Woodhall Spa Golf Club Hotchkin Course: Review, Tee Times and Key Info

Woodhall Spa Golf Club Hotchkin Course Key Information

Among the inland courses in our Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland rankings, only Sunningdale Old and New eclipse this respected heathland layout in the Lincolnshire spa town, where the well-received Tom Doak renovation project came to an end in 2019.

As with many heathland courses, the vision has been to restore much of the original heathland character, with trees, shrubs and gorse removed where appropriate, bunkers returned to their original, more natural style and other long-lost ones re-introduced.

Few UK&I heathland courses have been transformed to this degree this century, and I was amazed by how different it looked and felt when I finally got to see the fruits of all this extensive labour and imagination.

It is much less claustrophobic, and all the better for it visually, let alone what all the clearing must mean for turf conditioning in places where there was previously insufficient light and air.

The bunkers are, of course, what this fine course is most famed for, and while conventional thinking is that they are as testing as on any inland course within these shores, I'm not quite so sure that Ganton's don't just pip it having played both revamped courses reasonably close together.

Suffice to say, you really want to avoid them if at all possible on both, although I was delighted to successfully get it up and down from one of the greenside traps on the 5th on my last visit. But the course is about so much more than just its bunkers, hence its lofty status in our rankings.

The club dates back to 1891, with Messrs Vardon, Taylor, Colt and Hotchkin involved in its evolution over the early part of the 20th century. Many holes play over relatively open heathland, while others, especially on the back nine, venture in among the trees a little more.

There are doglegs, heather and pines at nearly every turn, but, as already alluded to, the real key to scoring is still perhaps to steer well clear of the deepest bunkers, nowhere more so than on that modest par-3 5th, where first-time visitors have the slight mental advantage of not knowing just how crucial it is to hit the target.

There are many, many good holes, but the long par-3 8th to an elevated green sets up particularly magnificently from the tee. There’s a great selection of holes to negotiate around and just after the turn including a very strong run between the 9th and 14th, with the 11th one of the finest and most attractive heathland holes anywhere.

The Hotchkin is a classic, heathland layout where the premium really is on accuracy. Yes, it may be a little off the beaten track some way east of the A1, but those who make the effort will not be disappointed, even more so since Doak’s excellent renovation work was completed.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

Mark Rollins

A 7,000-yard sand-based, heathland course of longstanding layout but recently enhanced through extensive scrub and tree removal and rebunkering. Bunkers are plentiful and penal, with often huge catchment areas, but manicured fairways are relatively generous in size. However, beware as the thick heathery rough quickly awaits if the fairways are missed by only a few feet. A course and practice facilities of the very highest order and, unusually for one in the Top 20, exceptional value for money with a county card.

Jamie Hudson

The Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa is an exceptional golf course design. Carved into the beautiful heathland and woodland terrain, it utilises the natural landscape to create memorable holes with a variety of lies and shot options. The course's undulating terrain, adorned with heather, gorse, and pine trees, not only enhances its aesthetic charm but also presents strategic challenges to golfers. The course's bunkers are its calling card - both visually striking and strategically significant. Deep and thoughtfully placed, they demand precision and careful shot planning, adding a layer of complexity to the game.

Woodhall Spa Golf Club location

Contact Woodhall Spa to enquire about tee-times

Woodhall Spa Golf Club Hotchkin Course Scorecard

Best Courses Near Woodhall Spa Golf Club

SEACROFT
Lincolnshire’s finest seaside course plays over a slender links strip south of Skegness. The opening holes flank the road down to Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve. Perhaps the toughest tests heading out are the 7th and 8th, with the latter teasing you into flirting with the road to set up the best angle in. Coming home, the par-5 13th is an interesting hole - it’s not immediately obvious where the green is!

MARKET RASEN
Every so often you stumble across an unexpected golfing treasure, and this lovely course just outside the famous horse-racing town is a prime example. It offers a mix of heathland and tree-lined golf plus a lovely secluded setting a little way out of town. The par-4 10th ranks among the standout holes, a dogleg left where your approach is played over the River Rase, which crosses the fairway after hugging the left side early on.

Best Places To Stay Near Woodhall Spa

Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa - Book now at Booking.com
The Petwood Hotel, just a few minutes from Woodhall Spa Golf Club, has a wonderful old-school feel. It’s packed with history too, not least from its World War II role as the officers’ mess for the 617 ‘Dambusters’ squadron. An evening stroll through the beautiful grounds with a drink in hand is the perfect way to end the day after dinner.

The Golf Hotel Woodhall Spa - Book now at Booking.com
Built in 1880, The Golf Hotel Woodhall Spa next to the golf club is set amid seven acres of well-kept gardens, lawns and woodlands. With dark wood furnishings, rooms at The Golf Hotel each have a satellite TV, trouser press and free tea and coffee. Each private bathroom includes a hair dryer.

Woodhall Spa Golf Club Hotchkin Course Gallery

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WOODHALL SPA HOTCHKIN COURSE HISTORICAL TOP 100 RANKING UK&I

• 2025/26 - 12
• 2023/24 - 13
• 2021/22 - 18
• 2019/20 - 20
• 2017/18 - 22
• 2015/16 - 18
• 2013/14 - 18
• 2011/12 - 19
• 2009/10 - 18

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