Effingham

With almost a century’s worth of history behind the club, Effingham remains one of the best downland golf courses in England.

Originally founded in 1927 as Effingham Manor Golf Club, and with a layout designed by the legendary Harry Colt, it is no surprise that it remains a cracking course to this day.

With plenty of elevation changes, tree-lined fairways and no fewer than 75 bunkers in play, there are plenty of challenges around Effingham’s 18-hole course.

Visit Effingham’s website here. 

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The club, which was originally named the Effingham Manor Golf Club, was founded in 1927, with Effingham House being the base for the clubhouse.

The legendary Harry Colt was the man to design the golf course, as he was for many a layout in the county of Surrey. Tom MacKenzie has helped to renovate the bunkers on the golf course.

The club would be renamed Effingham Golf Club just over a decade later, and it has gone on to host the English Seniors County Championship, and Effingham has also been a host to Regional Qualifying for the Open Championship in recent years.

Effingham is without doubt, one of England’s finest downland courses. There are incredible views of the skyline of England’s capital city from parts, on what can be a very tricky course to navigate. The course is split into two loops of nine, with the front nine running along the northern and western sides of the property, while the south and east sides of the property house the back nine. Reaching 6,800 yards from the tips, playing with a par of 71 and a Course Rating of almost two shots higher, it is a tough test.

The first of the three par 5s at Effingham comes at the opening hole. It is the shortest of the three at 505 yards, and it is one where if you can hit the fairway, the green could be reachable in two. Thick trees line both sides, with four bunkers towards the putting surface. Two short par 4s follow, with the 2nd measuring less than 300 yards. The Stroke Index 18 has a wide fairway to find, with a large green guarded by just the solitary bunker on its right. The 3rd is slightly longer, at 330 yards, but with a much narrower fairway which makes it a tougher prospect. The first of the quartet of short holes comes at 4 – a 170-yard approach to a green guarded by four large bunkers.

The toughest hole on the front nine comes at the 5th. At almost 460 yards, it is one of three par 4s that measures more than 450. A wide fairway helps, allowing most to take driver out and try and get as far down as possible, and there is also a large green to aim for with the approach. The 6th is just over 400 yards, and plays as a slight dog-leg left. A single tree on the inside corner of the hole, around 80 yards from the green, will come into play depending on where your tee shot ends up. 7 is almost identical to the 4th in that it is a 170-yard par 3, played to a green that is surrounded by four traps.

The longest hole on the property comes at the 8th. Stretching out to more than 600 yards from the back tees, this is a proper three-shotter. Two bunkers on the left of the fairway, and a copse of thick trees on the right mark the landing zone, but if you can avoid those, you should be good! Lay up to the right distance to have a shot into this green. Another tough par 4 brings the front side to a close at Effingham. A run of four bunkers splits the fairway in half, with the best play being to carry them down the left side of the fairway. From there, the green is long but large, so three-putting could also come into play.

The tricky run around the turn as the Stroke Index 1 and 3 both come in the opening three holes of the back nine. SI3 comes at the 10th, a 430-yard par 4 that has a bunker on either side of the fairway to be avoided from the tee. From there, three more traps by the green lurk for anything awry. 11 is slightly easier at just 355 yards, with placement being the key instead of power. The 12th is the Stroke Index 1 at Effingham. It is actually arrow straight, but the narrow fairway will cause problems for some. The long, peanut-shaped green is guarded by a pair of bunkers, and any up-and-downs from around this putting surface will be difficult.

13 is the shortest hole on the property at just 146 yards. The green is narrow, but the trouble – in the form of three greenside bunkers – comes at the front of the putting surface. 14 plays as a slight dog-leg right around the boundary of the course, so anything too far right off the tee will see you reaching into your bag to get another ball out. Three bunker guard a small putting surface. The longest of the par 4s comes at 15 – a 472-yard brute off the tips. The line is over the right of the two fairway bunkers, if that carry is achievable. From there, there is a chance of finding the green with your second, but the danger might mean the lay up is the best ploy, even with it being a par 4.

After the longest par 4 comes the longest par 3. The 16th at Effingham is almost 200 yards, with all the trouble – in the form of two large greenside bunkers – sitting in front of the surface. Anything that runs over the back edge of the green is not the worst leave, so take an extra club just in case. 17 is the last of the par 5s, and at 572 yards from the tips, this is another proper three-shotter. It is arrow straight, with a total of nine bunkers on the way. Avoid the first three off the tee, clear the second three with your lay up, and then avoid the last three at the green. Pretty simple really! At 450 yards, the last is another long par 4, and one where two bunkers sit in the centre of the fairway. Three more traps are around the left side of the last green, one that could make or break your card.

Where is Effingham Golf Club located?

Effingham Golf Club sits just outside the M25, to the southwest of London. The centre of the English capital city is only 25 miles away by road. The club sits halfway between the towns of Leatherhead and Guildford, with the Surrey Hills National Landscape to the southeast of the golf club. Along with the M25, the A3 and A24 also run close by, providing the course with good road links.

Horsley, Effingham Junction and Bookham are all close by to the golf club, which means that are great rail links as well. All three stations sit on the same line, with trains running through them between London Waterloo and Guildford. Thanks to its location, both London Heathrow and London Gatwick – the two busiest airports in the United Kingdom – are close by. Both airports are within 20 miles from the venue, with Heathrow to the north and Gatwick to the southeast.

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

Thanks to its location, just outside the M25 in Surrey, there are plenty of incredible golf courses within just a short drive from Effingham. The likes of New Zealand, St George’s Hill, Camberley Heath, and the ‘3 W’s’ of West Hill, Worplesdon and Woking, are all within 20 miles to the west and northwest. Walton Heath – with its Old and New Courses – is less than ten miles away to the east.

What golf facilities does Effingham Golf Club offer?

Along with the glorious Harry Colt layout, Effingham also has its own driving range, with sits to the right of the opening hole. There is also a recently opened short game area, to allow golfers to fine tune their games shortly before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Effingham Golf Club?

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