Queenwood
Queenwood is the most private course in England, a David McLay Kidd heathland near Ottershaw in the Surrey sandbelt, opened in 2001 and run with famous discretion. Members and invited guests only, no visitor green fee, even its website behind a password, and yet behind the privacy is one of the finest modern inland courses in the country.
Photo: Queenwood Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Queenwood is the most private course in England, a David McLay Kidd heathland laid out near Ottershaw in the Surrey sandbelt and opened in 2001. Built without fanfare and run with famous discretion, it admits only members and their invited guests, has no visitor green fee, and keeps such a low profile that even its website sits behind a password. For the travelling golfer it is less a tee time than a story, but a story worth knowing, because behind the privacy is one of the finest modern courses in the country.
McLay Kidd set out to make Queenwood a return to the heathland traditions of the great Surrey and Berkshire courses, Sunningdale, Walton Heath, Swinley Forest and Woking, rather than a modern power test. The result is a par 72 of about 6,851 yards routed through heather, pine and silver birch, with strategic bunkering and subtly contoured greens, immaculately conditioned and quietly demanding. It belongs in any honest conversation about the best inland golf around London, even if few will ever play it.
Queenwood at a glance
- Opened
- 2001
- Designer
- David McLay Kidd
- Type
- Heathland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,851 yds
- Access
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from recognized golf sources and the club's record. Queenwood is a David McLay Kidd heathland of about 6,851 yards playing to par 72, opened in 2001. It is a strictly private members club with no public access and no visitor green fee to quote, so any play is by member invitation. Always confirm any arrangement through a member.
What makes it special
Queenwood rewards the player who thinks. McLay Kidd used the heath and the trees to frame angles rather than simply punish, so the smart line off the tee opens the green and the lazy one leaves an awkward approach over sand or heather. The bunkering is bold and naturalistic, edged with the heather that defines Surrey golf, and the greens are firm, true and full of subtle movement.
The conditioning is a byword among those who have played it, presented to a standard that matches any private club in Britain. The course flows through quiet woodland with a real sense of seclusion, and the lack of crowds means it is invariably found in superb order. It is heathland golf in the classic idiom, modern in execution but old in spirit.
Because access is so restricted, Queenwood is best understood as the benchmark its neighbors are measured against. If a Surrey golf trip is the goal, the great heathland names nearby are the courses to build it around, with Queenwood the private legend in their midst.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Strictly private. Members and their accompanying guests only; there is no public access and no visitor green fee |
| Green fee | Not applicable to visitors; the club is for members and their invited guests, with a reputation for a high joining fee and tight discretion |
| Season | Year round, as a well drained Surrey heathland; the course is known for excellent winter conditioning |
| On the day | By member invitation only; the caddies and practice facilities are first rate for those who do play |
| Getting there | Near Ottershaw in Surrey, close to the M25 and within easy reach of Heathrow and central London |
Access and design verified June 2026 from recognized golf sources; Queenwood is a private members club with no visitor access, so there is no green fee to quote. Any play is by member invitation, so confirm any arrangement through a member. Prefer it arranged for you? Use our tee time enquiry to have a concierge secure the round.
Where to stay nearby
Queenwood has no lodging of its own, so a Surrey heathland trip is built around the comfortable hotels and inns of the Wentworth, Sunningdale and Ascot belt, with easy reach of the M25 and Heathrow. It is prime stockbroker country, with country house hotels and good dining a short drive from every first tee.
The appeal of this corner of England is how many great courses sit within a few miles of one another. A base near Ascot or Woking puts Sunningdale, Walton Heath, Swinley Forest, Wentworth and St George's Hill all within a comfortable morning's drive, for one of the densest collections of fine inland golf anywhere.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Queenwood.
Build a Surrey heathland golf trip
Queenwood is private, but the great heathland courses around it are some of the best inland golf in the world. Tell us when and who is travelling and one concierge builds a Surrey and Berkshire trip around the courses you can play, with no obligation.
Queenwood questions
Can the public play Queenwood Golf Club?
No. Queenwood is one of the most private clubs in Britain. It is open only to members and their accompanying guests, there is no public green fee, and you can generally play only at the invitation of and alongside a fully paid up member.
Who designed Queenwood and when did it open?
Queenwood was designed by the Scottish architect David McLay Kidd and opened in 2001. McLay Kidd set out to revive the heathland traditions of the classic Surrey and Berkshire courses rather than build a modern power test.
What kind of course is Queenwood?
Queenwood is a heathland course of about 6,851 yards playing to a par of 72, routed through heather, pine and birch near Ottershaw in Surrey. It is renowned for immaculate conditioning, strategic bunkering and subtle greens, and is regarded as one of the finest modern inland courses in England.
Which courses near Queenwood can I actually play?
The Surrey and Berkshire heathland around Queenwood holds many of the world's best inland courses that do take visitors or societies, including Sunningdale, Walton Heath, Swinley Forest, Wentworth and St George's Hill. We build trips around the ones open to play.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; Queenwood is private with no visitor green fee. Last reviewed June 2026.