Hidden Gem

West Hill Golf Club

Brookwood, Surrey · Designed by Cuthbert Butchart (1909) · Est. 1909

West Hill is the prettiest of the "Three W's" — the trio of heathland courses, with neighbouring Woking and Worplesdon, clustered around Brookwood south-west of Woking. Opened in 1909 to a design by Cuthbert Butchart, it threads through some of the most attractive pine-and-heather country in Surrey, tighter and more intimate than its neighbours, with fairways framed closely by silver birch, Scots pine and dense banks of heather.

At around 6,350 yards, par 69, it is not about length but precision: the heather punishes the wayward, and the greens ask for careful positioning. Its most famous moment is the par-3 15th, played across a deep valley of heather to a green on the far bank — one of the best-loved short holes in the region.

West Hill is an unshowy members' club that welcomes visitors on weekdays, and it makes an ideal pairing with Woking and Worplesdon for a day, or three, of classic understated Surrey golf.

Holes worth knowing

115th (par-3) — the signature hole, played across a deep valley of heather to a green on the far side; miss it and the heather is unforgiving.
2The birch-lined fairways — West Hill is tighter than its neighbours, so accurate driving between the silver birch and heather is at a premium throughout.

Highlights

One of the "Three W's" of Surrey heathland
Tight, intimate pine-and-heather golf
The celebrated par-3 15th across a heather valley
Understated members' club, visitors welcome midweek

Good to know

→West Hill is the tightest and arguably prettiest of the "Three W's" — leave the driver in the bag on the narrow holes and prize position over power.
→The par-3 15th across the heather valley is the hole everyone remembers — a genuine card-wrecker if you miss the green.
→Visitors are welcome on weekdays; it shares a mindset (and a green-fee-friendly ethos) with Woking and Worplesdon nearby.
→Brookwood and Worplesdon sit on the London–Woking railway, so this corner of heathland is reachable without a car if needed.
→Do all "Three W's" — Woking, West Hill and Worplesdon are within a couple of miles and make one of the best-value classic-heathland days in England.