Many of golf’s roots and its founding fathers are closely linked with the military. This is especially so in the south of England and up towards the Midlands. While some courses were originally for use by service staff and their families, each of these five very different designs welcomes all golfers, often at more pocket-friendly rates than many of the courses in the Golf Monthly Top 100.
Army
Golf in England was very much in its infancy in the early 1880s, but its popularity was beginning to spread thanks to the influence of Scottish expats such as those serving in the Army. The 1st Battalion, the Cameronians, were based in nearby Aldershot, and in 1883 proposed the creation of a new club, just the second and still one of the best golf courses in Hampshire. Over the years it has had five clubhouses, six titles and eight courses, with its current design dating back roughly half a century. The par-71 layout stretches to 6,631 yards from the purple tees and opens with the first of just two three-shotters. It runs through pine and birch on beautiful, crisp, sandy soil.
- GF: 18 holes £85 Mon-Thu
- W: armygolfclub.com
Whittington Heath
Dating back to 1886 and originally known as Whittington Barracks, this is also one of the oldest clubs in the country. Its original 9-holer was laid out over the heath that was once the only race track in Staffordshire. For some time, golf was exclusively for services personnel and Harry Colt redesigned and extended the course to a full 18 in 1927.
The course was purchased from the Ministry of Defence just over 30 years ago, and now has five new holes and a very smart new clubhouse on the back of the proposed High Speed 2 rail link. It is still without doubt one of the best golf courses in the Midlands.
- GF: 18 holes £85wd, £90 Sun pm
- W: whittingtonheathgc.co.uk
Southwick Park
Peacefully situated a few miles inland from the historic docklands of Portsmouth, Southwick Park is a very friendly club that was founded as recently as 1977. Its relatively short course was originally opened as a source of recreation for Navy personnel.
It runs over an easy-walking plot of attractive parkland running either side of a lake. This then emerges into a stream that comes into play on the 4th and 9th holes. The club became autonomous in 1994, and is adjacent to Southwick House, home to the training centre for the Service Police of the British Armed Forces.
- GF: 18 holes £24-£42
- W: southwickparkgolfclub.com
Tidworth Garrison
Situated right next door to the military camp of the same name, the club was founded in 1908 with the construction of the garrison between the village and the plain taking place between 1900 and 1910. As at Whittington, this lovely and quite varied course was designed by Harry Colt who had it in mind to keep it as natural and undeveloped as possible.
As a result, it is not heavily bunkered and looks pretty much as it would have done a hundred years ago. Its signature hole is the final par 3, the 13th, played over a side-slope to a well-bunkered green.
- GF: 18 holes £57 Mon-Thu, £66 Fri-Sun
- W: tidworthgolfclub.co.uk
Upavon
Just a few miles from Tidworth Garrison, Upavon dates back to 1912 when it was founded by a group of airmen. The land was originally owned by the RAF, and a close connection remains to this day. Pilot training commenced that same year, the oldest such school in the world.
At the start of WWII, Douglas Bader was stationed at Upavon and played the course which went into civilian ownership in 1993. Since then, it has been devolved into a full-length par 71 downland test where the elevation means that wind is often a factor and which rewards with fine views.
- GF: 18 holes £30-£60
- W: upavongolfclub.co.uk
