The Golfers Club Blog - Page 23 of 38 - Premium Golf Insurance

Posted December 8th, 2022 by TheGolfersClub & filed under Golf Equipment.

These days, you don’t have to play 18 holes or head to the range to work on your golf game—you can practice in the comfort of your own home. There are a whole host of different training aids out there—one of the most popular of which are mats; more specifically, practice putting mats.

The benefit of owning one of these is that you can practice at home even when it’s too cold or dark to play, or if your course is shut because of bad weather. Quite simply, if you want your putting stroke to stay finely tuned throughout the whole season, you need one of these.

Many of the products we’ve featured below don’t just help you to work on your putting stroke, but they also feature games that add a bit of pressure to your practice.

As well as putting mats, several other mats are available that allow you to work on your full swing. Here’s a selection of the best golf practice mats currently on the market.

Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat (standard edition), RRP $174.99

The Perfect Practice Standard Putting Mat is 9ft 6” long and has been designed to produce genuine 10-14 stimpmeter speeds with no skipping or skidding.

The precise track lines help users to visualise the path of their ball. Should it roll off-course, the feedback allows golfers to adjust their alignment and stroke. The mat, which is trusted by some of the best golfers in the world, also features two hole sizes, which are designed to strengthen precision training.

Champkey Speed Control Putting Mat, RRP $59.99

This putting mat has a lot going on, although it’s not as complicated as it looks. It can be adjusted to run at four different speeds, allowing golfers to practice on greens that represent the closest speed to their home course or wherever they’re about to play. Users can create slopes, too, with a simple adjustment to the mat, and there are plenty of exercises and fun games to play.

PuttOUT Medium Putting Mat, RRP £69.99

Designed with usability in mind, the PuttOUT Medium Putting Mat is easy to assemble and roll up for storage. With its thick rubber backing, it rolls flat straight out of the packaging. It also comes with its own carry bag, so it’s easy to take with you wherever you need to practice. It runs at 10 on the stimpmeter and features alignment lines and a target hole.

Me and My Golf Breaking Ball Putting Mat, RRP from £99.99

For those unfamiliar with Me and My Game, this is PGA Pro duo Piers Ward and Andy Proudman. The pair have built a huge following on their social media channels—and have also created an online shop full of training aids, including this innovative putting mat.

It comes with three different weight-biased golf balls—slight, medium and heavy braking—allowing you to practice breaking putts at home. If you’re consistently starting the ball on the wrong line, you’re not going to enjoy much joy on the greens—but this mat also features start lines to help your set-up and get you holing out more often. You can choose between 7.5ft (£99.99) and 11ft (RRP £139.99).

SKLZ Accelerator Pro, RRP $59.99

Featuring a true-roll surface similar to an actual green and an up-slope to the cup, the Accelerator Pro helps improve every aspect of your putting stroke. It’s a clever piece of kit that features precise alignment guides at 3, 5 and 7 feet that help golfers square the clubface and produce a more consistent stroke. Meanwhile, the ball return allows users to train more efficiently without interruption.

Me and My Golf Dual-Turf Hitting Mat, RRP £39.99

This hitting mat has been designed to simulate both rough and fairway grass. It’s perfect for anyone fortunate enough to have an indoor golf studio. For those golfers who hit a lot of balls into a net in the garden, this mat is also going to give your grass some relief.

The beauty of the two different types of synthetic grass is that it allows you to work on your strike from various lies. The mat measures 32.5cm wide by 62cm long and comes with three rubber tees (7cm, 5cm and 3cm).

SKLZ Launch Pad Mat, RRP $49.99

This multi-purpose, portable mat allows you to hit full shots from two different surfaces: clean fairway (0.5” tall) and rough (1.5” tall). It also comes with a 2” tee and a 1” tee, allowing you to hit different shots with different clubs through the bag.

Champkey Pro Hitting Mat, RRP $99.99

The CHAMPKEY PRO is available in two sizes: 3ft x 5ft and 4ft x 5ft. It comes with two alignment sticks—a useful addition that ensures you keep working on your basics as you hit balls.

What’s more, you receive four rubber golf tees which allow you to work on each club in the bag. The synthetic surface simulates hitting from a real fairway, and whilst there’s no alternative ‘rough’ area to hit from, this is still a very good training aid.

Posted December 8th, 2022 by TheGolfersClub & filed under News.

The article below was written by Steve Carroll of National Club Golfer.

