Spectacular Traigh.
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The first golf I played was over 30 years ago on a pitch and putt course behind the main street in West Runton, Norfolk. It’s probably a car park or a supermarket now – but to me it was Turnberry, St Andrews and Royal St Georges rolled into one.
The tees were little more than doormats, the greens undulating carpets of hard-packed meadow grass, but with a hickory wedge and an alloy centre-shafted putter in my hand, I felt I was the equal of Palmer, Nicklaus and Trevino, when I completed nine holes in 31 shots.
On later visits, I even took my own clubs but couldn’t improve on my best-ever score.
As I recall it cost about ‘five shillings’ for two circuits (equivalent to 25p) and it strikes me that rounds of golf today are still extremely good value.
Indeed for less than £15 a round you can play terrific courses in the UK with none more breathtaking that
Traigh (pronounced ‘try’) in the Western highlands of Scotland.
This nine-hole links runs beside a Gaelic beach, from which its name is derived, with stunning views to the Hebridean Islands of Eigg and Rum and the Cuillins of Skye on the B8008 coastal road 40 miles west of Fort William and just north of Arisaig.
The club’s website reveals that visitors who make the effort to reach this golfing outpost are welcome seven days a week, and golf clubs can be hired at the clubhouse. It also sells golf balls, clothing with green fees at £14 a day or if you want to hang around to admire the scenery, £50 for a weekly ticket.
Here’s some more courses we’ve selected that are as cheap as chips… If you know some more – especially hidden gems of outstanding value-tell us on the Forum.
SOUTH MIDLANDS
Mowsbury, Ravensden, Beds
01234 771041
Municipal Parkland course in rural surroundings, long and testing par 72 with 14 bay range.
Colmsworth and North Beds, Colmworth, Beds
01234 378181
Easy walking with well-bunkered greens with water on three holes. Exposed to the elements and plays longer than its 6,400 yards.
Wyboston Lakes, St Neots
01480 407330
Easy access from the A1, a parkland course with narrow fairways, small greens and water hazards.
Hemingford Abbots, Huntingdon, Cambs
01480 495000
Island green at the final hole (9th) is the feature of this interesting course just off the A14 South of Huntingdon. Dog leg, par-5 fourth is also challenging.
EAST ANGLIA
Ramsey Old Nene, Ramsey, Cambs
014887 813519
Exposed Fenland course but flat and well-drained. Challenging nine-holer with fast greens and bordering dykes.
Thorpe Wood, Peterborough
01733 267701
One of the first courses designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas in the 1975 and still one of the longest in the region. Undulating parkland with huge greens which runs beside the Nene river. Stiff test from the back tees, excellent greens.
Orton Meadows, Peterborough
01733 237478
Pretty course of dissimilar halves. The first half is as long as you’ll get anywhere including a 600 yards, 3rd round a lake. The back nine gives a chance to recover with some short, easy par-4s.
NORTH WEST
Malkins Bank, Sandbach, Cheshire
01270 765931
Parkland courses designed by Hawtrees with a stream running through the tight 13th hole.
Walton Hall, High Walton, Warrington, Cheshire
01925 263061
Municipal course on the Walton Hall Estate in quiet, wooded area. Testing over 6,600 yards.
Alston Manor, Alston, Cumbria
01434 381675
Recently upgraded parkland and fell course with stunning views over the Pennines.
Dunnerholme, Askham-in-Furness, Cumbria
01229 462675
Links course with views over the Cumbrian mountains and Morecombe Bay. Signature hole 6th plays up to Dunnerholme Rock outcrop in the estuary.
Cockermouth, Embleton, Cumbria
017687 76223
James Braid-design built into fenced fells. Demands tough climbs to the third and 11th holes.
Silecroft, Cumbria
01229 774342
Seaside links which runs along the coast of the Irish Sea. Windy but easy walking; great views.
MIDLANDS
Bakewell, Derbyshire
01629 812307
Hill parkland with plenty of natural hazards. Magnificent views across the Wye Valley
Grassmore Golf Centre, North Wingfield, Chesterfield
01246 856044
An 18-hole heathland course over 5,700 yards with challenging holes and water features.
Stanedge, Chesterfield
01246 566156
Hilly, moorland, 9-hole course exposed to the winds with tricky short holes and narrow fairways. Views over four counties.
Sinfin, Derby
01332 766462
Municipal tree-line course. Flat and suitable for golfers of all ages.
Cocks Moors Woods, Birmingham
0121 464 3584
Short tree-lined course in well maintained parkland with good greens.
Hilltop, Handsworth, West Midlands
0121 554 4463
Undulating fairways with big greens in Sandwell Valley conservation area. Good test, interesting layout, designed by Hawtrees.
Warley Woods, Birmingham
0121 429 2440
Muni parkland course, recently tightened with bunkers and tree-planting.
SOUTH EAST
Epping, Essex
01992 572282
Rolling tree-lined parkland with ponds and panoramic views – a course with a driveable fourth hole that’s rarely birdied and a closing hole that’s tough to par.
Southern Valley, Shorne, Gravesend, Kent
01474 568568
All-year course landscaped with bracken and thorn with views across Thames Estuary. Undulating fairways, large greens rolling fairways.
Cobtree Manor Park, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent
01622 753276
Undulating, 18-hole parkland course with water hazards.
SOUTH
Worldham Park, Alton, Hants
01420 543151
Picturesque woodland setting with challenging dogleg holes and water hazards.
Andover GC, Hants
01264 358040
Undulating downland course combining breathtaking views of Hampshire countryside. Par-3 ninth features a tee perched 100 feet above the green.
Gosport and Stokes Bay, Haslar, Hants
023 925 7941
Testing links course overlooking Solent with gorse and rough. Wind-affected.
Petersfield Old, Petersfield, Hants
01730 267732
Nine-hole parkland layout in Sussex Road. Easy walking, with numerous trees and water features.
SOUTH WEST
Merlin, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
01841 540222
Heathland course recently lengthened over 6,000 yards to par 72. The 12th hole is the most challenging of par-5s.
Porthpean, St Austell, Cornwall
01736 71643
Picturesque 18 holes with outward nine in parkland and the back nine with outstanding views over St Austell Bay.
Tregenna Castle Hotel, St Ives, Cornwall
01736 797381
Parkland course weaves its way around the castle walls overlooking St Ives Bay.
NORTH EAST
Hall Garth Hotel, Darlington, Co.Durham
01325 320246
Mature trees and Victorian deer folly set in this challenging parkland course with River Swale running through it.
Stressholme, Darlington, Co. Durham
01325 461002
Picturesque municipal parkland course – long and wide and suitable for all golfers. Nearly 100 bunkers and a par-3 played over a river.
Alnmouth Village, Northumberland
01665 830370
Nine-hole seaside course with coastal views.
HOME COUNTIES
Iver, Buckingham
01753 655615
Flat pay-and-play course with challenging par-5 holes in parkland setting. Strong crosswinds, water hazards and ditches.
Thorney Park, Iver, Bucks
01895 422095
Testing par-4 ninth hole demanding a good drive to the waters edge, is the signature of this 9-hole parkland course to suit all abilities.
Farnham Park, Stoke Poges, Bucks
01753 643332
Nice setting for a 6,000 yard 18-hole parkland course, designed by Hawtree.
Wavenden Golf Centre, Wavenden, Bucks
01908 281811
Set in parkland with mature oak and lime trees. Easy walking with small lakes and water hazards.
