Freshwater Bay Golf Club
4.6
34 reviews
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Price Guide: ££££ | HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Course Information
Freshwater Bay Golf Club, Isle of Wight is an 18 hole, par 69 (5725 yard), private, downland golf course
18 holes | Par 69 | 5725 yards | Private | Downland
View more golf courses in Isle of Wight
Address: Afton Down, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, PO40 9TZ United Kingdom
Tel: 01983 752955
Golf Pro: James Veal
Golf Club Facilities
* Weekdays: from 9.30am (10.45am on Thursdays)
* Saturdays: from 9.30am to 12 noon and from 2.00pm
* Sundays: from 10.00am
Midweek Guide: £38.00 per round *
Weekend Guide: £38.00 per round *
- Societies Accepted to Play
- Society Deals Available
- Voucher Deals Available
- 7 Day Membership Available
Restrictions: Maximum Handicap No Restriction
* Any prices shown are guide prices, please confirm with the course prior to booking.
Tee Time Information
Midweek Guide: £38.00 per round *
Weekend Guide: £38.00 per round *
* Any prices shown are guide prices, please confirm with the course prior to booking.
Review Information
GOLFSHAKE RATING
4.61
AVERAGE RATING 4.3
(based on 34 reviews)
HIGHLY RATED
would play again or recommend
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What the club says: Freshwater Bay Golf Club is set on the chalk downs overlooking the English Channel on one side and the Solent on the other. The scenery is spectacular, with uninterrupted views to Swanage in the west, the Salisbury plains in the south to the Spinnaker Tower at Portsmouth in the east.
This is a beautiful part of the Isle of Wight. The Victorian poet Alfred Lord Tennyson made his home within ½ mile of the golf course and wrote;
“Take it and come to the Isle of Wight:
Where, far from the noise and smoke of town
I watch the twilight falling brown
All round a careless-order’d garden
Close to the ridge of a noble down…
His monument is visible from the golf course and the feeling of tranquility that he wrote about in the 1800s is still very much in evidence to this day, with the hustle and bustle of “normal” life soon forgotten whilst you take in the views and take time to “smell the roses.”
The site, owned by the National Trust, is a Special Site of Scientific Interest and also a European Special Area of Conservation, as it is home to many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The course is blessed with ancient monuments which provide a special kind of hazard to the visiting golfer - the seventh fairway threads itself through two bronze age burial mounds hence the name Tumuli.
The course itself is a downland course, par 69 off the white tees, and is a challenge to golfers of all abilities. There are 6 par 3’s of varying length and difficulty, with the signature hole being our 14th. It has a stroke index rating of 18, but none of the members know why!!
Our clubhouse is friendly and relaxed and members are always available to provide advice on weather and playing conditions. We believe that our friendly hospitality will add to the enjoyment of your game,
Enjoy your game on Freshwater Bay Golf Course and delight in the views. However, do not be lulled into a false sense of security - the holes rarely play as serenely as they look!
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Reviews for Freshwater Bay Golf Club
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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com
Reviewed Sep 15 2023
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Reviewed Oct 6 2022
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Reviewed Apr 25 2022
Glorious day
Great course, lovely views of the sea and plenty of challenges from the slopes, breeze and interesting layout. I loved it.Reviewer Rating
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Reviewed Nov 22 2021
Beautiful
II struck gold with the weather today as the sun was out. I played this course in November and I believe this is now number 1 on the island. It is nearly December and the course was better condition than a lot of courses are in the Summer. There is an option in the clubhouse to play 10 holes and this even has it's own scorecard. I'd heard prior to coming that Holes 14-18 were the best and the 10 hole scorecard gives you the option to play 1 2 3 4 5 and then 14 15 16 17 18. The views are breath-taking with the Solent one side and the Channel the other. The 14th is called the drop and the flag is way down from the tee and is great fun. I would expect a bit/a lot of wind on this course due to the location, I got a really great price for this round. I didn't stay for a drink but the clubhouse looked great, like a small pub. This course is worth visiting the Isle of Wight for. Note: It is quite steep going up but it's worth it.Reviewer Rating
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Reviewed Aug 7 2021
Wow! Must play on the Isle of Wight
The big two courses on the Isle of Wight are Shanklin and Sandown (played yesterday) and Freshwater Bay and this one edges it. The views are stunning!There is an option in the clubhouse to play 10 holes and this even has it's own scorecard. I'd heard prior to coming that Holes 14-18 were the best and the 10 hole scorecard gives you the option to play 1 2 3 4 5 and then 14 15 16 17 18. The views are breathtaking with the Solent one side and the Channel the other. The 14th is called the drop and the flag is way down from the tee and is great fun. I would expect a bit/a lot of wind on this course due to the location, I got a really great price for this round. I didn't stay for a drink but the clubhouse looked great, like a small pub. This course is worth visiting the Isle of Wight for. Note: It is quite steep going up but it's worth it.
