Going for Golf

The Oxfordshire

When you’ve got a course that consistently ranks among the best in the country, with some of the world’s leading golf holes, it could be churlish to want more. But that’s exactly what The Oxfordshire coveted after a very successful first decade in which they hosted some of the biggest tournaments.

Players of the calibre of Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Sam Torrance and Laura Davies were among the winners in the late 1990s. Although there were never any complaints about the course, there was always something missing at this wonderful venue – a place to stay overnight.

Not now. It’s taken time but an on-site four-star hotel, spa and restaurant has now opened which typifies everything about this golf club: class, quality and attention to detail. The hotel offers 46 premium en-suite rooms and four more suites, each with its own balcony, many with spectacular views over the golf course and countryside.

So now the overnight accommodation is sorted, let’s remind ourselves of why you should come and play the course – as if for some strange reason you’d forgotten all about it. Situated less than an hour away from London in the foothills of the Chilterns, the 18-hole championship course is a track that doesn’t try to hide its beauty – quite the opposite. From the moment you take the short walk from the practice areas to hit your first tee shot, the challenges you face over the next few hours are there to see straight away. In the case of the first hole, an inviting fairway is the target, while the opening hole on the back nine is scarier with sand and then water ready to gobble up anything pushed right.

When we played the course, we gushed about the ‘lovely lake’ on the eighth hole before displaying those affections by gifting two balls to the hazard with a couple of wayward tee shots. It’s not difficult to find trouble on this driveable par four mind you, even for the better golfers, as you decide whether to have a crack at the green in one or take the safe route. Risk and reward, especially since the fairway option isn’t exactly easy.

With water coming into the eyeline on four consecutive holes from the turn, losing balls is a major problem on this course – the short holes at five and 13 being especially penal on anything underhit. The lake follows a player from tee to green on the par-five 11th and although it is a fairly straight hole the undulations on the fairways can make a ball bounce off target if you don’t pick the right line.

Designed and constructed by Rees Jones, the longer holes provide a good blend with the seventh a definite birdie chance, particularly if it plays downwind. Any chance of reaching the green in two on the fourth hole is determined by how close you dare hit the tee shot towards the huge bunker across the fairway.

At a snippet over 600 yards from the back sticks, the 17th is probably the signature hole on the course, with a large lake, thick rough and numerous bunkers protecting any inaccuracy from tee to green. Your correspondent was made to curse those early ‘lovely lake’ comments as he deposited another two Pro V1s in the water, before three-putting the two-tier green.

But this is a course where you don’t actually mind losing balls, or for that matter scoring badly, because you know you’ve just played something special. The fairways are immaculate, the greens are fast but true, the bunkers are always raked and even though the English weather cannot be trusted, an enjoyable round is a guarantee.

For those hoping to keep in shape off the course, the health and fitness suite, with its state-of-the-art equipment, swimming pool and Jacuzzi are available for use. Or if you’re searching for something a bit more relaxing perhaps a massage in the spa is a better choice.

In the months and years to come, we can rest assured The Oxfordshire will be totally prepared to host more prestigious events.