Golf Courses near Luton?

Myself and Mrs Blue are visiting relatives in Toddington, near Luton this weekend. I'm hoping we can squeeze a game of golf in on the Saturday. Anyone have any recommendations for a reasonable course somewhere around that area where we can get on as a visitor? Thanks

Hi Blue,

Best courses in that area that I know of are Ashridge and Berkhamstead.

The new Centurion club is supposed to be fantastic but is members and guests only.

Mentmore has two decent resort type courses. Reasonable enough for a round but I wouldn't pay top dollar, they're certainly not top 100 calibre but nice enough.

I have played Luton Hoo once, it was pretty good. Played it on a saturday with no issues. No bunkers i think. I didnt play it very well though.

Ashridge and Berkhamsted are indeed good courses, but I doubt you will get on either as a visitor at the weekend. Ditto Moor Park, which is the best course anywhere in that entire region.

You could try Woburn, or Aspley Guise, which are both towards Milton Keynes, or John of Gaunt which is further eastwards. Woburn is nice, but I always found it a bit pricey. AG is a nice course and good value (or it was last year).

There's Bedford Golf Club, an American style layout near Bedford, and Whipsnade at Dagnall, which is nice in the summer but may be a bit muddy at the moment. Whipsnade is maybe the only course you'll play where giraffes will be watching you drive off, while lions and tigers discourage a big high hook over the fence.

Dunstable Downs is a possibility - built on a chalk ridge so you may get round without muddy shoes.

Be sure to ask whether there any temporary greens in play when you enquire, because it's been extremely wet recently and it's always disappointing to pay a full green fee to putt out on a bit of fairway.

Good luck.

Thanks for the information fellas

Can always try Chartridge Golf Club, It's about 15-20 mins from Berkhamstead/Ashridge. Went there for an activity day once was 35 degrees was dead on my feet going up and down hill   

I've played Aldwickbury Park a few times Blue .. a couple of rather quirky holes and a couple that run alongside a sewage farm so not the nicest part of the course ... but not a bad track

a lot of great courses not too far from there.
Brocket Hall (Palmerston not Melbourne)
The Grove
Mill Green
Harpenden Common
Mid Herts
Moor Park
Whipsnade - as mentioned by previous poster. Great course - played a scratch match here recently and its a tough track off the back tees.

Well Blue, did you make it out on to the golf course?

Or did you decide that it was too much hassle to carry scuba gear round 18 holes?

Exactly Ray, the weather was dreadful. Mrs Blue had just had her natural blonde (ahem!) hair done and didn't fancy a soaking, so much to my disappointment the clubs remained in the back of the car and we didn't make it out on to the course.

Is anyone playing at the moment in these rubbish conditions? I am supposed to be playing at Felixstowe on Sunday but it is even getting a bit mucky there.

Mrs Blue didn't fancy a soaking? Ahem.. That must have been disappointing for you!  

Tell me about it. No golf and time of month as well!...

You should have been alright, golf is a solo sport after all....

Or you could have popped into the cultural centre of the universe that is Luton.

Innit.

So that's why you're Grumpy... 
 
We gave it a miss Roller. Even the football club is reduced to the Conference these days. What would dear old Eric Morecambe have to say?

Played 18 this morning. No temps, course in good nick. Started hissing down as we put stuff in car. Dodged another bullet on Wednesday and nice day yesterday for practice. I know we will pay for it sooner or later but having a charmed life golf wise in 2014! (Hope that hasn't jinxed it!)

I played 14 this morning in the North East.

I played last weekend at the Forest of Arden. I have never played a wetter, muddier course in my life. I had to take a casual water drop after nearly every shot. Sometimes it was 50 yards away to the nearest point of relief. God knows how much damage was being done to the course.

What did you think of Forest of Arden apart from being wet? I played there a few years ago and it was the biggest disappointment of my life (golf wise anyway)

Davie, I didn't like it much either. Apart from being boggy everywhere, it just seemed like a long, dull, boring and featureless slog.

I generally like playing golf almost anywhere, but I don't recall a course that left so little impression on me.

With you 100% there George. I played it in decent conditions and maybe had too high expectations .. but I thought it incredibly average .. and so close to the M42(?) so noisy!