Woburn Marquess Course
The youngest of Woburn's three courses and, for many, the best. Opened in 2000 through 200 acres of pine, chestnut and oak on the Woburn Estate, the Marquess is a par 72 of 7,218 yards that has hosted the British Masters four times and the Women's British Open twice. Inland England rarely gets grander than this.
Photograph: Woburn Golf Club, via Google.
The verdict
Woburn already owned two of England's best loved woodland courses when the Marquess arrived in June 2000, designed by a committee that actually worked: Peter Alliss, Clive Clark, Alex Hay and Ross McMurray of European Golf Design. Where the Duke's and Duchess run through tight corridors of pine, the Marquess plays on a broader canvas, with wider fairways, bigger greens and bolder movement in the land, golf built for the modern game without losing the estate's deep woodland calm.
Tournament golf confirmed its class quickly: four British Masters, then the Women's British Open in 2016 and 2019. For the travelling golfer it slots perfectly into the band below the great links fees, a championship venue under 200 pounds within an hour of London. Pair it with the heathland royalty of Sunningdale and Swinley Forest and you have England's best inland week.
The Marquess at a glance
- Opened
- 2000
- Designers
- Alliss, Clark, Hay, McMurray
- Type
- Woodland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,218 yds
- Green fee
- £135 to £180
Designers, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. Green fees are indicative for 2026: from around 135 pounds in quieter periods to around 180 pounds in high season, with weekday visitor packages that add breakfast and lunch. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The golf worth the trip
The Marquess feels like a walk through a private forest that happens to contain championship golf. The corridors are generous by Woburn standards, but the trees still frame every shot, and the design's quality shows in how differently the holes play despite the constant woodland setting: holes that sweep downhill and invite the driver, doglegs that reward a shaped tee shot, and short par 4s where the smart play changes with the pin. The turf is sandy and quick draining, so the course plays well year round, a genuine advantage over much of inland England.
The greens are the examination. They are large, quick and full of movement, and the championship pedigree shows in how many pins sit behind a run off that punishes the cautious middle of the green approach as surely as the brave miss. From the tips it is a long day's work; from the regular tees the course is a fair, absorbing test that a mixed handicap group can all enjoy, which is exactly what a 36 hole Woburn day should be.
That is the way to do it: the Marquess in the morning, the Duke's or Duchess after lunch in one of England's most welcoming clubhouses. London golfers treat it as a day trip; travelling groups fold it into a southern England week with St George's Hill, The Berkshire and the Surrey heathland.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members' club that welcomes visitors Monday to Friday across all three courses; weekends are for members |
| Green fee | Around 135 to 180 pounds by season in 2026, with day packages that include breakfast and lunch (indicative) |
| Booking | Book through the club's visitor team online or by phone; spring and summer weekdays fill months ahead, especially for societies |
| On the day | A walking course with trolleys and caddies by arrangement; smart golf attire expected, and the 36 hole day is the classic Woburn visit |
| Getting there | On the Woburn Estate near Little Brickhill, about an hour north of London off the M1, straddling the Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire border |
| Best months | April to October; the sandy turf keeps it playable and pleasant outside high summer too |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club's published visitor information; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Woburn village, a Georgian estate village five minutes from the club, is the charming answer, with inns and small hotels built around the Duke of Bedford's abbey and safari park. Milton Keynes, ten minutes the other way, offers the full range of modern hotels at kinder prices and easier dinner logistics for a bigger group.
Many visiting golfers simply day trip from London, an hour away, and combine the Marquess with the Surrey and Berkshire heathland later in the week: Sunningdale Old, Swinley Forest and Walton Heath all sit within 90 minutes of the estate.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Woburn and London.
Build a southern England golf trip
We pair the Marquess with Sunningdale, Swinley Forest and the heathland belt, book the tee times in the right order and handle the hotels and the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Woburn Marquess questions
What is the par and length of the Woburn Marquess Course?
The Marquess is a par 72 that stretches to 7,218 yards from the championship tees, the longest and most modern of Woburn's three courses, set through 200 acres of mixed woodland on the county line between Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Who designed the Marquess Course and when did it open?
The Marquess opened in June 2000 and was designed collaboratively by Peter Alliss, Clive Clark, Alex Hay and Ross McMurray of European Golf Design. It has since hosted the British Masters four times and the Women's British Open in 2016 and 2019.
How much does it cost to play the Marquess?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees at Woburn run from around 135 pounds in quieter periods to around 180 pounds in high season, with packages that add breakfast and lunch. Visitors play on weekdays. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Can visitors play Woburn Golf Club?
Yes, on weekdays. Woburn welcomes visiting golfers Monday to Friday across the Marquess, Duke's and Duchess courses, usually with packages that include food, while weekends are reserved for members. Book ahead for spring and summer dates. Always confirm current availability directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, opening year, par, yardage and hosting history verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.