Royal Wimbledon Golf Club

The setting is fantastic, and the course is superb. However, having paid £75 as a visitor to then be refused service in the club house is just ridiculous. In fact service was refused to us anywhere. Not because of dress codes but simply because we weren’t with a member. Places like this continue to give golf a bad name. I certainly won’t be returning which is a shame as the course really was one of the best I have played.

This is a great course. There were only two weak holes that I could remember. One being a short par four and the eighteenth. The par three's are up there with the best. The par four 15th and 16th for me were the two best holes on the course. I didn't play particuarly well but it was a pleasure just to walk around. I playes Wentwood Hills at Celtic Manor two weeks before and can honestly say that this wasn't that far behind. The fairways were immaculate, the greens were true and the practice facilities were excellent. This is what I would call a 'proper' golf course. if you get the chance this is a must play. I can not reccomend it highly enough.

Royal Wimbledon is straight out of the old school of golf and rightly makes no apologies for it. Expect jacket and ties, pink gins and stiff upper lips here. The course starts with four difficult par 4s which turn the screw right from the outset. Structurally, Royal Wimbledon bears similarities to Rye, with extremely demanding long par 4s, not much in the way of par 5s and fantastic par 3s. Straight, long driving is absolutely essential, as nearly every hole at Royal Wimbledon is tightly lined with trees. You can also expect little roll on the fairways outside the summer, which makes the long par 4s that much harder. There’s something of a respite between the opening four holes until just after the turn with a couple of par 3s, two short par 4s and both of the two par 5s that are tight but nothing particularly special. However, you need to capitalise on this stretch as, afterwards, the long par 4s just keep coming: holes 11 (420 yards), 12 (452 yards), 14 (448 yards) and 15 (420 yards) are all severe. The par 3s are visually spectacular (with especially penal bunkering) but, collectively, they are just a fraction too similar for my liking. It’s also a shame that, given what’s preceded it, the 18th is one of the lesser par 4s on the course. But overall Royal Wimbledon is a great test of golf. Unlike so many of the big money new country clubs, it doesn’t overrate itself – the course simply says it all. Taking Walton Heath and St George’s Hill as outside the urban area and ignoring the nearby overly-reclusive Coombe Hill, I defy anyone to name me a better layout than Royal Wimbledon in Greater London. 8/10 ‘Young P’

I played this course for the 2nd time in a number of years on the 2nd of June 04. Having improved my game I could now really appreciate the quality and condition of this course which I have to say was fantastic. Most of the holes are beautiful with lots of long par 4's and 3's filled with pot bunkers to keep you on your toes throughout the all 18 holes. I played the West course at Wentworth about a month ago and would easily rate Royal Wimbledon as being just as good. It is hard to get on the course though unless you know a member but if you are a Merton Council Tax payer you can bring your council tax book down to the course with a form of ID Mon - Fri and can play for less than £30. Be warned though that you have to pay cash and cannot wear short socks but you will be rewarded with a great golfing experience!!!!

A quality course! A challenge to even the most competant of golfers.