Flempton

You won’t find many 9-hole layouts on our lists, as there aren’t that many in the country, but Flempton is certainly a good example.

Sitting within ten miles of the ‘Sacred Nine’ at Royal Worlington & Newmarket, this 9-hole layout was originally founded in 1895 before JH Taylor came in during the mid-1900s to redesign the course.

Flempton is laid out in three loops of three, and with more than 70 bunkers, along with tree-lied fairways, it is a great test of golf.

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Flempton Golf Club dates back to 1895, making one of the older courses in England. It began life as a 9-hole layout at the end of the 19th Century.

Just over a decade later, JH Taylor – a five-time winner of the Open Championship – was brought in to redesign the course.

In recent years, MacKenzie & Ebert have been drafted in at Flempton for a long-term development plan, one that stays true to the original design.

Using such a small piece of land, Flempton is a cracking design. Although only a 9-hole course, on that measures just shy of 3,100 yards and plays as a par 70, there are plenty of challenges along the way. Tree-lined fairways and plenty of bunkers will catch your eyes, while the course itself is played in three loops of three holes, bringing you back to the clubhouse at regular intervals – making it the perfect place for six, 12 or 18 holes!

At 355 yards and 376 yards respectively, you might think that the opening couple of holes at Flempton ease you into the round. That isn’t the case though. The opener has thick trees down its right and the fairway is cut short by a trio of bunkers that sit around 40 yards from the green. They obscure the view of the putting surface slightly from the fairway, so make sure you know what your line is with your approach. Plover Lake and Hawker Pool are in play off the 2nd tee, with anything flared wildly right seeing you reach into your golf bag for a second ball. However, it is a relatively generous fairway to find from the tee. Six bunkers down by the green make the approach shot more difficult. The only par 5 on the course comes at the 3rd. In total, there are 13 bunkers on the longest hole on the course, coming in at 492 yards. Those bunkers make this hole much tighter than it looks at first glance. Add in the thick trees on the left of the landing zone and it is perhaps the trickiest tee shot on the course.

It doesn’t get any easier, as you then come to the two hardest holes on the property across the next loop of three. 4 is the Stroke Index 1 on the card at Flempton, playing as a dog-leg right par 4 of almost 400 yards in length. Avoid the five small circular bunkers on the right and the large solitary trap on the left with your tee shot, and you will have a clear shot at the long and narrow putting surface. The 5th is the first of two short holes on the course. At 155 yards, it doesn’t sound like much, but it is played over water to a small green which is also guarded by a bunker to its front left. Turning for home once more, you come to the par 4 6th, which runs parallel to the A1101 – the road which also becomes an out of bounds feature throughout this hole. If you can park that thought to the back of your mind, then it is about avoiding the two fairway bunkers – a recurring theme at Flempton. The green has three more traps around it, as well as the entrance road into the club running behind the surface.

The final loop of three would be seen as the easiest, with the Stroke Index 17 (and 18 if you are playing twice) coming at the 7th. A par 4 of only 300 yards in length, some might be tempted to take it on. However, with a quintet of large bunkers around the green, that might not be the right idea. There are four bunkers dotted down the right side of the fairway as well, but considering it should only be a fairway wood or long iron off the tee, there should not be too much trouble. The difficulty comes at the green, which is long and narrow, and has that protection. The 8th sees you tee off from a funnel of trees and out into the open once more, and again, there are clusters of sand traps to collect anything slightly off the fairway. The green is one of the largest on the property, though, so it makes the approach somewhat easier. The final hole on the course is a long par 3 of 190 yards. Playing back towards the clubhouse for the final time, and over the entrance road, this is a tricky final hole. A large green awaits, but for most, it might even be a fairway wood off the tee.

Where is Flempton Golf Club located?

Flempton Golf Club is in the southeastern county of Suffolk, and is situated near the town of Bury St Edmunds. The club is based just outside the village of Flempton itself, with Bury St Edmunds around five miles away. Cambridge and Ipswich are the two closest major cities, both around a 30-mile drive from Flempton. The A11, A14 and A134 all run close by to the golf club providing road links in each direction.

Bury St Edmunds is also the home of the nearest train station to Flempton, some five miles away from the golf club. The station sees servicing running through it between Ipswich and Cambridge, with some journeys also running to Peterborough. London Stansted Airport is the closest major international airport to Flempton, sitting just under 50 miles from the venue. London Luton is also within 65 miles as well.

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

Flempton is one of several top-notch venues in the count of Suffolk, with five of those holding down a place on the NCG Top 100s: England list. Aldeburgh, Thorpeness, Woodbridge (Heath) and the Purdis Heath Course at Ipswich all feature. However, it is Royal Worlington & Newmarket – the fifth Suffolk member of that list – which is the closest to Flempton. RWN sits just nine miles away by road.

What golf facilities does Flempton Golf Club offer?

As well as the stunning golf course, Flempton is also the home to a short grass driving range and hitting nets. There is also a chipping green and a putting green, so guests and members alike can work on their short games before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Flempton Golf Club?

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