Worplesdon

Worplesdon

Worplesdon Golf Club

Worplesdon Golf Club | NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Courses

Worplesdon Golf Club is situated in Surrey and is one of the true heathland courses of the area, within a short drive from both West Hill and Woking - the other members of the well-known '3 W's' in the area. 

The club’s history began in 1908, with J F Abercromby and Willie Park Jr being the men behind the lay-out and design of the 18-hole Championship course.

The course now plays host to many important tournaments, including the Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes, which attracts some of the best amateurs in the country each year.

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A Brief History of Worplesdon Golf Club

Worplesdon Golf Club was founded in the early 20th Century, with the course being designed by a mixture of J F Abercromby and Willie Park Jr.

Abercromby was the man behind the lay-out of the course, while Park Jr - a two-time winner of the Open Championship - constructed the greens and the bunkers around the course. 

To this day, the course remains almost exactly the same as it was set out by these two greats of golf course design. Only new tees to lengthen the course have really altered the way that Worplesdon is played.

Roger and Joyce Wethered are the club's most famous members. Roger lost the Open Championship on a play-off in 1921, while Joyce won the British Ladies Amateur four times, and the English Ladies Amateur on five occasions.

The club is also well-known for the Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes, and event which began more than a century ago, in 1921. NCG's own Jack Backhouse and Hannah Holden were the victors of the title in 2023.

Worplesdon Golf Club Review | NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Courses

A Par-71, 6,466 yard course, Worplesdon features four par-5s and five par-3s. It may seem slightly short from the tips, but there are hazards in all the right places to catch you out, both down the fairways and greenside. 

The course opens up with three differing par-4s. The 1st is a gentle opener to the round, with 2 measuring at more than 400 yards and needing an accurate drive. The 3rd is only 380 yards, but also requires a drive down the left side of the fairway to open up the space to see the green. The 4th is the first of those five par-4s and plays significantly longer than it is on the card due to it being uphill. Make sure you take enough club as anything short could roll back down the slope.

5 is the hardest hole on the front side at Worplesdon, and is a slight dog-leg to the right. A long drive that can carry the heather, at least 270 yards, could see a birdie opportunity. The par-5 6th is reachable in two for the longer hitters at just 485 yards, but the three bunkers at the back of this green come into play as the green slopes from back to front. 7 features a two-tiered green, and at 185 yards, club selection is vital if you are looking to make birdie or par. The front nine closes with two par-4s of around 380 yards, both of which offer the opportunity for birdies and bogeys.

Worplesdon’s signature hole is the par-3 10th. It measures just 139 yards from the back tees, and is played over water to a green that is guarded by three bunkers, including one at the back. The first par-5 on the back nine is 11, which is a straight away hole, at 527 yards. It can be reachable with two big hits, but a par is a good score. 12 is also a par-5 at 507 yards, and is another that could be found in two. However, the green is guarded by two bunkers, front left and front right, and a heather and gorse bank on the left side of the green.

The 13th is a 170-yard par-3 with three very different bunkers. The first wraps around the front of the green, with a narrow trap down the right side of the bunker. On the left, there is a daunting pot bunker. Miss that at all costs! It doesn’t get any easier, with 14 being the hardest hole on the course. A 452 yard par-4, a par is a very good score. 

The closing stretch at Worplesdon begins with 15, which features a ditch down the left side, and again can be reached in two for the longer hitters. The 16th is the last par-3, and has plenty of space on the left. Hit it right, and you’re in trouble, either in the sand or the gorse. 17 has three strategically placed bunkers down the right side. With it being a dog-leg left, they are very much in play. Worplesdon’s lay-out comes to a close with a 438-yard par-4, which has three bunkers down the right side of the green. The clubhouse is in view from the tee as you play back towards it. 

Where is Worplesdon Golf Club located?

Worplesdon Golf Club is situated just outside the M25, to the south west of England’s capital city. The area also includes West Hill Golf Club and Woking Golf Club, a triumvirate of courses based within a three mile radius.

For international travellers coming to the area, London Heathrow Airport is just half an hour away from Worplesdon to the north east. London Gatwick is another international airport within close reach, just an hour away. 

The city centre of London is also within 90 minutes, both by car or public transport, with the South Western Railway providing a service into London Waterloo that passes nearby.

What are the green fees at Worplesdon Golf Club?

A round at Worplesdon Golf Club will set you back £175 throughout the summer months, with a day pass costing £50 more.

The course is very well kept through the winter, with no winter greens, tees or frost delays. A round at Worplesdon through the winter months (November to March) will cost £110, but you can only play Monday to Thursday.

Visit Worplesdon's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.