50 English Golf Courses You Must Play in 2025

The days have grown longer, the sun is shining, and the season is near, meaning that there are many reasons to feel joyful if you're a golfer!

We're in the mood to find new courses to play during the coming year, and we have studied the Golfshake Course Section to uncover more layouts that are recommended by other golfers.

Each of these venues throughout England has a minimum overall rating of 4.00 and a high average rating from 2024, making them superb options to consider.

You'll see some resort courses, public layouts, and private clubs that go under the radar, making them ideal for affordable rounds of golf to experience this year.

If you're currently putting together a golfing calendar for 2025 - why not plan some dates at these places?!

Ifield Golf Club

Location: Crawley, West Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.02

Average 2024 Rating: 4.22

Review Comment: "The whole course is in great condition and the greens are amazing. They do a fantastic sausage roll as well."

Aldwickbury Park Golf Club

Location: Harpenden, Hertfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.29

Average 2024 Rating: 4.21

Review Comment: "We have been staging events at Aldwickbury over the past few years and once again we had a great day out on this little gem of a golf course! The staff were very welcoming and made the day a great success. The course was in great condition considering the recent weather and once again the course gave everyone of all standards a challenge with lots of varying holes which make it so enjoyable to play."

Greetham Valley

Location: Oakham, Leicestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.55

Average 2024 Rating: 4.21

Review Comment: "This to me was a very pleasant afternoon going round a hillier than expected course. The condition of the course was fine considering the wet winter we have had and, as it was a quiet weekday afternoon, it was easy to get round. Some interesting par 3s, but the par-5 12th and par-4 17th are also memorable. Had a very good-natured brief before going out from the pro-shop so had a good idea of what to expect - much appreciated. The bar/restaurant areas are very pleasant and I suspect this is a good course to traverse in a buggy."

Pyecombe Golf Club

Location: Brighton, East Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.39

Average 2024 Rating: 4.21

Review Comment: "Friendly pro shop and restaurant. Good coffee and bacon roll. Course very dry despite recent rain over the last few weeks. Excellent greens, rough manageable. Very reasonable price."

Stratford Park Golf Club

Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.21

Average 2024 Rating: 4.21

Review Comment: "Hidden gem. Well worth a visit, tucked away just outside Stratford, great parkland course in great condition."

Canons Brook Golf Club

Location: Harlow, Essex

Golfshake Rating: 4.10

Average 2024 Rating: 4.21

Review Comment: "Lush fairways and greens in good condition. Tee boxes also in excellent condition. Testing and tricky holes and great value for money."

Seaford Head Golf Course

Location: Seaford, East Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.32

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "First time played, great course and will definitely be back. Scenery is amazing and greens in excellent condition."

New Zealand Golf Club

Location: Addlestone, Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.50

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "Gem of a course. I played here today and what a joy to play. Heather on most holes and a wonderful layout. The par 3s can be tricky and there are five of them. Wonderful old school clubhouse with good selection of food also available."

Worsley Park Golf Club

Location: Manchester, Lancashire

Golfshake Rating: 4.32

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "Played here today as part of a company golf day. Course was in excellent condition. Some challenging holes, plus wide fairways and fast greens."

Bentley Golf Club

Location: Brentwood, Essex

Golfshake Rating: 4.21

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "Excellent true greens and surrounds, lovely verdant fairways and long par 4s. You need to think your way around this classic parkland course, but good scores are out there for the astute! It is also built on a reasonably level piece of land so a really nice walk with very little in the way of hills."

The Burstead Golf Club

Location: Billericay, Essex

Golfshake Rating: 4.16

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "A well maintained course in very good condition, greens were well looked after. Lovely course to play on."

Seacroft Golf Club

Location: Skegness, Lincolnshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.13

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "A challenge with superb greens. A great links course. Greens have been immaculate when visited in May and June. Long rough and deep bunkers add to the difficulty."

Hill Barn Golf Club

Location: Worthing, West Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.07

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "Well worth a visit. Lovely downland course. Interesting layout. Good condition. Some changes of level to negotiate so need to be in good shape. Overall very enjoyable experience."

Singing Hills Golf Club

Location: Hassocks, West Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.07

Average 2024 Rating: 4.20

Review Comment: "Always a pleasure to play here. Three nines means you can usually get a tee time even on busy days. Interesting holes on a course just outside of Brighton and Hove just north of the South Downs. Easy walking course in good condition (July). Took me a while to come to terms with the greens which were true running, but faster than I am used to with subtle breaks."

Cranham Golf Course

Location: Upminster, Essex

Golfshake Rating: 4.15

Average 2024 Rating: 4.19

Review Comment: "Course is playing great after a lot of recent rainfall. Greens immaculate and fast. Incredible value for a top condition course."

Weald of Kent Golf Club

Location: Headcorn, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.12

Average 2024 Rating: 4.19

Review Comment: "Good course, lots of challenges with the water hazards. Course was well drained after so much rain."

