Some clubs are luckier than others, boasting two courses and therefore offering the opportunity for double the fun. These five in Scotland and England are just a few examples of many such clubs that are well worth a visit, especially if you fancy a 36-hole day out.
Crail
Just a short drive along the Fife coast from the Old Course at St Andrews, Crail Golfing Society very successfully combines the best of the new and the old. The club’s roots date back to 1786, and its original Balcomie Links is both traditional and unusual at the same time. Although not long overall, this is partly because there are no fewer than four par 3s in the closing six holes. There are also several short par 4s, and a fair number of the holes hug the shoreline. The Craighead Links opened in 1999 and is substantially longer, working its way over the cliffs and some higher ground, making for a very different alternative and an excellent 36-hole venue.
- GF: Balcomie £160, Craighead £125, Day Ticket £220
- W: crailgolfingsociety.co.uk
Worthing
Formerly known as the Lower and Upper courses based on their delightful downland setting in West Sussex, the former is now the Colt Course and it plays alongside Cissbury Ring, an Iron Age hill fort.
The front nine is shorter but has more scoring opportunities with two par 5s and three par 3s, while the back nine is perhaps the tougher with a handful of long par 4s in the closing seven. The Vardon Course is more compact in every way and great fun, with no par 5s but six varied short holes to test your irons, hybrids, and quite possibly more.
- GF: Colt - £85wd, £90we - Vardon - £55wd, £60we
- W: worthinggolf.com
Blairgowrie
Thick pine separates just about all of the holes on Blairgowrie’s two very strong main courses making straight driving a priority. Greg Norman won his first European Tour title over the Rosemount Course almost half a century ago, and it is in the Top 100 Courses in the UK&I. Although James Braid made some significant changes in the 1930s, the design genius of Alister MacKenzie lives on in this Top 100 layout.
The Lansdowne was added in the 1970s by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas. It, too, runs through delightful and dense forest which offers peace and seclusion at the same time as rewarding good strategic play.
- GF: 18 holes £140 on each course, £200 to play both
- W: theblairgowriegolfclub.co.uk
Enville
This is the home of two very fine heathland/woodland courses. The newer is the par-71 Lodge which opened in two stages in the 1970s and 80s. The Highgate is probably better-known and is in the Golf Monthly Next 100.
It features some very interesting and testing golf with perhaps the prettiest hole being the 16th; a lovely par 3 in a clearing which calls for a long-iron or even wood over a pond that is home to both wildlife and golf balls. The closing hole is a risk/reward par 5, and a round on each course makes for a fulfilling day out.
- GF: 18 holes £110 on each course, £180 to play both
- W: envillegolfclub.co.uk
Sundridge Park
There are two enjoyable and equally rated parkland courses at Sundridge Park. The West dates back to 1903 and was designed by Willie Park Junior with later modifications from the ubiquitous James Braid. CK Hutchinson and Guy Campbell were invited to design the East Course in the early 1930s, and at the same time made further changes to the West.
The Quaggy River and the Kyd Brook cross the estate and come into play at various points, and the majority of holes are separated by trees adding to the challenge while making each one a separate and peaceful challenge.
- GF: 18 holes £120 on each course, £180 to play both
- W: sundridgeparkgolfclub.co.uk
Throughout the UK&I there are many golf clubs lucky enough to boast two courses, sometimes more, for their members and visitors.
