Stoke Park
Harry Colt laid out Stoke Park in 1908, one of his earliest works, across 300 acres of Buckinghamshire parkland that roll up to a vast Palladian mansion. A par 71 of roughly 6,700 yards on the main eighteen, framed by cedars, lakes and one of the most photographed clubhouses in golf, this is the course where James Bond beat Goldfinger, and it still plays as one of the finest parkland tests near London.
Photo: Stoke Park via Google.
The verdict
Stoke Park is a piece of golfing history. Harry Colt routed it in 1908, very early in his career, and the course helped establish the template for the strategic English parkland layout that he would refine across the next three decades. The setting is extraordinary: a James Wyatt mansion presiding over lawns, lakes and specimen trees in 300 acres of historic grounds, all within sight of the M4 yet a world apart from it.
The golf lives up to the backdrop. Colt's routing makes clever use of the estate's lakes and contours, and the par 3s in particular are celebrated, asking precise, committed iron play to greens defended by water and sand. Most golfers come for the famous mansion and the Bond connection and leave talking about the holes. It is private and exclusive, attached to a luxury hotel and club, but for the visitor who can arrange a round it is one of the most atmospheric days in English golf.
Stoke Park at a glance
- Opened
- 1908
- Designer
- Harry Colt
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- ~6,700 yds
- Green fee
- Club rate
Designer, opening year and par verified June 2026 from Stoke Park and leading course databases. Stoke Park was designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1908, a 27 hole parkland layout whose main eighteen plays to a par of about 71 over roughly 6,700 yards. Access and green fees vary by season and membership policy (indicative, 2026), so always confirm the current arrangement directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Colt built Stoke Park around its water. Lakes and ponds shape the strategy on several holes, and the greens sit on natural rises and falls of the parkland so that the right miss is rarely obvious. It is not a long course by modern standards, but it asks for placement and control rather than raw power.
The short holes are the heart of the design. The most famous of them plays across water to a green ringed by bunkers, a hole so admired that it has long been cited as an influence on the great par 3s built elsewhere in the game. Get the club selection right and you have a birdie chance; misjudge it and the penalty is severe.
And then there is the setting. Few rounds finish with a view to match the great house at Stoke Park, its dome and colonnade rising beyond the closing green. The combination of historic design, championship pedigree and sheer grandeur is what makes the course unforgettable long after the scorecard is filed.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members and hotel club; visitor access depends on the current policy and is best arranged through the club or your trip planner well in advance |
| Green fee | Indicative green fees and packages are premium and vary by season, day and membership arrangement (2026); always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Reserve well ahead; tee times at Stoke Park are limited and in steady demand |
| On the day | Smart golf dress on course and in the mansion clubhouse; trolleys and buggies available; the parkland walk is gentle |
| Getting there | Stoke Poges near Slough, close to the M4 and M40 and a short drive from Heathrow |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest parkland and the fullest estate setting |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; policy and rates change by season and day, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Stoke Park has long been associated with luxury hotel accommodation on the estate, which makes it a natural anchor for a high end golf break rather than a quick visit, and its position near Heathrow makes it an easy first or last round on a wider trip.
From Stoke Poges the great Buckinghamshire and Surrey courses are within easy reach, so a strong itinerary can pair it with the three courses at Woburn to the north or push southwest toward the Surrey heath.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Stoke Park.
Build a Buckinghamshire golf trip
We help arrange access and tee times at courses like Stoke Park, pair them with the best of the Buckinghamshire 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.
Stoke Park questions
Who designed Stoke Park and when did it open?
Stoke Park was designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1908, one of the earliest parkland courses laid out by the celebrated architect.
What is the par and length of Stoke Park?
The main eighteen at Stoke Park plays to a par of about 71 over roughly 6,700 yards, part of a 27 hole parkland layout set in 300 acres.
Was Stoke Park in a James Bond film?
Yes. Stoke Park staged the famous golf match between James Bond and Goldfinger in the 1964 film Goldfinger, and the mansion has appeared in other films since.
Where is Stoke Park?
Stoke Park is at Stoke Poges near Slough in Buckinghamshire, England, close to the M4 and M40 and a short drive from Heathrow.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and par verified June 2026; indicative access and fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.