Thorndon Park Golf Club Ltd

Thorndon Park Golf Club Ltd, Brentwood, East of England, England, CM13 3RH

01277810345 | E-mail golf course | Golf course website

15 reviews of Thorndon Park Golf Club Ltd

Very nice course.Just has a lovely feel about it. Maybe not the most difficult overall, but the condition of fairways and greens is excellent. A lot of well-protected greens.

Posted by Neil on 04/10/2014
4
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Overall Rating 4
  • Overall Ratings
  • Green conditions 4
  • Clubhouse 4
  • Course challenge 3
  • Staff service 3
  • Value for money 4
  • Green conditions 4
  • Clubhouse 4
  • Course challenge 3
  • Staff service 3
  • Value for money 4

We played here in a charity event on a Friday afternoon in April. The course is an absolute gem, I did not think there was a bad hole on the course. Each hole is very different making for a very enjoyable round. The fourth is a very picturesque hole with a tee shot over a lake which allows you to take on as much as you dare as the fairway runs down the hole right hand side of the lake. The other truly memorable hole is the eighteenth with an incredible view down the fairway to a green framed by the enormous mansion that once used to be the clubhouse, truly awesome! The fairways were in lovely condition and the greens despite having been recently hollow tined played true and quite fast. I would imagine that in a month or two the greens will be like lightening and once the trees are in full leaf the fairways will feel much narrower and intimidating. Everyone we came across the clubhouse was polite and helpful making for a great afternoon. To cap it all I won a return fourball in the charity raffle, I can't wait to go back!

Posted by Robert Bedford on 27/04/2013
5
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Overall Rating 5
  • Overall Ratings
  • Green conditions 5
  • Clubhouse 4
  • Course challenge 5
  • Staff service 5
  • Value for money 5
  • Green conditions 5
  • Clubhouse 4
  • Course challenge 5
  • Staff service 5
  • Value for money 5

Played 36 holes at Thorndon Park on 23 June 2009. It is a fine mature parkland course with all the trademarks you would associate with a Harry Colt design; subtle use of bunkering and water, beautiful turf and well guarded greens. The approach to the 18th green with the huge palladian mansion behind it is almost surreal. Holes 3 (because of the demanding tee shot), 9 and 17 are outstanding although all of the remaining 15 are very good. There are 3 short par 4s on the front nine which require some caution teeing off as it is very easy to drive into ditches which cannot be seen from the tee. A course planner is therefore recommended. I would also have to add that the friendleness, service and food and drink that our society received on the day was nothing less than superb. Well worth a visit.

Posted by Peter Frost on 25/06/2009
5
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Overall Rating 5
  • Overall Ratings
  • Clubhouse 5
  • Course challenge 5
  • Value for money 5
  • Clubhouse 5
  • Course challenge 5
  • Value for money 5

Played here June 09 Good quality parkland course . When you walk around the back of the single storey clubhouse & the course first comes into view it all looks promising . It's treelined & tranquil with rhodedendrums ,a big lake & wildlife .Superb course presentation & the usual exemplary Harry Colt bunkering . Holes are varied & have their own identity & allied to what seems to be an underused course you hardly see anyone as you go around & there's a nice feeling of seclusion. Holes are two loops of 9 . I preferred the front 9 as i thought it had more variety .The last 3 holes are nearly 1,300 yards in total .A short par 3 or a short, strategic par 4 in the last 3 would have made the finish feel less tiring. The par 4 3rd is a corker where you drive diagonally across a lake to a fairway that then runs along the lake edge & you bite off as much as you feel brave enough to. Slight shortcomings were i wouldn't describe the initial point of contact with the club as particularly welcoming & the greens were a little bit mystifying.Apparently they were dug up & relaid in 2000 .Although they did a good job (they drain superbly & were true )having a very established course with contemporary looking greens seemed a bit at odds.Also ,the greens were cut low & looked fast but actually ran slower than they looked & despite playing after a deluge were so firm you couldn't get well struck approach shots to stop by the pitch mark as they ran on 15ft . Clubhouse , with its patio around the back has a nice feel to it & there's an excellent ,cheap ,food menu as well. Although it's expensive to play here anyone who does won't come away disappointed .Reputed to be the best in Essex & from what i've played so far i would agree . Kevin B.

Posted by Kevin B. on 11/06/2009

Played the course on Sunday 7th August 2005. It was a beautiful day and the course was in top condition. Well kept fairways and greens. Greens protected by bunkers makes the 2nd and the 12th hole very interesting par 3's. Also the 4th and 13th hole were challenging. The course is laid out well and holes follow each other up nicely as well as the 9th and the 18th hole bringing you back to the club house. A mature course with beautiful trees in a very quiet and peaceful setting. Will play again soon.

Posted by Dennis Kentrop on 08/08/2005
3
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Overall Rating 3
  • Overall Ratings
  • Course challenge 4
  • Value for money 5
  • Course challenge 4
  • Value for money 5

Played coarse for the first time on the 07/03/2005.I think the coarse will be very nice in the summer there was quite a bit of work being carried out which was not a problem but the £40 green fees for this time of year was a little bit steep.