You all went mad for the changes to Stableford penalties, restrictions on standing behind your partner, and what to do if your ball hit an insect on the putting green.

But while they were some of the key headlines contained in the new 2023 Rules of Golf, which come into force on January 1, they weren’t the only alterations.

The R&A and USGA announced more than 40 ‘outcome changes’ between the 2019 and 2023 rules and not all of them will have immediately caught the eye.

That’s not to say, though, that they won’t have an impact on the weekly games you play at your clubs.

So let’s take a peek at five other new features in the rules that are worth knowing as you go into the New Year…

Making a stroke at an incorrectly substituted ball

You used to get the general penalty (two shots in stroke play and loss of hole in match play) for this blunder of Rule 6.3b. That penalty has now been reduced to one stroke.

You can’t put any objects down to show the line of play

Other than the putting green, it was OK to set an object down to show the line of play – if it was removed before making the stroke.

That’s now prohibited in Rule 10.2b (1) and (2). Regardless of the area of the course, a player “is not allowed to set an object down to show the line of play”.

You’ll get the general penalty – two shots or loss of hole in match play – if you do.

Cleaning a ball

You knew you could clean a ball that was lifted under a rule and from the putting green. You knew you could always clean a ball if it was lifted from anywhere else unless when it was done to see if it was cut or cracked, to identify it (cleaned only as needed to do so), because it interfered with play, or to see if it was in a condition where relief was allowed.

The old Rule 14.1c said a player who lifted a cleaned ball when not allowed got one penalty stroke.

But some sharp minds out there posed this question: Could you clean a ball that wasn’t lifted?

Rules chiefs decided it wasn’t clear enough whether that resulted in a penalty, and under what rule.

So they’ve slightly rewritten 14.1c to say “if the player cleans the ball when not allowed under this Rule, they get one penalty stroke and must replace the ball if it was lifted.”

Protection of young trees

Most clubs use the Model Local Rule that aims to protect young trees from damage. It allows committees to make them No Play Zones and compel players to take relief using Rule 16.1f.

That’s still in place in a new Local Rule, which also gives committees the option of marking a collection of trees as either a No Play Zone or choosing to define young trees as an abnormal course condition.

What’s the difference, you ask? If such trees are an abnormal course condition, and not a No Play Zone, then you have the choice of whether you want to take relief or not. You are not required to do so and could play ball as it lies.

Think ground under repair. You’d probably take free relief, but you don’t always have to. If your club brings in this change – laid out in Model Local Rule E-10.2 – the power will be in your hands.

Embedded ball relief

Here’s an interesting one coming into the winter. You are only allowed to take embedded ball relief, under Rule 16, when your ball is in the general area.

The reference point for taking relief is the spot right behind where that ball is embedded. All clear so far?

Right, what if that spot is not in the general area? What do you do then? In the 2019 Rules, there was no requirement for that reference point to be in the general area. In an outcomes document revealing the main 2023 changes, the R&A and USGA said that “In some situations, relief is not available if no part of the relief area is in the general area”.

That’s been redefined in a new clarification to the embedded ball rule. It says that the reference point must be in the general area and if the spot right behind the ball is not, you must find the nearest spot (no closer to the hole) which is and use that as the reference point.

The clarification adds that while this spot would normally be very close to behind where the ball is embedded, “it could be some distance away”.

You may think this will never come up, but it’s good knowledge to have as this same procedure also applies when a ball embeds in the wall or face right above a bunker and when a ball is in bounds but “embeds right next to out of bounds”.

Posted December 8th, 2022 by TheGolfersClub & filed under Playing Tips.

It’s cold on the course, especially early in the morning. However, given the extensive range of winter golf clothing and accessories on the market, there can be no excuses for feeling the cold to the extent that you pack the game in for the winter.

In fact, so effective are some of the modern garments, they’d keep you nice and toasty if you decided to go trekking in the Arctic.

There are other ways to keep your body warm on the fairways this winter, too. So, as well as topping up your golf wardrobe with a few items of winter golf gear, here’s how to keep warm playing golf.

Wear a base layer

A base layer has to be number one on the list. They provide incredible warmth for such a thin piece of material. Skin-tight base layers don’t restrict your swing like bulkier layers can and help increase blood circulation. On really icy days, you may want to consider a pair of base-layer bottoms, too. Now it doesn’t matter how low the temperature gets.

