Reigate Heath

Reigate Heath is another golfing venue in England that proves you might only need nine holes to provide a brilliant day out.

Originally founded in the mid-1890s, Reigate Heath has remained a 9-holer ever since. There have been changes to some of the holes, with the addition of a second set of tees, but the course remains much the same.

Those second set of tees provide different angles and approaches throughout an 18-hole round, including the 4th – a par 5 on the front nine, that becomes a tough par 4 when played from the 13th.

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The history of Reigate Heath dates back to the late 19th Century, with the original course being laid down in 1895.

To this day, the holes follow the original routing, albeit the course was amended in the 1970s to add some length to deal with the advances in technology.

New tees were also added to provide each hole with two different views, and to make it feel like 18 different holes on the course.

As its name suggests, Reigate Heath is a heathland course, and it is a gorgeous one at that. By modern standards the 18-hole layout of 5,560 yards is short but it remains a proper test of golf. All nine holes have different tees for the second loop to give some additional variety as a result of not only a change of distance, but also a variation in angle. The different tees also offer different pars at places, making the 18-hole card a par 67 with six par 3s and a solitary par 5.

The opening hole is a tough par 4, despite remaining shy of the 400-yard mark. Heather and gorse line the left side of the fairway, with that pinching the fairway in around the 270-yard mark. The tee on 10 sits much further left than it does on the 1st, meaning that you have to angle your tee shot across the fairway, whilst keeping it away from the heather and gorse. The approach to the green must carry all the way, despite being uphill, due to the false front. Like 1/10, 2/11 also has tees on different sides, this time on opposite sides of the opening green. From the 2nd tee, the tee shot is angled across the fairway, while from the 11th, you play straight down the fairway. The green is long and has multiple tiers, so make sure your approach is accurate in terms of distance.

The 3rd/12th is the opening par 3 on the course, and plays as two very different holes. The 3rd is 175 yards, while the 12th is more than 210 yards. With it being uphill, it plays even longer, and to a green guarded by four large and looming bunkers. 4 is a real birdie chance if you can find the narrow bottleneck fairway that gives you a good look at the large green - which slopes from back to front - on this right-to-left dog-leg. The 13th, on the other hand, is a 446-yard par 4, the Stroke Index 1 at Reigate Heath. The same applies as on the 4th, but you have one less shot to manage it. The 5th/14th is a strong par 4 of 400 yards, played from an elevated tee. On 5, it is a straight hole, while on 14, it plays as a dog-leg right. Either way, the fairway gets narrower the further down you hit your drive. Play safe and then you have a more demanding approach shot, played uphill with at least a long iron.

6/15 is very similar to the opening par 3 on the course, apart from the distances are the other way round. If you are playing 18 at Reigate Heath, then you get the longer par 3 first. The 6th is 220 yards, while the 15th is only 180 yards. The green is tighter than it looks thanks to the two bunkers sitting on the front edge that make the entrance narrow. At just shy of 300 yards from both tees, the 7th/16th is a good scoring chance. The 16th tee gives a bit more of an angle on the tee shot, but the aiming point is still to keep it short of the fairway bunker down the left side. From there, it will be a low iron or wedge to a long green.

Both 8 and 17 tee off on the same angle, so there isn’t much difference to these two holes. The road comes into play down the right side for anything pushed too far, with the fairway getting slightly wider at the 150-yard mark off the tee. Wherever the approach is being hit from, it needs to be accurate, as this green slopes severely from left to right. The closing hole is a wonderful par 3. It is gorgeous heathland scene of heather, bracken and marram, as well as many deep pot bunkers surrounding the green. It plays 15 yards longer as the 18th, making your final tee shot slightly more difficult than it was a couple of hours earlier...

Where is Reigate Heath located?

Reigate Heath is one of several glorious golf courses located in the county of Surrey, sitting just outside the M25 – London's Circular Ring Road. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is just to the west, while the venue is just outside the town of Redhill. The centre of England’s capital is less than 25 miles to the north, while the M25, which runs around the outside of London, is only three miles to the north of the venue.

Reigate is the nearest train station to the golf club, a mile to the east. Trains run on a regular basis, with services running to London Victoria and Reading in the north, along with trains to London Gatwick Airport in the south. Gatwick Airport is just ten miles away by road as well, making it the nearest international airport to the venue. London Heathrow Airport – the busiest airport in the United Kingdom – is 30 miles to the northwest of Reigate.

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

Walton Heath, with both its Old and New Courses, is the closest venue on the NCG Top 100s: England list, just five miles to the north of Reigate Heath. St George’s Hill, Tandridge, Royal Wimbledon and The Addington are all within 20 miles from the Reigate Heath as well, in a hotbed for golf south of London.

What golf facilities does Reigate Heath offer?

Due to the minimal space on offer, Reigate Heath does not have its own driving range. However, there are hitting nets, along with a short game area which sits in front of the clubhouse for both guests and members alike to practice on.

What are the green fees at Reigate Heath?

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