Timeless Beauty: Why You Need To Play Sherwood Forest Golf Club

While links golf dominates the Golf Monthly UK & Ireland Top 100, this is largely because it’s where the game began; where the land was cheap and the initial investment was made. The second most popular and recognised for its many attributes perfectly suited for the sport, is heathland. With a little more protection from the elements, greater variations in topography and the opportunity to prepare the very best conditioning, this is now the preferred style of many discerning golfers.

One prime example that sits proudly in the Golf Monthly Top 100 is the glorious Sherwood Forest Golf Club, a few miles north of Nottingham. Founded in 1895 but moving a mile or two eastwards to its current, idyllic location in 1912, the course has benefited from the design genius of two of the greatest golf course architects of all time, Harry Colt and James Braid.

It was Colt who laid out the original routing on the new site having reported to the club that “the soil and natural features of the land are eminently suitable for the construction of a really good golf course.” Fifteen years later, and improvements in ball and club technology meant that the course needed some changes.

Braid, with five Open Championships to his credit, was engaged to add length and make other corresponding changes. He made few to the opening holes, reasoning that he wanted golfers to be kept engaged, but plenty from a new green at the 7th onwards. The enduring result is a course of style and timeless beauty.

As you would expect, it covers a gently undulating plot of springy, perfect turf. The heather can be challenging, so it calls for strong and accurate driving. Most of the fairways are lined by swathes of purple and a wide variety of trees, though continued clearance is restoring its original heathland nature evermore.

The opening four holes loop back round to the clubhouse before you then head way out into the open forest. The holes from seven round to fifteen occupy a Site of Scientific Special Interest, and the soil is so free-draining that the course is eminently playable at any time of the year. Throughout, the bunkering is attractive and very well positioned, and the gentle undulations all offer up a wonderful round of golf. Find the green and you are rewarded with putts that are fast and true.

As you can see on the club’s brand new website, when the heather is in its pomp in late summer, it is eye-catchingly scenic. Throughout the rest of the year, the course is merely lovely! It is always a delight to its many happy members and to its very welcome visitors. To find out more, visit sherwoodforestgolfclub.co.uk