Prepare a hot drink

Make sure you top up that flask of yours before you tee off. It’s important to stay hydrated, of course, which is why you should always carry water. However, during the winter, use your flask for a cup of hot tea or coffee—or, if you’re feeling adventurous, a hearty soup. You can’t beat sipping a hot brew on the frosty fairways.

Wear winter mitts

If you don’t own a pair of mitts, put them on your Christmas list. These are up there with the base layers—they’re absolutely essential. Once the hands and fingers go, so does your feel, and you have no chance of playing your best. Winter mitts are easy to slip on and off between shots, and they do a fantastic job of keeping your hands warm, so you can grip your club properly and keep that all-important feel in your fingertips.

Invest in hand warmers

Why stop with a pair of winter mitts? There are lots of hand-warming devices out there that you might not necessarily find in a golf shop. Such products don’t just target golfers but anyone who suffers from cold hands when out and about. Some, you simply charge up at home; then, when you get to the course, turn them on, place them in your pockets, and feel the heat.

Wear thermal socks

Okay, this might be stating the obvious, but plenty of golfers out there don’t own a pair of thermal golf socks—and that’s a crime! We’ve all suffered the painful feeling of numb toes, and no amount of feet stamping can bring them back to life. Again, how can you expect to play your best when you’re suffering from cold feet?

Wear a bobble hat

If you ever see a golfer playing without a bottle hat in the winter, they must be made of pretty strong stuff. So much body heat is lost from our heads, so keeping this part of the body warm is crucial. Cold ears rival cold toes and fingers for pain. Quite frankly, taking to the golf in the winter without a warm hat is madness.

Related: Best golf beanies 2022

Try a snood

Eyebrows were raised when the pros started wearing snoods, but no one would question the look these days—they’re becoming increasingly popular. Snoods are really effective on cold and windy days. They keep your neck warm and prevent drafts from getting down your top. Think of those blustery days on the links, where the icy gusts take your breath away. Another advantage of wearing a snood is that the stretchy material can be pulled right up over your face.

Carry your bag

If you really suffer from the cold in the winter months, try carrying your clubs instead of using a trolley. It’s always nice to get moving after you’ve been standing around in the cold waiting to tee off. You might find that you warm up a lot quicker and stay fairly warm throughout your round when you’re tasked with carrying your clubs on your back.

Invest in decent waterproofs

When the wet starts penetrating through your layers, there’s no coming back. If you’re a golfer who likes to play all-year round, you’ll already know the importance of wearing fully waterproof jackets. Ideally, you need a full suit—so that’s the jacket and trousers. Today’s best waterproof golf suits will keep you dry in even the wettest conditions.

Switch to waterproof shoes

Many a golfer gets caught out wearing the wrong type of golf shoes when the cold weather comes around. Even if there’s no rain forecast, make sure you wear fully waterproof golf shoes during the winter months. One trip to the long, wet rough in shoes that aren’t waterproof, and you’ll be suffering from cold, wet feet for the rest of your round.

Related: The best waterproof golf shoes

Posted September 13th, 2022 by TheGolfersClub & filed under Golf Equipment.

Every golfer strives to improve, from the complete novice to the World’s Number One.

For the average amateur, one of the most common desires is to know how to hit a golf ball further.

Most of us recognise we’re never going to be able to send it “out there” like Rory McIlroy, but it would be nice to be able to consistently reach the fairway off the back tees and, occasionally, feel a par-5 may be “on in two.”

We’re all getting older, and it would be easy to view diminishing length on the golf course as a fait accompli. But it needn’t necessarily be so. All golfers could try some simple ways to find a few extra yards.

Here are seven tips to help you learn how to get more distance in golf.

1. Slow it down

how to hit a golf ball further by slowing it down

This might sound counterintuitive, as it’s undeniable that faster clubhead speeds at impact result in greater distance. But slowing things down is vital when learning how to get more distance in golf.

A wild flailing swing does not best achieve those fast clubhead speeds. Good timing and acceleration through the ball will make the golf ball travel further.

It doesn’t matter how fast the clubhead moves away from the ball or how fast the transition is from backswing to downswing. Speed during this part of the swing is wasted energy and generally has a destabilising effect.

Try to take the club away slowly and steadily, complete the backswing, and then transition to your downswing as slowly as possible.

It would help if you naturally accelerated through the downswing, and the club head will move at maximum velocity upon reaching the ball.

