Top 10 Best Golf Courses in Dacorum

Why Dacorum Is a Golfer's Borough

Dacorum sits in the west of Hertfordshire, taking in Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring and a wide sweep of surrounding villages. It is a borough defined by contrast: the fast-growing new town core of Hemel Hempstead on one side, and the chalk downland and beech woods of the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the other. For golfers, that geology matters enormously. Chalk drains freely, which means many courses in and around Dacorum stay playable through wet British winters when heavier clay layouts elsewhere in the county turn soft and slow.

The result is a genuinely varied golfing landscape within a short drive of one another. You can play open, bunkerless heathland one weekend and tree-lined parkland the next. Add strong transport links along the A41 and the West Coast Main Line, and Dacorum has become a popular destination for golfers travelling out from north-west London as well as a well-served home patch for local members.

What Separates a Good Course from a Great One

Before looking at individual clubs, it helps to know what to judge. Course design is the obvious factor, but consistency of conditioning is what members notice most: greens that run true in August and again in February, fairways that recover quickly, and bunkers maintained to a uniform standard. Practice provision is the second differentiator, with a full driving range, short-game area and putting green making a measurable difference to improvement.

Then there is the culture of the club. Some Dacorum clubs are traditional members' institutions with a strong competition calendar and a formal dress code; others have deliberately positioned themselves as relaxed, pay-and-play venues that welcome newcomers, juniors and corporate groups. Neither is better in the abstract, but the mismatch between expectation and reality is the most common reason golfers regret a membership decision.

The Top 10 Golf Courses in Dacorum

1. Berkhamsted Golf Club. Berkhamsted is the standout name in the borough and one of the most distinctive courses in the south of England, thanks to a celebrated design quirk: it has no sand bunkers at all. Instead, the heathland layout defends itself with grassy hollows, ditches, gorse and heather, plus large, subtly contoured greens. The club is best known for hosting the Berkhamsted Trophy, a long-established amateur event that has attracted many players who went on to professional careers. Members praise its year-round playability and the purity of its putting surfaces.

2. Ashridge Golf Club. Set in glorious surroundings near Little Gaddesden on the Ashridge Estate, this parkland course carries a genuine piece of golf history: Henry Cotton was its professional during a period when he won The Open. The layout runs through mature woodland and open estate land, offering generous fairways balanced by well-placed bunkering and greens that reward precise approach play. The clubhouse and hospitality standards are frequently described as among the best in Hertfordshire.

3. Little Hay Golf Complex, Bovingdon. Little Hay is Dacorum's principal public-access facility and plays an important role in local participation. Designed to a high standard and set across rolling land with wide views, it combines a full-length course with a driving range and a par-three layout, making it ideal for beginners, families and improving golfers. Because it is council-linked and pay-and-play, it removes the financial barrier that keeps many people out of the sport.

4. Boxmoor Golf Club, Hemel Hempstead. One of the older clubs in the area, Boxmoor is a compact nine-hole course on common land with a friendly, unpretentious character. It is short by modern standards but demands accuracy and offers an accessible route into club golf, with a sociable membership and a reputation for welcoming visitors without fuss.

5. Shendish Manor Golf Club. Attached to a Victorian manor house hotel between Hemel Hempstead and Apsley, Shendish Manor blends parkland holes with an attractive valley section. The combination of golf, accommodation and function facilities makes it a natural choice for society days, corporate outings and weekend breaks, and the course itself is a fair test that suits mid-handicap players well.

6. Whipsnade Park Golf Club. Just beyond the borough boundary on the Chiltern escarpment, Whipsnade Park rewards the drive with elevation, big views and a sense of space. The course is generous off the tee but places a premium on club selection given the changes in level, and its position on chalk means excellent winter drainage.

7. Aldwickbury Park Golf Club. A short trip east towards Harpenden, Aldwickbury Park offers an eighteen-hole parkland course alongside a nine-hole layout. It is a modern, well-run operation with strong practice facilities and a flexible membership structure, which has made it popular with golfers who want quality without the formality of an older private club.

8. Harpenden Common Golf Club. Laid out across common land, this course has an open, breezy feel quite unlike the enclosed parkland courses nearby. The lack of heavy tree cover means wind becomes a real factor, and the club has a long-standing reputation for a strong competitive calendar and welcoming visitor policy.

9. Chesfield Downs and comparable Chiltern-edge downland courses. Golfers in Dacorum regularly travel to downland layouts on the county's chalk ridges for their firm turf and links-like bounce. These courses provide a genuinely different challenge, with running approach shots and exposed positions that test ball flight control.

10. Mentmore and Buckinghamshire-border estate courses. To the north-west, estate courses around Mentmore and the Vale of Aylesbury are within easy reach of Tring. They typically offer two contrasting eighteens, extensive practice ground and a resort feel that suits away days and mixed-ability groups.

Trends Shaping Golf in the Borough

Three trends stand out locally. First, flexible membership: many clubs now offer off-peak, intermediate and points-based categories rather than a single full subscription, reflecting how time-poor golfers actually play. Second, technology adoption, with GPS course mapping, online tee-time booking and launch-monitor lessons becoming standard rather than premium extras. Third, sustainability, as clubs reduce irrigation, manage heather and wildflower areas for biodiversity, and adopt tougher grass species that need less input.

Participation patterns have also changed. Nine-hole rounds, twilight play and simulator sessions in winter have widened access, and junior academies at several Dacorum clubs have grown substantially. Women's and mixed sections have expanded too, supported by clubs revising older rules and tee arrangements.

Choosing the Right Course for You

If your priority is course quality and a serious playing environment, Berkhamsted and Ashridge sit at the top of the list. If you are learning, on a budget, or want maximum flexibility, Little Hay is the obvious starting point, with Boxmoor a strong option for sociable nine-hole golf. Societies and corporate organisers will find Shendish Manor and the wider estate courses best equipped for full-day packages, while golfers who want firm turf and views should head for the escarpment layouts.

Whatever your handicap, visit before committing. Play as a guest, walk the practice area, look at the greens rather than the clubhouse, and talk to members about how the course plays in February. Dacorum's variety is its greatest asset, and the borough rewards golfers who take the time to find the layout that genuinely suits their game.