Hidden Gem Golf Courses in England
England's greatness is not all on the Open rota. Inland on the heather and gorse, and on a few quiet stretches of coast, sit courses every bit as good as the famous links, at a fraction of the fee and the fuss. Our ranked eight hidden gems, with verdicts and how to play each one.
Photograph: Stephen Caldwell, Woodhall Spa Golf Club, via Google
How we ranked them
A hidden gem has to clear a high bar: the golf must be genuinely world class, the kind of course that would be famous if it sat on the coast or had hosted an Open, yet for one reason or another it flies below the radar. England is full of them, above all on the heathland belt where the great architects of the golden age, Colt, Park, Fowler and Braid, found firm, sandy ground inland and built courses that rival the seaside links. We weighed the quality and strategy of the golf, the character of the setting, the architectural pedigree, and crucially how readily a visiting group can actually get on, because access is part of what makes these a smarter play than the rota.
Every fact here, the designers, the par and yardage where we cite it, and the indicative green fees, was checked at the time of writing in June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Fees move with the season and the year, so treat the numbers as a guide and always confirm directly before booking. The verdicts are ours. If your group wants three or four of these strung into one quiet, high quality tour, with the right country hotels and tee times, that is exactly what our concierge does.
The 8 best hidden gem golf courses in England
Woodhall Spa, Hotchkin Course
The finest inland course in England that almost nobody outside the game has heard of, deep in the Lincolnshire countryside as the home of England Golf. A heathland classic of firm fairways framed by heather, gorse and pine, it is defended by some of the deepest, most ferocious bunkers in world golf, lovingly restored along with the rest of the course by Tom Doak. Remote, peaceful and a fraction of the cost of the Open links, it is the connoisseur's hidden gem and our clear number one.
Notts Golf Club, Hollinwell
One of the very best examples of heathland golf in Britain, laid out by Willie Park junior through the rolling, protected hills of north Nottinghamshire. Hollinwell winds through acres of heather and silver birch on a site of special scientific interest, a big, handsome, strategic course that regularly makes the top one hundred yet draws almost no crowds. Visitors are welcome midweek with a handicap, and the value against its quality is among the best in the country.
Ganton Golf Club
An inland course with the turf and bunkering of a seaside links, lying on an ancient sandy seabed near Scarborough and host of the 1949 Ryder Cup and the 2003 Walker Cup. The roll call of architects, Harry Colt, Alister MacKenzie, Tom Simpson and more, reads like a who's who of the golden age, and the result is a beautifully bunkered, gorse lined test that golfers who make the trip never forget. Far from the motorway and the crowds, it is a genuine pilgrimage.
St Enodoc, Church Course
A wild, rumpled links tumbling through the sand hills above the Camel estuary in north Cornwall, laid out by James Braid and home to the Himalayas, one of the largest and most famous bunkers in England. The routing twists and climbs across some of the finest natural golf ground in the country, with the little church where John Betjeman is buried tucked among the dunes. Quirky, beautiful and joyous, it is a links every architecture lover should seek out.
Saunton, East Course
A serious, classical links among the dunes of the North Devon coast, designed by Herbert Fowler of Walton Heath and The Berkshire fame and often compared to Royal Birkdale at a fraction of the green fee. The East is a long, exposed and honest test of links golf, with the wind off Bideford Bay the constant defense, and the neighboring West course makes a thirty six hole day a treat. Tucked away in the far southwest, it remains gloriously under visited.
Swinley Forest
The most private of the great heathland courses, a Harry Colt design in the Berkshire pines that the architect himself reputedly called the least bad course he ever built. Short by modern standards but a masterclass in strategy, with a famous set of par threes and an intimacy and serenity all its own, Swinley is a members and guests club where a round feels like a privilege. Access takes planning, which is precisely why it stays such a well kept secret.
West Sussex, Pulborough
A jewel of heathland golf laid across a rare pocket of sandy ground in the Sussex countryside, and one of the few celebrated par sixty eights in the country. Short on paper but full of charm and demand, with water, heather and a glorious run of one shot holes, West Sussex proves that quality has nothing to do with length. Peaceful, beautifully kept and welcoming to visitors midweek, it is the perfect counterpoint to a southern links trip.
Hankley Common
Eight hundred and fifty acres of wild Surrey heath give Hankley Common a sense of seclusion few inland courses can match, the work rooted in a Harry Colt remodel and sharpened by a recent bunker restoration that settled the hazards naturally into the landscape. The closing par four, with its deep cross bunker short of the green, is one of the best finishing holes in heathland golf. Big, open and uncrowded, it is a gem hiding in plain sight an hour from London.
Designers, par and yardage where cited, host history and rankings verified June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
Where they are, and indicative costs
The gems split between the heathland belt and the quiet coast. Surrey and Berkshire hold Swinley Forest and Hankley Common within an hour of London, with West Sussex a little further south. The Midlands and the north give you Hollinwell in Nottinghamshire, Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire and Ganton near Scarborough, a superb three course swing through inland England. The southwest gathers St Enodoc in Cornwall and Saunton in Devon for a links pairing far from the crowds. Our concierge ties the country hotels and tee times into one unhurried tour.
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Green fee, hidden gems | Around £80 to £250 per round | Heathland clubs at the lower end midweek; well below the Open links |
| Visitor access | Often midweek, by booking | Handicap certificate usual; Swinley Forest is members and guests only |
| A few days, all in | Around £800 to £1,800 per person | Country hotels, three or four rounds, excluding travel |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Plan your England hidden gem trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head, secures the visitor tee times and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
England hidden gem questions
What is the best hidden gem golf course in England?
Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin Course in Lincolnshire is our number one, a wild heathland masterpiece with some of the deepest bunkers in world golf, restored by Tom Doak and home to England Golf, yet far quieter than the Open links. Notts Golf Club at Hollinwell and Ganton in Yorkshire run it close. All three deliver championship quality away from the crowds. Our ranking weighs the golf, the setting and access together.
Are England's hidden gems easier to get on than the famous links?
Generally yes. Inland heathland clubs such as Woodhall Spa, Hollinwell, Ganton and West Sussex welcome visitors on most days with a handicap and advance booking, and green fees are a fraction of the Open rota. Saunton and St Enodoc are busier in summer but still far easier than Royal St George's. Swinley Forest is the exception, members and guests only. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
How much do England's hidden gem courses cost to play in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at these courses run from roughly £80 to £250 per round, well below the championship links, with the heathland clubs at the lower end midweek. A few days touring three or four with hotels typically lands from around £800 to £1,800 per head excluding travel. Always confirm directly before booking.
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