Hunstanton Golf Club
The finest links in Norfolk and one of the great hidden classics of English golf, laid out in 1891 along a strip of duneland between the beach and the saltmarsh. James Braid gave it eighteen holes in 1907, and the out and back routing either side of a central ridge means the wind off The Wash is in your face one way and at your back the other. Pure, firm, exposed links golf of the old school.
Photo: kevin heggie via Google.
The verdict
Hunstanton is the kind of links the connoisseur drives a long way to find. Founded in 1891 on the North Norfolk coast, it was extended to eighteen holes by James Braid in 1907, refined by James Sherlock in the 1920s, given new closing holes by Ken Cotton in 1951 and updated with modern bunkering by Martin Hawtree in recent years. What survives is a course of rare quality and rarer subtlety, a par 72 of about 6,741 yards that asks far more questions than its modest length implies.
The routing is the genius of the place, a classic out and back along a single strand of dunes, with the central ridge dividing the holes so that the prevailing wind helps you out and fights you home, or the reverse on the day it turns. The turf is firm and fast, the greens are quietly devilish and the bunkers, deep and revetted, are placed exactly where the better player wants to be. It is humbling, honest links golf, and it pairs perfectly with Royal West Norfolk along the coast for a two course trip few in England can match.
Hunstanton at a glance
- Founded
- 1891
- Designer
- James Braid
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 6,741 yds
- Green fee
- Around £175
The 1891 founding, James Braid's 1907 extension to eighteen holes, the later work by Sherlock, Cotton and Hawtree, the par 72 and the length of about 6,741 yards verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. The green fee is indicative, from around 90 pounds off season to about 175 pounds for eighteen holes in high summer 2026 depending on the day. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The early holes set off into the dunes with the ridge on your right, the ground tumbling and the greens tucked into hollows that reward the runner over the high approach. By the turn the course climbs onto the higher ground, where the views over The Wash open up and the wind has its fullest say. The middle stretch across the ridge, around the 12th, 13th and 14th, is the heart of the round, a sequence of holes that move with the land rather than against it.
The par 3s are a particular glory, none more storied than the 16th. In 1974 the amateur Bob Taylor holed his tee shot here in one on three consecutive days during the Eastern Counties Foursomes, a feat of accuracy and fortune that has never been equalled and that every visitor hears about before they reach the tee. It is a reminder that on a links the smallest target can yield the largest reward, and that the wind giveth as readily as it taketh away.
What stays with you is the purity of it all. There are no tricks at Hunstanton, no water carries or framing mounds, just a great piece of linksland used with restraint and intelligence by a century of fine architects. Walk it on a firm afternoon with the breeze up and you understand why those in the know rate it among the very best links in England that most golfers have never played.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors every day by prior arrangement; advance booking is essential, particularly in summer |
| Green fee | From around 90 pounds off season to about 175 pounds for eighteen holes in high summer 2026 (indicative), with winter and twilight rates lower |
| Booking | Book well ahead for spring and summer; weekday tee times offer the best availability and the calmest first tee |
| On the day | A walking links with a traditional clubhouse; a dress code and a handicap awareness are expected, as at any championship members club |
| Getting there | At Old Hunstanton on the North Norfolk coast, about two hours from Cambridge and easily paired with Brancaster along the coast road |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and the warmest weather; the exposed coast means wind in every season |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Hunstanton Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The North Norfolk coast rewards a relaxed base among its flint villages, with Burnham Market and the area around Brancaster and Old Hunstanton offering characterful inns and country hotels within a short drive of both Hunstanton and Royal West Norfolk. It is one of the most charming corners of England to combine fine links golf with good food and big coastal skies.
For a wider trip, the East Anglian links and heathland sit within comfortable reach, and Cambridge makes an elegant city base at the end of a few days on the coast. Either way the region is quiet, unhurried and ideally suited to a small group of golfers chasing the classic links experience away from the crowds.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts along the North Norfolk coast.
Play Hunstanton and the Norfolk coast
We build North Norfolk links trips around Hunstanton and Royal West Norfolk, secure the tee times that matter and sort a base among the coastal villages with the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Hunstanton questions
Who designed Hunstanton Golf Club?
Hunstanton was founded in 1891, and James Braid revised the layout and extended it to eighteen holes in 1907. James Sherlock refined it in the 1920s, Ken Cotton reworked the closing holes in 1951, and Martin Hawtree carried out modern bunkering work in recent years. The result is a links that has matured over more than a century.
What is the par and length of Hunstanton?
Hunstanton plays as a par 72 of about 6,741 yards from the back tees. It is a classic out and back links routed either side of a central dune ridge, so the wind off The Wash rarely lets up and the course plays far tougher than the card suggests.
What is Hunstanton famous for?
Beyond its standing as one of England's great links, Hunstanton is home to one of golf's most remarkable records. In 1974 the amateur Bob Taylor holed his tee shot at the 16th in one on three consecutive days during the Eastern Counties Foursomes, a feat that has never been matched.
How much does it cost to play Hunstanton?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees run from around 90 pounds off season to about 175 pounds for eighteen holes in high summer, depending on the day. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Where is Hunstanton and what is nearby?
Hunstanton sits at Old Hunstanton on the North Norfolk coast, about two hours from Cambridge. It pairs naturally with Royal West Norfolk at Brancaster a short drive along the coast, the two forming the heart of a North Norfolk links trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.