Barnham Broom Golf Club

Location: Barnham Broom, Norfolk

Golfshake Rating: 4.22

Average 2024 Rating: 4.17

Review Comment: "Barnham Broom continues to impress and our society has consistently chosen this venue for years, and it never disappoints. Super food and accommodation, and two excellent golf courses."

Horsley Lodge Golf Club

Location: Derby, Derbyshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.53

Average 2024 Rating: 4.17

Review Comment: "Super greens even though they've recently been treated. Course layout is excellent. Pro shop staff knowledgeable and approachable."

Sweetwoods Park Golf Club

Location: Edenbridge, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.35

Average 2024 Rating: 4.17

Review Comment: "Sweetwoods is a beautiful, but extremely challenging course in the hills around Edenbridge, Kent! The greens are slick and undulating as are the fairways. Lots of blind tee shots requires local knowledge if one is to score well. Their 'Amen Corner' 12, 13 14 holes have an unforgiving meandering stream that will catch you out if you don't give it the utmost respect."

Faversham Golf Club

Location: Faversham, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.33

Average 2024 Rating: 4.17

Review Comment: "Tricky but fair course, in great condition. All the right facilities. For fans of Alister MacKenzie (of Augusta fame) recently discovered to be the last UK course he designed before leaving for America, and has many of his trademarks."

Puckrup Hall Hotel & Golf Club

Location: Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.22

Average 2024 Rating: 4.17

Review Comment: "Great course, green in fantastic condition even for winter. They will be amazing in a few weeks when the weather gets better."

Etchinghill Golf Club

Location: Folkestone, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.01

Average 2024 Rating: 4.17

Review Comment: "A hidden gem of a course. Beautiful layout and conditions on a rolling hills golf course. Tricky sloping greens, must stay below the pins. Beautiful view of the Kent countryside."

Chartham Park Golf Club

Location: East Grinstead, West Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.59

Average 2024 Rating: 4.14

Review Comment: "Great course with some good challenges. Course conditions were very good. Good society venue, enjoyable day."

Breadsall Priory Golf Club

Location: Derby, Derbyshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.21

Average 2024 Rating: 4.14

Review Comment: "Played the Moorland course which was generally in good condition. Can be quite windy as this is located on top of a hill. The greens were nice and true. There are a few holes that run adjacent to one another, this could be an issue with balls flying all over the place and the regular shouts of fore! Apart from this I enjoyed the round and would like to play here on a much calmer day in summer."

Stoke by Nayland Golf Club

Location: Colchester, Essex

Golfshake Rating: 4.23

Average 2024 Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: "Played both courses via society stay over two days. Both in good condition as per usual and each course presents a different test. Well looked after by the venue as per previous visits. Dinner was especially good. Will be back in due course."

West Midlands Golf Club

Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Golfshake Rating: 4.07

Average 2024 Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: "The course was in very good condition and challenging. Some of the pin positions were in some very challenging spots. I managed to par the longest hole (par 6) and finished with all of my group being lucky enough to all par the last hole on the island."

Wallasey Golf Club

Location: Wallasey, Merseyside

Golfshake Rating: 4.75

Average 2024 Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: "Played Wallasey two weeks ago. 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."

Ramsdale Park Golf Centre

Location: Calverton, Nottinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.41

Average 2024 Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: "Greens and fairways in excellent condition, well looked after. Pro shop has great stock and the bar/ restaurant is really good. Overall, the course provides a challenge especially on the back nine."

Whittlebury Park Golf Club

Location: Towcester, Northamptonshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.16

Average 2024 Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: "They have done a lot of work to improve the drainage and also re-design some parts of the holes to make them more visually attractive. It's always been a nice course in the summer but now it's a lot more playable in the spring and autumn too."

Ruddington Grange Golf Club

Location: Ruddington, Nottinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.07

Average 2024 Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: "Enjoyable round, nice course and good value for money. Well worth a visit and nice variety of holes."

Belton Woods

Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.07

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "Good course aligned with a very good hotel based on standards and value with excellent facilities and welcoming staff."

Betchworth Park Golf Club

Location: Dorking, Surrey

Golfshake Rating: 4.45

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "The course offers very picturesque views of the surrounding countryside. It is in very good condition, both fairways and greens. Quite a challenge but one where you could score well. Plenty of parking and a nice clubhouse with welcoming staff."

Bishop's Stortford Golf Club

Location: Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.35

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "Great course, greens amazing, fairways and tees very good, clubhouse superb, good menu and amenities, pro shop well stocked and staff excellent."

Abridge Golf Club

Location: Abridge, Essex

Golfshake Rating: 4.26

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "This course is excellent in every way from the facilities to the staff, to the course, to the food. Seriously thinking about joining."

Flackwell Heath Golf Club

Location: Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.23

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "Flackwell is an excellent parkland course just by the M40. It was in fantastic condition for early February, particularly the greens which were superb. The first 12 holes are superb, excellent use of the terrain with some great views across Buckinghamshire. The 3rd, 5th and the 8th are challenging par 3s, two downhill and one uphill. Take at least one club extra on the 8th. The 13th to the 18th are a little less inspiring, but still nice nonetheless. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area."

