Best Parkland courses

[Region3]

How good is the Nicklaus course at St Mellion, and what makes it so hard…I’ve read it’s one of the hardest courses in Britain?!

It is probably in my top 3 courses I’ve played, but it just threatens to punch you in the face after almost every shot.

The rough is quite thick in places and hard to play from, and most of the shots you play there is no good place to miss. I’ve read a lot of opinions that it’s a bad course but I love it.

 

[PNWokingham]

Main ones i can think of
JCB
Loch Lomond
Bearwood Lakes
Little Aston
Woburn
Queenwood
Kings Lynn - been 25 years since i played it!
Centurion
Wisley

 

[Newtonuti]

Hawkstone course at Hawkstone Park is stunning, especially in summer when walking down the par 5 (can't remember hole number), surrounded by the Folly's. Absolutely stunning.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Main ones i can think of
JCB
Loch Lomond
Bearwood Lakes
Little Aston
Woburn
Queenwood
Kings Lynn - been 25 years since i played it!
Centurion
Wisley

Played a Vintage Clubs comp there Aug 2021. My one and only time there.
Organised by a member there, we got to play on a Saturday for £25 greenfee. Very nice indeed.

I would like to add Forest Of Arden to this thread's ever increasing list.

 

[Newtonuti]

Played a Vintage Clubs comp there Aug 2021. My one and only time there.
Organised by a member there, we got to play on a Saturday for £25 greenfee. Very nice indeed.

I would like to add Forest Of Arden to this thread's ever increasing list.

Must say, the back 9 on the Arden is extremely nice, the front 9 is very ordinary though, apart from the 9th which has a nice looking but extremely narrow tee shot.

 

[IanM]

My Queenwood contact moved overseas so that's still missing from the CV!

St Mellion seemed to go out of fashion since the B&H days. I went back last year after a few years gap, really enjoyed it. There's so little margin for virtually every shot.

 

[sunshine]

Must say, the back 9 on the Arden is extremely nice, the front 9 is very ordinary though, apart from the 9th which has a nice looking but extremely narrow tee shot.

This is the problem with Forest of Arden. If the whole 18 holes played through the deer park instead of just the back nine, it would be right up there as a top course. But the front nine is just a farmer's field next to the M6, with some lakes for hazards.

 

[sunshine]

My Queenwood contact moved overseas so that's still missing from the CV!

Is Queenwood parkland or heathland?

 

[upsidedown]

Hawkstone course at Hawkstone Park is stunning, especially in summer when walking down the par 5 (can't remember hole number), surrounded by the Folly's. Absolutely stunning.

10th

 

[Newtonuti]

10th

That's the one, absolutely stunning hole. Did a stay and play there last year and the hotel was nice as well.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

This is the problem with Forest of Arden. If the whole 18 holes played through the deer park instead of just the back nine, it would be right up there as a top course. But the front nine is just a farmer's field next to the M6, with some lakes for hazards.

I've never played this course but if Karl Pilkington played golf..............

 

[Deleted member 15344]

This is the problem with Forest of Arden. If the whole 18 holes played through the deer park instead of just the back nine, it would be right up there as a top course. But the front nine is just a farmer's field next to the M6, with some lakes for hazards.

Forest of Arden does have 8 great holes over road which were very enjoyable- the ones near the hotel I found ok

Hawkstone course at Hawkstone Park is stunning, especially in summer when walking down the par 5 (can't remember hole number), surrounded by the Folly's. Absolutely stunning.

That’s good to hear as we are there for a trip in April

 

[IanM]

Is Queenwood parkland or heathland?

If I get to play it, who cares!

I thought the front 9 at Forest of Arden was poor... my memories are of goose poo and motorway traffic noise. The back 9 however is quite different!

 

[PNWokingham]

Is Queenwood parkland or heathland?

good question and probably a hybrid. Whole place was sand capped and has a lot of heather and gorse but the design and feel is more parkland on most of the holes. So i would say say parkland layout with heathland characteristics

 

[D-S]

I always associate good parkland courses with large ancient trees, so Thorndon Park I have found to be excellent, very under rated and very surprised it doesn’t feature in top 100s.
I enjoyed Stoke Park for the same reason, Rolls of Monmouth has some wonderful parkland holes. All these courses are in the grounds of stately homes so they are parkland in more ways than one. Incidentally this is why inland France has lots of wonderful courses as many are built in the grounds of Chateaux.
Come to think of it St.Pierre has great parkland holes too.

 

[Paperboy]

Worksop GC was quite nice, think it's a parkland.

 

[Bdill93]

good question and probably a hybrid. Whole place was sand capped and has a lot of heather and gorse but the design and feel is more parkland on most of the holes. So i would say say parkland layout with heathland characteristics

I think this applies to a few venues!

Centurion being one!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I think this applies to a few venues!

Centurion being one!

Centurion? Don’t think that’s ever had any heather or gorse anytime I have played it - that is the standard parkland course

 

[Bdill93]

Centurion? Don’t think that’s ever had any heather or gorse anytime I have played it - that is the standard parkland course

It certainly starts and finishes like a parkland (and a stunning one at that), there's just that bit in the middle which looks different and lacks the tree lining. Its got characteristics of other types of track during those holes.

You're lucky to have played it! Very jealous! Was so impressed by it when I went to LIV last year.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It certainly starts and finishes like a parkland (and a stunning one at that), there's just that bit in the middle which looks different and lacks the tree lining. Its got characteristics of other types of track during those holes.

You're lucky to have played it! Very jealous! Was so impressed by it when I went to LIV last year.

The trees on the other holes are growing up - but it’s a parkland all day long , no heather etc just long wispy grass and when the trees grow it will frame all the holes

it’s a decent course but it’s not a great course