The original Red Course was laid out in 1908 by five-time Open Champion, JH Taylor. An authentic, challenging championship golf course in Oxford offering a traditional heathland experience with pushed up greens and fairways that demand accurate driving to score.
The strong stretch between holes 5 and 9 include four hefty, two shot holes and a par three at the 9th that many consider memorable.
Completing the turn sees no respite, where a finishing stretch matched by very courses, includes seven consecutive par fours to close your round.
A recent host of Regional Qualifying for The Open Championship, the course has also hosted the English Amateur and European Tour 1st Stage Qualifying since 2011.
The Blue Course was designed by Simon Gidman and opened in 1994. Once you have survived the card threatening water on the early holes, you meander through a number of par four dog-legs and four par fives that face in all compass directions, seemingly getting the best of the prevailing westerly.
The Blue greens are more severely undulating which puts a premium on putting. The bunkering is bold and challenging too. While it’s a different course, no-one who plays the Blue will feel hard done by.
The course may be recognised for hosting Euro Pro Tour events and Ladies World Amateur ranking event, the Scratch Salver.
The classical Green Course may be the shortest, but it is no pushover. From the outset the opening par three invites the experienced golfer to attack the pin with birdie opportunities few and far between.
The affectionately known ‘short 9’ of holes 7 – 15 have, even after 85 years, retained their original layout that includes two exacting par threes, a true testament to their designer, JH Taylor.
Likened to many classical heathland golf courses, the Green Course is much more than a noisy neighbour, having recently played host to multiple national events as part of England Golf Week. A firm favourite with the members, this brilliant Oxfordshire golf course should not be missed out to any who visit.