Whipsnade Park

Few courses in England can claim quite such an unusual neighbor as Whipsnade Park, which sits on the edge of the Chiltern Hills adjacent to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo — one of the country's largest wildlife parks. That proximity gives the setting a genuinely singular character: wooded boundaries, open downland views, and the occasional exotic sound drifting across the fairways. The Chilterns around Berkhamsted are classic English parkland country, with chalk downland, beech woodland, and a landscape that rolls and folds in ways that reward course designers.

Hertfordshire has a quietly strong golf culture — the county is home to several well-regarded parkland and heathland layouts — and Whipsnade Park sits within easy reach of both the Midlands and Greater London. Berkhamsted itself, with its Norman castle ruins and market town feel, is a characterful base.

A par 70 layout typically means a design that substitutes length for precision, placing a premium on ball-striking and course management rather than power. Expect a walking experience shaped by genuine English countryside.