Woodbridge (Heath)

The Heath Course at Woodbridge Golf Club is one of the premier golfing venues in Suffolk – and one of four venues in the county on the NCG Top 100s: England list. 

Opened and designed in 1893 by Davie Grant, both James Braid and Fred Hawtree have also had a hand in how the course plays today. 

The course runs through trees and heather, with natural light being the key, and all of this comes just a short drive from Ipswich and Felixstowe.

Visit the Woodbridge website here.

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Woodbridge is one of several venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list that can trace its history back to the 19th Century. 

The course was first opened in 1893, having been designed by North Berwick's Davie Grant. It was updated in the 1920s by James Braid and not much has changed since bar some tinkering by Fred Hawtree. 

The 9-hole Forest Course wasn’t added to the property until the 1980s, following the hurricane that ravaged through south Suffolk. 

Expect fairways fringed with heather, gorse, oak and pine and almost constant changes of elevation. It remains a peaceful, secluded spot, a delightful course to stumble on during a golfing trip. Laid out over Bromeswell Heath, it measures a shade over 6,400 yards from the tips and plays to a somewhat ungenerous par of 70. 

Both of the opening two par 4s measure just shy of 350 yards, giving you a chance to get under par early. That is something you need to do if you are going to play to your handicap, with the back nine being significantly tougher. The 3rd is one of just two par 5s on the Heath Course, with both coming on the front side of the layout. At 564 yards from the tips, it isn’t easy, but if navigated well, it can be a par, or even better. 

The 4th is a short dog-leg right par 4, and one where most will believe they have a chance of adding a circle on their card. It is just 332 yards, and if you can find the fairway with the tee shot, the green is generous, despite the four bunkers around it. 5 is only slightly longer, while the 6th pushes towards the 400-yard mark. It is a dog-leg left, with two cross-bunkers that realistically, shouldn’t come into play for most. The first par 3 on the course comes at the 7th, and they all come in quick order, with four of the next nine holes being 3s. At 164, the 7th is the shortest of the lot, but it has a small green that is guarded at the front by three large sand traps. 

The turn begins with the last par 5 – the 8th. Find the fairway off the tee, and some might well have a crack at the green. For most, it will be a three-shotter, but this is a birdie chance before the going starts to get tough. At 201 yards, the 9th is one of two par 3s that tip the 200 barrier. However, there are only two greenside bunkers, so if you can find the distance, there isn’t too much trouble to deal with. 

"Woodbridge represents inland golf at its most natural and delightful best," wrote Frank Pennink in his Golfer's Companion. "It is undoubtedly one of the best courses in East Anglia. Magnificently sited on high ground, this is heathland golf of a high order, with springy turf, gorse and heather, and sandy subsoil." 

Despite the imbalance of par, the back nine is only fractionally shorter. Only two of the seven par 4s on the closing half of the Heath Course are less than 400 yards so you might want to start holding on to that score pretty early on... 

The collection of long par 4s begins with the 10th and 11th. A solitary bunker sits in the fairway on 10, and if you can avoid that, then the green is in play. Meanwhile, at the 11th, there is no real trouble off the tee (as long as you keep the ball on the planet). The difficulties come towards the putting surface, with three bunkers and trees surrounding the green. The 12th is the longest par 3 on the Heath, at 211 yards from the tips. Four bunkers at the front, and a bunch of trees at the back, club selection is crucial, which is easier said than done with the distance. 

The most appealing par 4 on the back nine is the 14th, which is 425 yards but falls downhill from the tee before eventually rising to a two-tier green. It's a delightfully naturally hole that sits so comfortably in its surroundings. Before it comes a short par 4 that is the most obvious birdie chance on the back nine. The 13th is only 335 yards and features a generous fairway. Find it, and you’ve got your solitary chance on the back nine. The last par 3 comes at 15. At 180 yards, it isn’t overly long, but there are five sand traps, and the putting surface itself is relatively small. 

From there, you’ve got three par 4s to finish up with. The longest of those comes at 16, clocking in at more than 450 yards from the back tees. A bunker in the centre of the fairway is the line, depending on how far you can drive the golf ball. From there, most will be hitting at least a long iron into the 16th green, so make it an accurate one! 17 has the biggest dog-leg of the lot on the Heath, as you drive almost over the corner of the 4th green to find the fairway. The more of the corner you take, the further your drive has to travel... The final hole, the work of Braid, does at least offer the chance of finishing on a high. Another dog-leg, this time to the left, sees you play straight down the fairway to the corner of the cross bunkers, before turning to look at the putting surface, one you can attack for a chance at birdie with your final putt of the day! 

Georgie Gould: Nicely integrated into natural heathland and undulating terrain

Greg Webber: A picturesque and highly enjoyable heathland canvas. The result of the impending changes to the 16th and 17th holes will be interesting to see

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Where is Woodbridge Golf Club located?  

Woodbridge is one of the easternmost golfing venues in the United Kingdom, with the golf club being located in the south of Suffolk. The course sits just to the north of the Suffolk & East Coast & Heaths National Park, while the coastline of England is only a few miles to the east of Woodbridge. For road users, the A12 runs nearby, with the city of Ipswich just ten miles to the southwest. 

The nearest train station is Melton, which is less than a mile from the entrance to Woodbridge Golf Club. Trains run via Melton between Ipswich and Lowestoft, usually on an hourly basis. For international visitors looking to travel to the region, London Stansted is the closest major airport, located around 60 miles from Woodbridge. London Heathrow and London Gatwick are both around twice the distance, but offer a much wider range of flight destinations. 

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

Woodbridge is one of four Suffolk courses to claim a place on the NCG Top 100s: England. The Purdis Heath at Ipswich is the nearest in terms of distance, with Thorpeness and Aldeburgh also within a short drive from Woodbridge. 

What golf facilities does Woodbridge Golf Club offer?  

Along with the 18-hole Heath Course, Woodbridge also has the 9-hole Forest Course, and a full-length driving range to offer its members and guests. The range sits to the side of the clubhouse, running almost parallel to the Heath’s closer. There is also a short game area to the side of the range, along with a putting green by the opening tee. 

What are the green fees at Woodbridge Golf Club?  

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