The Winter Golf Courses You Need to Play

When it's cold and damp, it can be hard to fully grasp the motivation to play golf, but discovering memorable courses to play is one step to correcting that. 

Recently, we have been unveiling our winter series of course features, all of which have been drawn from reviews submitted by the Golfshake Community into our Course Section, which gains thousands of valuable new ratings each year.

You can see our previous articles here: 

• The Golf Courses You SHOULD Play This Winter
• Bargain Golf Courses You Must Play This Winter
• The Golf Courses You MUST Play This Winter
• Great Value Golf Courses to Play This Winter

However, now is the time for one more, helping you to banish those seasonal blues. We reveal The Winter Golf Courses You Need to Play, all of which come Highly Recommended by golfers!

Remedy Oak Golf Club

Region: South West of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.99

Winter Golf Rating: 4.71

Review Comment: "Excellent condition, beautiful setting, interesting and exciting layout, a great collection of par 5 holes."

Sandiway Golf Club

Region: North of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.92

Winter Golf Rating: 4.71

Review Comment: "The contours, shaping and elevation changes are stunning. Course is always immaculately presented. It drains like a links course and is hardly ever shut."

Galgorm Castle Golf Club

Region: Northern Ireland

Golfshake Rating: 4.66

Winter Golf Rating: 4.71

Review Comment: "Excellent course, well worth playing. Greens and fairways in great condition, a good challenge for all levels of golfer. Recommend that you play it at least once."

Worcestershire Golf Club

Region: West Midlands

Golfshake Rating: 4.61

Winter Golf Rating: 4.71

Review Comment: "Situated at the foot of the Malvern Hills, this course is a delight. Considering the time of year, it was in excellent condition, especially the greens."

Alwoodley Golf Club

Region: North of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.52

Winter Golf Rating: 4.71 

Review Comment: "A brilliant course, MacKenzie's finest work in tip top condition with excellent greens, really recommended."

Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort

Region: South of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.74

Winter Golf Rating: 4.70

Review Comment: "Stunning track in excellent condition. Good test of golf. Greens very true. Had food afterwards and it was top notch."

Hartlepool Golf Club

Region: North of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.63

Winter Golf Rating: 4.70

Review Comment: "Great for winter golf. Perfect to play when other clubs suffer from drainage problems."

Royal Dornoch Golf Club

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.40

Winter Golf Rating: 4.70 

Review Comment: "Classic traditional links course, which merits its high ranking as one of the best in the UK. Great layout and variation of holes, which test every aspect of your game - especially in the wind! Course setting is impressive, and staff gave us a friendly welcome."

The Point at Polzeath

Region: South West of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.08

Winter Golf Rating: 4.70

Review Comment: "An absolute delight. A real gem of a course in superb condition from start to finish. It's a deceptively longer playing course than the yardage suggests with plenty of interest to keep you honest."

Crail Golfing Society

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.61

Winter Golf Rating: 4.69 

Review Comment: "The best course I have played to date. Stunning setting, beautiful course and challenging wind. It was a picture postcard and a privilege to play."

Gullane Golf Club

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.83

Winter Golf Rating: 4.68 

Review Comment: "The ultimate in golfing enjoyment with three courses of pure Scottish links enjoyment. No. 3 is the shorter but no less of a challenge for its length. Excellent value, excellent facilities and clubhouse and a very warm welcome to boot too."

Woburn Golf Club

Region: South of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.89

Winter Golf Rating: 4.68

Review Comment: "Excellent course in amazing condition and would definitely play again. Great facilities and clubhouse."

Hadley Wood Golf Club

Region: East of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.47

Winter Golf Rating: 4.68

Review Comment: "Beautiful course, each hole was unique. It was in fantastic condition and the greens were amazing. Very quick and undulating. Love the day and will be back, even though a pretty hefty price tag."

London Golf Club

Region: South East of England

Golfshake Rating: 5.00

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "Course in absolutely superb condition and greens as good as you are ever going to get."

The Grove

Region: East of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.83

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "The greens are true, fairways are in good condition and the rough is tough. Good course."

Rowlands Castle Golf Club

Region: South of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.80

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "Really enjoyed this course, forgiving at times and challenging enough on other holes. Course in fantastic condition with greens running very true."

Little Aston Golf Club

Region: West Midlands

Golfshake Rating: 4.65

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "Heard a lot about this course and it didn't disappoint as it's a great challenge of golf in a splendid traditional location."

Hunstanton Golf Club

Region: East of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.58

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "This course is an absolute gem, it was in tip top condition with outstanding greens and the layout is first class."

Irvine Golf Club

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.68

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "I was advised to play Irvine Bogside by a friend and now he is my best friend. What a course, a real challenge but fair also. The condition of all parts of the course were excellent and I will be back as soon as I can find a way to get back on."

Peterculter Golf Club

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.55

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "Yet again the course is in fantastic condition, over the last two seasons the course has only improved and is probably one of the best courses in the North East of Scotland."

Chipping Sodbury Golf Club

Region: West Midlands

Golfshake Rating: 4.51

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "Fabulous course in immaculate condition. First time of playing but was extremely impressed with the course, many challenging holes, bunkers, etc. Greens very fast and true. Very pretty. Clubhouse very friendly and they produced a great breakfast. Pace of play excellent."

Blankney Golf Club

Region: East Midlands

Golfshake Rating: 4.50

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "A very well maintained and challenging golf course. Very friendly staff and great practice area, including driving range, large practice green and pitching areas. Would highly recommend a visit to this wonderful course in the heart of Lincolnshire."

Murcar Links

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.96

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "Was the best experience I had up near Aberdeen! Will go back again as course was in great condition."

Elgin Golf Club

Region: Scotland

Golfshake Rating: 4.61

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "Thoroughly enjoy playing Elgin every time. Greens are always in great condition. Fabulous mix of holes. Certainly tests the long game."

Rochford Hundred Golf Club

Region: East of England

Golfshake Rating: 4.53

Winter Golf Rating: 4.67 

Review Comment: "Without doubt one of the prettiest courses I've ever played. Very well maintained, the greens are quick and true. The fairways are narrow and the rough can be punishing. But I can't wait to go back and play it again."

So, there you have it, the final entry of our winter golf course series. If you're looking for inspiration to venture out into the crisp air, then wrap up and find it by experiencing one of these magnificent venues!