Foxhills Golf Club - Bernard Hunt Course Feature Review

Review by Golfshake Ambassador Matt Holbrook

Set just a short distance in Surrey from Heathrow Airport, the luxurious resort of Foxhills is the home of two championship standard designs in the shape of the Bernard Hunt & Longcross Golf Courses. There is also an additional 9-hole par 3 course available.

As well as the three golf courses, the 400 acre site is home to 70 guest rooms in additions to numerous eating options, spa, gym, tennis and much more, meaning that if you are looking for an all round destination option for a variety of interests you should be able to tick every box here.

The courses are laid out in the dense woodland area and sculptured using the natural landscape capturing both parkland views with heathland features, but for this review, I played the Bernard Hunt, named after the Ryder Cup legend.

Pre-Round Thoughts

After receiving a warm welcome in the well-stocked professional shop, we were pointed in the direction of the starters hut next to the 1st tee. After having a quick swing in the net and few chips and putt, we met the starter Alistair who gave us an excellent run down of the course, a few changes that had recently been made and some general tips and hints.

He tells us that the Bernard Hunt is slightly wider than the sister course but still a test not to be taken lightly as going off-line will be punished and the hazards and layout of the holes are still extremely challenging.

Front 9 Overview

The 1st and 2nd holes really set the tone for what is to be tricky round of golf. Not crazy in length (374 and 351 yards respectively from the white tee) but hitting driver might not feel like the best option. Both holes move slightly from left to right and play uphill into small greens that are both well protected. The dense trees either side of the fairway help shape the holes nicely too.

The first of the par 5s comes at the 3rd and doesn't post too much danger, but the second of the long holes, the 5th, does. Sloping away from the tee and from right to left anything that starts to fade will be met by the well-positioned fairway bunker. Big hitters will need to also keep one eye on the pond which splits the fairway at around 270 yards.

The second shot plays uphill to the green which will be blind on approach - over the water in most cases - and when you do finally get up to the putting surface you would have come to realise that a 5 is an excellent score.

The 6th is visually stunning from the tee as the hole falls away and back up the green and the 7th is another extremely difficult par 5 that might not be an option for even the longer hitters.

The front is finished with a fun uphill par 4 where an iron from the tee is recommended.

Back 9 Overview

After a quick stop in the halfway hut, the 10th plays downhill to a tight landing area that falls from right to left. Once again, the bunker is ideally placed to catch anything that goes too far right, and the approach shot plays into a super narrow green that is tough to find.

The par 5 12th plays downhill slightly and is a good scoring opportunity should you find the fairway from the tee, a theme that is carried over to the 350 yard par 4 13th - with just the single fairway bunker to avoid, an iron tee shot is the best option to ensure getting on in two.

The finish here is of great quality too.

The 17th might play slightly easier off the tee but the green sits above the fairway so club choice is crucial in avoiding the two deep bunkers front and right.

The 18th does give you a false sense of generosity from the tee, the fairway is fairly wide and no fairways bunkers to contend with, but the toughness is the length.

At 445 yards from the white tee your second shot will still be of some difficulty into the large double green which is also shared with the 18th on the Longcross.

Post-Round Thoughts

The Bernard Hunt is a fantastic course. For those that are straight off the tee you could well put a score together, but you do need to be sharp in all aspects of your game.

The condition is superb, from manicured tee boxes to pure lush greens. You will struggle to find anything wrong with the condition, as you would expect for such a high-quality venue, one that will be super playable all year round which is always a plus to any course.

Whilst players of a higher handicap may struggle with the difficulty of the course it shouldn't deter them from a really enjoyable round of golf on a fantastic course.

Verdict

The experience at Foxhills is superb. The Bernard Hunt is a great course, in perfect condition and a true test of golf. I can see why it rates as Highly Recommended on Golfshake.

Overall Rating - 9

Course (Conditions) - 9

Course (Hole Variety/Layout) - 9

Course (Green Condition) - 10

Course (Challenge/Difficulty) - 9

Club Facilities & 19th/Clubhouse - 9

Practice Facilities - 8

Friendliness/Hospitality - 9

Pace of Play - 9

Value for Money - 8