Royal Ascot, Newbury & Crookham, Winter Hill, Bearwood Lakes and so many more…
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 01 Aug 11
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