Posted by Colin Woodrow on 17/03/2005

I played this course on a beautiful day in June, in a society. My expectations had been built up considerably but the course did not disappoint. It is one of the finest courses I have ever played (and I have played some top UK courses), vertainly the best in Essex. Everything was immaculate from the tees to the impressively fast (but true) greens. If I was really 'picky', some of the bunkers could have done with more sand. The staff were very friendly and helpful. It isn't cheap (especially for an Essex course) but it is worth every penny when compared to places like Wentworth, Sunningdale etc. I can't wait to play it again and get a better score!

Posted by Mark Niall on 14/06/2004

Living in Essex I'm so disappointed that I've only just discovered this course!, but now I have I have played it 5 times in the last 6 months. Having obviously experienced playing the course at different times of the year it is amazing that it looks just as wonderful each time. I'm yet to master this course with 32 points (89) being my best, but I'm fast learning that position off the tee is crucial, so this course is a real thinkers course. I know this sounds like boasting, but I really am trying to put this into perspective, I have played Valderama, Wentworth, Woburn and a number of top courses and for me this comes very close to these, so you really won't be disappointed if you play this.

Posted by Roy Stevens on 07/06/2004

What a lovely course. Oozes quality everywhere you go. 3 greens have been relaid over the winter but you couldn't find a fault (or an unrepaired pitch mark for that matter). Each hole has something different and is beautifully kept. Paid £60 for the day which I thought was excellent value. Staff very friendly and polite seemed to want you to leave with a good impression. Go play you won't be disappointed!

Posted by Craig Willson on 26/04/2004

My favourite course in essex...indeed almost anywhere. I note a previous writer suggesting that £40 was too much to pay. Well Im sorry I couldnt disagree more. The M25 is circled by courses built in the past 10-20 years which totally lack charecter, invariably built on top of a major arterial and almost always in poor condition where the charges would often be £20 plus. £40 buys you a quality golfing experience. The natives are friendly although it is a bit of a time warp and still shockingly sexist. The course is a great test of golf. Started playing there when a teenager and 20 years on still love it. 1st is a bit bland, 2nd good par 3 and the 3rd requiring a draw across the lake is a beauty. Some great views along the way (ok looking down towards the Thames estaury is hardly the hanging gardens of babylon but still not bad) and the course always seems to be in good condition. A must play.

Posted by Simon Murray on 24/06/2003

What a lovely mature course with great views and a different type of challenge at every hole. It's in great condition from 1st tee box to 18th green and i can't fault anything about my day out here other than my own game. I would have thought after such a heavy down poor all night long (the previous night) that the course would be boggy and the greens slow, but the drainage seems to best i've seen and resulted in super-fast and very testing greens. £40 in my opinon is a tad expensive; even though i loved the course and it looks like a lot of the money goes towards course maintance. Personally I can't see myself paying that regularly as I didn't consider it value for money but as i was on a company day I was greatful that they spent the money on a great course rather than more expensive 'goodies' or on a course with a newly decorated club house. I think you're probably getting slightly better value at a good £25-£30 course such as London-Hatfield.

Posted by Neel on 22/05/2002

Played the course as green fee on 19th April 2002. This is a REALLY nice course, well manicured, a good test. All in all a quality venue. Added to which we were made very welcome indeed. How nice it is to be greeted so warmly by the members, in the clubhouse and on the course. Treat yourself....you will not be disappointed. Thank you Thorndon Park for a most enjoyable day.

Posted by john king on 19/04/2002

Played June 9th 2000.Best course in Essex,designed by H.S.Colt. Always in great condition, the first green does have a problem, probably to do with surrounding trees that overhang, but the other 17 are very good. Subtle borrows and speed are the main defences. Although not long this course is a very fair test of golf with heavily wooded lined fairways. Very picturesque setting, however the "new" clubhouse is a bit of an architectural throw back from the sixties. Very much a members club, but worthwhile playing.

Posted by Lawrence Kingsnorth on 10/07/2000

Well maintained course. Pleasant staff. Tee boxes and fairways very good qaulity. Greens well manicured, a few are two tiered. Course is tight and ball off 1st cut can be difficult to find. On back nine some greens and tee's are near each other, so noise from others can be a problem. An above average course worth playing

Posted by on 07/09/1999

This is an old fashioned club. Ladies are not allowed to play before mid-day at weekends. Ladies are not allowed in the men's bar or the men's patio. Men are not allowed on the ladies patio. Therefore in the summer a married couple could not sit on the same patio at lunchtime. Incidentially the ladies patio is on the shady side of the clubhouse and gets no sun at all.

Posted by on 16/04/1998

Course information

Number of holes 18
Year opened -
Designer -
Style parkland

Tee information

TeesYardsParSSS
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Men's651171
Ladies'

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