5 of the Best Golf Courses in the West of England

Feature Article by Liam Moore

The west of England is made up of Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wilshire. With over 35 golf courses in the area, these picturesque venues provide the perfect location for a golfing getaway. Whether you are looking for scenery, a short nine-hole course or to test yourself at a challenging links course, the west offers plenty of viable options. Here we pick out five of the best.

Mendip Spring Golf Club

Nestled amongst the breath-taking Somerset countryside lies this alluring 170-acre golf course. Whether you attempt the challenging Brinsea Championship Course or the nine-hole Lakeside Course, Mendip Spring Golf Club accommodates all types of golfers. As you navigate around the scenic 18-hole course, the natural beauty on display will only supplement your afternoon in golfing paradise. From the white tees, this course measures at 6,412 yards and provides the sternest of tests.

Opening with a short par-4, The Brinsea Championship Course offers scoring opportunities from the outset. Be wary, however, as this course only ramps up in difficulty as your round progresses. If being challenged whilst consumed by a backdrop of beautiful scenery is your ideal way of spending your golfing afternoon, then Mendip Spring Golf Club is an absolute must.

Only 15 minutes away from Bristol and a five-minute drive from Weston-Super-Mare, this golf club offers visitors tee times throughout the year. Priced at £40 through the week and £50 on weekends, it is slightly more expensive than your standard course, but its impressive environment warrants the cost.

Golfshake Rating: 4.12

Review Comment: “Fantastic challenging course with great views over the Somerset level and surrounding countryside."

Stockwood Vale Golf Club

This charming golf course, situated in the south of Bristol, offers exceptional terrain. With vast amounts of countryside lining the perimeter of the course, it is easy to get lost in the environment that Stockwood Vale Golf Club provides. Its signature hole, the 13th hole 330-yard par-4, requires visitors to tee downwards towards the fairway that lies 35 metres below your feet.

Similarly to Mendip Springs, the opening hole of the course is a short par-4 that, if accurate from the tee, leaves a short iron into the green and the possibility of a strong start to your round. All four of the par-3s provide superb panoramic views as you are typically teeing from above the hole. Measured at 6,060 yards from the white tees, there are few golf courses in the west that offer a better utopian experience than Stockwood Vale Golf Club.

Located one mile from the Bristol ring road and just nine miles from Bath. Priced at £25 for a weekday round and £31 for weekends, the generous green fees result in a fair price for a unique course.

Golfshake Rating: 4.42

Review Comment: “Great course and facilities, very hilly if you like a good walk. Great staff and hospitality – course in great condition."

Tall Pines Golf Club

The most memorable courses hold a distinct memory that visitors will take away with them. One experience that will intrigue players as they head down the par-5 fifth at Tall Pines Golf Club will be the Bristol Airport runway that lines parallel to the narrow fairway. Bearing natural beauty and a design that will challenge even the most prolific of golfers, its excellent draining facilities ensures that tee times are available throughout the year.

Being one of the newer courses mentioned within this list, precision is obligatory from visitors if they are to vanquish its slim fairways. The fairways aren’t the only obstacle, though. As players navigate their way through the 6,067-yard course, tall trees and thick rough will demand positive thinking if one is to overcome the mighty challenge that this golf club presents. Once your round concludes, the expansive clubhouse and bar area will provide you with one final opportunity to take in your surroundings with a well-deserved beverage. 

Tall Pines Golf Club is situated closely to Bristol Airport, a five-minute drive. Their green fees are £30 throughout the week and £40 on weekends.

Golfshake Rating: 4.09

Review Comment: “Genuinely surprised by how good the course was. Greens were superb, fast and true with decent amount of break. Well worth a visit, just mind the runway on the 5th!"

Weston-Super-Mare Golf Club

This seaside town is usually known for its lengthy beach, grand pier and fish and chip supper. However, snuggled deeper along the coastline lies one of the greatest courses in the west of England – Weston-Super-Mare Golf Club. Measuring at 6,245 yards from the white tees, this golf course demands excellence from any visitor. The club hosts two island holes that align with the beachfront and you’ll be left mesmerised by the view of the expansive Bristol Channel.

Having formed in 1892, recreational golf players have enjoyed this marvellous course for more than a century. The course has retained the same style that its architect, Dr Alister MacKenzie – who co-designed Augusta National with Bobby Jones – had envisioned all those years ago. Being one of few links courses in the local area, a day at Weston-Super-Mare Golf Club is a day well spent.

This links course is located on the coast, near the seafront and within a short walking distance from the town centre. The club charge £40 for a weekday round and £50 on the weekend.

Golfshake Rating: 4.27

Review Comment: “Lovely links course in excellent condition. Would recommend to golfers who enjoy links courses."

Long Ashton Golf Club

What helps Long Ashton Golf Club stand out in this list is the professional player that they house – Chris Wood. The team pride themselves on the excellent course condition and its promise that no two holes are the same. Lightning-quick greens and unforgiving hazard locations provide one of the firmest tests that the west has to offer.

Its 6,378-yard playing area means it’s the second-longest course in this list, offering scoring opportunities throughout. The opening two holes are short in comparison to the remainder of the course and can be targeted for securing an early birdie (or two), allowing visitors to start their day positively. However, as your round progresses, the course intensifies in difficulty and optimistic thinking is mandatory if you are to defeat this revered golf course.

The course is situated only 10 minutes from Bristol City centre and four miles from the M5 (J19). The club offers all rounds for visitors at £40 – although they are not permitted to play before 11:00 during the week and 15:00 on weekends.

Golfshake Rating: 4.52

Review Comment: “Friendly people, great food, but most of all an amazing course – greens lightning-quick and challenging fairways. Best course in the south west – I have played most!”

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