Isle of Purbeck

The Isle of Purbeck Golf Club is one of Dorset’s finest venues, with the course overlooking the English Channel and the Purbeck Hills. 

The Purbeck Course is the 18-hole layout at Isle of Purbeck, which winds its way through a nature reserve and provides a true test. 

Harry Colt, one of the world’s greatest golf course designers, was the man behind the layout at the Isle of Purbeck, adding to his incredible list of courses.

Visit the Isle of Purbeck website here.

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The golf club dates back to 1892, with Arthur Jackson laying out the original 9-hole course. It would not be until the 1960s that the course would be extended to 18. 

The club was originally known as the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club, but by the time the course was extended, it was known as the Studland Bay Golf Club. The original name, and the one it has today, was reinstated in 1966. 

Among the club’s past owners were Dr Darrell-Waters and his famous wife, Enid Blyton – the legendary children’s book author.  

The real glory of Isle of Purbeck is that the views come on all four sides, whether looking to the Isle of Wight, across Poole harbour or towards the Purbeck Hills. This Harry Colt designed 6,295-yard heathland course is set in a nature reserve, a par of 70 making it more testing than its modest yardage suggests. The championship course is spectacular to play and provides a stern challenge for even the most accomplished golfer. Despite not being a challenge in terms of length, the unforgiving nature of the layout and general contours of the course mean that anything other than excellent course management and straight accurate hitting will be punished.  

The first two holes play out and back to the clubhouse, with the opener on the Purbeck Course being a gentle par 4. There is just one bunker, by the green, but the fairway is wide. Anything pulled too far left might find the ditch that runs between 1 and 2 (the same can be said off the tee on the 2nd), but it is a birdie chance to get you started. At 417 yards from the tips, the 2nd is more difficult, especially with five bunkers by the putting surface. After walking back in front of the clubhouse, you come to the 3rd tee, and your first big decision of the day. Do you take on the green on this 302-yard par 4? The safe play would be to lay up, with three bunkers short of the green. 

The 4th is the first of four par 3s at Isle of Purbeck, and it is one of three that are 185 yards or more. The 5th is the first dog-leg right of the round, and one that takes you into the nature reserve. ‘Agglestone’ is 405 yards, and there is trouble on both sides of the fairway. The 6th follows, and the course’s opening par 5 is the hardest hole on the property. Also a dog-leg right, the tee shot is played downhill to the fairway, which looks narrower than it actually is. Three bunkers in the second half of the hole make it tricky. 

As you come to the turn, you get to the longest and shortest holes on the course. They come after the 7th, which is a short par 4 and one that can be birdied. The 8th is almost 600 yards from the back tees, and is a true three-shotter, or even four for some. It plays as a double dog-leg right, with the tee shot having to carry a valley before reaching the fairway Anything leaking right could be in trouble, with thick gorse and trees down the entirety of the right side. The play with the second shot is out to the left, towards the 17th, before a wedge down to the green. 9 is less than 150 yards, at the other extreme, and played to a round green, guarded by four bunkers in front of the putting surface. 

The back nine begins with a long, but gentle par 4. It might be 415 yards, but there is no sand on the fairway, one that is wide. The green is narrow, though, with two bunkers in front of it. The 11th is a 195-yard par 3, played over heather and gorse and to a round green that is in the shadows due to the trees that sit behind the green. 12 is the hardest hole on the back nine, and is the first of six par 4s in the last seven holes. A bunker to the left of the landing zone in the fairway, along with one on either side of the putting surface cause the trouble on this tricky hole. 13 has a ditch running across the fairway, with some having to make a decision as to whether to lay up short of it, or to blast driver past it. From here on in, the closing stretch throws up several scoring opportunities. 

The 14th might be 390 yards, but with a wide fairway and no fairway traps, a solid drive can put you in position to attack the pin on the small green. 15 is the last of the short holes, with five large bunkers sitting in front of the green. It is 185 yards from the tips, but if you can clear the sand, you might be in business. 16 has a ditch running across the fairway, with the safe play being the lay up short of the trouble, before then firing a low-to-mid iron at the green. The penultimate hole is only 335 yards, and if you can avoid the two fairway bunkers, you should only have a wedge into the green. Isle of Purbeck’s final flourish is just 305 yards in length, and a definite birdie opportunity to finish. The tee shot is played over a path, and the small green has no sand guarding it, but there is heather and gorse to the left of the putting surface. 

Dan Murphy: It is great to see Isle of Purbeck continuing to improve in terms of presentation and consistency. Is the best yet to come?

Joss Powick: Stunning views but attention to detail lacking in places. The greens were excellent

Where is Isle of Purbeck located?  

The Isle of Purbeck Golf Club is one of the southernmost venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list, located right by the south coast of England in Dorset. The course is set in a nature reserve on the Isle of Purbeck Peninsula, with the club sitting just off the B3351. Poole and Bournemouth are just round the coastline to the east.  

The nearest train station to Isle of Purbeck is at Wareham, around ten miles from the golf club. Trains run between London Waterloo and Weymouth, all of which call at Wareham, with services running regularly in both directions. Bournemouth Airport is the closest international airport to the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club, sitting around 25 miles away to the northeast. Bristol Airport is 120 miles to the north, with the country’s biggest airport, London Heathrow Airport – around the same distance to the east.

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

The Isle of Purbeck Golf Club is one of five NCG Top 100s: England venues to be located in and around the city of Bournemouth. Parkstone, Broadstone, Ferndown’s Old Course and Remedy Oak are all within an hour’s drive from Isle of Purbeck.

What golf facilities does Isle of Purbeck offer?  

Along with the Purbeck Course, the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club is also home to the Dene Course – a 9-hole layout to the south of the B3351. There is also a full-length driving range and short game area by the side of the 2nd hole, with a putting green by the 1st tee.

What are the green fees at Isle of Purbeck?  

The price of a green fee at Isle of Purbeck 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 Isle of Purbeck visit their website here.