Best course in the South East?

[gbrown]

I'm organizing a birthday golf round for my partner. He's not a member anywhere and doesn't have a certificate although he plays with a 10 handicap - I'm doing as much research as I can but as a non golfer trying to wade through all the courses in the area is proving a big job so I thought I'd turn it over to people who know a thing or two about it. Any ideas? In an ideal world the course would be a par 72 but apparently, at the end of the day, it's the course that counts. Cheers all!

 

[Ethan]

Depends a bit what you like and what you afford, but if you like traditional heathland, any of Sunningdale, The Berkshire or Walton Heath are all great. If you prefer more modern and great facilities, The Grove is nice. For links, Royal St Georges.

The south east is a big place. Have you a more specific location in mind?

 

[Golfman]

Played at St George's Hill on Friday. Absolutely glorious and well worth a visit. I'm sure your partner would enjoy a round there.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Bearwood Lakes would get my vote. Best course I've played (with the exception of St Andrews and that only for the atmosphere). Great set up and they never seem to be able to do enough for you. Interesting course that will make the golf a test too

 

[Ethan]

Bearwood Lakes would get my vote. Best course I've played (with the exception of St Andrews and that only for the atmosphere). Great set up and they never seem to be able to do enough for you. Interesting course that will make the golf a test too

Modesty forbade me from mentioning Bearwood Lakes, but I can help if gbrown wants to play there.

 

[gbrown]

Thanks for the recommendations guys, Bearwood Lakes looks great to my (untrained) eye and i've passed it over to the golfing one to see what he thinks - the other recommendations are also good but I guess I should have mentioned that he is only available to play on the weekends. I'll let you know what the verdict is as soon as I get it Ethan. Thanks!

 

[vig]

Thanks for the recommendations guys, Bearwood Lakes looks great to my (untrained) eye and i've passed it over to the golfing one to see what he thinks - the other recommendations are also good but I guess I should have mentioned that he is only available to play on the weekends. I'll let you know what the verdict is as soon as I get it Ethan. Thanks!

you'll have plenty of time to play now the elections over Gordon.

 

[Snelly]

Sunningdale, St Georges Hill, Hankley Common, West Sussex, The Berkshire and Swinley Forest.

All are brilliant.

 

[gbrown]

These courses all hit high on the good golf course list but nearly all require the handicap certificate and those that don't play on weekdays. I understand why the limitations are in place and I guess that this means i'll have to set my sights lower as to the quality of the course but does anything else come to mind. At the rate i'm going, he'll get told he'll be playing on the local pitch and putt: possibly not the birthday present he had in mind!

 

[CrapHacker]

So you want a decent course that will allow weekend play with out a certificate?

Places like Sunningdale are also hugely, stupidly ( imho ) expensive.

Do you have a realistic top price £50, £100, £150 ?

 

[CrapHacker]

I'm still thinking that the futher into the season you get then WALTON HEATH will play better and better.

Add that to the history and atmosphere about the place, and if you can stretch to £140 then it should tick most boxes.

 

[Smiffy]

These courses all hit high on the good golf course list but nearly all require the handicap certificate and those that don't play on weekdays.

I wouldn't worry too much about the handicap certificate. As long as you don't tip up looking like a total knob I can almost guarantee you won't be asked for one.
The only course that has ever asked me to produce one, despite playing loads and loads of courses that said one was mandatory, was the Old Course at Vilamoura.