Frilford Heath (Red)

Frilford Heath is one of just a number of venues across England that can boast three high quality 18-hole layouts, with the Red being the oldest of those.

The Red was the first layout designed and constructed at Frilford Heath, with JH Taylor the man to design the course back in the late 1900s.

Things have changed since then, including a slight re-routing of the venue following the addition of the Blue Course in 1994. To this day, the Red remains a great challenge of more than 7,000 yards.

Frilford Heath Golf Club was founded in 1909, with the original property playing host to an 18-hole golf course – which would become known as the Red Course.

JH Taylor was the man to design the Red, with JH Turner – the club’s professional – designing another 9 holes in the 1930s. It wasn’t until the early 1960s that the Green would be formed, as another nine holes were added to make Frilford Heath a 36-hole venue.

The Blue is the youngest of the three courses here and was designed by Simon Gidman, opening in 1994. It involved a reconfiguring of the Red Course, from which it took a couple of holes.

Over the years, the club has played host to several major amateur events, including the Ladies British Amateur Stroke Play Championship, the English Amateur Championship and the Brabazon Trophy.

Despite being the oldest layout of the three at Frilford Heath, not much has changed to the Red Course over its long and storied history. It is considered to be the pick of the three courses at the Oxfordshire venue, and from the very tips, the course pushes past the 7,000-yard barrier. The heathland fairways are firm and fast running, so accurate shots are always well rewarded. A good score around the Red Course comes from plotting your way around the layout, including avoiding the trouble you will encounter.

It is a relatively generous opener on the Red Course, and if you can find the right side of the fairway down the 390-yard 1st, you’re in good shape to find the large putting surface. The 2nd is the first of three par 5s on the Red, and it is a hole that needs to be carefully thought about. The majority will not reach in two, so working out the best spot to lay up to is key. A bunker sits on either side of the fairway in the landing zone, with two more to the right of the fairway in the laying up area. The green is long, so make sure you know where the flag is before hitting your approach. Anything hit too far left down the 3rd could well find the OOB that runs down the entirety of the hole, while there are bunkers dotted down the hole. One of those sits in front of the extremely large green. The opening quartet closes with the first short hole of the day. At 197 yards, the 4th is the longest of the par 3s, and the danger comes in the form of bunkers short.

The stretch towards the end of the front nine on the Red is notorious – you play three long par 4s and a tough short hole between the 5th and the 9th. 5 is more than 460 yards, and has four fairway bunkers awaiting anything awry off the tee. The green has three points to it, so work out which section the flag is in, otherwise you might find yourself in three-putt territory. The 6th offers some respite as the shortest of the trio of par 5s on the Red Course. If you can avoid the bunker on the inside corner of this dog-leg right, then you might have a chance of reaching the green, considering 6 is only 500 yards long. The 7th moves the other way, but again, there is a trap on the inside corner of the fairway. At 437 yards from the tips, it is another tough hole to navigate – especially when you consider the three large bunkers guarding the green. The 8th is the Stroke Index 1 on the Red, and you can understand why. At 470 yards, it is one of the longest par 4s on the property, not just the course. The length is its difficulty, as there is a generous fairway and no bunkers in play. The green is smaller than those you have played on earlier in the round, which might cause issues on the approach.

The last hole on the front nine is a par 3 of 190 yards from the tips. It is played over water, but as long as you find somewhere near the middle of the club face, you will clear the pond. The green is peanut-shaped, with bunkers cutting into the middle of both sides of the surface. The back nine begins with the longest hole on the course – the 550-yard par 5 10th. Playing as a sharp dog-leg right, the line is either to the left, or over the bunker, depending if you can carry the trap from the tee. From there, find the right spot to lay up to before knocking it on to the large putting surface – one that sand on either side. The 11th is the last of the par 3s, and at 182 yards from the tips, it is also the shortest hole on the course. A round green is guarded by sand and trees.

The Red Course’s finish comprises of seven consecutive par 4s, with a difference of 150 yards from the longest to the shortest. It is the longest of the lot that comes first, the 12th. A 474-yard par 4, unsurprisingly, 12 is one of the hardest holes on the course. With seven bunkers in total, there is plenty to catch your eye down this hole. Add in the OOB running down the left edge, and plenty of trees on the other side, and a par will see you gain shots on the field here. 13 is a strong dog-leg left, and one where you cannot try and cut the corner. Aim for the fat part of the fairway, even if it means that your approach will be slightly longer. The green is long and narrow, but there is space on either side if you are slightly offline. The 14th is only 355 yards, and if you can avoid the fairway bunkers situated on either side of the short grass, then this is a birdie chance. Three more bunkers are by the green, but the approach will be hit with either a short or mid-iron.

Two long par 4s and two short par 4s bring you to a close on the Red Course. 15 and 17 are the testing holes, with the former being the most difficult hole on the back nine. The 15th plays as a slight dog-leg right, with a solitary bunker on the right of the landing zone. However, there are also three bunkers down the left as well. More traps are by the green, so this is a how that must be navigated well to come away with par. The other long par 4 comes at the penultimate hole, with the 17th coming in at more than 420 yards. The danger comes on the approach, with four bunkers and a thick group of trees all in your eyeline. It is not all tough on the way, as 16 and 18 are both good scoring opportunities. Both holes are exactly 324 yards, and the former has a wide fairway to find. A bunker sits in front of the putting surface, but it should only be a wedge in hand for your second. The closing hole on the Red Course is one where the tee shot must be down the right side. The green is much wider at the front than it is at the back, but with a front flag, this is a definite chance at the finish.

Where is Frilford Heath located?

Frilford Heath is situated in the English county of Oxfordshire, just outside the village of Frilford, with the town of Abingdon only a few miles to the east. The city of Oxford is less than ten miles from the entrance to Frilford Heath, while England’s capital is around 70 miles to the southeast. The A34 and the A420 both run close by to the golf club.

Oxford is also the home of the nearest train station to the golf club. As the biggest train station in the area, services run towards a number of destinations, including Reading, Bicester, Newcastle and Manchester among others. London Heathrow Airport – the United Kingdom’s busiest and biggest airport – is around 60 miles from Frilford Heath, sitting to the west of the English capital city. London Luton Airport and Bristol Airport are both within 75 miles.

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

Frilford Heath is somewhat on its own when it comes to venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list. However, Huntercombe is 25 miles to the southeast, while Cleeve Hill is 40 miles to the northwest. Ashridge, Berkhamsted, The Grove and the Centurion Club are also within a 90-minute drive from Frilford.

What golf facilities does Frilford Heath offer?

Along with having three incredible golf courses, Frilford Heath also has some stunning practice facilities as well. The venue has its own full-length driving range where golfers can practice from grass teeing bays, along with a sublime short game area with a pair of large practice bunkers. A large, championship-standard putting green also sits in front of the clubhouse.

What are the green fees at Frilford Heath?

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