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Royal West Norfolk, England |
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Royal West Norfolk Golf Club
Brancaster
Norfolk
PE31 8AX
England |  | Holcombe Ingleby |  | Simon Rayner |
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 | +44 (0)1485 210223 |  | 7 miles E of Hunstanton |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Contact in advance – restricted at weekends |  | Ian Symington |
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Founded in 1892, Royal West Norfolk Golf Club is a classic, nothing much has changed here for 100 years. Squeezed beautifully between Brancaster Bay and the salt marshes, Royal West Norfolk truly is a peaceful golf links, except when the wind blows and boy, is the wind bracing here!
Check the tide times before you plan your trip to Royal West Norfolk Golf Club. The course plays on a narrow strip of links-land which gets cut off at high tide, turning it into an island. If you are lucky enough to play the course during high tide, you are in for a real treat; the downside is that you will need plenty of golf balls.
Prior to your game, grab a quick drink in the oak-panelled Smoke Room inside the Victorian clubhouse and check the wind speed on the gauge next to the bar. If you want to eat after your round, make sure you order before you play, otherwise you will only be offered a choice of delicious cakes.
“In the days of the gutty it was most emphatically a driver’s course,” wrote Bernard Darwin in his book, The Golf Courses of the British Isles, “since nobody could get over the ground without exceptional hitting. Even now, when the pampering Haskell has noticeably reduced its terrors, it is still a driver’s course, in the sense that it is one on which one derives the maximum of sensual pleasure from opening one’s shoulders for a wooden club shot.”
Out on the course, you feel delightfully isolated; often all you can hear are the seductive sounds of the wind, the seagulls, the clinking of stays and the flapping of boat sails. Essentially, the course is a traditional out and back links; huge sleeper-faced bunkers, fast greens and that beautiful links turf. A magical place to play golf. However, three-ball play is only allowed at the discretion of the Secretary and four-ball play is forbidden.
“Few things are more terrifying than the first hole at Brancaster on a cold, raw, windy morning,” wrote Darwin, “when our wrists are stiff and our beautiful steely-shafted driver feels like a poker. There is a bunker – really a very big, deep bunker – right in front of our noses.”
Beware the weather at Brancaster though; it can take you by surprise. The last time we played was a late spring day and we ignored the black clouds to the west. After all, we were on the 15th and the sun was shining. By the time we reached the 17th it was raining and by the 18th, we faced a full-blown tempest. When, soaked to the skin, we arrived to knowing smiles in the clubhouse, the wind gauge was fluctuating between 50 and 55mph. | |
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In the section below, headed “Your Reviews”, are golf course reviews posted by visitors to the Top 100 website. There are no specific rules for reviewing a golf course except you MUST have played the golf course first. Merits of each course are left entirely to your discretion. Important factors, such as course location, condition (or presentation), course difficulty and historical importance are all left for you to judge and we have developed a simple rating system where you can allocate one score to each course. | |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |  | | Have to say very disappionted. We played on the Friday of the Open when they had a wind delay and it was blowing 30mph in Norwich many flag sticks at 8 O'clock. The wind made thing very difficult but with burnt fairways it was difficult to navigate and fairly easy to play as there is little trouble of the T. A few holes were virtually impossible with the wind - but have to say way too high in the rankings, much prefered Sheringham and Hunstanton both played on the same trip.  | | 26 July 2010
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| | I played on a sunny and windless morning in April 2010, and doubt these conditions are replicated too often! As a result, the course probably played a bit easier for me than is the norm. Overall a wonderful, old-style, quirky links layout, with positively Olympic bunkering on several holes. Holes #8 and #9 have been widely and rightfully praised for their unique tidal flat character. Many other holes are memorable as well. After teeing off as a single, I wound up letting a group of four playing alternate shot golf pass through me just to be able to play at my "slower" pace (roughly three hours for 18 holes, so not dawdling badly) and drink in the traditional surroundings. The clubhouse is a trove of golf history and the members proudly showed me some memorobilia such as the century old Suggestion Book. A must-play course for any trip to this area. | | 12 May 2010
