Sheringham Golf Club Course Review

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.

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, 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

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.

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.