Look at some of the longest hitters in professional golf; their swings seem effortless.

Examine more closely, though, and you’ll see they tend to be relaxed and smooth when it doesn’t matter (on the way back and through the transition). But it’s then that the speed kicks in, where it does matter—as the club nears, and reaches, the ball.

2. Strengthen your core

Stability through the swing will enable you to accelerate through the ball and maximise clubhead speed. This stability comes from the core—particularly your lower torso.

If you have strong abdominal and oblique muscles, you can generate more power without losing control, therefore achieving more distance.

Strengthening the core doesn’t have to mean hours spent in the gym. It’s easy to do it at home with simple exercises like the “high plank.” Hold yourself in a high press-up position for as long as possible and feel your stomach muscles working.

You might not be able to do this for very long at first, but keep at it, and you’ll soon see improvements. Alternatively, try the “low plank.” It’s the same but with your elbows on the ground rather than your hands.

Yoga and Pilates are great for strengthening the core, and many sports centres and health clubs run classes targeting golfers.

Apart from learning how to hit the golf ball further, you’ll also feel generally stronger and less prone to injuries, particularly to your lower back.

3. Go for a fitting

image of a ball fitting to help client learn how to hit a golf ball further

This could be the simplest way to learn how to hit the golf ball further, especially off the tee. If you have the wrong set-up in your driver, it could be that you’re not getting the most out of your shots.

If the shaft isn’t right for your swing, you may produce too much spin, sending the ball up rather than out. Changing the loft on your driver could optimise ball flight, giving a better trajectory and greater carry.

Changing to a driver with a draw bias may reduce distance-killing cut spin, while looking at a club with a different weight distribution could improve ball flight and increase distance.

Go to a local pro with the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer and Swing DNA system or similar ball-flight tracking technology, and see how your current kit performs.

Then check if the figures can be improved by new or different equipment. It might cost a few quid, but it’s perhaps worth it for an extra 10 yards off the tee.

Related: How to play golf on a budget

4. Check your ball

As with clubs, getting the right ball for your game can increase your distance.

Many amateurs opt for a “premium” ball, believing that if it’s the choice of the pros, it must be the best you can buy.

But many premium balls are designed for players who produce fast clubhead speeds at impact, greater than the speeds generated by the average amateur.

Below a certain clubhead speed, these premium balls will not be compressed sufficiently at impact to deliver maximum spring and distance. That’s why it’s best to shop around when learning how to hit a golf ball further.

Most major ball manufacturers produce a range of balls to suit players with different clubhead speeds.

Get your local pro to measure your clubhead speed and then consider the available options. It won’t necessarily be the most expensive ball that helps you to hit the golf ball further.

5. Try to hit a draw

hitting a draw can help you to hit a golf ball further

The draw is the Holy Grail for most club players, but producing one is a challenging prospect for the majority.

But in terms of learning how to get more distance in golf, it’s well worth trying—in flat conditions with the same impact speeds, a ball hit with draw spin will travel further than one hit with cut spin.

When you open the face and cut across the ball, you increase the club’s loft and impart more backspin and sidespin.

This causes the ball to climb—much of the energy you have transplanted goes into upward rather than outward movement.

The more you can reduce the effects of the distance-sapping cut, the further your golf ball will fly. You don’t have to hit the ball from right to left to get results. Just try to hit a draw, lessen the cut, and you’ll see improvements.

So, ensure your grip isn’t too weak. The v created by the thumb and forefingers on both hands should point to your right shoulder. Check your set-up is square to the ball—feet, hips, knees, and shoulders should all be pointed straight at the target.

If you have a cut, the temptation is to aim left to compensate, but by opening up to the target, you exacerbate the problem, increasing the out-to-in, cut-inducing swing.

Then, as you swing, try to envisage a draw and what the clubface must do to create one—effectively wrapping itself around the right side of the ball. Imagine a topspin forehand in tennis.

6. Improve centre contact

One of the best ways to learn how to hit a golf ball further is to work on your centre contact.

This means improving your consistency with hitting the ball with the centre of the club face.

Many amateur golfers either hit the ball with different areas of the club face or choose the wrong spot initially. Even being one inch away from the centre can significantly reduce your distance.

By improving this, you will not only learn how to get more distance in golf, but your shot consistency will be better overall.

Check out this video from Canadian Fade Golf for a useful drill:

7. Practise shifting your weight

Developing your swing technique by learning how to shift your weight properly is a great way to achieve more distance in golf.