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| | Just recently went on a norfolk golf tour, planned to play Royal West Norfolk and Hunstanton. I have no idea why this course is ranked so highly. A large array of bland par 3's followed by short par 5's . Need a consistant straight drive on this course to master it. I play off 15 and shot an 83, overall good golf course.  | | 13 April 2010
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| Response: | | | ron | 16 May 2010 | | I have no idea why this course is so highly regarded. Like Royal Dublin it is more or less 9 out in one direction and 9 back in the opposite direction. There the similarity ends. The Irish course is far better designed constructed and maintained. The club house in Dublin is far superior and all in all the Dublin course is a far better test of golf. I have absolytely no desire to return to Brancaster for golf. |
| | | Having 2 really young children has put a curb on my golfing opportunities so when my wife told me to take a golfing holiday I jumped at the opportunity and planned a trip to Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Royal West Norfolk was first on my list of three courses (Hunstanton and Woodhall Spa being the other two - reviews to follow). Having a few weeks to plan meant that I booked a tee time, spent hours reading reviews about the course and building up my expectations. The drive to the course is special. As you wind through the reeds on the causeway, you can see the club house on top of the dunes in the distance and you start to get a feel for the isolation of the place. Being a lone golfer was an issue because of the two ball rule which RWN operate. When making my booking I did ask if they could pair me up someone else but it seems that no member would dare play alone and as such I made my way out by myself. The walk to the first tee is also unique. Crossing the sandy walkway to Brancaster beach, up the wooden pathway and through the wrought iron gates quickens your pulse in expectation. I was immediately met by a foursome coming off the 18th green with 3 dogs in tow. It seems that having a dog is almost mandatory for members. Dogs are allowed to run off the leash and each tee has a water bowl for their refreshment. I think this policy is refreshing and more clubs should think about adopting this. The course itself was slightly disappointing due to a lack of elevation changes that I would expect from a links course. The bunkering, though, is spectacularly beautiful and I was caught out a few times by bunkers which I could not see from where I was playing from. The huge bunker on the par 3 15th is especially fabulous. The routing of the course is good and you play to all points of the compass. The flatness of holed 7 to 11 make judging distances difficult and I found myself under clubbing quite a bit. I did play on a very benign day and the course was without its usual defense mechanism. The greens are small which means that you have to be very accurate with your approach shots. This is a solid links course but I do think that Hunstanton is a better course despite what the rankings might say. I did enjoy my day out despte playing alone and would recommend a round here to anyone who enjoys their golf. | | 09 November 2009
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| | | How true the reference to ‘golf factories’. I have just enjoyed a wonderful 36 holes 2-ball with 3 friends at RWN. Both rounds under 3 hours, magnificent fish & chips for lunch and I remembered to bring some biscuits to leave for the members dogs. As I was playing, I sympathised with my poor brother suffering a corporate day at Celtic Manor with his boss. I wonder if foursomes has ever been played around that place? | | 13 October 2009
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| | | I've played 12 of the Bristish Open venues but this is without doubt the best play to play golf in the British Isles. Everything oozes class. The drive to the clubhouse, the dog bowls outside, everything that golf should be. We played in June and the weather was perfect, you can't beat the top end of the course with the views over Brancaster Staithe. We had intended to play a second afternoon rounds as thetide was not coming in until 5pm. However, after a nice bottle of claret we decided to "draw to stumps". Best hole = 3rd. Highlight of day: the number of jolly members playing foursomes with their dogs. Low point - the old manually-written handicap board has gone! | | 13 October 2009
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| | | As a test of golf there are better.As a golf club its probably the best i`ve ever been to.The total antithesis to all those golf "factories" that have helped ruin the sport. This like Royal County Down is a "must play" and i can`t think of anywhere i`d rather be a member of. Natural genius. | | 10 October 2009
