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

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course is a very attractive course framed by a wonderful array of mature trees.

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course
Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course 3rd hole
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Top 100 Courses UK & Ireland 2023/24

(Image credit: Future)

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course Key Information

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Row 0 - Cell 0 Row 0 - Cell 1
AddressWoburn Golf Club, Little Brickhill, Milton Keynes, MK17 9LJ
Phone Number01908 370756
Websitehttps://www.woburngolf.co.uk
Emailgolf.enquiries@woburn.co.uk
Green Fees£209 - £345
Visitor TimesMonday to Friday (Weekends and Bank Holidays are for members only)
Par72
Slope Rating136 (White), 134 (Yellow), 130 (Red), 141 (Women's Red)
Opened1976
Designed byCharles Lawrie
Golf Monthly Verdict

Woburn Duke's

(Image credit: Woburn)

A delightful course to play. Beautifully designed and maintained with tree lined fairways throughout.

It’s a layout where the ability to hit a straight drive is of paramount importance. With virtually all the fairways being tree lined, any shot off-line is likely to end up in the trees. Often then, ‘going for it’ such as second shots on the par 5s has a risk/reward element akin to firing over water hazards on other courses.

Great fun to play a totally forested course.

REASONS TO PLAY WOBURN GOLF CLUB DUKE'S COURSE

– Attractive course carved out of beautiful forest

– A great history having been venue for British Masters and other pro tournaments

– Very well maintained, great putting surfaces

RANKINGS

UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Courses 2023/24 - 85

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.

A view of the par 3, 3rd hole on the Dukes Course at Woburn (Getty Images)

What The Top 100 Panel Said

John Winter UK&I Top 100 panel
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 UK&I Top 100 panel
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

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PackageMon - ThursFri
18 hole package£229£255
36 hole package£345NA
Green Fee Only£209NA

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

Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course scorecard

(Image credit: Woburn Golf Club)

Best Courses Near to Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course

WOBURN DUCHESS'

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'

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

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

How many Professional Tournaments have been staged at Woburn?

Since the Duke's Course opened in 1976 a total of 60 Professional Tournaments have been staged at Woburn Golf Club using the Duke's, Duchess' and Marquess courses.  Ten former winners are members of The World Golf Hall of Fame, Seve Ballesteros, Dame Laura Davies, Sir Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Colin Montgomerie, Greg Norman, Patty Sheehan, Lee Trevino, Karrie Webb and Ian Woosnam.  There have also been four further major winners with Ariya Jutanugarn, Justin Rose, Hinako Shibuno and Henrik Stenson

Do I need a handicap to play at Woburn?

Yes - the maximum handicap index for men is 24 and is 36 for ladies. CDH numbers may be required.

Does Woburn have a dress code?

Yes. The Club guidelines read as such:

Dress Code

We aim to create a premium and relaxed experience at Woburn Golf Club and we politely request Members, their Guests and Visitors adhere to our dress code with the general principle that they are smartly attired at all times, both on and off the golf courses.

Courses and Practice Facilities

 Recognised smart golfing attire:

  • Men’s shirts must be tucked in at all times
  • Tailored shorts, worn with ankle or long socks
  • Golf shoes must be worn

Clubhouse and Terrace

  • All hats, caps and visors must be removed when entering the clubhouse
  • Men’s shirts must be tucked in at all times
  • Recognised golfing or smart casual attire (No blue denim)
  • Tailored shorts
  • Golf, leisure and sandal style footwear (No flip flops or sliders)
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.  

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?