Beaconsfield

Harry Colt is synonymous with great golf course designs in the south of England, and Beaconsfield is just another of those. 

Originally the Wilton Park Golf Club, the venue became known as Beaconsfield in 1914, and it was Colt that designed the 18-hole layout.  

With Seer Green & Jordans Station in the car park, both train travellers and car users can get to Beaconsfield with ease, and enjoy a thoroughly good track.  

Visit Beaconsfield’s website here. 

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Colonel Du Pre established the Wilton Park Golf Club on his estate at Wilton Park in the early 1900s – which would be a precursor to Beaconsfield. 

The Colonel brought in the legendary Harry Colt to design a new 18-hole course, which was constructed on the same land as the original 9-holer. That opened shortly before the First World War, and was christened Beaconsfield. 

Two years later, Seer Green & Jordans Station was built, after Du Pre had managed to persuade the railway company that were building the line from London to Birmingham to create a stop for the golf club.  

Much later in its life, Beaconsfield would be the home course of Luke Donald. The Englishman was the Club Champion when he was still a junior, and he would go on to become the World No.1 and a key part of Europe’s Ryder Cup success in the 21st Century.  

Beaconsfield is known for two things. Bunkers and big greens. While the Bucks course wouldn’t rival Royal Lytham for the frequency of sand, there’s still plenty of them on Harry Colt’s largely unaltered layout. They used to run into three figures at one count, but now there are 75, including reaching double digits on a single hole. Then there are the putting surfaces, described by the club themselves as “unusually large”, and meaning that even if you find the shortest grass there’s still plenty left to do to secure a score. At more than 6,500 yards off the backs, and with tree-lined fairways, Beaconsfield will provide golfers of all abilities with a proper test. 

That test begins from the opening tee shot. The 1st is a 450-yard par 4, and a hole where two proper hits are required to reach the putting surface. The 2nd is shorter, but littered with bunkers – eight to be precise – including four down by the green. A good drive down 3 can provide you with a scoring opportunity. At 375 yards, more will be hitting no more than a mid-iron into the green. The 4th is the opening par 5 on the layout at Beaconsfield, and at 517 yards, the longer hitters will fancy their chances of getting home in two. A pair of bunkers in the landing zone, along with three in the lay-up area, make this hole more difficult than it looks. 5 is the opening par 3, and it is one that cannot be missed to the left. Three bunkers sit short, but right is the bail out.  

The 6th is the hardest hole, the Stroke Index 1, and it is a long par 4 that winds its way round to the right, over the brow of a hill. Three bunkers by the green provide the danger on the approach. The elevated tee at the 7th gives a cracking view of a well-guarded green, and one that is oddly shaped at that. Some of the best holes on the course are found in this stretch – the drive from the 8th is played through a funnel of trees, while it’s hard to see anything except the trio of bunkers that streak right across your eye-line as you move from the 9th.  

The back nine at Beaconsfield begins with a fairway that shifts significantly from right to left. It is one that will put any tee shot in trouble that doesn’t hug the outer edge of the right side on 10. Short is much better than long with the approach shot as you get the closing side underway. All the trouble is short and right at 11, with anything pushed to the right finding the huge drop off area and requiring a tough chip back uphill to find the surface. The 12th is a 355-yard par 4, and if you can find the left side of the fairway, then there is a birdie chance on this one. 

The 13th has eight bunkers, including a trio of cross bunkers around 60 yards from the green. There’s even more on the 14th – ten to be accurate. 14 is a 560-yard par 5, and it plays as a true three-shotter. Another trio of cross bunkers are the aim with the second shot, but make sure to stay short of them so you’re playing from the fairway with a wedge in hand for your third. At just 280 yards, the 15th is the easiest hole on the course, and it is driveable for some. Water to the back right of the green is the danger with your approach – whether that is from the tee box or the fairway. 

The closing stretch continues with the par 3 16th. At just over 200 yards, it is the longest of the par 3s at Beaconsfield, and features a bunker on either side of the putting surface. 17 is another long par 5, of more than 530 yards, and again, for most this will require three accurate shots. Avoid the two fairway bunkers in the landing zone and you’re in good position to make par, if not birdie. The final hole is a par 4, just shy of 400 yards, and one that brings you back home. The ideal tee shot is down the left side so you are coming in to the side of the large bunker that looms front right of the green. The putting surface is long, so this hole can play up to 415 yards with a back flag. 

Where is Beaconsfield Golf Club located?  

Beaconsfield Golf Club sits to the northwest of the English capital city, just outside the town of Beaconsfield itself in Buckinghamshire. It is just outside London’s ring road – the M25 – while the M40 runs just to the south of the club. The centre of London is less than 30 miles away from Beaconsfield.  

Not many golf clubs will have a train station than Seer Green & Jordans is to Beaconsfield. The bridge over the railway line takes you to the car park of the venue. Trains running from London Marylebone through to Oxford and High Wycombe all stop at Beaconsfield on a regular basis. For international visitors, Beaconsfield is less than 20 miles from London Heathrow Airport – the biggest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom. London Luton is also within 35 miles, offering a different range of destinations.  

Are there any NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby?  

Due to its proximity to the English capital, there are plenty of venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list that are within a short drive from Beaconsfield. Huntercombe and The Grove are the two closest venues, with the likes of Berkhamsted, Swinley Forest and the Centurion Club also close by.  

What golf facilities does Beaconsfield Golf Club offer?  

Along with the stunning Harry Colt course, Beaconsfield also has some incredible practice facilities. The short game area is fabulous, with three greens and a pair of practice bunkers to work on those tricky little sand saves. There is also a large putting green by the clubhouse, along with a driving range on the inside of the course. 

What are the green fees at Beaconsfield Golf Club?  

The price of a green fee at Beaconsfield Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

For more information on current green fees at Beaconsfield, visit their website here.