Sheringham Golf Club Course Review

Sheringham Golf Club serves up an exhilarating clifftop experience on the North Norfolk coast, with some stirring holes right on the edge

Sheringham Golf Club - 6th hole
Sheringham's demanding par-3 6th and long par-5 7th stretching away beyond
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sheringham Golf Club Course Review

GF Round: £65-£110 Sun-Fri; summer twilight: £90; extra round same day: £40
Par 70, 6,251 yards
Slope 116
GM Verdict – Clifftop beauty on the North Norfolk coast with some memorable front-nine holes hugging the cliff edge.
Favourite Hole – The long par-4 5th is one of those cliff edge holes, serving up spectacular views and most likely a lengthy approach to its long bunkerless green.

Sheringham Golf Club - 18th hole

The 18th green with 1st hole and clubhouse beyond

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Britannia undoubtedly rules the waves when it comes to links golf, these small islands serving up an irresistible treasure trove for those keen to sample the unique terrain over which the game began. But the best links golf courses in the UK&I don't have it all their own way when it comes to seaside golf within these shores, and for some, the clifftop version has even more appeal on account of the elevated views it affords over our beautiful coastline.

Sheringham Golf Club - 6th hole

You're pretty exposed to the North Sea elements on the long par-3 6th

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sheringham, set along East Anglia’s northern strip and one of the best golf courses in Norfolk, is one of the finest examples of clifftop golf we have. The course, just an hour or so away from the Golf Monthly Top 100 links at Hunstanton and Royal West Norfolk, plays over a relatively narrow strip just west of town, hemmed in by walkers on the North Norfolk Coastal Path to the north, and steam enthusiasts on the preserved North Norfolk Railway to the south

Sheringham Golf Club - 5th hole

The par-4 5th is an absolute cracker but far from straightforward

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Starting out from the clubhouse, the course heads west via a short par 4, then east towards the sandy cliffs via a long par 5. From here, for the next hour or so, you’ll enjoy some of the very best clifftop golf in the land, though the 4th does veer away briefly. The 5th is the star of the show, a long par 4 close to the edge that plays along the top before descending gently towards the green. Par here is a very good score irrespective of wind strength and direction, but any wind will sow the seeds of club selection doubt on the next, a long par 3 from an exposed, elevated tee, where working out the likely benefits or otherwise of any breeze can be bothersome.

Sheringham Golf Club - 11th hole

The par-3 11th is particularly well-protected by sand

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A long, arrow-straight par 5 then takes you to the westernmost point at the 7th green, before the course weaves it way back to the 19th hole via a series of varied and interesting tests. The short 11th, with its ring of defensive bunkers, and the par-4 17th, set right beside the railway line, stand out, with the latter’s green set at the foot of a pretty copse of pine and gorse. Indeed, the closing stretch hugs the railway tracks, so even if your game is off, you may get to enjoy the stirring sight of a steam engine in full flow close-up as you play your way back to the attractive clubhouse.

Sheringham is one of Norfolk’s most highly regarded courses, and there can be few more exhilarating experiences than taking on the cliff-edge stretch at twilight, especially on those days when your game is up to the task.

 

Jeremy Ellwood
Contributing Editor

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf

Jeremy is currently playing...

Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft

3 wood: Srixon ZX, EvenFlow Riptide 6.0 S 50g shaft

Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft

Irons 3- to 8-iron: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Irons 9-iron and PW: Honma TWorld TW747Vx, Nippon NS Pro regular shaft

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Putter: Kramski HPP 325

Ball: Any premium ball I can find in a charity shop or similar (or out on the course!)