
One subject that’s guaranteed to spark a good old debate among club golfers, other than the answer to slow play and the handicap system, is golf courses – and more specifically, the Top 100. It’s a topic that can last an entire round and just as long in the clubhouse bar afterwards. Our own Top 100 list (it used to be 120) has seen a lot of changes over the last two decades, and it’s always a fascinating project to put together. We could talk about golf courses in the office all day.
Sometimes, in fact, we do, but recently, we ventured out to Tandridge Golf Club in Oxted, Surrey – a Harry Colt gem, which currently sits at number 97 on our list – to talk with three experts: Golf Monthly Top 100 panellists Jamie Hudson and Matt Weavers, plus the head pro at the club, Chris Evans.
In this entertaining Q&A, which could have lasted many more hours, we discuss a range of topics, including what makes a
Top 100 course so special. Our experts also name a few courses that you should add to your ‘must play’ list and share some of their favourite experiences. It’s sure to make you start planning another trip…
GM We have a lot of very good courses in the UK and Ireland. What is it that separates the very best from the rest?
Jamie I think about the three Vs: versatility, variety and views. How do the holes play for a scratch golfer, a professional and an 18-handicapper? How do they play off both the white and the yellow tees? I consider the mix of par 3s, 4s and 5s – so the shape of the holes, how they are routed and the wind direction. Finally, the views. You spend a lot of time on the golf course looking around while not hitting the ball. What does it look like? How does it set up scenically?
Bu hikaye Golf Monthly dergisinin August 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Golf Monthly dergisinin August 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap

Shropshire
Jeremy Ellwood returns to one of England's least populated counties to stay and play at The Astbury and tick a couple more courses off his list

Alison Root
Alison Root is Golf Monthly's women's golf editor. You can find her on Instagram @rootalison

Pennyhill Park
Mike Harris visits this grand Exclusive Collection hotel in Surrey, one of the most luxurious places to stay if you're planning to play some of the south-east's top courses

AYLA GOLF CLUB
Jordan is a beautiful and mountainous country in the Middle East, much of which is desert.

Wayne Riley
I've enjoyed the professional events so far in 2025, but I want to take a step away from the pro game in this column. In two issues, Golf Monthly will reveal its list of the Top 100 Courses in the UK and Ireland, so here are my thoughts on some of the best golf courses on this side of the pond.

Burnham and Berrow
Somerset doesn't boast the quantity of top-quality courses you feel it perhaps should, but its jewel in the crown, Burnham and Berrow, sits in splendid isolation some 40 minutes from Bristol.

PING G 440 MAX DRIVER £ 529
It's been two years since the roaring success of Ping's last family of drivers.

Undiscovered Portugal
The popular golfing country has plenty more fascinating courses to the north of its Algarve and Lisbon strongholds

A DECADE AT THE TOP
Before stepping down as CEO of The R&A, Martin Slumbers spoke to Fergus Bisset about his time at the helm before reflecting on photos of key moments from those years...

"WHO WANTS TO BE SECOND BEST AT ANYTHING?"
His stock may have risen significantly over the past couple of years, but Bob Macintyre tells David Facey he has his sights set firmly on the very pinnacle of the game