Swinley forest... anyone played there?

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vkurup

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Getting an opportunity to spend a day at Swinley Forest GC. Some good reviews online, but for the life of me cant find a website for the course. It is a listed in the top 100 course, but surprisingly not much online. Anyone played there? Worth a go?
 
vkurup said:
Getting an opportunity to spend a day at Swinley Forest GC. Some good reviews online, but for the life of me cant find a website for the course. It is a listed in the top 100 course, but surprisingly not much online. Anyone played there? Worth a go?
Click to expand...

Fantastic course, and it was in the 10 most exclusive clubs in the world a while back. Hence no website.

You are a lucky man. I will be playing there later in the year in a Society day. Has some of the best par 3's you will ever play.

Oh and the food is superb as well.
 
Lovely course and ambience, millionaires golf. Take the chance to play it as not easy to get on. I thoroughly enjoyed my day there.
 
I'm lucky enough to have played it several times.
It's one of the nicest courses you will ever play ................. and yes, the food is awesome!
I don't know when you're teeing off, but spend the whole day there, the atmosphere is something else and it's just a wonderful place to spend a day.
Enjoy. Full report expected!


Slime.
 
Havent seen the full schedule.. but goes soemthing like this

arrive 7:30... breakie
Morning 18 hole S/F
3 course lunch
Afternoon 18 hole S/F
prizes
Go home and stay smug for the rest of the week.
 
I was lucky enough to play there a few years ago and it can only be described as going back in time.

It was a most wonderful spring day and the clubhouse and course was empty apart from our group. The club was not that easy to find with just a very small sign pointing the way up the road to the course.

The club steward was telling us, that it was only in recent years, that the club had introduced stroke indexes on their holes. The members list was locked in a case and he said that many did not visit at all during the course of the year.

We were made to feel very welcome and we played a round in the morning and then after lunch. It was a requirement to wear a Jacket and Tie for lunch, which I guess is a bit old fashioned, but the food was great. I must admit after having the treacle tart and custard it was a struggle to get back out for the 2nd round!!

Just a great place to play golf and I am sure that you will enjoy the course.

As for a website, they don't have one!!! I would imagine that is the way they would want to keep it.

Hope you have a great day.
 
I was lucky enough to get a game there in early November thanks to a press day with Lynx Golf. It easily went straight into my top 3 UK courses, thanks to the seclusion, the service and the stunning tree lined course.

As many of the others have said, going to Swinley is a bit like going back in time, but not in a snobby way at all. It was probably the most welcoming club I have ever had the pleasure to visit, from the starter, to the halfway hut and the staff in the quaint clubhouse.

The course was in incredible nick for November too, probably because only a handful of people play it! Here's a few pics from my day to whet your appetite.

View attachment 9761

View attachment 9763
 
Jake O'Reilly said:
I was lucky enough to get a game there in early November thanks to a press day with Lynx Golf. It easily went straight into my top 3 UK courses, thanks to the seclusion, the service and the stunning tree lined course.

As many of the others have said, going to Swinley is a bit like going back in time, but not in a snobby way at all. It was probably the most welcoming club I have ever had the pleasure to visit, from the starter, to the halfway hut and the staff in the quaint clubhouse.

The course was in incredible nick for November too, probably because only a handful of people play it! Here's a few pics from my day to whet your appetite.

View attachment 9761

View attachment 9763
Click to expand...

Really must be exclusive the pics have been blocked!
 
Be warned the lunch is huge, so you might struggle for the afternoon 18 holes. Last time I played there, we were followed in by Michael Parkinson.
 
I've played it quite a few times, either through another forum or through an old club - who even got 2 slots.

Absolutely joy to play and one of the highlights of the year - Day at nearby Berkshire pips it.

Very old-style Club, but have 1 society every week day to keep the fees down for the 400 members - 2 being HRH Princes (neither Andrew!)! They treat visitors extremely well!

They didn't have Stroke Indexes for a long time and apparently used the St Andrews Old Course ones when told they needed them! Probably because they didn't bother with handicaps either - preferring matching pairs (Foursomes) for matches. Bernard Hunt, sadly departed, told me once it was the only course he'd been evicted from, having been invited to play by a member who hadn't cleared it with 'the Colonel'!. Does have Lady Members! Another story I've heard was about one of the members who whinged somewhat to the Secretary that Prince Andrew's entourage had twice gatecrashed his tee time and his Security had delayed him over half an hour. The Secretary said he'd sort it out and indeed, when they 'clashed' a couple of weeks later, the member was told to go first. The member was impressed and when he thanked the Secretary later, he asked if he'd had a word to Andy or his Security. The reply was apparently 'No - his Mother!'!

Harry Colt rated it as his 'least bad' design, so praise indeed, and it hasn't really changed much. So many absolutely lovely holes, none really stand out as 'great' - but there are. My favourite set of Par 3s. Par 68 SSS 70 indicates that it's tough for its relatively short length (about 6000).

Lunch is right up there with the best, though, again, just below Berkshire for me. Breaded Fish Starter (a tradition) and Cheeseboard particularly good. Over-indulgence of the Puds and you could suffer in the Afternoon round!

I'm sure you will enjoy the experience. Quite envious!
 
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The greens were a little ropey last May but heard they picked up later in the year.

Quite fortunate to know a few members and would highly recommend. On a lovely English summers afternoon/evening theres few better places to play golf.
 
Lucky enough to get to play it a few times a year through members of our club. Always a delight and a different ambience about the place. If I when the lottery and so was a man of means, one would enquire through friends of friends about putting ones name forward! Wouldn't be the first "over my dead body" reply I've had and won't be the last
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Lucky enough to get to play it a few times a year through members of our club. Always a delight and a different ambience about the place. If I when the lottery and so was a man of means, one would enquire through friends of friends about putting ones name forward! Wouldn't be the first "over my dead body" reply I've had and won't be the last
Click to expand...

How did you manage to get into Ascot?


In other news... now confirmed to play at Swinley this week.. Will post some pics/reviews (provided I am allowed to)
 
I've played it several times and it is absolutely fantastic.

You're in for a treat!
 
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