Northamptonshire County: A heathland classic for golf’s romantics

Courses and Travel

By NCG Top 100s Ben Outhwaite Jul 4, 2022

Why we would rather be playing this dream shaped by two greats

Any course that boasts the names Harry Colt and James Braid among its designers is bound to make any golfer sit up and take notice.

Northamptonshire County, which you might know as Northants, is a Top 100 course best described as a heathland with fairways that are delightfully firm and often lined by gorse.

History

Harry Colt, who also designed Wentworth and Sunningdale, shaped the original course at Northants and it opened for play in 1910.

With only a few alterations by golf’s supreme course-tweaker James Braid in 1947, this highly-regarded golf course has barely changed since Colt weaved his magic 110 years ago.

The course also features three additional holes, designed by Cameron Sinclair in 2004, which offer the chance to play a nine-hole loop.

Why it’s special

The fact that Northamptonshire County hosts Open Championship Qualifying is testament both to its quality and its authentic links-style challenge.

The course’s bouncy fairways frequently slope from one side to the other to make driving particularly challenging but, at over 6,700 yards, it is not the kind of course where you can leave your driver in the bag with any degree of comfort.

Where does it rank?

126th in England and 183rd in GB&I.

Where is it?

Northamptonshire County can be found close to the village of Church Brampton, just 15 minutes’ drive north of the centre of Northampton.

Would you like to play Northamptonshire County 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.

Northamptonshire County is part of the Tour’s 2023 schedule with an event on May 17, 2023 and your entry fee includes:

Your round of golf
A meal before and after your round
A welcome pack on arrival
The chance to win amazing TaylorMade prizes

And, if that isn’t enough, you can get a 10% discount if you book four or more golfers.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EVENTS

Get in touch with Northamptonshire County Golf Club

For more information about the club and course, visit its website or call them on 01604 843025.

Related: NCG Top 100s: Northants County Golf Club review

Have you played Northamptonshire County? 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.