The Manor House

The Manor House is a glorious resort, which is home to a stunning golf course, one of the most picturesque in the country.

Golf has only been at The Manor House since 1992, with Peter Alliss and Clive Clark designing the course. Sand, water and trees all play a big part in your round at The Manor House.

Keep your eye for the oddities of the 17th. There are 19 greens on this course, and the penultimate hole has two of them...

Check out our full piece on The Manor Resort here.

Visit The Manor House website here. 

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.

The Manor House itself dates back over six centuries, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that golf came to the venue.

Golfing legend Peter Alliss, alongside design partner Clive Clark, were the men behind the new layout at The Manor House, which opened in 1992.

It has lifted the resort – which features on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Resorts list – to the next level.

Having only been open since 1992, the golf course at The Manor House is still relatively new compared to many of those in the country. Tree-lined fairways and the River Bybrook are both troublesome for the golfer throughout a round at The Manor House. Teeing off into valleys, plenty of sand and water, and tricky greens all add to the test you will face. At just over 6,300 yards, it is not the longest course you will find in the country. However, because of the narrow fairways, this Par 72 layout is still tricky.

It starts with a bang, as you overlook the waterfall when standing on the first tee. The opener is only 360 yards, but it does require a significant carry to the fairway. However, from there, it should only be a low iron to find the putting surface. The 2nd is the first of the par 3s at The Manor House, and it plays downhill, over a stream to a shallow putting surface. It is a two-tiered green, so make sure you find the right part of it, otherwise it could lead to a bad three-putt. You then get to the hardest and longest hole on the course - the par 5 3rd. Measuring 600 yards from the tips and with bunkers in place for both your drive and second shot, there is plenty of danger – not to mention the fact that both sides of the fairway are lined with thick trees.

What comes next isn’t easy either. The 4th is a 220-yard par 3 with two large bunkers down the right side of the green – a surface that is 40 yards from front to back. The tough run continues with the 467-yard par 4 5th. This hole moves from left to right, and the longer hitters will aim their tee shots over the two bunkers on the inside corner. Water sits to the right of the putting surface, but there isn’t much space left to bail out either. There are then back-to-back par 5s at 6 and 7 which both play around a lake; the 6th moving from right to left but reachable within two shots at just a smidge over 500 yards. 7 is tougher, at 550 yards from the tips, and the tee shot is played through a narrow avenue of trees, which are less than 20 yards wide. Water is down the entirety of the left side, while there are also plenty of traps to avoid as well.

There is some respite at the 8th – a downhill, 305-yard par 4. The River Bybrook runs down the left side, but this is a hole where drive is not necessary. The green has three corners to it, placed around bunkers. The 9th is a 185-yard par 3 with a raised green. Anything short will run back down, and possibly find the trap that sits in front of the putting surface. The back nine begins with a tee shot to an undulating fairway. Mounds line the right side, but it is a wide landing area. Favour the right side of the fairway to give yourself the best line into this green. 11 is the longest of the par 3s, coming in at more than 220 yards. It does play slightly downhill, but it is usually into the prevailing wind, so that is cancelled out. The green is deep, but narrow, and with trouble lying in wait on both sides.

Although only 500 yards, the par 5 12th is the Stroke Index 2 at The Manor House. The line for your tee shot is over the large tree at the start of the fairway, but the first part of the fairway is not too long, so drive might not be needed. From there, the second is played downhill, over water. The green will be in reach for some, but watch out as there are trees on the left and five large bunkers on the right. 13 is another hole, where at 300 yards, it seems easier than it actually is. The tee shot is narrow, and the hole is severely uphill, making it feel much longer. Despite the distance, a par is a very good score on the 13th. 14 is also relatively short, but there are bunkers on the right side of the landing zone off the tee. Mounds line the left side, but if you keep it inside those, you are in good position. The green is guarded by more sand, while there is a runoff for any approach that is long and left.

The closing stretch at The Manor House begins with the shortest of the par 5s. At 492 yards, this is one where most will fancy their chances of reaching in two. However, it will require an extremely accurate tee shot to avoid the trees. From there, the hole widens out and the green is protected by four bunkers. Anything left off the 16th tee is in trouble, so if you are going to miss, miss it out to the right. The green is shaped like a frying pan, with the ‘handle’ end at the back of the surface.

The 17th is one of the most unique holes in all of golf. It is a short par 3 of 150 yards, but there is a 120 feet drop in elevation down to the green. That isn’t the big difference about the 17th, though. Instead, there are two greens. Yep, you read that right... The green on the left is protected by three bunkers, while the green on the right has the Ryver Bybrook guarding it. Make sure you look at which one is in play before hitting your tee shot on this incredibly unique hole. The Manor House finishes with an incredible par 4, Much like Pebble Beach, there is a huge tree in the centre of the fairway. Miss that and you’ve got a shot at the green but be careful as there are six bunkers around the green, and a very inviting water hazard to the right. The clubhouse provides the perfect backdrop for the finishing hole on the course.

Where is The Manor House located?

The Manor House neighbours the Castle Combe Circuit and the village of Castle Combe itself. Chippenham is the nearest town, while Bristol is 20 miles west of The Manor House. The venue sits just to the south of the M4 Motorway, which runs from London in the east to Cardiff in the west.

Thanks to its proximity to the city, Bristol Airport is also the nearest international airport to The Manor House. Thanks to the M4, London Heathrow – the biggest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom – is less than two hours from the venue. Chippenham has the nearest train station to The Manor House, seven miles from the golf club. Trains run through Chippenham to London Paddington, Bristol Temple Meads, Swindon, and Weymouth.

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

Due to its location in the county of Wiltshire, there are not too many venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list within close reach. Burnham & Berrow is the closest, but that is still 50 miles away to the southwest. Cleeve Hill and Huntercombe are both also within 70 miles of The Manor House.

What golf facilities does The Manor House offer?

As well as the golf course, there is a full-length driving range played off grass tees, while putting and chipping can be practiced on the short game area which is in front of the clubhouse, next to the first tee.

What are the green fees at The Manor House?

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