Top 10 Best Golf Courses in Newark and Sherwood

Golf in the Heart of Nottinghamshire

Newark and Sherwood offers golf of genuine quality and considerable variety. The district's landscape is unusually well suited to the game: the sandy, free-draining soils around the Sherwood belt produce heathland-style courses that play firm and fast for much of the year, while the richer land closer to the Trent supports classic English parkland with mature specimen trees and subtle undulation.

Nottinghamshire as a whole has a strong golfing pedigree, and courses within and around this district benefit from proximity to Newark, Southwell, Mansfield and Nottingham without the congestion and green fee inflation of major metropolitan clubs. For visiting golfers, that combination of quality and value is compelling.

Top 10 Golf Courses and Clubs

1. Newark Golf Club

A long-established parkland course set in attractive countryside, widely regarded as one of the district's premier tests. Tree-lined fairways demand accuracy from the tee, and the greens are consistently praised for their trueness and pace. The club has a traditional but welcoming atmosphere, with an active competition calendar and strong junior section.

2. Southwell Golf Club

Set close to the historic Minster town, Southwell offers an enjoyable and well-conditioned layout that rewards thoughtful course management over raw power. Its proximity to the racecourse and town centre makes it a natural choice for golf-and-hospitality days, and visitor green fees represent strong value.

3. Sherwood Forest Golf Club

One of the finest heathland courses in the region and a genuine destination course. Heather, silver birch, pine and sandy subsoil create a playing experience closer to the Surrey heathland belt than to typical Midlands parkland. The course drains exceptionally well, offering excellent winter conditions when many local alternatives become soft.

4. Rufford Park Golf & Country Club

A modern parkland layout with generous fairways, well-placed water features and extensive practice facilities. Rufford Park is particularly popular for society days and corporate golf thanks to its clubhouse catering and flexible visitor packages, and the layout is forgiving enough to be enjoyable for mid and high handicappers.

5. Norwood Park Golf Centre

An accessible, welcoming venue combining a playable course with strong coaching provision and practice facilities. Norwood Park has become a key entry point into the game locally, with beginner group sessions, family-friendly formats and a relaxed dress culture that lowers the barrier for new players.

6. Coxmoor-style Heathland Courses of the Sherwood Belt

Several clubs on the district's western fringe share the classic Sherwood heathland characteristics: elevated tees, heather-lined fairways and firm, quick putting surfaces. These courses reward the running approach shot and punish wayward driving severely, offering a strategic examination that many golfers consider the region's best.

7. Trent Valley Golf Club

A flatter, parkland layout along the river corridor with mature trees and strategically positioned bunkering. Its walkable terrain makes it a favourite for senior sections and for players who prefer to carry, and the course presents well throughout the main season.

8. Ollerton Park Golf Course

A friendly pay-and-play venue serving the northern part of the district. With no membership requirement and flexible tee times, it functions as a valuable gateway facility, particularly for younger players and those returning to golf after a long absence.

9. Farnsfield Fairways

A shorter course with an emphasis on short-game skill, ideal for quick rounds, practice sessions and junior development. Its attraction lies in accessibility: a satisfying round of golf within a couple of hours suits players juggling work and family commitments.

10. Kelham Hills Golf Complex

A combined course and driving range facility offering floodlit practice bays, custom fitting and structured coaching alongside the playing course. The integrated approach appeals to improvers who want to work on technique and apply it on the same visit.

Understanding Local Playing Conditions

Drainage is the defining variable in Nottinghamshire golf. Heathland courses on sandy soil in the Sherwood belt remain playable year-round and often stay on main greens through winter, while heavier parkland layouts closer to the Trent floodplain can become soft and may switch to temporary greens after prolonged rain. If winter golf matters to you, soil type should weigh heavily in your membership decision.

Wind is another consideration. The open aspect of courses on higher ground means exposure on several holes, and club selection can vary by two or three clubs between calm and breezy days. On the wooded heathland courses, by contrast, the tree lines create sheltered but visually intimidating corridors where confidence off the tee is essential.

Membership, Green Fees and Value

Golf club membership models have diversified considerably. Full seven-day membership remains the standard for committed players, but flexible options now include weekday-only, off-peak, points-based and monthly rolling memberships. For golfers playing fewer than about twenty rounds a year, pay-and-play or a flexible package usually offers better value than full membership.

Visitors should look at society and group packages, which typically bundle coffee on arrival, eighteen or twenty-seven holes and a two-course meal at a price well below the equivalent in the South East. The district's clubs compete actively for this business, and the hospitality standard is generally high.

Improving Your Game Locally

The district has good coaching infrastructure, with PGA professionals attached to most clubs offering individual lessons, group clinics and custom fitting. Two practical recommendations stand out for local conditions. First, develop a reliable low, running approach shot — firm heathland greens rarely hold a high, spinning wedge as well as players expect. Second, invest time in putting on fast surfaces, because the greens at the better clubs here run quicker than many visitors anticipate.

Golf as a Local Asset

Beyond the sport itself, golf contributes meaningfully to the district. Clubs employ greenkeeping teams, catering staff and professionals; they maintain substantial areas of managed heathland and woodland with real biodiversity value; and they provide social infrastructure for thousands of members, particularly older residents for whom the club is a central part of weekly life.

Final Thoughts

Whether you want a serious heathland examination, a relaxed parkland round or a straightforward introduction to the game, Newark and Sherwood delivers. The quality of turf, the variety of terrain and the value relative to better-known golfing regions make this one of the most underrated golfing districts in England.