Finding it hard to decide on a venue for an away-day or weekend with the girls? Women & Golf take a look at Essendon Golf Club which may just be the solution.
Finding it hard to decide on a venue for an away-day or weekend with the girls? Women & Golf take a look at Essendon Golf Club which may just be the solution.
Essenedon started life in the 1970's, but in 2011 the Griffin brothers, Keiran and Liam, who owned Addison Lee London's largest minicap company bought it. Together with the support of their partners, former Curtis Cup and Tour player Elaine Ratcliffe, and Clare Griffin, the new owners are continuing to restore and upgrade the golf courses and facilities, and it is fast becoming one of the most popular venues in Hertfordshire.
Situated in a picturesque 400-acre estate, once owned by London brewer, Samuel Whitbread, the clubhouse is based in an historic 16th century barn that blends old with new beautifully. It was expanded in 2014 with a light, airy extension and features an extensive bar and dining area. The family friendly atmosphere is apparent as soon as you walk through the door, and this aligns with the club’s refreshing modern outlook. Unlike many traditional golf clubs, the dress code is relaxed, mixed golf is encouraged, and the social scene is an important as the game itself, so visitors feel at ease.
There are two golf courses - the Old and the New. The New course opened in 1992 it used to be for members only, but it’s now open to all. It’s unique and more than a little quirky, in that it has two greens on 16 of its holes. It’s a pretty course and each hole has a nice-looking backdrop as the designer had the clever idea to plant different trees and shrubs on every hole. Water features on nine holes and the wet stuff definitely adds to the challenge of this testing course that measures 5,604 yards from the red tees.
The Old Course runs adjacent to the New and was opened back in 1976. While the Old is shorter than the New at 5,493 yards, it is fairly undulating with a change in elevation, therefore some ladies might want to take a buggy, or be daring and whizz around the course on a GolfBoard! Meandering through mature parkland, it presents some tricky holes with tight approach shots, but it’s a pleasure to play and the fabulous views from the 6th and 18th tees won’t go unnoticed.
A golf academy was opened in 2013 and along with the 9-hole Muntjac pitch-and-putt course, there’s plenty to keep players occupied!
