Berkhamsted Golf Club
Berkhamsted Common, Hertfordshire. A 1890 heathland club of gorse, heather and a Bronze Age dyke, with no man-made bunkers, designed by Park and Colt and reworked by Braid.
Berkhamsted Golf Club sits on Berkhamsted Common in Hertfordshire, in around 560 acres of natural heathland on the edge of the Chilterns. Founded in 1890, it is one of the oldest clubs in the county and describes itself as golf as nature intended.
The course began as nine holes by Willie Park Jr and was extended to 18 by Harry Colt, with James Braid redesigning several holes in the mid-1920s. It is a par 71 of around 6,600 yards, and it has a rare feature, with no man-made bunkers at all. Instead, gorse, heather, natural humps and hollows and greenside mounds do the work. Grim’s Dyke, a Bronze Age earthwork, cuts across several holes, and narrow fairways and small greens make accuracy far more important than distance. The long opening par 3 over a pond sets the tone, and the 18th finishes at a two-tiered green tucked round a corner. Top100GolfCourses ranks it third in Hertfordshire.
Golfers who enjoy a thinking round will appreciate it, and the clubhouse has a relaxed atmosphere with a restaurant known for good value. The club also hosts the Berkhamsted Trophy, a World Amateur Golf Ranking event, each year.
Visitors are welcome by arrangement. Tee times at these private clubs need to be arranged in advance, and Golf Tours London can build them into a bespoke itinerary and organise transport between your hotel and the course.
