Royal West Norfolk

Royal West Norfolk | NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Courses

Rankings

1st

9th

23rd

27th

43rd

Like Royal North Devon, Prestwick and the Old Course at St Andrews, Royal West Norfolk is simultaneously both a links course and a museum piece.

Separated from the mainland at high tide, the course occupies a narrow strip of land between Brancaster Bay and salt marshes. From the homely and deceptively sturdy old clubhouse, you must walk across a strip of beach to find the 1st tee.

Much of the play here is foursomes, and the members consider that three hours is ample for 18 holes. The links was designed by one Holcombe Ingleby, a former mayor of Kings Lynn, and opened in 1892.

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A Brief History of Royal West Norfolk

Royal West Norfolk opened in 1892, making it one of the earliest golf clubs in England, with its course designed by Holcombe Ingleby. The club's original course layout was unique in that it featured nine holes out and nine holes back, running along the coastal marshes and sand dunes.

In 1895, the club received the "Royal" designation from the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII. Since then, it has been known as the Royal West Norfolk Golf Club.

Over the years, the golf course has undergone various changes and improvements, with architects like James Braid and Herbert Fowler contributing to its design.

The course has hosted various regional and national championships, attracting golfers from all over the UK. While it may not be as well-known as some of the other top British golf courses, it is highly regarded for its natural beauty and challenging links play. Today, the course is an 18-hole links course that stretches along the scenic coastline of Norfolk and rightly places in the top UK golf courses.

Royal West Norfolk Review | NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Courses

Like the Old Course at St Andrews, there is often lots of room from the tee, so much so that it can be disorientating. But again like the Old Course, careful positioning is the key to having the best angle into the greens, many of which are protected by Brancaster’s trademark sleepered bunkers. If the front nine is longer on the scorecard, the reality is that the back nine is where the men are distinguished from the boys. The furthest point from the clubhouse is the 9th green, after which you turn into the prevailing wind and things get decidedly more testing.

Some of the holes are straightforward enough; others are devilishly difficult. A trio of par 4s get you on your way at Brancaster, all of which are more than 400 yards from the tips. The opening and closing holes cross over using the same section of fairway, with the 417-yard 1st moving back towards the sea. At almost 450 yards, the 2nd is the longest of the par 4s at Royal West Norfolk. There is a wide fairway, but most will be playing at least a long iron, if not a hybrid or fairway wood into this green.

The 3rd is probably the best hole on the course, if not among the prettiest. Out of bounds is up the right but anyone playing left for safety on this dog-leg right will find themselves effectively snookered, with the firm, elevated green sitting beyond the deepest bunker on the course. The 4th is the first of the par 3s, and the shortest hole on the course at just 130 yards, and requires an approach over three front bunkers to find the green. 5 is another long par 4, moving slightly from left to right, with the 6th being the longest of the par 3s at 180 yards. There is just one bunker to the front right of the putting surface.

You then come to back-to-back par 5s at 7 and 8. The former is just shy of 500 yards, and plays with OOB down the entreity of its right side. The 8th, on the scorecard an utterly innocuous par 5 of just over 500 yards, is more difficult than it first looks. The problem is, the tee, fairway and green are effectively on three different islands, with marshland between each stage. The fairway is set across the line of play, so you have to judge a line of attack, making sure you carry to the fairway but don’t run off the other side. The stronger the wind, the more ticklish a job this is. Get your angles right and you could be coming in with a short iron, miscalculate and a lost ball is the most likely outcome.

Then comes the 9th, probably the prettiest hole, and certainly the one with most unusual green site, across more marshland and divorced from the rest of the course with views of the harbour of Brancaster Staithe.

The back nine begins with another short hole, the 150-yard 10th. Four bunkers guard the front and right of the putting surface, with the miss being to the left. The 11th plays way longer than its 475 yards due to the prevailing wind. Add in that the number of bunkers are into double digits, and it is a difficult prospect, even for a short par 5. The green at the 12th appears to be on a plateau that on closer inspection reveals itself be a raised hollow, if that is not a contradiction in terms.

At just 310 yards, you might think the 13th is simple. Alas, it is not. It is a sharp dog-leg right, with three bunkers along the inside corner, including one at the green. You need to work out the carry if you are going to try and take the corner on. The 14th is the hardest hole on the inward nine, where the long second shot must clear an inconvenient hill before rolling down to the bowl-shaped green. 15 is the last of the par 3s, and the longest of those at 187 yards. The large bunker in your eyeline should not be a factor, as it is well short of the green, but it can catch you out if you mishit your tee shot.

The trio of closing par 4s are all under 400 yards, but don't assume that this is the run to get some birdies. Still playing back into the prevailing wind, the 16th is longer than its 330 yards Aim your tee shot left to avoid the danger, and to provide a great angle into the green. 17 crosses back over the 2nd fairway, and if you can avoid the six fairway bunkers, you stand a chance of finding the surface.

The closing hole at Royal West Norfolk take you back towards the sea for the final time. Crossing with the opening hole, there is a large fairway to aim for. The green sits behind a long and narrow bunker which guards the front of the putting surface. The back edge is better than the front edge here!

Our Panellists Notes for 2025

Dan Murphy: Universally loved by our panel. Such a simple, minimalist style of golf. And yet Brancaster plays differently in every round.

Craig Morrison: The gates, the shared fairways, the turn, the masts, the magic…

David Elliott: Golf as it was 100 years ago. Fabulous, charming traditions and quirks. No course changes in 100 years and it still plays challenging today

David Walker: Up with the best for fun, idiosyncratic golf. The holes around the turn affected by the tide are often noted as the standouts, but there are many fantastic holes. Rewards strategy and imagination

Read more about our panellists here.

FAQs about Royal West Norfolk

Where is Royal West Norfolk located?

Royal West Norfolk is, as its name suggests, situated in the west of Norfolk. It is also on the northern tip of the county, located on the north coast and looking out towards the North Sea. It is near the village of Brancaster, and located close to Brancaster Beach, a beautiful sandy beach along the North Norfolk coast. The Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve encompasses the course, one that has the A149 to the south of the club.

Norwich Airport is the nearest for international visitors to the region, based about an hour away to the southeast from Royal West Norfolk. London Luton, London Stansted, London Heathrow and East Midlands Airports are all within three hours from the course. There is no real train service in the north of Norfolk, with the nearest train station being located in King’s Lynn, more than 20 miles to the south of Royal West Norfolk.

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

Along with Royal West Norfolk, the coastline of the county also houses the rest of the big four when it comes to golf in Norfolk. Hunstanton is within seven miles to the west, while Sheringham and Royal Cromer are around 30 miles to the east of the venue.

What golf facilities does Royal West Norfolk offer?

On the opposite side of the road to the course lies the practice ground at Royal West Norfolk. There is a full-length driving range, along with a short game area that features a green and two practice bunkers to work from. The putting green sits next to the 1st tee.

What are the green fees at Royal West Norfolk?

The price of a green fee at Royal West Norfolk 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 Royal West Norfolk, visit their website here.

Check out what our expects had to say about Royal West Norfolk on the NCG Golf Podcast here.

Visit Royal West Norfolk's website here.
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Website

http://www.rwngc.org/

secretary@rwngc.org

Phone

+44 (0) 1485 210087

Address

Beach Road, Brancaster, King's Lynn PE31 8AX

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