Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club

Few settings in English golf feel quite as singular as the New Forest, and Brokenhurst Manor occupies one of its finest stretches. The course dates to the early 20th century and winds through ancient heathland and mature woodland, with free-roaming New Forest ponies a perfectly routine sight beyond the boundary — and occasionally within it. That unhurried, almost timeless atmosphere is as much a part of the experience as anything the layout itself demands.

The design leans into classic heathland character: firm, fast-draining sandy soil, heather and gorse defining the margins, and a routing that asks for precision off the tee rather than raw power. At par 70, there are relatively few long holes, which shifts the burden onto ball-striking accuracy and course management — a format that rewards local knowledge and punishes carelessness in equal measure.

Brockenhurst village itself is one of the New Forest's most appealing bases, easily reached by train from London and Southampton, and the club fits that unhurried, traditional English country mood perfectly.