Thorney Park Golf Club

Course Description
Thorney Park is a parkland course near Heathrow with fast and undulating greens that you’d expect from a top-class course, but at a fraction of the price. The course opens with some fairly open, straightforward par 4s, alongside a great set of par 3s on the front nine, before becoming longer and more challenging on the tree-lined back nine.
There is good variation in hole design, with the 9th par 4 a standout split-fairway hole, where trees prevent longer hitters from simply cutting the corner. The course finishes strongly with two short par 4s and a par 3, all approaching over water with tricky sloping greens to provide a testing end to the round.
The fairways were in great condition despite the long dry period over summer, while the greens were the highlight of the course. With further development planned, the future for Thorney Park looks exciting.

Course Visit
Upon arrival, PGA pro Richard showed me around, and explained the courses exciting plans for the coming years, with the first two holes being replaced by a driving range, whilst they are building two new holes to replace them. After playing a relatively quick 18 holes, I can say Thorney Park offers considerably more than its relatively short yardage suggests. At 5,816 yards, it isn't going to overwhelm a good golfer with length, but the fast greens, well-placed hazards and tree-lined back nine provide a surprisingly good test.
The 9th was the standout hole for me, with its split fairway creating a genuine decision off the tee, while the final three holes provide an excellent finish with water coming into play around the greens.
The greens were the biggest strength of the course, and for the price of a round, the overall condition was very impressive. It isn't the most prestigious or challenging course in the area, but with green fees starting from around £22, it's difficult to argue with the value. For a cheap round in West London that still provides a proper test, Thorney Park is well worth playing.