The Springs Resort & Golf Club is a must visit for any golfer

After taking the short journey westbound from the capital, you arrive at the peaceful Oxfordshire retreat of The Springs Resort & Golf Club.

This is home to an 18-hole course with treelined fairways and natural streams, immersed within lush pastures and gentle hills.

Red Kites soared above, pheasants and wild rabbits grazed on the fairways, and geese readily heckled any approach shot over water.

Playing at The Springs was a tranquil parkland escape, where the only outside noise came from the odd plane flying overhead.

Accommodation was provided in well-kept lodges separate to the main building, with ensuite bathrooms, private parking spots and a front porch to sit and relax.

Here is what you can expect if you stay and play at The Springs.

The Course

The Springs golf course is an accessible par-72 course which strikes a strong balance of challenging and forgiving holes. Skewed tee shots will find the trees but fairways are generally open and don’t require pinpoint accuracy.

Hole one is a par four with two large trees planted in the centre of the fairway forcing a positional tee shot for a clear sight of the double green shared with hole six.

Two strong scoring opportunities follow with the easiest hole on the course, a 137-yard par three, and a 482-yard par five.

The fourth plays alongside a fenced off yellow meadow meaning any tee shot down the right is flirting with out of bounds. It is the second hardest hole on the course, taking you through a gentle left to right dogleg and requiring a long approach shot to reach the green in regulation.

You head back the way you came for the par four fifth, playing up towards a picturesque backdrop of gentle hills blotched with yellow rapeseed crops. Another par four follows, offering an open landing spot from the tee, provided you land short or to the right of the wide bunker halfway to the pin. 

Six holes into The Springs and you are wondering, "where is the water?", to which the course promptly answers with a stretch of four holes running alongside large water hazards.

A good tee shot on seven will leave you with a wedge in for a good shot at birdie, before coming to the eighth which was the standout from this stretch. 

Although not playing directly over water, deep bunkers down the right and a pin placement on the left of the green towards the drink meant there was no solid bail-out shot, and who doesn’t love a good excuse to go pin seeking on a par three!

The par five at nine takes you back to the clubhouse where you can grab a quick snack from the bar before heading to the 10th, which is another tricky par three. 

Trees hug the left side with water to the right, and a large but shallow bunker sits on the front right side of the green, which felt more like playing out of a waste area than a normal bunker.

After a relatively danger-free 11th hole, you cross over the bridal path and buckle in for the hardest stretch on the course.

The 12th is an inviting tee shot followed by a tricky approach with two deep bunkers lurking on the frontside of the green. 

Then on 13 you are faced with the hardest hole on the course, a 419-yard par four. On a relatively forgiving course off the tee, this feels more intimidating, with trees encroaching the fairway from either side obscuring the landing spot and testing accuracy.

Back-to-back par fives come next, with the 15th being the longest hole on the course at 534-yards. There is plenty of fairway to work with but be wary of the stream running down the right side.

The fourth and final par three awaits on 16, measuring at 183-yards and playing over a reedy bog onto an inviting green with just one bunker to the left side.

Hole 17 is a fun one. After first scanning the scorecard, this 296-yard par four has you rubbing your hands like a scheming Bond villain, but the inconveniently placed water hazard thwarts any hope of driving the green. Nevertheless, a precise lay up to the left leaves a short pitch for a great chance of birdie.

The 18th heads back to the clubhouse with two large trees planted in the centre of the fairway demanding a shaped shot off the tee or a lay up to the right or left side. Make it through unscathed and you have a straight approach towards a well-protected green before a pressure putt in front of the clubhouse.

The Springs is the perfect place for anyone looking to escape the city for a tranquil parkland round. The course was very well maintained, with soft sand bunkers and greens rolling true. 

There are plenty of challenges, mostly encountered when navigating water hazards or scrambling from deep greenside bunkers. However, this is a very accessible track with open fairways built onto a relatively flat terrain, making it an easily walkable course where you rarely face undulating lies.

Practice Area

Before a round you can purchase a basket of balls from the pro shop and head over to the range, before fine tuning your short game on the chipping and putting greens. 

The range is irons only, with a few mats lined up and yardage posts in the distances

The pro shop is small but has everything you need for the round, as well as a selection of new clubs and "Springs" branded attire.

Bar & Restaurant

Upstairs in the clubhouse is the Spike Bar and restaurant, a relaxed atmosphere where guests enjoy dinner and breakfast. They serve classic British clubhouse classics such as fish and chips, burgers and steaks as well as more gourmet options such as confit duck leg and crab linguine. 

After your round of golf, you can grab a drink from the wide selection on offer at the bar and head to the terrace which overlooks the course and surrounding area. It is the perfect spot for your 19th hole, where you can chew over each hole and watch other groups putting out on 18.

Spa

Golf can be taxing on the mind and body, so if you are needing a place to unwind then the 1893 Spa has you covered. They offer a range of treatments from trained therapists, relaxation areas and gym and fitness facilities.

Other Activities

The hotel is located a few minutes away from Wallingford, a quaint Thames-side town and once the home of world-renowned author Agatha Christie.

It becomes particularly vibrant during markets which are hosted on Fridays and Saturdays, and you can also visit Wallingford Castle ruins which dates back to the Anglo-Saxons.

If a round of golf wasn’t enough to get the steps in then luckily you are surrounded by the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, where you can enjoy riverside walks or head to the Chilterns for a stroll through the hills and woodlands.

For more information on The Springs, please visit https://verderesorts.co.uk/the-springs-resort-and-golf-club/ or see our travel partners Golfbreaks for the best deals and packages.