You should keep your hips loose and use them to drive the club through your swing. This creates momentum during your downswing and increases club head speed for a more powerful impact.

During your backswing, you should shift up to around 60% of your weight onto your back leg as you reach the movement’s peak.

By the time you reach the bottom of your downswing, your front leg should be supporting around 90% of your body weight.

This takes practice, but it’s one of the most valuable ways of learning how to hit a golf ball further.

Posted September 13th, 2022 by TheGolfersClub & filed under Golf Equipment.

The article below was written by Hannah Holden of National Club Golfer.

Over the years TaylorMade has brought some of the most innovative drivers in golf to the market. Let’s take a look at how their technologies have evolved.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 1979: 1Metal/Pittsburgh Persimmon driver

TaylorMade’s debut driver introduced the metalwood to the world. Originally called the 1Metal, it became the Pittsburgh Persimmon in 1980 and was the first driver to depart from a classical wooden construction.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 1983: TaylorMade Burner driver

As far back as the 1980s, TaylorMade were looking at ways to increase club head speed. The dimpling on the side of the Burner was touted to get you moving the club head faster.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 1991: TaylorMade System 2 MidSize driver

This club head was foam-filled to improve weighting and sound. TaylorMade also added a new shaft of superior quality which saw many golfers make distance gains.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 1995: TaylorMade Titanium Bubble Shaft driver

TaylorMade’s first titanium driver, it featured a shaft wider from the bubble to the tip making the clubhead much more stable at impact and offering more balance for greater club head speed.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 1997: TaylorMade Titanium Bubble Shaft 2 driver

The second Bubble driver featured a K-shaped sole design. This helped to lower the centre of gravity to make it easier to launch shots higher.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 1999: TaylorMade Firesole driver

The Firesole driver featured of a tungsten sole plate to improve weight distribution and increase launch angle.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2001: TaylorMade 300 series driver

The R300 Series featured three separate drivers, the 300 Ti, 320 Ti and 360 Ti. These were the first TaylorMade drivers to meet or exceed the USGA COR limit. Each of the three models was designed with unique head size, shape, weight distribution, lie angle and shaft length to optimise a particular player’s unique launch condition. These were the first TaylorMade drivers to meet or exceed the USGA COR limit.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2002: TaylorMade Burner 420 driver

The Burner 420 introduced Titanium construction and performance to the market. It had a larger 405cc head and a larger more expansive club face helping to increase the sweet spot.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2002: TaylorMade R5 series driver

The R5 launched Inverted Cone Technology, numerous thicknesses in a circular pattern on the back of the club face. This substantially increased the sweet spot to deliver more ball speed and distance on off-centre strikes.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2003: TaylorMade R510 series driver

There were five driver models in the R510 driver series. The R510 TP, R510, R540 and R580. The TaylorMade R510 TP driver has one of TaylorMade’s most iconic driver head shapes. It had a larger head so offered more MOI and forgiveness than other models.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2004: R7 Quad driver

This marked the introduction of moveable weight technology. Golfers now had the ability to reposition weights in the club head to optimise their launch conditions.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2005: TaylorMade R7 425 driver

Named after its 425cc head size. Forty grams of weight was redistributed in the club head to allow for heavier moveable weight cartridges. Golfers could adjust their shot shape 30% more than with the original R7 Quad.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2006: TaylorMade R7 460 driver

The first 460cc driver head to feature moveable weight technology. Two moveable weights in the club head gave the consumer the ability to move the centre of gravity to create a draw bias ball flight.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2007: TaylorMade R7 Superquad driver

The Superquad took moveable weight technology to another level with four moveable weights providing 28 yards of shot shape correction.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2008: TaylorMade R7 CGB Max driver

The interchangeable hosel system in the R7 CGB Max created a whole new level of adjustability and customisation. Golfers could customise their driver with one of three different shaft offerings.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2009: TaylorMade R9 driver

Flight Control Technology allowed golfers to change the face angle, lie, and loft of the club via the hosel. The R9 hosel had eight different positions making it one of the most adaptable and workable clubs of its time.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2010: TaylorMade R9 SuperTri driver

The first time TaylorMade combined flight control technology with moveable weight technology in a 460cc head. The result was 24 combinations of face angle and CG location. This would provide up to 75 yards of side-to-side trajectory change, all in a more forgiving head.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2011: TaylorMade R11 driver

