The UK Golf Courses You Have to Play in Winter

By: Kieran Clark | Thu 05 Dec 2024

If you are looking for ideal courses to play during the winter months, you will likely be searching for those places that remain in superb condition, retain something resembling a full layout, and offer some excellent deals.

Having recently shared The Best Golf Courses to Play in Winter, we have returned to the thousands of reviews in the Golfshake Course Section to uncover some more gems that come recommended for this time of year.

Featuring several of the finest layouts in the UK alongside lesser-known jewels that you may not have considered before, take a glance below and discover golf courses that you have to play this winter and beyond!

Cleeve Hill Golf Club

Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.24

2024 Winter Rating: 4.55

Review Comment: "First time for me at Cleeve Hill. I couldn't believe that it faced closure just a few years ago. Old Tom's layout stands the test of time in all weathers - yes, we had all four seasons during our round. Wonderful elevated tees and few bushes and trees offer the novel experience, for me, of being able to find your ball fairly easily. We finished in glorious sunshine elated but exhausted!"

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club

Royal Cinque Ports

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Location: Deal, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.96

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Superb traditional out and in links. Fantastic staff, welcoming environment in the clubhouse, course in immaculate condition and extensive practice facilities. Their new putting green must be one of the largest in the country and is excellent."

North Berwick Golf Club

North Berwick

Location: North Berwick, East Lothian

Golfshake Rating: 4.95

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Golfing heaven. An amazing experience if you ever have the chance and privilege to play. Legendary course that is on everyone's bucket list and it does not disappoint."

Hankley Common Golf Club

Hankley Common

Location: Farnham, Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.94

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Spacious, in great condition, great variety of holes. It's just a beautiful place to play golf and also very welcoming."

Dunbar Golf Club

Location: Dunbar, East Lothian

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Good hospitality alongside challenging but fair links course with amazing scenery alongside the sea - a true links experience."

Burnham & Berrow Golf Club

Burnham & Berrow

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Location: Burnham on Sea, Somerset

Golfshake Rating: 4.92

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Unbelievable course in great condition. Not for the faint hearted but will walk off with a smile no matter what your score."

Gullane Golf Club

Gullane

Location: Gullane, East Lothian

Golfshake Rating: 4.92

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Simply brilliant. Keep coming back here and I never get bored. It's a lovely course, views are amazing and the greens are sublime!"

Brancepeth Castle Golf Club

Location: Durham, County Durham

Golfshake Rating: 4.59

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "This is a great golf course with plenty of challenging holes and beautiful scenery throughout the round. The course is in fantastic condition and is well maintained, with great hospitality and use of the land and environment. Highly recommend this course for any golfer looking for a challenge."

Greetham Valley

Location: Oakham, Leicestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.55

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "I highly recommend Greetham Valley. It's good value and easy to get to. Two good, interesting golf courses. A lot of fun. Good food. Good service. Good rooms and practice facilities."

Appleby Golf Club

Location: Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria

Golfshake Rating: 4.52

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Great moorland course with excellent greens. Plenty of sheep to watch and some good signature holes."

Addington Palace Golf Club

Addington Palace

Location: Addington, Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.51

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Great condition for the time of the year. The greens ran true, fairways and tee boxes in great shape too. Well done Addington Palace GC, it's the second time I've played here and would love to come back again."

North Foreland Golf Club

North Foreland

Location: Broadstairs, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.45

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Good links style course in great condition. Greens in excellent condition that allows true putting. Friendly staff and course marshall."

Pyecombe Golf Club

Location: Brighton, West Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.39

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "This is one of the best courses in East Sussex. The course is well laid out and the greens are excellent, very fast."

Tyrrells Wood Golf Club

Location: Leatherhead, Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.31

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "An unusual course spread across two areas where you cross a local road three times. Quite hilly and also quite long. The winter condition of the course was good."

Dunstable Downs Golf Club

Location: Dunstable, Bedfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.30

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Great course. A very friendly club with a course in great condition for winter play given on chalk. The views over the downs are stunning."

Double Tree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

Forest Pines

Location: Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.29

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Thanks to the green staff for keeping us playing golf all winter. Sometimes the only course open in Lincolnshire and never a winter green in sight."

The Players Club

Location: Bristol, Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.25

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "We were well looked after and the course was in good condition, providing a true test and a course that needs to be plotted round rather than just opening the shoulders. Food was good and greens were great."