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| | Brancaster, Royal West Norfolk as it’s officially known, is perhaps the most charming place to play the great game anywhere in the world. It has something of Elie and Crail about it, those Scottish east coast layouts which are partly holiday courses and partly tests good golfers might also enjoy. But such comparisons are perhaps pointless; Brancaster is unique. It’s arguably not as serious a course as nearby Hunstanton. But most people, myself included, would rate this one more highly. The eighth and ninth are two of the greatest holes I can think of. Standing on the tenth tee, the furthest point on the course, those two fabulous holes just completed, listening to the creaking of masts in the harbour from boats on a rising early autumn tide: not much is better. I’ve been lucky enough to play the course during a supremely high swell. The great eighth becomes a series of islands to play between. Natural water hazards appear on the ninth too. The fairways narrow and the course takes on a new character. It’s a smart set which plays its golf here. The morning of a high tide sees any number of Majors and their families drinking champagne at 7am from the back of their estate cars while all around them fills with sea water and the road to the course becomes unpassable for a few hours leaving them with their own private sea island playground. It’s none the worse for this. Visitors are welcome and drinking a bitter shandy and eating a pint of prawns on the balcony afterwards those Majors will no doubt be altogether cordial. ANGLOSCOT  | | 19 August 2009
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| | | Where do you start with RWNG. In 20 yrs of playing golf I have not found a more remarkable setting for a course -squeezed inbetween the sea and tidal marshes. In many ways you feel transported back to the middle of the last century-the old clubhouse with a slight acrid smell and a main room that you feel hasn't changed since time began. The welcome was friendlly and for £75 we felt good value.The course was quiet and for 36 holes we never had to wait to play any shot. The front nine was played with the prevailing wind and although much longer on the scorecard was considerably easier.Indeed you might feel you will have one of those magical rounds after you reach the 9th green ( I know I did on both occassions) but the back nine just picked up my scorecard and tore it to shreds us . Holes 3-11 are fantastic but there really isn't a weak hole on the course although I accept maybe 18 is a bit of an anti-climax after what has gone before.Holes 8-9 around the marshes are just something totally alien to anything I have played before. I know other reviewers have called it quirky which I suppose it is with sleepers and its location but I found it much fairer than I expected and good shots were rewarded and bad just thrown off the greens into the cabbage. Overall a wonderful location for a day's golf (make sure you order your lunch before you start your round). | | 23 July 2009
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| | | RWN is hit and miss for a first time player. I would consider this club to be seriously under stated and simple from first glance however there is a lot more to RWN than one might gather after just one visit. It all starts with securing the hard to get tee time at this exclusive club. The drive up to the course is something you will likely not experience anywhere else drive slow to take it all in. The clubhouse is old, very old, and comes with a nice beach front and bay views. I will never forget the mens locker room / lounge area as dogs are allowed in and are commonly seen running all over the club and course grounds. Love that! As you walk to the first tee you are having to hike through beach sand, then on a cool wooden boardwalk through a serious iron gate. As you approach the first tee their is a large sign that reads something to the effect of two ball games only (move it lose it). Love that too! This is a very traditional club so be prepared to play two ball and foursomes. (Golf should be played in no more than 3 to 3½ hours anyways, pro golf is setting a bad example for the rest of us). Once on the course you will see a golf course that is rather basic looking there aren't any of today's design features (blunders). RWN isn't strewn with bunkers, gorse, or monumental carries. There are some blind shots and some creative routing of holes that you would never see in today's game design but those quirky things make the course even more intriguing. I want to say that Pete Dye visited Brancaster once upon a time as his railroad tie work closely resembles RWN's. The ground game does come into play on most holes and there at least a few holes where it is the best way to approach. The course is scenic with the bay on one side and the channel on the other. I got the impression that this a St Andrews like course with its simplicity, (for the most part) flat terrain, and all the of the holes crammed into a tight strip of links ground. This is another "design important" course that should be studied by todays course architects. Each hole appears to be basic at first look but each presents its own challenge. I really enjoyed my day of 36 holes here, the members were welcoming, and the memories will live on. Thanks! | | 14 February 2009