The white crown changed visual technology forever, providing huge levels of contrast at address for alignment. By August, TaylorMade had sold more than a million white metal woods. The adjustable sole plate was also an industry first and, combined with an adjustable loft sleeve and moveable weight technology gave golfers up to 100 yards of shot-shape correction.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2012: TaylorMade R11S

The R11S featured all the tech of the previous R11 but in a larger 460cc head.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2013: TaylorMade R1

The TaylorMade R1 driver was all about promoting optimal launch conditions via twelve loft and lie settings on the hosel.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2013: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 drivers

The TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 driver featured a new larger club face giving the golfer a bigger contact area.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2014: TaylorMade SLDR drivers

TaylorMade brought three new SLDR models to the market in 2014. The main SLDR 460 driver had a sliding weight rail at front of the sole near the club face. This created a more forward CG giving you a great combination of high launch and low spin.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2015: TaylorMade Aeroburner driver

Improved shaping helped reduce drag. The Aeroburner featured a rounder toe, raised centre crown, reduced drop from crown to skirt, and a new hosel fin.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2016: TaylorMade M1 & M2 drivers

A throwback to the original 1Metal. M stands for Multi-Material and it’s the key that unlocks performance in M1.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2017: M1 & M2 drivers

This was the first TaylorMade drivers to have a multi-material combination of titanium, carbon toe panel, and six-layer carbon composite crown.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2018: TaylorMade M3 & M4 driver

The M3 and M4 models helped introduce twist face to the world. The new face curvature helps correct face angles on off-centre strikes, produce a more consistent spin, and reduce side spin for straighter shots.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2019: TaylorMade M5 & M6 drivers

The story for 2019 was all about getting speed to the edge of legal limits. The club head is speed injected with tuning resin to maximise ball speed and distance, achieving performance at or near the legal limit.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2020: TaylorMade SIM & SIM Max driver

As the name suggests, the SIM driver is all about reshaping. An asymmetric sole design and inertia generator improved aerodynamics, increased speed and added forgiveness.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2021: TaylorMade SIM2 & SIM2 Max driver

The focus for TaylorMade in 2021 was construction. Each individual piece of the club head was upgraded to improve performance, including the ‘Forged Ring Construction’ which formed the chassis of the driver.

TaylorMade drivers by year: 2022: TaylorMade Stealth driver

An industry-first in the driver category, a carbon wood. The red and black club face, which is now much larger, provides more speed, a higher COR, and precise face geometry. It comprises 60 layers of overlapping carbon with a nanotexture cover that creates a strong yet flexible striking surface to optimise distance by improving the launch in dry and wet conditions.

RELATED: How TaylorMade Stealth will change the industry forever

Posted September 13th, 2022 by TheGolfersClub & filed under Golf Courses.

With approximately 80 courses affiliated with its county union, Essex boasts tremendous variety when it comes to golf.

Some say Essex doesn’t have a ‘big name’ like other home counties. However, many of the game’s most revered architects have left their mark here, which makes a visit to Essex well worth your while.

Thorndon Park

Located in 240 acres of ancient deer park, the Harry Colt-designed Thorndon Park is just over two miles away from the M25. As you thread your way through the mighty, old oaks, it’s hard to believe it could be so close—this is a secluded beauty; one of the county’s finest courses, if not THE finest.

Two loops of nine run in opposite directions around New Hall Pond, making for some memorable holes. However, with Thorndon Hall as the magnificent backdrop to the final hole, the 18th takes some beating. The short holes run it close, though, especially the 15th, the longest par 3, which plays over a small lake and stream to a well-bunkered green.

Chelmsford

Another fine Colt course, Chelmsford, is one of the county’s oldest layouts. The club, which celebrated its centenary in 1993, moved to an 18-hole James Braid design almost 30 years after its foundation, before Colt made some considerable changes. Measuring a fraction under 6,000 yards (par 68), it’s not the length that’ll challenge you, so much as the number of tight shots you’ll face as you negotiate fairways that are constantly changing direction.

The 7th is one of the most memorable holes, where you’re required to thread a long drive through the bunkers, while the 11th, the only par 5 on the course, offers the chance for big hitters to cut the corner and go for the green in two with an iron.

