Royston

Royston Golf Club, located in Hertfordshire, can lay a claim to being the oldest golfing venue in the country, as golf was first played on this land in the 1600s.

It would become the fourth oldest club in the country, after officially being founded in 1869. Although the club was then disbanded and brought back to life, the venue has remained the same.

The layout has also remained almost the same as it was more than 150 years ago. More bunkers and some lengthening has been undertaken, but at less than 6,000 yards, distance is not your main challenge at Royston.

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There is the possibility that golf was first played at Royston back in the early 1600s, with George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, playing on the site around that time.

The first formal layout was designed and constructed in 1869, making it the fourth oldest course in England behind Royal North Devon, Bramshaw’s Forest Course and Royal Liverpool.

It was two students at Cambridge University – Andrew Murray and George Cosset – that designed the original course in the 1860s. The club only lasted a couple of years before it was disbanded, though as the journey between Cambridge and Royston was too long to undertake on a regular basis.

1892 saw the reestablishment of the club, with the course being built as close as possible as it could be to the original layout.

Length is not the challenge at Royston. The course is less than 6,000 yards from the tips, but this par 70 layout does still pack a punch here and there, with a pair of par 3s that measure more than 220 yards. The issue that golfers have at this East Anglian venue is accuracy off the tee. Many a hole at Royston is narrow. Add to that, the changing wind directions and the small greens, and there is plenty to keep you on your toes.

Royston begins with a gentle par 5, one of only 480 yards. The fairway slopes from right to left, so aim your drive just inside the three fairway bunkers, to allow for the contours of the hill. From there, take an extra club with your approach as many a second or third shot fall short of this putting surface. The 2nd is a short par 4 as well, at just 320 yards. Keep your drive out of the three fairway bunkers that sit on the corner of this dog-leg right. There are four more traps by the green, but this is a good birdie chance. The 3rd is arrow straight, and the line is down the left side of the fairway to avoid the solitary bunker on the right. Your approach is played to a long and narrow green, and over three more bunkers that will take your eye.

The Stroke Index 1 comes at the 4th and is it 440 yards in length. The drive should be down the left side as the prevailing wind is from left-to-right. The approach to this green, which is situated in the corner of the property and protected by threes on three sides, will be lengthy. Short is better than long here. The first of the five par 3s comes at the 5th. OOB is to the left on this 180-yard hole. A square green is guarded by two bunkers at the front. The 6th makes it back-to-back short holes, and this is a very unique prospect. It is just shy of 150 yards, with the view of the green through a valley, with a slope on either side. The green is long but very narrow. It is a short hole, but one that is deceptively difficult.

The 7th is a 300-yard par 4 that the longer hitters might fancy their chances on. Playing as a dog-leg right, work out how much of the corner you want to bite off with your drive. Three bunkers protect the putting surface. Although only 365 yards, the 8th is one of the more difficult holes on the course. The danger all comes by the green as the fairway is one of the widest on the property. The green, though is the narrowest. Steep drop offs on both sides are the danger if you are even slightly awry. The closing hole on the front nine is a par 5 that winds its way round to the left. At 500 yards, it seems like it could be done in two shots, but the fairway is split in two and anything that goes too far will find itself at the bottom of the valley. Opt for a fairway wood off the tee if you must, and take the pain of a longer second shot.

Two long par 3s comes in the opening three holes on the back side at Royston. The 10th is 220 yards from the tips, and anything to the left might see you reaching into your bag for another golf ball. The 12th is even longer at 235 yards, and for most, this will be at least a fairway wood. The danger is at the back, so anything short of this green is absolutely fine. In between those sit a short par 4. It is one that requires an accurate tee shot considering there are hedges and OOB to the left of the fairway. The green is protected by three more bunkers, one of which is large and at the front. Although the 13th is only 340 yards, it feels more like 400 due to the large incline off the tee. If you don’t reach the top of the brow with your drive, you will need to walk up to try and work out the line for your approach to this small target.

The fairway on 14 severely slopes from right to left so aim your tee shot down the right side. With OOB left of the green, the miss is to the right, but that still leaves an awkward up-and-down. 15 is another dog-leg right and one where working out which angle to hit your tee shot is a key factor. There are five bunkers protecting the putting surface, including a row of three pot bunkers in front of the green. The 16th is the shortest hole at Royston at just 130 yards. Miss left and you will struggle to make par, while the mounds on the right might knock your ball back on to the green. The penultimate hole is also the longest on the course at more than 530 yards. It often has the prevailing wind at its back, so reaching in two is a possibility after a good drive. Two bunkers are in play, whether you’re hitting your second or third to this green. Hole 18, Stroke Index 18. The last is also the easiest, as there are no bunkers in play. Aim down the right of the fairway to give yourself the best line in to this green. Many an approach to this green has gone through the back because of the prevailing wind, so take that into your thought process.

Where is Royston Golf Club located?

Royston Golf Club is situated in Hertfordshire, sitting halfway between Cambridge and Luton. The club sits between the A10 and the A505, with the former running all the way down to London. Thanks to the A10, and the A1(M) which is also close by, England’s capital city is within 50 miles of Royston.

Thanks to its location, Royston is within a 25-mile drive from both London Luton Airport and London Stansted Airports, providing great options for international visitors to the region. In terms of train users, Royston has its own train station which is less than a mile from the entrance to the golf club. Trains run from Cambridge via Royston to either Brighton or London Kings Cross on a regular basis.

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

Royston is somewhat on its own when it comes to venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list, with no venues on the list being within a 30-mile radius. Royal Worlington & Newmarket is around 35 miles to the east, while the quartet of Ashridge, Berkhamsted, The Grove and the Centurion Club are around the same distance to the south, in and around the M25.

What golf facilities does Royston Golf Club offer?

Along with the 18-hole layout, Royston also has a 3-hole Academy Course, with three short par 3s to practice wedge game and distance control. There is a full-length driving range with both grass and matted tees, two hitting nets and a short game area among the practice facilities at Royston. The putting green sits in front of the clubhouse.

What are the green fees at Royston Golf Club?

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