Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Review, Green Fees, Tee Times and Key Info

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Key Information

The Duke’s is where it all began on the Duke of Bedford’s Woburn Estate, with Charles Lawrie crafting the first of today’s three courses through avenues of pine, birch and chestnut in 1976.

It’s an extremely attractive layout with springy fairways lined by bracken, birch, heather and gorse. It’s a track that sits so comfortably in its surrounds, it feels it has always existed. It's one of the UK and Ireland's top-100 courses.

Within three years of its opening, it had found its way onto the European Tour schedule, going on to host the British Masters 16 times over the next 23 years.

The course winds through pine trees, demanding accuracy off the tee. If you’re not on your game, you will often find yourself playing your second shot out sideways.

All the Woburn courses are tree lined throughout, the Dukes is wider and visually less challenging than the Duchess. The trees frame the holes well and provide a feeling of seclusion and tranquillity.

It’s a well-designed course that doesn’t rely on heavy bunkering or water hazards for protection. The clever routing through the trees and the changes in elevation provide challenge enough.

The Duke’s boasts a very pretty start, a demanding middle section then a tricky run for home where accuracy is often of more use than distance as you seek to place your ball in the ideal spot over the closing three doglegs.

Perhaps the most majestic of the holes falls early on in the short-but-delightful downhill par-3 3rd, bathed in robes of purple glory when the rhododendrons are in bloom, and the magnificent par 4 that follows playing round and up to a challenging two-tier green sheltering in a secluded arbour. Precision is most definitely the name of the game on the Duke’s course.

What The Top 100 Panel Said

John Winter

A very solid test of golf that will challenge the very best players. Make a day of it and enjoy. Each hole is played in self isolation separated by the mature gorse, pine and silver birch trees. Bold, straight and long is the order of the day to best give you a chance to score well.

The Dukes hasn’t changed. It’s as good today as it was two years ago. Its design and condition certainly hasn’t got any worse but has it improved? 

Sheila Diamond

All in all an enjoyable but very testing experience for my 15 handicap. In general the par 4’s are very long, being almost 400 yds and so unreachable for mid handicap golfers, although it's clearly an excellent test of golf for low handicap and professional women and understandably the course has hosted many National and International women’s competitions.

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Location

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Green Fees

Packages include bacon roll on arrival and two-course lunch. For more details on green fees see the Woburn Golf Club website.

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course scorecard

Best Courses Near to Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course

WOBURN DUCHESS'

Of all the courses in the Top 100, then from the tee, this is almost certainly the most demanding. Beautiful pine trees line the fairways, at times like spectators straining to get a view. Accuracy is also vital on many approaches as the greens are relatively small, meaning that the Duchess’ requires a strategic, skilful approach.

WOBURN MARQUESS'

This is a grand-scale golf course, winding its way through 200 acres of glorious countryside with plenty of majestic woodland separating the holes. Since opening in 2000, this excellent design has hosted the British Masters four times and the Women’s British Open twice. Large greens, exquisitely crafted holes and stirring approaches are the hallmark here.

For other top courses in the area, check out our guide to the best golf courses in Bedfordshire.

Best Places to Stay Near Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course

The Woburn - Book now at Booking.com
Sitting proudly at the heart of picturesque Woburn Village, you’ll find The Woburn – a charming 18th-century property under the stewardship of the award-winning Oakman Group. Part of the Duke of Bedford Estates, The Woburn has 48 hotel rooms plus seven stylish, individually decorated cottages that sit just across the courtyard.

The Bell Hotel Woburn - Book now at Booking.com
Located in Woburn, The Bell Hotel Woburn is run by Greene King Inns and provides comfortable accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking and a bar.

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Gallery

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Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Historical Top 100 Ranking UK&I

• 2023/24 - 85
• 2021/22 - 86
• 2019/20 - 86
• 2017/18 - 91
• 2015/16 - 97
• 2013/14 - 97

Frequently Asked Questions