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| Response: | | | Keith Baxter | 15 February 2009 | | As editor of this site, I rarely comment on course reviews but the above review is not only one of the best, but also one of the most measured. Royal West Norfolk is a monument and, a little like Prestwick, North Berwick, the Old course and Royal North Devon, it's a layout that should be studied by everyone interested in golf course architecture. I'd like to say thanks to Max for posting another engaging course review. Please keep them coming! |
| | | Played on the 29th September, arrived in the lane to wait for the tide to go out. Arrival at a very old and "back in time" club house with a friendly atmosphere.Pro shop was well stocked and also friendly. The course is in fantastic condition and you have to play it once to know where you are going and where to place the ball. Make your score on the way out as it appears the wind is tougher on the return which it was on the day that I played at 24 mph. I thoroughly enjoyed the morning round, and went in for a plate of fish pie, before returning to play in the afternoon. The greens were rolling perfectly and with the wind behind again the scores were better on the front nine with many holes over 400 yards. Thankfully we didn't hit too many bunkers as they are places where you get lost in. A fantastic day and I cannot wait until I return. | | 11 November 2008
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| | | A truely excellent golf course. Immaculate condition and a pleasure to play. Some very testing holes, and some hugely deep bunkers, which I was thankful not to find.
We played on a perfect but chilly day, with good playing conditions but when the wind gets up I would say it would be a very difficult course to play.
5* Links at its best!!! | | 27 October 2008
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| | | If you don't like this place then you don't like golf. It's on of the best golf course i've played. It kicks Hunstanton into touch along with a good few other famous links and much more high profile courses. It is quite possibly the most fun you can have on a golf course. Throw the scorecard away and get creative. The bunkers are amazing fun and almost dare you to aim for them. The entire experience of the club house and the location makes for a treat of a day out. I found the condition of the course fantastic with smooth and quick enough greens. You know you are somewhere very special as soon as you arrive and if you need reminding check out the past captains board. Enjoy. | | 02 October 2008
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| | | People's memories tend if you can catch it in the sunshine it's a delightful place to play. The use of railway sleepers to edge deep (and some of the huge) bunkers is fun, and also protects greens on some of the shorter approach shots. Plays its best as a foursomes course - fast and ideal for matchplay; swap driving holes at lunchtime to experience every bit of the course. You can build a score on the way out, then things tighten up on the way back as you turn into the wind. It's impossible not to enjoy the views out over the huge sandy beach from the upstairs conservatory and several of the sea-wall tees. I much prefer it to Hunstanton, where the greens have still not recovered from their recent problems and are slow. Brancaster putted a bit slower this year after the wet summer, but is still superior. The only weak hole is really the short 13th, and the closing two holes are quite benign (a bit like the 18th at St Andrews). Excellent practice ground. Good old fashioned links golf in a beautiful corner of England. | | 29 September 2008
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| | | Whilst overall it was a good course, I would have to say that I did not consider it a great course. The opening couple and closing hole, which share a fariway, were simply bland and there fore left you with a disappointing start and close. There are some excellent holes, like the Par 3 10th, Par 5 11th and Par 4 12th but overall not the quality I was expecting and some way short of the experience of Hunstanton or better still Sheringham which was an outstanding course. | | 02 July 2008
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| | | As a test of golf maybe slightly below its neighbour
Hunstanton - played both in the same week.
For an enjoyable experience, right up there with anything i`ve played,the salt-marshes,dunes and the famous dog bowl!Wow!
At times there was no sign of human life just the sound of the gulls and the odd black labrador!
