Aldeburgh: Boasting traditional golf with a rich history
Why we’d rather be playing this one-of-a-kind course
As a club, Aldeburgh is the kind of place where they do things their own way. You can only play in twoballs so our suggestion is to adopt the ‘when in Rome’ maxim. Foursomes is brilliant fun, especially round a testing heathland course like this one.
If you play Aldeburgh between May and late June, you will be presented with beautiful narrow fairways weaving their way between bright yellow gorse. You will be hard-pressed to find such an awe-inspiring sight at any golf course.
The testing long 4s are quite something, with perhaps the pick of the bunch the 11th with its positively links-like fairway rippling into the distance. Until you reach your ball, you can never be quite sure where your shot has finished, especially in the dusty summer months.
Currently, Mackenzie & Ebert (Martin Ebert) are assisting Aldeburgh with a major course review – this is being considered by the club’s members in March with a view to implementing the work over the next two years if supported.
History
Aldeburgh enjoys a rich history. Its heathland layout was shaped by no fewer than three Open champions: first Willie Fernie (winner of the Claret Jug in 1883), then Willie Park Jnr (1887 and 1889) and finally JH Taylor (1894, 1895, 1900, 1909 and 1913).
Just outside the pretty seaside town of the same name on the Suffolk coast, Aldeburgh Golf Club lies half an hour from Ipswich and dates back to 1880. Only nearby Felixstowe Ferry in this part of the world is older.
The famous duo of Harry Colt and Hugh Alison, in the 1920s, also had an input, creating Aldeburgh’s famously demanding closing stretch. The course is heathland in nature and almost unrelentingly testing with a collection of demanding par 4s its calling card.
What makes it special
This is what you would call traditional golf. Aldeburgh allows no fourballs, positively encourages foursomes, has no par 5s and possesses fast-running fairways lined by sleepered bunkers and banks of gorse.
Unless your long iron play is of the highest quality, you must embrace dropping the odd shot at Aldeburgh because it will happen. And once they are gone they really do take some earning back. There are no par 5s, no driveable par 4s and only one of the short holes is an obvious chance of a two.
Where does it rank?
92th in GB&I, 33rd in England, 1st in Suffolk.
Where is it?
Aldeburgh Golf Club is located on the south-east coast of England and a 40 minute drive from Ipswich.
Would you like to play Aldeburgh with the NCG Top 100s Tour?
Our NCG Top 100s Tour offers club golfers the chance to tick off their bucket list courses around the UK and Ireland while playing for fantastic prizes courtesy of TaylorMade.
The Tour prides itself on offering the best experience at the events while offering fantastic value.
And, if that isn’t enough, you can get a 10% discount if you book four or more golfers.
Get in touch with Aldeburgh
For more information about the club and course, visit its website or call them on 01728 452 890.
- Related: NCG Top 100s Tour: Register to play Aldeburgh now!
- Related: NCG Top 100s: Aldeburgh Golf Club review
Have you played Aldeburgh before? Let us know in the comments, or tweet us.
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Ben Outhwaite
Ben is National Club Golfer's Marketing Editor and the latest addition to our golf equipment review team.
He specialises in testing golf bags, beginner golf club sets, apparel and golf accessories. He also collates our buying guides so you know which are the latest and greatest bits of golf equipment on the market.
Ben picked up his first golf club when he was five years old – which was in fact a left-handed set of clubs!
He is a member at Rudding Park Golf Club and has a handicap of fifteen.
