Swinley Forest

Berkshire

4.8

147 reviews

4.8(147 Google reviews)

About Swinley Forest

Swinley Forest is Harry Colt's masterpiece: a deeply private heathland course in the Berkshire pines that has been described as a secret garden of golf.

Designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1909, Swinley Forest occupies a secluded corner of Berkshire heathland between Ascot and Camberley, its pines and heather giving it an atmosphere quite unlike any other course in the south of England. The layout is deliberately short by modern standards, favouring subtlety and strategy over length, and the challenge lies in reading lines through the trees and holding elusive greens that reward only precise approach play.

Swinley Forest

Bodens Ride, Coronation Rd, Winkfield Row, Ascot SL5 9LE, UK

01344 620197

swinleyfgc.co.uk/

Get Directions

The Berkshire and Surrey heathlands contain some of the finest inland golf in England, and within that grouping Swinley Forest occupies a position of particular esteem. Harry Colt's design philosophy favoured courses that asked questions rather than imposed punishment, and Swinley Forest is the purest expression of that approach. Every hole presents a clear strategic choice, and the player who thinks carefully through the implications of each shot is rewarded far more reliably than the one who simply reaches for the longest club available.

The atmosphere of the place is inseparable from its appeal. No buggies, no mobile phones, no corporate events and no public tee times combine to produce a round of golf that feels genuinely removed from the modern game. The woodland setting heightens this quality further: the pines create natural corridors that frame each hole and absorb sound, so that even on a busy day the course retains a sense of isolation that most clubs cannot manufacture at any cost.

For golfers fortunate enough to have access, Swinley Forest sits within easy distance of Sunningdale, Wentworth and The Berkshire, making the area a natural destination for a multi-course heathland trip. The concentration of courses of this calibre within a relatively small radius of the M25 is remarkable, and Swinley Forest remains the most quietly coveted of them all.

Opening Hours

Monday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

What Golfers Say About Swinley Forest

A selection of recent visitor reviews from Google.

Jonathan Reeves
a year ago
Absolutely charming golf club with 18 phenomenal golf holes, each in their own right worth a shout out. Staff throughout the club were also fantastic - warm and incredibly inviting regardless whether you are a visitor, guest or member. Great breakfast also

J P
a year ago
4 of us played here at a cost of £700. Despite moderate rainfall, several of the greens were completely flooded and unplayable which ruined our day. We were not warned about this before going out which was super frustrating. Worse than this, a polite email to the club afterwards with these images and frustrations went completely ignored. At £700 for a 4-ball we expected better service than this, as one receives at other similar courses such as Sunningdale / Wentworth who wouldn't dream of allowing this to happen. I'm left with the opinion the club feels it's bigger than the golfers who play it and would advise playing one of the other Surrey gems that are more welcoming and accommodating.

David Hester
6 years ago
An absolute gem of old school golf course. Before now last played in the 90s nothing much changed. Staff and hospitality superb all the old favourites steak and kidney pie, treacle tart, syrup sponge and custard. The rough is now cut between the first and 18th but the rest of the course is the same as I remember it. Miss the fairway or green and you will be punished but not long only 6000 yards and playing well you could rip it up. But truly a Colt classic which looks good on the eye and a delight to play but far from the hardest course you will play. Historic golf far removed from the modern game of length and power. Hardly anyone on the course other than a few members with their dogs. Hidden In Ascot an timeless classic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can visitors play Swinley Forest Golf Club?

Swinley Forest is an extremely private members' club that does not accept outside bookings from the general public. Access is restricted to members and their guests. It does not have a public visitor policy, a tee sheet open to external bookings, or a website for public use. An introduction through a member is the only route to playing the course.

Who designed Swinley Forest Golf Club?

Swinley Forest was designed by Harry Colt, one of the foremost golf course architects of the early twentieth century. Colt also designed Sunningdale (New Course), Wentworth (West Course) and St George's Hill, among many others. Many golf historians and architects regard Swinley Forest as his finest single achievement: a short, cerebral layout that never relies on length to generate difficulty.

What is the layout like at Swinley Forest?

The course plays to a relatively modest length by modern standards, but the strategic demands are considerable. Fairways wind through mature pine, birch and heather, and the corridor of play on many holes is tight enough that positional driving is essential. Greens are well-protected and subtly contoured. There are no buggies and no mobile phones on the course, which preserves an atmosphere of quiet concentration that feels increasingly rare.

Where is Swinley Forest located?

Swinley Forest sits within the Crown Estate woodland between Ascot and Camberley in Berkshire, close to the Surrey border. It shares the same broad heathland belt as Sunningdale, Wentworth, Walton Heath and several other distinguished clubs, making Berkshire and its neighbours one of the most concentrated areas of top-quality golf in [England](/locations/england).