Golfing in England

The Scots are widely credited with inventing golf as we know it, so it makes sense that some of the world’s finest courses can be found in the country. But wander a bit further south to England and you will still find plenty of spots to hit a little ball into a little hole with a big stick.

England has close to 2000 golf clubs with over 700,000 players attributed to them. That’s one popular sport! Many play host to the popular British Open (check out the British Open TV schedule to see when you can catch the tournament) so you can walk, drive and putt where the pros do.

The first English course to hold the British open was the Royal St. George’s located in Sandwich which has hosted the event 13 times, the most recent in 2003. The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is also a regular on the Open circuit, having hostel it 10 times so far. The Royal Cinque Ports course has only hosted the Open twice, the last time in 1920, but it is still considered a course of a high caliber. The Royal Lytham and St. Annes is due to host the event in 2012 and is another popular course, having hosted nine times. Each one of these famous English golf courses would make a wonderful visit for golfers who want to play on a great course while being a part of golfing history.

If you’re stuck in London and want to play a round of golf you can find a few city courses, driving ranges or the shorter, and lots of fun, ‘pitch and putt’ courses. In North London check out the Trent Park Golf Club. In East London, the Waterworks Nature Reserve and Golf Centre is a great choice. West London has the Brent Valley Golf Club. Go South to find the Dulwich & Sydenham Hill Golf Club. Plus you can even find some facilities in the city centre like Metro Golf and Urban Golf.

Or if you want to go further afield, Orlando Florida golf courses are a popular choice. With the downturn in the economy, the US is a smart golfing destination and light on the wallet. The weather is great and the number of courses to choose from in the Florida area is vast.