Golf Course Review

Thorndon Park Golf Club is sat in over 250 acres of parkland in Essex, England just 25 miles from London and two miles from Brentwood. Essex is primarily known for its clay. As such, fast and firm golf is not easy to find until you reach Suffolk.

Founded in 1920, Harry Colt and Charles Alison designed the course. Making the most of the former hunting grounds, the deer park is also home to Thorndon Hall. The impressive Georgian Palladian country house is a Grade 1 listed building designed by James Paine while the gardens were designed by none other than Capability Brown. There are some serious parallels to both Stoke Park and Moor Park in London! In fact, St George's Hill was said to be the inspiration for the development.

The misconception sometimes is that the Hall also serves as the clubhouse. In fact, despite owning the Hall at one point, the club sold it to a private developer in 1976 who converted it into luxury apartments. The club then built its modest but well-appointed clubhouse nearby.

Thorndon Park has the pedigree and is your best bet for decent golf on the golf starved northeast side of London.