The Berkshire Golf Club - Est 1928

Info correct at last date played: 22nd July 2005

Club Facilities

AGN Review Score 7.5

Blue Course Card

Red Course Card

Blue Course Review

Quite a beautiful& stunning heathland course, the fairways may not be the lush green carpets of other famous courses but this course has a feel to it that makes it just that little bit special. The mature trees, the rolling fairways the rugged looking bunkers and the gorgeous heather make this course appear as if it has always been here. It looks like a creation of nature, what better compliment could the designer ask for, this course looks as though it is a natural feature of the land.

A great starting hole too, a carry of 200 yards to the green over the heather with all eyes in the clubhouse on you, what a confidence booster if you manage to find the green. The 2nd is a short par 4 where the only trouble is a hidden pond off to the left, keep it down the right side of the fairway for a good opportunity of a birdie. The 3rd has quite a tight fairway at driving distance so if you are going to belt your driver down this par 5 you had better hit it straight and with a nice run in to the green it is reachable in two. The 4th has trouble all round the front and for some reason does not look as far as it states on the card but the last thing you want to do here is come up short.

Trouble all round the front of the 4th.

The fairway tightens again on the 5th and you need to be down the right to get a good line in to the green. The 6th has a wider fairway but you will need to drive the path if you are going to attempt to reach it on two, the ditch does not really come into play unless you are very long off the tee or take an iron for safety. The 7th again has a tight fairway at driving distance on the corner of the dogleg an iron off the tee would be the sensible shot here and the 8th requires two straight shots to avoid the ditch traveling the length of the hole.

Steep bunker at the front of the 7th green.

The 9th is another hole where an iron off the tee is the sensible option as the fairway climbs steeply to the green and will not provide a flat lie if you drive too far, you also need to be on the left as an approach shot from the right over the bunker to a green you can't see can look very daunting. The par 3 10th is from a raised tee and the ideal shot is to feed the ball in from front left unless the pin is right on the back, if it is you are going to have to carry your ball all the way up to this back to front sloping green.

Looking back down the 11th fairway.

The 11th is a great par 5 of full of choices, drive as close as you can to the ditch or play it safe, go for the green with your second over the two ditches or play safe to the right, with a tiered green it's important to get the approach shot on the right level. The 12th has a pin position indicator on the tee but it's a par 4? You need to drive up the left as the fairway falls away to the right, then you are left with a mid-short iron approach to a reverse two tiered green that has trouble on both sides, so that's what the pin position indicator was for.

Rugged looking bunkers in front of the 13th.

The 13th is a great looking par 3 with it's deep heather lined bunkers, hit the green or bail out right as anything short or left is in the sand. The 14th has a blind drive and considering the tight fairways on some holes you just can't help walking up to the pole to have a look, surprisingly there is quite a bit of room but it's distance that is the key here taking a wood off the tee you could easily end up in the trees down the right as the fairway slopes that way, an iron up the left is the sensible option. The 15th has a look to it that makes you feel you need to go as close as you can get down the left side, but resist the temptation and play into the generous fairway to leave an uphill approach to a tricky green.

Decisions on the tee at the 16th.

The 16th is a terrific long par 4 with a long carry over the bunker on the left, if you play down the right you are left with an approach shot over a bunker & the ditch to a raised green. The penultimate hole gives you a break from the tight fairways and apart from some humps & a bunker short of the green there is hardly any trouble around the green. The final hole is a tough one with almost 200 yards just to the fairway and an uphill approach it takes two well struck shots to reach this green in two.

The members and staff we met gave us a good welcome and the facilities after the round were very good. Overall the entire golf experience was great in one of the most natural looking environments the authors have ever played.

Favourite Hole

Hole 1: 217 yard par 3 with a 200 yard carry.

A look at the tough 1st shot of your round.

There are quite a few holes that could have made it as our favourite but with the hole being situated right next to the clubhouse windows the added pressure this creates for your first shot of the day is immense. There is a bail out area off to the left if you feel you are not going to make the carry as anything coming up just slightly short is going to hit the slope at the front of the green and end up in the bunker or the trees front right. Rick found this out as he hit a wonderful 4 iron straight at the pin but it pitched just a few feet short of the green and took a dive to the right ending up in the bunker.

Visitor Comments

Submitted by Tim Savage on 10/02/2007.
My favourite golf club with 2 fantastic courses - I prefer the red course which has 6 par 3s, 6 par 4s and 6 par 5s but the blue does start with a bang especially after a big lunch! Food here is superb - the carvery at lunchtime is outstanding. It's expensive, but you pay for what you get and they don't come much better than this. If you ever get a chance to play here - drop everything and go there!

Submitted by Danny Brooks on 17/05/2007.
Two fantastic golf courses easily the best i've played in england. both are very punishing if you are not straight can also punish you if you are long. I found this out the 3 times I played both course I could do no better than an 83 when carrying my woods. the next time I played there Ii left all my woods in the car. I shoot a 75 on the red and 76 on the blue best day I've ever had at playing this fantastic game, also the food is top class.

Submitted by Ian Grout on 04/03/2008.
I consider myself to be extremely fortunate. I get to play both courses apprx 10 times a year with a buddy of mine who is a member. I cannot discuss costings as have no idea. However I can tell you a bit about the courses and the setup. The club house is undergoing reburbishment to update it so bear with them.

The food is excellent from the dining room but equally as good and not as pricey in the more relaxed canteen area over looking the first on the blue course. The courses, both are two loops of nine and only meet once when they cross. both are always immacluate and play as a heathland course should play.

My favourite is a tough call, Red is great for the variety of holes but the blue is a real test of length and accuracy. whether you play one or the other I do not think you would be dissapointed, I have played worplesdon, woking, westhill, st georges hill and hankley common and either of the two courses at the berkshire knock them into a cocked hat, they really are that good. What ever the cost what ever the time of year you should play these courses once and you will always remember them. Best hole? without doubt the 5th on the red.

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