When a Golf Course Surprises You

When you think of classic golf courses, the likes of the Old Course at St Andrews, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Muirfield and TPC Sawgrass would naturally spring to mind. And yes, they are among the best golf courses on the planet. They will also all cost you a pretty penny to play.

I have played a LOT of golf over the years and have visited many courses. I have played every course on the Open rota, Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines and Wentworth. I have played some of the finest courses that Spain and Portugal have to offer. I have even played in Perth in Western Australia.

It goes without saying that all of these courses lived up to my expectations. But the layouts that stick in my mind are the ones that surprised me. I guess you would call them my hidden gems.

Here are 10 of the best:

Aldeburgh

This is one of my all-time favourite courses. It is a par 68 but don’t let that fool you. It is a heathland course with LOTS of gorse and every hole is a classic. If you can’t find the middle of the fairway then you can forget about scoring well. Every time I have played here the course has been in magnificent condition. If you cannot putt on these greens then you cannot putt. Full stop. 

Swaffham

This is a recent discovery. Another heathland course, located in Norfolk. The fairways are pretty generous and the thing that makes this course stand out is both the strategic placing of the fairway and greenside bunkers and the splendid putting surfaces. It is a course where you can definitely score well - and one where you can be guaranteed a warm welcome.

Cowdray

Cowdray Park is the home of polo and the course overlooks the polo fields. It is a parkland course that has been subjected to a proper redesign, and it was money well spent. The fairways and tees are superb, the bunkers are well designed and filled with proper sand and the greens are flawless. The clubhouse is warm and inviting, the food is of the highest standard and the staff are friendly.

Pollok

A glorious parkland course located in the heart of Glasgow, the city of my birth. This course stands out for me because it is always in utterly magnificent condition. The fairways are lush and the ball sits up begging to be hit. And the greens are among the best I have ever experienced. It is hard to believe that such a spectacular course could possibly be located so close to the city centre.

Kingsbarns

OK, so this is not a hidden gem. Nor is it cheap. But it is the best golf course I have ever played. It is a proper links course, boasting spectacular views. It helped that the day I played it was one of those rounds. I hit every single fairway and holed a lot of putts. We were also fortunate enough to play on a warm summer’s day, with little or no wind. The clubhouse is also magnificent.

Worksop

If I tell you that both Lee Westwood and Mark Foster learnt their golf here then you will get some idea of the fact that this is a proper golf course. Like Aldeburgh, there is a great deal of gorse. The turf was fabulous, the ball always seemed to sit up begging to be hit.

Willesley Park

A tree-lined course located near the delightedly named Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire, Willesley is one of the prettiest golf courses I have ever played. I was a member here for a year or so and loved every single minute of it. A wonderful course - and one of the friendliest clubs I have ever experienced.

Killin

Without the slightest shadow of a doubt, the best nine-hole golf course I have ever played. Located on the banks of Loch Tay, it is an absolute gem. Each and every hole sticks in the memory but none more so than the incredible final hole, a par five that plays downhill. The view from the tee is breathtaking. And the best news of all is that it is as cheap as chips to play here.

Secret Harbour

I played here on a holiday to Perth in Western Australia. It holds a special place in my wife’s heart because it was here, on the seventh tee, that her much-loved uncle had a massive heart attack and passed away. The club marked his passing with a plaque on the tee. The fairways are firm and fast running, the greens are like glass and there is a lot of water. It is also the only golf course I have ever played where I was watched by kangaroos!

Lundin Links

I am biased. This was the course where my grandfather taught me to play this glorious game. He was a player of some note. Lundin Links is unique in that it is a mix of pure links and parkland. On a benign day it is possible to score really well but when then wind blows (as it does most days) it can be an absolute brute. There are a couple of world-class par threes, a classic finishing hole and a traditional clubhouse. 

If you ever get a chance to play any of these courses you should grab it with both hands.

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