An absolute treasure. | | 14 June 2008
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| | | The best course I have played on, The whole place is fantastic.
Try and play early and late, Just to see the differance the wind makes with the differnt tides.
Would play here all the time if lived near by.
Love the fact that they dont like slow play! | | 06 March 2008
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| | | Keep this course a hidden secret. Old time experience in a similar way as Prestwick, and St Andrews Old, a very special place. You will see dogs everywhere here, in the club house and on the course, I think it is a good move to have the pets out there. The course is as simple as it gets but very effective, a few blind shots, with a lot of bounces. They play fast here, it is a strictly enforced 2 ball course and member don't like to wait on visitors. The way you arrive to the course is fun too, watch out for the tides and after the round make sure you stop off at the Ship for a bite and pint. The club house is from a bygone era, great to se the club preserve it, the course and all the other things that make this place unique. Surely an experience to remember for all golfers. | | 10 February 2008
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| | | Superb, true, natural links with great greens and many interesting holes. Affords great views across the north sea and the Staiths / Harbour. Fascinating, unspoilt club house that hasn't changed since it was built. Also new practice facilities which are first rate and a good pro shop. On balance I prefer Brancaster to Hunstanton but only just, both are top 25 English Golf courses. | | 08 October 2007
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| | | Played this course only a week ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The course was in excellent condition and this made the day that much more enjoyable. Overall, I think the course is good but it doesn’t compare with other classic link courses. Not too many holes you would remember but then again no poor holes. We played £70 for a day ticket and thought that was good value. I prefer Hunstanton to Brancaster though as I feel the back nine is tougher and has a better layout. Brancaster is still a good course though and I recommend that you play both if you have time. Note: If you can carry your bag then do so as the terrain is tough for pulling a trolley. Enjoy !! | | 26 September 2007
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| | | Brancaster is without doubt one of the finest places to play golf in this country, for me the whole place is perfect. If you can be fortunate enough to play the course at high tide you are in for a rare, but difficult,treat.
Having played there I now have a new ambition in life, to retire to Brancaster and play golf at Royal West Norfolk - if only !!
| | 09 August 2007
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| | | Royal West Norfolk is a quaint and quirky place...but not a great golf course.
The setting is spectactular, particularly in you are lucky enough to have cross the entry road during a high tide. The views from clubhouse and many of the holes are spectactular.
The ambience is simple, but not overly charming.
The course itself was a let down for me. The opening and closing holes suffer from being crammed into the narrowest part of the course. Once you pass the 5th hole the experience ois magical because of its remote beauty. The design of many of these holes is quicrky and challenging, but not particularly good.
Overall I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience the feel of a links course from a time gone by. | | 21 July 2007
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| | | Brancaster remains the best place for a game of golf in England. We played there on a perfect July day in almost complete isolation, and found (as ever) the whole experience utterly beguiling. Hospitality, ambience, course, greens, views all wonderful. Modest fairway watering and loads of rain make it slightly greener than before, and the rough is currently vicious (as is an SSS of 71 off the white tees). But for anybody off 18 or better, I don't see how a day at Brancaster could easily be beaten. | | 11 July 2007
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| | | You have to play this golf course,its brilliant.Being quite calm in the morning made it slightly easier but when the wind got up in the afternoon it was pure hard golf.We was made very welcome by everyone including the two fine gentlemen in the smoking room who before we left for our 2nd round were drinking red wine and when we returned in the afternoon were still there.The clubhouse is something to be seen (old golf style).Not one bad golf hole,you must do this and great value. | | 31 May 2007
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| | | Incredibly difficult, unforgiving and if the wind is blowing some holes are virtually impossible.
