How to Play the Best Golf in Surrey
The Surrey heathland belt holds the finest inland golf in England: Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St George's Hill and the three Ws, all within an hour of London. Here is how each door opens, with indicative 2026 fees.
Photo: Walton Heath Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
No region on earth packs more world class inland golf into less ground than the heathland southwest of London. Sand, heather, pine and birch produce firm, fast golf twelve months a year, and the membership rolls read like a who's who of the game's history. The catch is access: these are private members' clubs, every one, and they open to visitors on their own terms, midweek, by advance booking, sometimes a year or more out.
The good news is that almost all of them do open. Wentworth is the famous exception, members and guests only, but Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St George's Hill, Woking, West Hill and Worplesdon all welcome booked visitors on weekdays. Plan early, travel midweek, and you can play a stretch of courses that stands comparison with any links coast. Start with the wider picture in our England golf guide, then lock the doors you most want opened.
How to get on, club by club
| Club | How to book | Indicative fee, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunningdale, Old and New | Weekdays by advance reservation with the club office; the 2026 diary sold out, and the 2027 diary opens from November 2026, so email your dates early | About 325 pounds per course; about 550 for the Old and New day ticket |
| Walton Heath, Old and New | Booked visitor times most weekdays direct with the club; host of the 1981 Ryder Cup and the 2023 AIG Women's Open | About 240 to 265 pounds high season |
| St George's Hill | Visitors April to mid December, Monday to Thursday plus limited Friday mornings; never weekends; note the Red nine closes for renovation from August 2026 to April 2027 | On application to the office |
| Wentworth, West | Members and their guests only; no visitor green fees on the BMW PGA Championship course | Not available to visitors |
| Woking | Surrey's oldest heathland course, 1893; midweek visitor bookings direct with the club | Typically well under 200 pounds; confirm with the club |
| West Hill and Worplesdon | The other two of the three Ws, both minutes from Woking; midweek bookings direct, and a 36 hole two club day is the classic play | Typically well under 200 pounds each; confirm with the clubs |
Green fees are indicative for 2026 and were verified at the time of writing from club and published sources. We never quote our own pricing. Always confirm the current fee and availability directly before booking.
Building the perfect heathland week
The geography is kind: everything sits inside a triangle perhaps twenty miles on a side, so one base serves the whole trip. The classic structure is five days, two marquee tickets and three supporting rounds. Book the Sunningdale day ticket first, since it is the scarcest, 36 holes across Willie Park Junior's Old Course of 1901 and the Harry Colt New. Add Walton Heath's Old Course, Herbert Fowler's 1904 masterpiece stretching past 7,300 yards from the tips, which we profile in full in our Walton Heath Old guide. Then weave in St George's Hill, Colt's 1913 work that many call the most beautiful inland course in England, and finish with a 36 hole day among the three Ws.
Two practical notes. First, almost every club here asks for a handicap certificate and enforces dress codes with conviction, so pack accordingly. Second, weekends are for members; do not fight it. Fly in on a Sunday, play Monday to Friday, and you will find the clubs at their most welcoming and the courses at their quietest. For the full trip structure with hotels, see our Surrey golf holidays page.
Plan a Surrey heathland golf trip
We hold the Sunningdale and Walton Heath diary dates, build the three Ws days around them, and put you in the right base for all of it. Tell us when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Surrey golf questions
Can visitors play Sunningdale?
Yes, on weekdays by advance reservation, but demand is extreme. The 2026 visitor diary sold out, and the 2027 diary opens from November 2026. Indicative 2026 fees were about 325 pounds per course, with a day ticket covering the Old and New at about 550 pounds. Always confirm directly before booking.
Can you play Wentworth West as a visitor?
No. Wentworth is members and their guests only, so the West Course, the BMW PGA Championship venue, is off the menu unless you know a member. Build the trip around Sunningdale, Walton Heath, St George's Hill and the three Ws instead.
What does a Surrey heathland trip cost in green fees?
Indicative 2026 fees: Sunningdale about 325 pounds per course, Walton Heath about 240 to 265 pounds, and the three Ws of Woking, West Hill and Worplesdon typically well under 200 pounds. Fees change by season and year; always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play heathland golf in Surrey?
The heathland drains superbly, so Surrey plays well almost year round. May, June and September are the sweet spot for firm turf, purple heather and visitor availability. Midweek is essential, as most clubs reserve weekends for members.
Related
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Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Access rules and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from club and published sources. Last reviewed June 2026.