The quiet links coast of England, where great seaside golf comes without the crowds or the price of the famous open rotas. Royal West Norfolk, Hunstanton and the clifftop courses string along a beautiful, unspoilt shore of saltmarsh, big skies and seafood pubs. Here is how to build the trip, where to stay and play, and what a Norfolk golf break costs in 2026.
Photograph: Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, Brancaster, via Google
Norfolk is the links connoisseur's quiet secret. While the crowds chase the Open venues, the north coast of England's flattest county hides a run of genuine, old fashioned seaside golf that asks the same questions of wind, ground and nerve, at a fraction of the fuss. It suits the purist who values character over conditioning, the buddies group looking for a relaxed two or three day links fix, and the couple who will pair the golf with the saltmarshes, the bird reserves and some of the best pub food in England.
The smart play is to base in the pretty middle of the coast around Brancaster and the Burnhams, with the great links to the west and the clifftop courses to the east, none more than forty five minutes away. Two nights covers the two giants properly; three or four lets you add the clifftop pair and an inland round without rushing. The leading courses are members clubs that welcome visitors at set times, so plan the access ahead. For more, see our guide to golf in Norfolk and our Norfolk green fees guide.
One of the great untouched links in golf. Laid out in 1892 by Holcombe Ingleby and Horace Hutchinson, Brancaster keeps the original sleeper faced bunkers and crowned greens few courses of its age still have, and at high spring tides the access road floods and the club becomes an island. Firm, wind blown and ranked among the best in England, it is the unmissable round of any Norfolk trip.
The county's other great links, a few miles west of Brancaster, threading between two lines of dunes along the shore of the Wash. A regular host of national amateur championships and final qualifying, it is a stern, beautifully bunkered test that many rate the equal of its royal neighbour. The two sit so close that playing both on one trip is the obvious plan.
The eastern end of the coast adds two clifftop courses with views to match. Sheringham runs along the top of the cliffs above the North Sea, the little steam railway puffing past the early holes, while Royal Cromer climbs and tumbles by its lighthouse a short drive on. Breezy, scenic and full of character, they make a fine contrast to the flatter western links.
For a change from the coast, the relocated Royal Norwich offers a modern parkland layout and practice resort near the city, and the established heaths and parklands around Norwich, Thetford and the Brecks add inland variety. Pair a city night, a cathedral and the restaurants of Norwich with an inland round to round out a longer Norfolk trip.
Founding dates, course details and access verified June 2026; the leading links are members clubs with set visitor times, so confirm tee times before travelling. For round by round costs, see our Norfolk green fees guide and the full ranking of the best courses in Norfolk.
| Day | Base | The plan | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Brancaster | Arrive on the coast, settle into a Burnhams inn, an afternoon round at Royal West Norfolk with the tide on the way out. | About 2 hours from London or the Midlands |
| Day 2 | Hunstanton | The morning round at Hunstanton, a saltmarsh lunch, an afternoon walk at Holkham beach or the bird reserves. | About 15 minutes from Brancaster |
| Day 3 | Sheringham | East along the coast for the clifftop links at Sheringham, with Royal Cromer and its lighthouse close by. | About 45 minutes east |
| Day 4 | Norwich or depart | An inland round at Royal Norwich and a city night, or head home from the coast after a final links round. | About 1 hour to Norwich |
Drive times are typical road times, verified June 2026. Check the tide tables for Royal West Norfolk, as high spring tides can cut off the access road for a couple of hours. Compare coastal inns and hotels for each base.
| Style | Per person, 2026 | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Two night links break | From around £250 to £450 | 2 nights at a coastal inn, 2 rounds across Royal West Norfolk and Hunstanton, breakfast |
| Three or four night coast tour | From around £450 to £800 | 3 to 4 nights, the marquee links plus the clifftop pair, better hotels and dinners |
| Premium stay with inland round | From around £800 upward | The best rooms, all the links and an inland round, with a Norwich city night |
Indicative third party operator and club ranges for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. Green fees at the leading links sit in the mid to upper range for England and rise in summer, and the members clubs admit visitors at set times, so book access ahead. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking. Compare operator packages.
May to September is the prime window, with the links firm and fast and the East Anglian evenings long enough for an extra nine. North Norfolk is one of the driest parts of Britain, so the free draining seaside courses play well in spring and autumn too, and even winter rounds hold up on most days. Wind is the constant companion on this exposed coast, so the calmest mornings are the prize. Book Royal West Norfolk and Hunstanton visitor times well ahead for summer weekends, and check the tide tables at Brancaster whenever you go.
Tell us which links you want, how many nights and roughly when. One concierge arranges the members club access, holds the rooms and tee times and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
May to September gives the warmest, driest golf on the north Norfolk coast, with the links firm and the long East Anglian evenings perfect for an extra nine. The free draining seaside courses play well year round, so spring and autumn offer fine value, and even winter rounds are playable on most days. Wind is the constant, so pack for it whenever you go. Always confirm conditions and tee times directly before booking.
Royal West Norfolk at Brancaster, a links from 1892 with original sleeper faced bunkers that becomes an island at high tide, leads the county and ranks among the best in England. Hunstanton, the classic championship links a few miles west, and the clifftop links at Sheringham and Royal Cromer complete a strong north coast cluster. Inland, the heathland near Norwich adds variety.
Indicative third party figures for 2026 run from around £250 to £450 per person for a two night links break, and roughly £450 to £800 per person for a longer stay with the marquee courses and better hotels. Green fees at the leading links sit in the mid to upper range for England and rise in summer. Access at the members clubs is by arrangement. We never quote our own pricing, so always confirm directly before booking.
Yes, and the pairing is the heart of a north Norfolk golf trip. The two great links sit only a few miles apart on the coast west of Brancaster, so a single base near Hunstanton or the Burnhams puts both within fifteen minutes. Both are members clubs that welcome visitors at set times, so arrange tee times well ahead.
The pretty villages of the north coast, Brancaster, the Burnhams, Holkham and Wells next the Sea, sit in the middle of the best links and make the most characterful base, with excellent pubs and seafood. Hunstanton is handy for the western links, and Sheringham or Cromer suit the eastern clifftop courses. Most groups drive and split the difference around Brancaster.
Links breaks, club access windows and the trips worth moving on first. Every other week.