Is This The Best Looking Golf Course In England?

Set on, and surrounded by a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Hankley Common Golf Club in Surrey is one of the UK’s very best heathland courses and is ranked at Number 32 on Golf Monthly’s Top 100 Golf Courses UK and Ireland 2021/22.

The layout at Hankley Common was designed by James Braid and Harry Colt and it has long been cherished as one of the best golf courses in England and one of the most beautiful golf courses in the country. Superb new images by golf photographer Jason Livy only further enhance the course’s reputation as an absolute stunner. Livy has marvellously captured the range of colours, the expansive heathland and the sympathetic routing of fairways to immaculate greens set within, rather than forced upon, the heath. The pictures really convey a sense of what it’s like to play at Hankley Common.

These images of the fabulous par-3 7th – one of the country’s finest short holes, brilliantly illustrate the isolation and tranquillity to be found on course. A feature being that each hole at Hankley Common feels distinct and separate.

This shot of the 6th (below) gets more up close and personal to give an indication of the slopes and a view of the heathers that provide those incredible colours in the overhead views.

Is this the best looking course in England? There are many contenders, but these images would certainly help one make a good case for it! This shot shows the clubhouse beautifully nestled amongst the trees. 

Although Hankley Common is a particularly photogenic specimen, all golf courses and clubs across this country have beauty that can be captured by a great photographer.

The importance of good course photography can’t be underestimated. When people are planning a golf tour or a day out, their first port of call will be to a golf club’s website. If this is populated by enticing and appealing images, showing the course off at its very best, they will be very much more inclined to consider visiting and stumping up a green fee. If a website features grainy, dull shots from a dreary autumn day, they’ll likely look elsewhere.

Good course photography will get a course noticed – Publications such as ours will be more inclined to review or feature the course, tour operators will look to include the venue in brochures and therefore their schedules, and prospective members from the surrounding area will be drawn in to take a closer look.

Our first advice to any course looking to market itself to new members or visiting golfers would be to splash out on professional golf course photography. Its impact will be significant – Current members will be reminded of what a lovely course and club they have, prospective members will be won over and itinerant golfers or visiting parties will be drawn in.