Brocket Hall (Palmerston)

The Brocket Hall Estate is the proud host to two courses, with the Palmerston Course being the longer of the two layouts.

The second course to be constructed at the venue, the layout is named after Lord Palmerston, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The Palmerston Course, opened in 1999, winds its way among old oak trees, and although there is no water, there is plenty of trouble to catch you out.

Check out our full piece on the Brocket Hall Resort here.

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Although golf has only been a recent addition to the venue, the Brocket Hall Estate can trace its history back to the 13th Century – 1239 shows the earliest evidence of a house on the estate.

Over the course of the next six centuries, royalty were frequent visitors at Brocket Hall, while both Lord Palmerston and Lord Melbourne (of whom the courses are named after) have their tie to the venue as well.

The Melbourne Course was opened in 1992, with the Palmerston Course following some seven years later. Donald Steel and Martin Ebert were the men behind the design of the Palmerston.

The Palmerston Course is named after Lord Palmerston, who led the country as Prime Minister in two spells between 1855 and 1865, and is the last PM to have died whilst in office. It is the longer of the two courses at Brocket Hall, crossing the 7,000-yard barrier from the black tees, and unlike the Melbourne Course, the River Lea does not make an appearance at any point. That does not mean that it is an easier run, though, as the course is tree-lined with pine and oak trees that will certainly get in your way if you are offline from the tee.

The Palmerston begins with a quartet of par 4s, three of which are more than 400 yards from the tips. The opener is 408 yards, but it is pretty straight, and if you can avoid the bunkers on either side of the fairway, there is a good chance of finding the green. The 2nd pushes 430 yards, and with no bunkers, it is just the trees to worry about, but they do line both sides of the fairway. The shortest of the opening quartet comes at the 3rd. Just 323 yards, this is the respite early on. Two bunkers situated in the middle of the fairway must be avoided, while the green is large! The 4th is a tricky dog-leg left, and one where the fairway must be found. The left side is the key, with two bunkers situated on the right side of the green.

The 5th is the opening par 3 on the Palmerston Course, and at 175 yards and with a massive green, there isn’t too much to worry about. The first of the five par 5s on the comes at the 6th. 514 yards, with a dog-leg left and a split fairway, there is plenty to catch you out at 6. The green is shallow but wide, so cub selection is crucial, whether it is your second or your third shot. The 7th winds its way to the right, but there is a large fairway to find off the tee. At 198 yards, the par 3 8th is tricky, but again, there is a large putting surface to aim for. Just a single bunker, and some bushes on the left, the bail out is to the right.

There are back-to-back par 5s at the turn, with both 9 and 10 offering birdie opportunities. The former is only 507 yards, and if you can find the fairway, there is the chance of taking it on with your second shot. Strategically placed bunkers all the way down the hole might make you think twice. The opening hole of the back nine is the longer of the two, pushing past 560 yards from the tips. There is less trouble on 10 compared to the previous challenge, but the distance makes it a three-shotter for all bar the longest of hitters. If you can clear the fairway bunkers on 11, you’re in with a good birdie chance as well, as that is the widest part of the fairway The green is two-tiered, so make sure you find the right level with your approach.

Sitting 100 yards from the green on the par 4 12th is a 25-foot chalk pit with a steep face. It provides an interesting approach, and makes you stay short of it with your tee shot. The 13th is 599 yards from the back tees, but feels longer due to the dog-leg right. It is a three-shotter for all, and they need to be three solid shots as well! The longest par 3 on the course follows, in the trickiest section of the course. The 14th is 2004 yards, and although is it a large green, it is two-tiered and with a bunker to its left.

A pair of medium-length par 4s kick off the closing stretch on the Palmerston Course at Brocket Hall. 15 has a fairway bunker on its left, while 16 has one on its right, with the greenside bunkers also flipped over. The two holes are almost the exact mirror of each other. 17 is the shortest of the par 3s, at just 158 yards. Another large green lies in wait, with just a singular small bunker front left of it. Like the Melbourne, the Palmerston finishes with a par 5. The closing hole has a lone oak tree in the middle of the fairway, exactly in the spot where you might be trying to lay up. Avoid that and then take on the green, which is shallow, so club selection and distance control is vital.

Where is Brocket Hall located?

Brocket Hall sits just outside Welwyn Garden City. The resort, which features a historic 18th-Century house, is only 25 miles by road from the centre of London, with the likes of Watford and Luton nearby. The venue is just to the north of St Albans, with the A1(M) running almost alongside the eastern boundary of the property.

Thanks to its proximity to the city, the train station in Welwyn Garden City is the closest to Brocket Hall. It is just three miles from the estate, via the A1(M). There are trains from London Kings Cross every half hour.  London Luton Airport, London Heathrow Airport and London Stansted Airport are within an hour’s drive from the Brocket Hall Estate. Heathrow is the busiest airport in the country, while Stansted and Luton are in the top five. All three have flights worldwide.

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

There are a quartet of venues to the west of Brocket Hall that all have a place on the NCG Top 100s: England list, with them all within a half hour drive. The Grove, Berkhamsted, Ashridge and the Centurion Club are all within close reach.

What golf facilities does Brocket Hall offer?

The Melbourne Golf Club Academy features a stunning driving range, which has both covered and uncovered tees, while there is also the option of playing from mats or of real grass. There is also a wonderful 7-hole par 3 course, which is perfect for beginners who are first learning the game, and the nuances of playing around the greens.

What are the green fees at Brocket Hall?

The price of a green fee at Brocket Hall 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 Brocket Hall, visit their website here.