www.stockleyparkgolf.com

Weekday: Peak: D / Off peak: C
Weekends: E / D
Twilight rates available (starts 4 hours before sunset).
Packages are available 7 days a week

* The Clubhouse occupies a commanding position with the balcony bar offering stunning views of the course, including the 9th and 18th greens.
* Weddings and Special Occasions / Societies / Corporate events / Tournaments and Competitions / Charity Days can be arranged
* Golf Academy / Junior Coaching Programme

If golf courses correspond to the phases in human development, this one's the awkward teenager!
It's brash, flashy, difficult to relate to, a tad bedraggled, mixes with an odd crowd, is costly yet has hidden depths. Probably not at its best in early March, the fairways had been sadly used and abused more than most, the bunkers threadbare and the planting bestrewn with beercans, bottles and litter. However, cosmetics aside, the clever design makes for a challenging virgin visit with most of the holes cunningly concealed and the greens were in fantastic condition.
In need of nurturing rather than abuse from its regulars, Stockley Park probably suffers from its very accessibility but is worth a visit to experience a well thought-out challenge on a course that is never waterlogged in the worst conditions. But this teenager is hardly a cheap date and, in my view, there are many more pleasant alternatives to spend your money on!

Ian Buckingham March 6, 2005