Scotland and Ireland own the conversation and for good reason. St. Andrews, Muirfield, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush AND Ballybunion they are as good as advertised – maybe better. The difficulty is that everyone knows it. Group schedule opens 18 months in advance, and the most coveted are gone within hours. A journey that once felt like a rite of passage now requires planning a military operation.
The answer is hiding in plain sight. England. Crazy? stay with me
London may be the greatest golf city in the world. Melbourne is in the conversation, but no other city comes close. Within 45 minutes of Heathrow are four courses GOLF World’s Top 100 Listand unlike New York, Chicago or San Fran, where golf of this caliber resides behind private gates, each is open to the visiting golfer.
On the outskirts of the capital, the Surrey Sandbelt takes five days to play. Set up and courses – Old Sunningdale AND New, St. George’s Hill, Swinley Forest – they are 30 minutes apart. The least famous of them ranks 57th on our world list. Walton Heath (old) sits within an hour, and his brother New course it rewards those who squeeze it into their itinerary. Six world-class rounds, close enough to the airport. For the leisure golfer, the three W’s –Worplesdon, Woking AND West Hill – are also essential games.
For those traveling as a couple, Central London has it all. The hotels are among the best anywhere. The restaurant scene has long earned its place among the best in the world. World-renowned art galleries, shopping, theater and live sports abound. A non-golfing partner won’t continue to fail while you play England’s best.
Two hours from London, the south-east coast will reset your preconceptions about English golf. Royal St. George’s, Royal Cinque Ports AND of the Prince sit side by side in linksland belonging to the same conversation as any other in the British Isles. Add rye and, for many, the southeast becomes the whole reason for the trip.
The South may have the glamour, but it doesn’t have all the golf. Four hours north of London, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham AND Royal Birkdale it needs no introduction. Hill, Wallasey AND Formby complete a stretch that would be celebrated around the world if it were almost anywhere else.
The sheets are open, the courses are in great shape, and the golfer who makes the trip to England leaves asking the same question: What took me so long?
Book your dream trip for 2027 (and beyond) with 08:00 Golf by contacting Discovery@8amtravel.com.
