Camberley Heath

Camberley Heath is one of several incredible heathland courses located in the county of Surrey, just to the south of England’s capital city. 

The course, as many of them in the region were, was designed by the great Harry Colt, and it opened in 1913. 

The layout runs amongst tree-lined fairways and with plenty of beautiful heather that will try and distract your eyes as you walk round.

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Camberley Heath Golf Club was founded shortly before the First World War, with the course opening for play in 1913. 

Harry Colt, the legendary golf course architect, was the man to design this stunning heathland course – like many others in the county of Surrey. 

The Duke of York, who would go on to become King George VI, was an honorary member at Camberley Heath. The Prince of Wales would follow him as a patron of the club. 

Camberley Heath has hosted the Lagonda Trophy and has also been a regional qualifying venue for the Open. 

Camberley Heath's calling card is a series of short par 4s that tempt and trick in equal measure. For all but the most skilful players, you know you should treat them with respect, getting the ball in play off the tee and trusting your wedge play. But because they are so tantalisingly short, it can be very difficult to resist. And once you've missed them in the wrong place then you are in a world of pain. Usually you short-side yourself and bring the heather-ringed bunkers into play. As ever, Harry Colt's bunkering is sublime. These hazards are as charming as they are dangerous and well placed. The 18-hole layout plays to a maximum of 6,425 yards from the Blues, with a par of 71. 

Camberley Heath begins with a tough opening hole, one that has a sharp dog-leg right on it. The fairway is wide, but the less of the corner you take, the further your second will be to a small green surrounded by trees. The 2nd is a pure Colt short hole, played across heather to a slightly raised and well-defended target. The green has got all sorts of slopes and contours and because you only have a short iron in your hand you can try to take advantage of them. For the skilled player, you are not aiming at the green but at a part of it if you want to set up a realistic putt for a two. At over 520 yards, the 3rd is the longest hole on the property. The second shot, whether you are taking it on or laying up, will still be played over a large area of heather, so make sure you take enough club to get over it. The 3rd green has two bunkers at the front, with a thick bunch of trees guarding the other three sides of the surface. 

The 4th is drivable for the longest of hitters at just 305 yards, however, it is a very narrow area to hit. Most will lay up with a long iron to put a wedge in their hands for their second. The 5th is a long par 4 that twists its way round a corner and downhill. You are hitting into the point of a 'V' so the longer your tee shot the more accurate you will need to be. The reward, though, is getting way down the hill and making the second short considerably shorter. 6 is very much like the 4th, but slightly shorter. At just 290 yards, it is another drivable par 4, but again, it is a tricky one to get the better of. 

It gets trickier as you make your way around the turn at Camberley Heath. The 7th is a tough dog-leg right par 4, with the 8th being a 235-yard par 3 from the tips. It plays slightly downhill, with three large bunkers guarding the green. 9 is a narrow and long par 5, one that turns slightly left after the tee shot. If you can find the fairway, there is a chance of reaching the putting surface. The 10th is a long par 4 with a split fairway – one split by heather. 11 is another long par 3, the second of more than 200 yards, and played to a small, round green. 12 brings the tough stretch to a close around the turn, but it has a rather generous fairway. The green is then surrounded by trees, as much of the course is, making it feel like a smaller target than it actually is. 

The 13th is the last of the par 5s, and at just 500 yards, there is a definite chance of birdie, if not eagle! However, make sure to stay below the flag, as the green is one of the slippiest on the property. 14 is then the last of the par 3s, and at just 165 yards, it shouldn’t be much more than a mid-iron. There are seven bunkers on the hole, but only three are next to the putting surface.  

Camberley Heath comes to a close with four par 4s, three of which are less than 340 yards in length. 15 and 16 might be seen as drivable from a glance at the card, but there is plenty of trouble on both. The green on the former has a very narrow entrance, while a Japanese-style pond sits in front of the putting surface on 16, arguably making both two-shot holes. The penultimate hole is the longest par 4 on the course, pushing to more than 440 yards from the tips. It is a dog-leg right, and again, it is a narrow green to play to with your approach shot. The tee shot on the closing hole is played over an expanse of heather but it remains a great birdie chance.  

Craig Redston: A true Harry Colt gem – like a mini St George’s Hill

Sean Arble: The routing is superb and affords all manner of holes; valley, double valley, up ‘n’ overs, flat, sidehill – did I miss anything?  Slightly too inconsistent to be in the league of some of the best-known courses of London, but stands apart because of its very good 3s and 5s

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Where is Camberley Heath located?  

Camberley Heath is located in the English county of Surrey, just outside the towns of Aldershot and Farnborough. The centre of London – England's capital city – is just 35 miles to the northeast, with the M3 motorway running almost alongside the golf course at Camberley Heath. The M3’s junction with the A331 is less than a mile from the entrance to the golf club. 

Camberley Train Station is the closest to Camberley Heath Golf Club, sitting around two miles from the venue. Trains run through Camberley on the Aldershot-Ascot line, with services regularly running in both directions. The country’s biggest and busiest international airport – London Heathrow – is just 20 miles away, with the airport operating flights to a wide range of destinations, including around the United Kingdom, and to the United States and the Middle East. 

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

Surrey is one of the best counties when it comes to golf clubs featuring on the NCG Top 100s: England list, with Camberley Heath being one of several venues to claim a spot. Swinley Forest, the three W’s of West Hill, Woking and Worplesdon, St George’s Hill, New Zealand, the Red and Blue Courses at The Berkshire, and the Old and New Courses at Sunningdale are all within half an hour of Camberley Heath. 

What golf facilities does Camberley Heath offer?  

Along with the sublime golf course, Camberley Heath also has a driving range which sits at the left side of the opening hole. There are covered bays and at the far end of the range, there is a short game area with a practice green and bunker. The putting green sits next to the 1st tee for those final touches before taking to the course.  

What are the green fees at Camberley Heath?  

The price of a green fee at Camberley Heath 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 Camberley Heath, visit their website here.