Welcome to UK-GolfGuide's page which contains feedback from site users who have played at Woking Golf Club.

Whilst UK-GolfGuide.com attempts to turf out the more unhelpful or just plain daft contributions, some may slip through. If you have played the course or hold a different opinion to those of the contributors, feel free to use the Add your Comments icon to provide a broader spread of views. If you have a gripe with the club then take it up with them directly - please don't use this facility for airing grievances!.

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Chris Murphy (England) 05/05/08

i played Woking when i had the shanks and the course was very difficult! I struggled on the greens because my stroke is bad and i couldnt read the slopes. Overall the course was in great condition but i didnt have the required skill to play it well. Off to the range to try and straighten out the ball flight!

Value for Money	6
Challenge	9
Off Course	7

Mark Fox (England) 31/08/07

My step-brother is a member here, so I have had the pleasure of playing Woking several times. The course is always immaculate, and the greens have run true on every visit I've made.

I get the impression that the club recognised that the course needed toughening up, and the management is definitely addressing this. Several new tees have been built and are now being put into play, which has increased the length. Also, they are cleverly growing the heather back in which is narrowing the landing areas. This heather is extremely penal - the ball can usually be found, but it's often difficult to advance it more than 50-100 yards.

Another clever touch which serves to toughen the course and enhance its beauty is the growing of heather on the bunkers on the side facing the greens. It looks great, and you had better get the ball out cleanly and past the heather...

Playing a round at Woking is incredibly enjoyable. The scenery is wonderful and the members are always friendly. When it comes to scoring, the course is a bit of an enigma - even when your game is on, you'll leak a few shots here and there and before you know it, you've used up your handicap. On the other hand, it's also difficult to have a nightmare round when your game is off. The course is not overly punitive, but it just chips away at you with its awkward green complexes which reward only your best shortgame and putting days.

The holes are all interesting. The only slight misgivings I have concern the 1st and the 18th holes. The 1st is a very short par 4 with a bump-and run approach to a sunken green which has a slightly too high luck-factor in my opinion. The approach to the 18th is also slightly questionable. The green is 3-tiered and quite narrow. If your approach hits one of the bigger slopes, the ball will torpedo down towards the lake and create a very difficult first putt or chip. From 80 yards out it's usually pot luck rather than skill whether this happens or not (the tiers are only a few feet wide), and it can decide a match. On the other hand, all the other holes are very fair and well-designed.

The professional Carl is very friendly with a great well-stocked shop, and if you need something he doesn't have, he'll happily order something in and keep you informed when it's due etc.

I have to say that the clubhouse is the nicest I've ever visited. There are few better feelings in life than sitting on the patio looking onto the 14th green with a nice cold beer after a round. The food is also first class.

You can probably guess I am a big Woking fan. It seems obligatory to mention Worplesdon and West Hill when you discuss Woking, so here goes... I have played all 3, and they're all excellent. Woking is probably still marginally the easiest, but as stated, this is gradually changing. I think Woking has the best clubhouse and is the friendliest of the 3. I also think Woking and Worplesdon are generally kept in better condition than West Hill, though that course is probably the toughest challenge. To be honest they are all brilliant, and any golfer would be lucky to be a member at any of them.

Value for Money	7
Challenge	7
Off Course	10

'Young P' (England) 07/06/07

It's difficult to disagree with most of what has already been said on here – this is a very picturesque and enjoyable course. At £35 for a twilight round (after 3pm) midweek, it's also excellent value for money.

However, when considered purely as a test of golf, I found it lacking. Yes the 4th hole is famous for arguably being the first strategic hole in English golf with the bunkers inserted slap bang in the middle of the fairway by a couple of maverick members – but generally the fairways are wide and accommodating, and the heather only really threatens on a few holes. As the pro explained to me, the course's main defence is its huge greens, which can leave some demanding putts if you don't get near the pin.

In my view Woking is marginally less attractive and also slightly easier than Worplesdon (I haven't been round West Hill yet) – and it certainly comes up short when compared to the likes of The Berkshire.

7.75/10

'Young P'

Value for Money	9
Challenge	6
Off Course	8

Henry Shinners (England) 02/10/06

Played the course today, the second time I have had the pleasure of doing so. With heavy rains over the last few days, the course was soft underfoot and was playing longer as a consequence. With the exception of a few short par fours, the course is longer than average anyway so the mid and long irons were coming out of the bag more often - it made for a nice challenge. Soft greens meant we could be agressive in firing at pins on the shorter holes - as I understand it, in dry conditions it can be very difficult to get the ball to stop on the greens. The greens are a challenge, many are two-tiered, almost all are undulating, but they ran perfectly true. It says a lot for the variety of holes on this course that it never gets tedious, even though there are seven par fours on the front. This is not a course for the high-handicapper - there is a lot of heather and on a number of holes, the ball has to be hit long and straight from the tee to carry and avoid it. My favourite hole was probably the 16th, only a 145-yard par three but with a carry all over water, it is visually stunning. My only gripes would be that the stroke indices seem skewed (the stroke index one 6th is by no means the toughest hole on the course) and that there are only two par fives which are in consecutive holes. A few bunkers had standing water from the heavy rains but the tees, fairways and greens were in superb condition. Highly recommended.

Value for Money	6
Challenge	8
Off Course	7

Kevin B. (England) 08/02/06

Played here midweek February 06 ( £35 ).

Superb course .One of the best inland courses that i've played .Right up there amongst the best in Surrey .Although not as well known as others i'd rank it alongside Swinley Forest & The Berkshire & for sheer enjoyment i think this course just edges it .

It's a visually appealing heath & heather course where virtually all holes have there own identity due to it's treelined nature . It's like a cross between Walton Heath & Woburn .

Although the early holes are good it shows it's true class from the 5th hole onwards & never lets up until the end. Some of the holes are visually stunning, particulary holes 5 ,6 ,8 ,11 ,13 & 16.

2 balls only mean no hold ups & a nice pace. The club was friendly & welcoming & the clubhouse is old fashioned ,historic & classy .

One minor criticism was that although the greens ran very nicely , cosmetically some of them could have been slightly better .

In comparison to other quality courses this is value for money & i can't think where you'd get this type of course in Surrey for less than £35.

A great course to have on your golfing c.v.

Kevin B.

Value for Money	8
Challenge	7
Off Course	9

Andrew Burge (England) 07/07/04

I heartily agree with MH (below). Woking is a glorious mix of the eccentric, the old fashioned and the beautiful. The welcome from the staff and members is friendly and warm. If you get the chance to play ther then take it - without question.

The course is a wonderful heath and heather test, not long but requiring some thought. We played 36 holes with lunch in between and tea and sandwiches afterwards. The 14th in particular is interesting, with its green sited in from of the club house veranda. Members sitting out on this continue talking regardless of whether there is activity on the green on not. It is also in bounds and there is every opportunity to over-club or pull your shot through the green and hit the veranda or indeed the club house. The 10th is one of the best par 3s I've seen - ever

The Club house is old fashioned but comforting with a pavilion feel to it which is emphasised by the white/green paint colours. It is full of names like "Bernard Darwin", "Gardiner Hill" or "Micklem" - evocative names from Golf's past and that remind one of the history of the place. Woking has a sense of humour too; Around the walls are framed excerpts from the club suggestion books of the past, perhaps 1904 or 1910 by example - and they are just hilarious!

A last word on lunch. It's fabulous, opulent and comforting - I doubt if Muirfield could do it better. Ours was four courses plus coffee and including treacle sponge, custard and iced cream - took me right back to my childhood!