Brocket Hall Melbourne
Peter Alliss and Clive Clark routed the Melbourne in 1992 through the historic parkland of the Brocket Hall estate, a par 72 of 6,616 yards that swings around the Broadwater lake beneath a Palladian mansion. The younger of the estate's two courses, it trades on water, mature trees and a setting of country house grandeur a short drive north of London.
Photo: The Melbourne Club at Brocket Hall via Google.
The verdict
Brocket Hall is one of the grand country estates of Hertfordshire, a Palladian house wrapped in centuries of history and set in parkland that falls toward the serpentine Broadwater lake. The Melbourne, named for the prime minister Lord Melbourne who once lived here, was the second course built on the estate, opened in 1992 to a design by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark.
It is a polished, modern parkland test that makes the most of the estate's water and woodland. The lake comes into play around the turn, the fairways are framed by mature specimen trees, and the conditioning has long been kept to a high standard befitting a course attached to a luxury hotel and golf retreat. At a touch over 6,600 yards it is not the longest course in the county, but the placement of water and bunkering means it asks for thought rather than brute force, and the setting makes it one of the most memorable rounds within easy reach of the capital.
Brocket Hall Melbourne Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1992
- Designer
- Alliss & Clark
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 6,616 yds
- Green fee
- Visitor rate
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Brocket Hall and leading course databases. The Melbourne was designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark and opened in 1992, a par 72 of 6,616 yards. Brocket Hall welcomes visiting golfers; green fees vary by course, season and day (indicative, 2026), so always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Melbourne uses the estate's natural assets with confidence. The early holes ease you in through parkland framed by old oaks and cedars, then the round tightens as the Broadwater lake begins to shape your decisions, asking whether you take on a carry or lay back to the safe side of the fairway.
The water holes are the signature, approaches and tee shots played across or alongside the lake with the mansion often in view, and they reward the player who commits to a line. Elsewhere the challenge is positional, the fairways angled so that the ideal approach comes from the side guarded by a bunker, and the greens are large enough to gather a good shot yet contoured enough to punish a lazy one.
It is a course that feels of a piece with its surroundings. You play golf in the grounds of a stately home, the lake glinting between the trees, and that sense of occasion, more than any single hole, is what brings golfers back to the Melbourne.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members and resort club that welcomes visiting golfers, often as part of a green fee or stay and play package on the estate; advance booking is essential |
| Green fee | Indicative visitor green fees in the region of 90 to 180 pounds depending on course, season and day (2026); always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Reserve through the Brocket Hall golf office well ahead, especially for weekend and package play |
| On the day | Smart golf dress on course and in the clubhouse; trolleys and buggies available; the parkland walk rolls gently around the lake |
| Getting there | Near Welwyn in Hertfordshire, close to the A1(M) and about half an hour north of London |
| Best months | May to September for the driest fairways and the fullest estate color |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; rates change by season and day, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Brocket Hall is a stay and play destination in its own right, with lodge accommodation on the estate that lets visiting golfers wake within the grounds and play both courses over a weekend.
The Melbourne pairs naturally with its sibling the Palmerston for a full Brocket Hall itinerary, and the position close to the A1(M) makes it an easy add to a wider Hertfordshire trip taking in Hanbury Manor and Moor Park.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Brocket Hall.
Build a Hertfordshire golf trip
We arrange tee times on the Brocket Hall courses, pair them with the best of the Hertfordshire parkland and the Surrey heath, and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Brocket Hall Melbourne Course questions
Who designed the Melbourne Course at Brocket Hall and when did it open?
The Melbourne Course was designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark and opened in 1992, the second of the two courses on the Brocket Hall estate.
What is the par and length of the Brocket Hall Melbourne Course?
The Melbourne is a par 72 of 6,616 yards, a parkland course that plays around the Broadwater lake on the Brocket Hall estate.
Can visitors play the Brocket Hall Melbourne Course?
Yes. Brocket Hall welcomes visiting golfers, often through green fee or stay and play packages; book in advance and confirm the current rate before you travel.
Where is Brocket Hall?
Brocket Hall is near Welwyn in Hertfordshire, England, close to the A1(M) and about half an hour north of London.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.