A truly humbling but absolutely brilliant golfing experience. | | 11 May 2007
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| | | Beauty and elegance. RWN is a now wonderful quirky echo of a time long gone. The clubhouse is plain, well worn and a quite homely refuge from the elements. If you want peace and isolation then this course delivers both. The day I played it last September was calm, the tide was out and the couse was quite benign. I can easliy imagine it chopping one off at the knees in a howling gale. | | 03 April 2007
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| | | A course of character and majesty, in great abundance. Despair, therefore, that it remains in constant danger of tidal destruction. And, although its near neighbour, Hunstanton, may be more of a Championship course, regard Brancaster as a definitive challenge, to both your physical and mental game-its is a golfing game of chess, and you are constantly under fear of "checkmate" from the deep, sleeper faced bunkers, the hard and long rough, the wind and water, delightful! Holes to cherish include the 3rd, 4th, 6th (a develish par three with the green set out in the marsh!), 8th, 9th, 10th, 15th and 16th. Its a shorter walk back than it is out, but, if the wind is a'blowing, it'll feel double that. Timewarp golf. Polite and formal rather than friendly and effusive membership and clubhouse but I guess the history and ancient golfing traditions have set into one and all. Do play it. | | 04 December 2006
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| | | Great Norfolk course. Club house not as friendly as Hunstanton or Cromer. | | 14 October 2006
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| | | Wonderful experience - I felt as if I had gone back in time. Clubhouse must have been unchanged for a 100yrs - nor should it be for another 100 yrs - except the odd coat of paint perhaps. Course is a real challenge, although I played it in 'quiet' weather conditions. I will be back. | | 14 October 2006
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| | | An excellent course. I was lucky enough to play the course at high tide when you have to drive over water on the 8th and 9th holes. Even a bad round is made enjoyable by the wonderful views. I will be back to play again and again. | | 31 August 2006
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| | | Without a doubt, the best golf course in the British Isles. Beautiful, unpredictable, tough and friendly, and the added charm of numerous well behaved black labradors and springer spaniels accompanying many of the golfers. Be prepared for a mad sprint to the club house when the weather changes from glorious sunshine to thunder and lightning as it can do in the space of a matter of minutes! The pinnacle of links golf, without any hint of pretension. | | 23 November 2005
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| | | Delightful with superb clubhouse and members, a must play. | | 06 May 2005
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| | | This course is unique within the British Isles with its 'tidal' entrance scenic beauty. I have heard many visitors to the course talk about the 'aura' of Royal West Norfolk, and they would not be wrong. The 'smoking room' in the club house is a sight to be seen, the epitome of golfing tradition. When the wind blows the course is a stern test. One will have to search hard to find a hole more inteligently designed as the 3rd and more picturesque than the 8th and 9th. The soul of this course is hard to define but easy to feel, magnificent. | | 25 April 2005
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| | | This is a simply brilliant golf club. The course and clubhouse are locked in a time warp and they have benefited immeasurably from this. You would never get bored playing this course and I will always remember looking through the telescope in the clubhouse and seeing some poor sod get his Aston Martin stuck as the tide came in and short-circuited his electrics. It's a real golfer's course and you will need a real golfer's car to get here. | | 05 November 2004
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| | | This could be the course that time forgot. As you arrive down the single track round and into the car park you travel back in time. The whole set up here at its most modern would be early 1970's but in all honesty not much would have changed ever. The clubhouse is a labyrinth of old wood panelled coridoors with 'dressing rooms' rather than changing rooms - real charming tradition.
The course is great too - right from the small walk across the beach to the first, the deep deep bunkers and the shots needed to be played over some of the partially flooded tidal plains at the 8th and 9th.
Smaller and lusher greens than expected at a links but this is real golf at a real course that does not need changing to cope with modern equipment.
Loved the par 3 10th - would not look out of place on any of the Open circuit courses.
Do play the Royal West Norfolk - I will again .... | | 13 August 2004
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| | | One of the most peaceful and natural links courses that I have ever played. It's a complete delight. Very traditional but not stuffy. | | 01 April 2004
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