(Round played: Aug 2021 - 10 hole option
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Reviewed Oct 22 2019
Short but tricky
Thankfully played in little wind. As it was the first time played, the course was explained thoroughly by the pleasant welcoming lady at the bar and the greens to tees were self-explanatory apart from the 17th to 18th that ironically was missed from the explanation. However, the direction of the holes was not clear on a few of the blind holes. The links like course is straight out and back with a lot of zig-zagging. Short in length (the visitor green fees are relatively expensive for such a course) and a little too compact at the end but tricky with rises and falls and as it is set along a ridge most lies were hanging. Course overall was in very good condition and the members met were most pleasant.(Round played: Oct 2019 - Score: 89 Handicap: 18.5)
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Reviewed Jul 1 2019
Fantastic course but tough in wind and dry
Great course, really friendly staff and not very busy. Some amazing views and individual holes especially the 14th(Round played: Sep 2018 - Score: 82 Handicap: )
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Reviewed May 6 2019
Beautiful course
Lovely course not too long it’s all up hill at the start but the views are amazing the back nine is very good(Round played: May 2019 - Score: 94 Handicap: 19.9)
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Reviewed Dec 13 2018
(Round played: Sep 2018 - Score: 103 Handicap: 38.1)
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Reviewed Sep 11 2018
Wonderful!
Abandoned the wife and boy for a few hours one morning whilst on holiday on the IOW for a week in early August to get a round in here.... and LOVED IT.Not a links course as such, despite being afforded wonderful views of the sea from many holes... more of a downland course sat on top of a gurt big chalk cliff on the south coast of the IOW. Afton Down in fact, site of the infamous 1970 IOW festival where the Doors and Hendrix rocked the island all those years ago.
I played with a pencil bag of half a dozen clubs, as I suspected the walk around the course would be quite arduous in the wind (it's always blowing a hooly here even if at sea level it's quite calm) and wondered what condition the greens would be in this year, after months of sun and very little rain.
Well... to say I was delighted about the condition of the greens (in particular) would be an understatement.
These were the best greens I've played on this year. By some way. And remember.... this course was about exposed to the sun and the wind as any in the UK this summer.
I told a member back in the clubhouse after the round that even though I'd been beaten up by the course and wind a bit (there's never a flat lie at Freshwater and if you're a little offline... the wind, slopes and hard ground will take your ball 50+ yards further off line!) I'd give the course a glowing review as I was amazed at the wonderful quality of the greens. He said "Thanks. It's (the upkeep of the greens) costing us a fortune (because of the extended heatwave) this year".
A wonderful course with a delightful 18th too... heading back west towards the clubhouse and Freshwater village with the wonderful vista of the sea and white chalk cliffs set out in front of you. Heaven I thought.
I was lucky enough to meet a few of the members too. "The characters of the club", the barmaid and pro shop manager (all the same thing!) said at the time. Very friendly they were too.
I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this course and the couple of beers I had afterwards, but there'd be little point. I think you get the picture.
The only thing I can think to say about what I didn't like about the course is that there were lots of blind shots. On most holes to be honest. Certainly on the front 9 and the first few of the back 9 too.
Other than that... HIGHLY recommended.
Very highly recommended.
But you didn't read that. Did you.
(I'd like to keep this to myself!)
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Reviewed Jun 28 2018
An usual downland course and very well worth a visit
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Reviewed Jun 26 2018
Great day
Excellent days golf at Freshwater club. The weather was glorious and views where fantastic. The course is a challenge and you need to be very aware of the slopes as your ball can easily run down these to the sides after a good shot. The course in very good condition with very quick greens. Club house is welcoming as are the members.Reviewer Rating
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Reviewed May 25 2016
(Round played: May 2016 - Score: 96 Handicap: 20.6)
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Reviewed Jul 23 2015
(Round played: Jul 2015 - Score: 102 Handicap: 24.9)
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Reviewed Jul 7 2015
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Showing reviews 1-15 of 26 reviews
The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com
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