Enriching, enjoyable rounds of golf throughout the winter months are commonplace across the UK, which is home to some of the best courses in the world. While the weather can be cold and unpredictable, hardy golfers don’t let that stop them. Even in the peak of winter, the golfing world never comes to a standstill: it’s about being prepared and knowing where to play. Here is our guide to the best winter courses in the UK.
Conwy Golf Club, Wales
This par 72 links course boasts breathtaking views from start to finish. The Conwy Estuary shimmers and Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) dazzles - particularly in winter, when the tips of this majestic mountain range are covered with snow. As the only Open Championship qualifying golf course in Wales, the course is undeniably tough, especially with a feisty coastal wind blowing. Along with undulating fairways and deep bunkers, it’s those unpredictable gusts that will provide the biggest challenge from late October to mid-March. Playing ‘off season’, however, should elevate your skills as a golfer, and you’ll also avoid the hordes.
Royal St. George’s, Kent
Royal St. George’s is the spiritual home of links golf (golf that is played on the coast) in England, and it is easily one of the world’s best courses. This a truly special place to pull out your clubs and stride the fairways, steeped as it is in rich history and iconic golfing moments, having hosted The Open Championship 15 times (most recently in 2021). All the world’s greats have played here, so the facilities and clubhouse are pristine. Professional coaching and practice facilities (range, short game area, putting greens) are available. Most non-member 18-hole rounds are mainly available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is also a strict golf attire dress code.
Thorpeness Golf Club, Suffolk
Thorpeness was thought up, laid out, and realised by one of the greatest golf course designers in history, James Braid. It’s a work of art using the landscape - utilising the natural lie of the land to determine where the fairways run and the greens sit. More than 100 years after its creation, it’s still considered one of the finest coastal heathland courses in the UK. When it comes to winter golf, one of its great strengths is its durability - Thorpeness Golf Club is celebrated for being playable 365 days of the year, which isn't the case with all courses. Beware any super-wayward shots - deer and foxes can be spotted in relatively close proximity, which helps to enhance the feeling of playing sport in the great outdoors. The course also has its own hotel, which offers excellent dining and accommodation.
Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland
The sparkling jewel in Northern Ireland’s crown is intrinsically linked with one of the sport’s greats, Rory McIIlroy. On home soil, he hit an incredible course record of 61 - as a 16-year-old - and has gone on to forge a stellar career ever since. And thus, taming this famous stretch of land on Antrim’s rugged north coast is a serious challenge: it has a fearsome reputation as one of the toughest links courses in the world (and, if anyone can match McIlroy’s one eagle and nine birdies, they might just become front page news). This really is an exclusive course. The 153rd Open Championship heads to Royal Portrush in 2025, so all eyes will be on its dramatic dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. If the Championship Course - the Dunluce links - is too daunting, there is the more accessible ‘Valley’.
St Andrew’s, Scotland
Scotland is the birthplace of golf, so playing here is extra special. It possesses an embarrassment of riches, with some of the most historic and prestigious courses in the world. Chief among its potent mix of classic links, heathland and parkland courses, is the iconic St Andrews in East Fife. The Old Course is perfectly named – it’s the world's oldest golf course, dating back to the 15th century, so this is a genuinely ‘bucket list’ kind of experience. Advance reservations can be made one year in advance, and you can secure multiple rounds. Some golf travel companies offer Old Course packages and private bookings including visits to iconic landmarks like the Swilcan Bridge, Hell Bunker, and the famous Road Hole (17th).
Royal Troon, Scotland
You can also walk in the footsteps of legends in the west of Scotland, at Royal Troon in Ayrshire. The pot bunkers and rolling fairways here are world-class, and it’s a particularly enjoyable course to tackle on a bright, crisp winter’s day - verdant views stretch out for miles and miles. ‘Stay and Play’ packages from a number of luxury golf tour operators are the most efficient way to secure a round at Royal Troon, where hole 8 attracts golfing fanatics. Known as the ‘Postage Stamp’, this par 3 is just 123 yards - the smallest green in Open Championship golf. Hole 11 is a particular beauty: known as ‘The Railway’, this par 4 is a brutal test of precision, with a dastardly out-of-bounds on the right.
With world-class courses, spectacular scenery, and a golfing culture like no other, the UK is an unbeatable magnet for The Gentleman’s Game. With its sophisticated infrastructure and top level course management (radically improved drainage, for example), winter is no barrier to the thrill. At times, your enjoyment might be greater. Mark Twain famously joked that golf is ‘a good walk spoiled’. Was it tongue in cheek? Either way, it’s much more than a good walk.