Chipping Sodbury Golf Club

Location: Bristol, Gloucestershire

Golfshake Rating: 4.14

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "Extremely well maintained course in excellent condition with friendly staff and an excellent breakfast."

Towneley Golf Club

Location: Burnley, Lancashire

Golfshake Rating: 4.08

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "Fantastic and challenging course. Well maintained for a public course. Well worth a visit. Good clubhouse with excellent staff."

Cottesmore Golf & Country Club

Location: Crawley, West Sussex

Golfshake Rating: 4.03

Average 2024 Rating: 4.10

Review Comment: "Looks great. Recent work has seen the course in very good condition. Great to play after work and can still finish before it gets dark. Completely different course compared to winter weather."

Knebworth Golf Club

Location: Knebworth, Hertfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.18

Average 2024 Rating: 4.08

Review Comment: "Played recently for the first time. Layout of course is good and well looked after. Greens well maintained and interesting as many are sloping with multi-level tiers. Fairways quite wide and forgiving so not too much time lost looking for balls. Food and facilities very good."

North Oxford Golf Club

Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.15

Average 2024 Rating: 4.08

Review Comment: "Played late August. Course was in excellent condition. Greens were really smooth, quick but not too quick. Only one cut of rough everywhere, including under trees which made looking for balls easy. Quite a few tight holes so you need to be accurate off the tee, but landing areas are plenty wide enough. Not a long course, only one par 5, but a really enjoyable variety of holes and we still hit quite a lot of drivers. Really enjoyable course to play, would definitely recommend."

Croham Hurst Golf Club

Location: South Croydon, Greater London

Golfshake Rating: 4.20

Average 2024 Rating: 4.07

Review Comment: "Not been here for a while despite playing it fairly regularly. Society day for this round, at which the club did a great job of looking after a large group. Course was in good condition and greens rolled well. Bunkers also decent and rough cut back so very playable. Nice meal post round too."

Herons Reach Golf Club

Location: Blackpool, Lancashire

Golfshake Rating: 4.08

Average 2024 Rating: 4.07

Review Comment: "The golf course is challenging enough for medium handicap players, offers well kept fairways and greens and plays ok in the wet, would recommend a visit, also great for large groups. The venue is comfortable with excellent bar facilities, coffee shop and swimming pool."

Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Club

Location: Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.11

Average 2024 Rating: 4.05

Review Comment: "Course was in good condition considering how wet it has been. Greens were true and receptive and there are some excellent holes, especially on the back nine."

Lydd Golf Club

Location: Romney Marsh, Kent

Golfshake Rating: 4.03

Average 2024 Rating: 4.05

Review Comment: "At a time when other local courses are closed, partially closed and always very muddy, Lydd remains firm, very little mud, well grassed on all fairways and greens in good condition. Water on 10 holes means accurate driving and fairway shots are important."

The Inspiration Club

Location: Northolt, Greater London

Golfshake Rating: 4.00

Average 2024 Rating: 4.05

Review Comment: "Ten years in the making, but well worth the wait, this course is fun and exhilarating to play in the most surreal location. It’s not a traditional links of course, but it it does give a flavour of the real thing in an unusual location. Quality and course presentation throughout is first rate and while it is still bedding in, it remains a joy to play."

Sharpley Golf Centre

Location: Seaham, County Durham

Golfshake Rating: 4.43

Average 2024 Rating: 4.00

Review Comment: "Keeps getting better as it gets older! Great course, interesting greens and a great day out!"

Three Locks Golf Club

Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.24

Average 2024 Rating: 4.00

Review Comment: "Lovely course with a great friendly feel to it. Drinks to start was lovely with cups of tea and coffee. Course layout was decent enough, greens fast I found. Not too much in the way of bunkers or woodlands. Bit hilly to start but levels out."

Hart Common Golf Club

Location: Bolton, Lancashire

Golfshake Rating: 4.19

Average 2024 Rating: 4.00

Review Comment: "It's a cracker of a golf course. Well laid out with a good mix of holes you can go for and more strategic challenges. The greens are exceptional. So quick and true."

Ormonde Fields Golf Club

Location: Codnor, Derbyshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.21

Average 2024 Rating: 4.00

Review Comment: "Always a pleasure to play this hidden gem of a course. Plenty of grass on the fairways and greens slowed the ball down, during this very hot and humid day."

Hawkstone Park Golf Club

Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.41

Average 2024 Rating: 4.00

Review Comment: "The courses were great and the hotel ambiance was brilliant. Everyone was very helpful and even the weather was good! Great value for money, pleasant location."

The Shropshire

Location: Telford, Shropshire

Golfshake Rating: 4.32

Average 2024 Rating: 4.00

Review Comment: "My experience at The Shropshire was great. The course was in good condition, fairways were manicured nicely, and the greens were consistent and rolled true. The sand traps were perfectly raked and a pleasure to play from. The dryness didn't affect playability as the greens still held the ball nicely. Of course, the bar facilities were above par with a generous selection of beverages at reasonable prices. All in all, a great experience and a course I would highly recommend to others."

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