Verulam

Few English county towns have a richer connection to the game than St Albans, and Verulam — one of Hertfordshire's oldest clubs — sits right at the heart of that tradition. Founded in 1905 and named after the Roman city of Verulamium whose ruins lie close by, the club has been part of the local sporting fabric for well over a century. James Braid, the five-time Open Champion turned prolific course architect, had a hand in the layout, lending it the thoughtful, unhurried character typical of his Edwardian designs.

The course occupies parkland on the northern edge of the city, where mature trees frame fairways and the ground rolls just enough to demand considered shot-making. It plays as a proper test for members and visitors alike — rewarding straight, strategic golf rather than raw power — and the setting carries that particular English parkland atmosphere: quiet, well-maintained, and rooted in place.

St Albans itself is easily reached from London, making Verulam a genuine escape that doesn't require much of one.