Belfairs Golf Club (1001322)

Belfairs Golf Club sits within Belfairs Park in Leigh-on-Sea, a municipal woodland course managed by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and one of the more characterful public layouts in Essex. The course winds through mature oak and hornbeam woodland that gives it a genuine sense of enclosure — this is tree-lined golf in the traditional English parkland mould, where accuracy off the tee matters far more than distance.

The par 70 layout plays shorter than many regulation courses, which has made it a long-standing favourite among the local golfing community and a practical option for those developing their game. That said, the woodland setting means wayward shots are punished by timber rather than rough, and scoring well demands patience and local knowledge.

Leigh-on-Sea sits on the Thames Estuary in south Essex, a short train ride from London, which keeps Belfairs busy year-round. The area has a strong everyday golf culture, and the club reflects that — accessible, unpretentious, and rooted in the community it has served for decades.