Parkland Golf in the UK: The Best Inland Courses to Play and Gift

British golf has an undeserved reputation as being solely about links courses. The truth is that the UK has some of the world's finest inland golf — heathland courses that play like links in all but location, parkland estates with setting and conditioning to rival anywhere, and historic clubs that shaped the game as much as St Andrews.

The Distinction: Parkland vs Heathland

In the UK, it's worth separating true parkland — lush, tree-lined, soft underfoot — from heathland, which is the Surrey and Berkshire sub-genre built on sandy, fast-draining soil covered with heather and pine. Heathland plays much more like links golf. It's firm, fast, and punishes inaccuracy without being soft.

Both types offer a completely different experience from links golf and reward different skills.

The Finest Heathland Courses: Surrey and Berkshire

Surrey's heathland belt running south-west from London contains the highest concentration of quality inland golf in the country — ten Top 100 courses in one county.

Sunningdale (Old Course) — Surrey (Rank #14)

Sunningdale Old is the benchmark. Pine trees, purple heather, perfect turf conditions maintained to a standard that few courses anywhere in the world match. The course is not long by modern standards, but the quality of the holes — the angles, the placement of bunkers, the ground contours — is exceptional. Lunch in the clubhouse after your round is mandatory.

Sunningdale (New Course) — Surrey (Rank #21)

Sunningdale New sits next to the Old and shares the same heathland setting. It's longer and slightly more challenging in places. If you can only play one Sunningdale course, play the Old. If you can play both, you should.

Walton Heath (Old Course) — Surrey (Rank #23)

Walton Heath Old is the most open and exposed of the Surrey heathland courses — no shelter from the trees that protect Sunningdale, with a ridge position that channels the wind. It has hosted the Ryder Cup and multiple European Opens. The course demands every shot in the bag.

The Berkshire (Red Course) — Berkshire (Rank #59)

The Berkshire Red near Ascot shares Sunningdale's sandy soil and heather setting. It's slightly more accessible than the top Surrey clubs and consistently excellent. The Red is the more celebrated of the two Berkshire courses and one of the best rounds you can play within an hour of London.

Hankley Common — Surrey (Rank #56)

Hankley Common is the most underrated of the Surrey heathland courses — used by Golf Illustrated as a testing venue, regularly top 60 in the UK, and more accessible than Sunningdale or Swinley. For visitors who want outstanding Surrey heathland without the membership complexity, it's often the best option.

The Finest Parkland Courses: Scotland

Scotland's inland courses are less well-known than its links, but several are genuinely world-class.

Gleneagles (King's Course) — Perthshire (Rank #16)

Gleneagles King's Course is the finest parkland course in Scotland. Designed by James Braid and opened in 1919, it plays through the Perthshire landscape with views of the Ochil Hills in every direction. The hotel estate experience — arriving, staying, and playing across multiple days — is as much a part of the Gleneagles visit as the golf itself.

Gleneagles (Queen's Course) — Perthshire (Rank #41)

Gleneagles Queen's is shorter and slightly less celebrated than the King's, but still an outstanding course in its own right. The two courses combined make Gleneagles the best golf resort experience in the UK.

Loch Lomond — Dunbartonshire (Rank #20)

Loch Lomond sits on the eastern shore of the loch with water visible from almost every hole. It's a private members' club — only accessible with a member invitation or as part of a hospitality event — which makes a round there genuinely exclusive. The combination of parkland excellence and Highland scenery is hard to match anywhere.

Parkland Golf for Gifting: What to Consider

Parkland and heathland courses are often more accessible to visitors than their coastal links counterparts, where visitor access can be strictly controlled and seasonal. Surrey's heathland clubs, in particular, have well-established visitor tee times — making them more practical for gift experiences.

Type of golfer	Best inland option
Based in / near London	Sunningdale, Walton Heath, The Berkshire
Prefers Scotland	Gleneagles King's, Loch Lomond
More accessible + still excellent	Hankley Common, The Berkshire Red
Special occasion, exclusive	Swinley Forest, Loch Lomond (member invite)

For a gift that doesn't require knowing which specific venue the recipient prefers, a Swyng voucher works well — they choose the right parkland or heathland course for their location and occasion.

Parkland vs Links: Which Makes the Better Gift?

Both. But they're different experiences and suit different golfers:

• Links rewards creativity, ground-game thinking, and an acceptance that the wind is part of the game. Best for golfers who want a challenge and an authentic British golf experience.
• Heathland rewards accuracy and course management, with the visual satisfaction of pine trees and heather framing every hole. Best for golfers who want exceptional conditions and a beautiful setting.
• Parkland is often the most accessible type and the easiest to pair with a full-day experience — hotel, lunch, 18 holes, dinner.

See also: links golf in the UK, golf experience days near London, golf breaks in Scotland, bucket list golf courses UK.

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