Stockwood Vale Golf Club

Location: Bristol, Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.24

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Course in excellent condition with fast greens. Lots of interesting and challenging holes. Very good food."

Goswick Links Golf Club

Location: Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland

Golfshake Rating: 4.23

2024 Winter Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Amazing links. Links golf at its best. The wind was wild and make scoring extremely challenging. Would highly recommend."

Horsley Lodge Golf Club

Location: Derby, Derbyshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.53

2024 Winter Rating: 4.44

Review Comment: "Lovely setting, course was in great condition, but as always is very testing. The back four holes are very difficult and it is easy to drop shots. Mid round my driving went askew!"

The Oxfordshire Golf, Hotel & Spa

The Oxfordshire

Location: Thame, Oxfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.37

2024 Winter Rating: 4.44

Review Comment: "I had a great time playing at the Oxfordshire. The course was in great condition with new bunkers and water hazards. The layout was well done and the course not too busy. The greens were in good condition and the course was very picturesque. Well worth playing!"

Royal Dornoch Golf Club

Royal Dornoch

Location: Dornoch, Highlands

Golfshake Rating: 4.90

2024 Winter Rating: 4.43

Review Comment: "The par 3s are some of the best I've ever played. The design of the course offers a great challenge, while also being enjoyable to play. The natural links style of the course add to the beauty of the course. Overall, the quality of this course is outstanding with amazing scenery."

Kirtlington Golf Club

Location: Kirtlington, Oxfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.29

2024 Winter Rating: 4.43

Review Comment: "Well maintained in difficult winter conditions, with large undulating greens."

Badgemore Park

Location: Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.26

2024 Winter Rating: 4.43

Review Comment: "This course is well-kept and has a great layout. The practice facilities are top-notch, and the greens and fairways are in great condition. The staff is friendly and helpful. Overall, this is a great place to play golf."

St Mellion

Location: Saltash, Cornwall

Golfshake Rating: 4.57

2024 Winter Rating: 4.42

Review Comment: "If you like a challenge in beautiful surroundings then you won't be disappointed if you go to St Mellion. Both courses are superb."

Ramsdale Park Golf Centre

Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.41

2024 Winter Rating: 4.42

Review Comment: "Excellent, great course in great condition, greens quick and true. Hospitality great, very, very impessed with the set up."

Moortown Golf Club

Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.90

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Good course. Despite being very wet all winter, course in great conditon and everyone really helpful. Would go back again!"

Royal St George's Golf Club

Royal St George's

Location: Sandwich, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.88

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "The turf is excellent to strike balls from, even in winter. Greens were pure and rolled fast and true. The fescue was cut back a lot this time of year which means it played much easier for us than it would in the summer with less ball searches required, so an acceptable pace of play too."

Hayling Golf Club

Location: Hayling Island, Hampshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.61

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky links course. It was a great change of pace from my usual parkland courses. The greens were fantastic, and I loved the variety of holes and the difficulty level."

Frilford Heath Golf Club

Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.56

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Stunning course, in amazing condition, the weather made it a perfect day. Very friendly and helpful staff, always a pleasure to visit and play."

Troon Lochgreen Golf Club

Location: Troon, Ayrshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.44

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "A fantastic golf course with lots of variety of holes to suit any level of golfer and have always found it challenging but fair. The greens and fairways are always in great condition any time of the year. If you have a chance of playing this course do not miss it."

Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club

Location: Felixstowe, Suffolk

Golfshake Rating: 4.39

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Great course, especially the last six holes, true links, a real challenge. Friendly atmosphere, highly recommend."

The Moffat Golf Club

Location: Dumfriesshire, Dumfries & Galloway

Golfshake Rating: 4.37

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Outstanding. An excellent course, well set out and well maintained. Tough in places and generous in others, a good mix of holes. Fairways, greens and tee boxes are immaculate."

Swaffham Golf Club

Location: Swaffham, Norfolk

Golfshake Rating: 4.33

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Superb course in excellent condition. Lovely setting. Thoroughly recommend."

Three Locks Golf Club

Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.24

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Enjoyable day. Playing speed was excellent, course in good condition. Greens were unexpectedly quick for the time of year."

Seaton Carew Golf Club

Location: Hartlepool, County Durham

Golfshake Rating: 4.22

2024 Winter Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "I love playing golf at this course because it's such a great challenge. The layout is excellent and the greens are in great condition. It's my home course so I may be biased, but I really think we have the best greens around."

Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Club

Stoneleigh Deer Park

Location: Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.11

2024 Winter Rating: 4.39

Review Comment: "Course in good condition for this time of the year. It was a little wet and the tees were out of action but a very good replacement tee was provided next to the original tee to play from. Lovely course as always with lots of challenging holes."

Prestatyn Golf Club

Prestatyn

Location: Prestatyn, Clwyd

Golfshake Rating: 4.43

2024 Winter Rating: 4.38

Review Comment: "Great place to play no matter what the weather. Course was in good condition for the time of year. Bar and food was good. Would play again, enjoyable round."

Corhampton Golf Club

Location: Southampton, Hampshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.39

2024 Winter Rating: 4.38

Review Comment: "Course great, greens fantastic, clubhouse stylish, food excellent."

College Pines Golf Club

Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.36

2024 Winter Rating: 4.37

Review Comment: "Played here today and not so much as a mud patch anywhere, full tees and greens. It's that dry most ball washers were water free zones! Seriously good for the time of year and unsurprisingly busy as a lot of people travel to play. Paired up today with a couple of gents, which made the round more enjoyable and played well below handicap - most enjoyable."

Wallasey Golf Club

Location: Wallasey, Merseyside

Golfshake Rating: 4.75

2024 Winter Rating: 4.36

Review Comment: "Wonderfully presented and a credit to the green staff. The walkways from green to tee are the best I’ve ever come across. Fairways and greens were top notch. Definitely need to club up on the shorter par 4s with elevated greens. Can’t think of a better conditioned course that I’ve played. Absolute treat."

The Warwickshire Golf Club

The Warwickshire

Location: Warwick, Warwickshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.43

2024 Winter Rating: 4.36

Review Comment: "A really lovely mature course. Although wet underfoot, it played really well. Superb challenge."

Bungay & Waveney Valley Golf Club

Location: Bungay, Suffolk

Golfshake Rating: 4.38

2024 Winter Rating: 4.36

Review Comment: "Excellent time, very friendly staff, immaculate condition. Decent net and putting/chipping green. Course was varied and different on every hole, would highly recommend."

Sudbrook Moor Golf Club

Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.32

2024 Winter Rating: 4.36

Review Comment: "Very impressive, small 9/18 hole course. Despite poor February weather and other local courses being closed, Sudbrook Moor was open with no temporary greens and was in great condition. Friendly and welcoming staff. I would definitely recommend to other golfers."

Upavon Golf Club

Location: Pewsey, Wiltshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.28

2024 Winter Rating: 4.36

Review Comment: "Good, challenging course, lots of variety and good quality upkeep. Fab views over the Vale of Pewsey."

Painswick Golf Club

Painswick

Location: Painswick, Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.16

2024 Winter Rating: 4.36

Review Comment: "After a number of days of unrelenting rain, a fine day was forecast. Out we go and we found a perfect course with fairways running well and greens to match the best."

Leasowe Golf Club

Location: Wirral, Merseyside

Golfshake Rating: 4.07

2024 Winter Rating: 4.35

Review Comment: "This was a very nice links course with good facilities and very nice kept greens, the group had a great day out."

Westerham Golf Club

Location: Westerham, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.06

2024 Winter Rating: 4.35

Review Comment: "It was a wet and cold day but the course was open and in pretty good condition. The greens were good and most fairways fine and not muddy. I lost two balls in the fallen leaves but that is winter for you. Clubhouse warm and welcoming and nice staff. A good challenge for all levels."

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Royal Porthcawl

Location: Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

2024 Winter Rating: 4.33

Review Comment: "The location and condition of this course are outstanding. The sea views are superb, the fairways and bunkers are awesome. It's a true links course and very welcoming."

West Hill Golf Club

Location: Woking, Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.91

2024 Winter Rating: 4.33

Review Comment: "The condition of the fairways and greens were superb, and the overall course design was great. The winter rate was also very reasonable. The greens were immaculate, visually excellent and very challenging."

Muirfield

Location: Gullane, East Lothian

Golfshake Rating: 4.86

2024 Winter Rating: 4.33

Review Comment: "It is the complete package. The setting, the welcome received, to the facilities, the course and a meal afterwards in the clubhouse and a drink on the terrace. Pure class and a chance to play where greats of the game have played."