Orsett

Orsett Golf Club, located just a few miles from the Thames, was founded in 1899; it’s the work of James Braid and boasts both woodland and heathland features. The club has hosted Open Championship qualifying on several occasions and presents a real challenge when the wind is up, with holes 17 and 18, which are invariably played into the prevailing wind, particularly brutish.

As signature holes go, Orsett has a real gem: the short par 4 6th, which is set in a valley. Many a visiting golfer has underestimated the difficulty of this hole, where an accurate tee shot is crucial.

Colchester

Colchester is the oldest recorded town in Britain, and its club was formed in 1907. James Braid is responsible for this undulating parkland where mature trees line the fairways, so it’s straight driving that gets rewarded.

Coming home, most par 4s exceed 400 yards, so you need to make your score going out, which is where you’ll come across the course’s two par 5s, at the 2nd and 9th. Rarely will you find Colchester in anything but excellent condition, and it’s benefitted from a £750,000 state-of-the-art irrigation system, too. If you like fast greens, you’re sure to warm to Colchester’s subtly-contoured putting surfaces.

Romford

Romford Golf Club, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2019, is located just 18 miles from the centre of London. No doubt, many of its members commute back from the capital with haste to tee it up here. The course, another James Braid design, is renowned for its taxing bunkers, traps that have cost many a player looking to qualify for The Open.

The Regional Qualifying course opens up in a fairly sedate manner before showing its teeth at the par 4 4th, which at 470 odd yards, can only be described as a beast. “Card a five and move on” is the advice offered by the club pro, and the same could probably be said of the 14th, rated the hardest hole on the course and another par 4 measuring over 450 yards.

Canons Brook

The legendary Sir Henry Cotton designed Canons Brook, situated close to Harlow on the border of Hertfordshire and London. It opened in 1963, and while it may not boast the same rich history as a number of the county’s other courses, it’s a track that’s matured wonderfully over the last 50 years.

The club’s name comes from the ancient area in which it’s located, with the brook winding its way through the landscape and catching out many a player, especially first-time visitors. The 17th, meanwhile, known as “Death or Glory”, is set back in an avenue of trees, while up ahead, a ditch extends across the fairway.

Chigwell

Located just 10 miles northeast of Central London, close to the A13 and M11, Chigwell is easily accessible and well worth adding to your list of golf courses in Essex. Set on undulating parkland, the club offers a warm welcome, so friendly in fact that the 1st hole can rather catch you off guard.

The club describes its 467-yard 1st as “one of the hardest opening holes in the south-east”. The tree-lined fairways aren’t quite as intimidating as those you might find elsewhere, which means you can escape with the odd loose shot. As well as a fine collection of par 3s, which force you to use a different club each time, the course also boasts a wonderful closing hole—a strong par-5 of 556 yards with water down the left.

Bentley

Situated not far from Brentford, Bentley is a beautiful parkland layout; one that has hosted the Essex County Championship and remains a popular venue for the Essex Captains. Designed by Alex Swan, founder of Swan Golf Designs, it’s configured of two returning nines. The gently undulating fairways, which are flanked by mature trees, veer this way and that, and should you stray off line, numerous ponds and ditches lie in wait.

The signature hole arrives on the par 4 16th, and it’s worth the wait. A downhill dogleg right with out of bounds to the right and a lake guarding the green, it’s a bit of a knee-trembler if you leave yourself a long iron with your second.

West Essex

Affectionately known as “The West”, the James Braid-designed West Essex was founded in 1900. Epping Forest, Chingford, provides a beautiful location for this parkland layout, offering picturesque views across the city of London, including many famous landmarks such as the London Eye and Wembley Stadium.

It’s a course of two distinctive nines, with the tree-lined front nine winding its way through the forest, whilst the back nine is longer and flatter.

A fun fact: West Essex is home to the smallest championship green in England. Members nickname the downhill par 3 5th, which measures 159 yards, the “Frying Pan”. With a putting surface that measures just 14 yards, it rather goes without saying that club selection is crucial.

Abridge

Abridge Golf & Country Club, set in 240 acres of beautiful parkland, has matured beautifully since opening in the 1960s, and Sir Henry Cotton’s layout has hosted Open Championship qualifying in more recent times. This gives you an idea of the quality of the course, which is, without doubt, one of the best in the county.

Golfers are treated to some wonderful elevation changes and several plateau greens. As well as making for a great variety of holes, the undulations do a fine job shielding the sound of the nearby M25. As close as it is, there’s no shortage of wonderful views of the Essex countryside.

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