Swinley Forest

I can’t think of many rounds of golf I enjoyed more than this one.

I listened to a Colt podcast on the drive down, to play Harry’s “least bad course” (although the quote has not been verified in text).

I have not played many Colt influenced courses yet, but two I love are Rye and St George’s Hill. Another I played alot whilst at Univeristy was Brancepeth up in Durham. After today I will be seeking more out.

The Build Up

Driving over a railway bridge and through the security gate I parked up and made my way through an archway to the pro shop. The pro offered a down to earth greeting and advised me that visitors were to pay the £130 winter green fee in the bar.

Swinley has a mysterious reputation and I half expected to chance across aristocrats smoking cigars in top hats as I entered the bar. Whilst I did see a roaming labrador, a roaring fire and a few members breakfasting; it was rather quiet.

The manners of the bar staff were exceptional. Clearly they had been trained to speak using the Queen's English, and indeed treated me as if it were the King ordering a bacon sandwich.

Members are alleged to care little for competitive golf, with scorecards only introduced in the 90s, and visitors only admitted in the last few years. I did wonder whether the advent of green fees was to subsidise the prodigous amount of complimentary tea and coffee the members were getting through?

The driving range at the bottom of the car park offers fee range balls. With only 5 hitting spaces on the range, I inferred few members were students of Hogan. Next to the range lay an excellent short game area and back toward the clubhouse two new practice nets.

The Swinley experience is often the thing patrons revere, so I was curious to see if the course would match its reputation.

The Course

The course was wet, with standing water in places and not really the best condition to assess its merits. Nevertheless, it was magnificent.

Although beautiful immediately, Swinley really gets going on the 3rd with a strategic short par 4, followed by a superb uphill par 3 and then on to a short dogleg right par 5.

The front 9 finished well, with the par 3, 8th. It didn't look much from the tee, but its subtlety becomes apparent once you get to the green site. The tough par 4, 9th, was the best par 4 on the front 9. A dogleg left tee shot encourages the player to bail out right leaving a long approach shot that again pushes you right, leaving a tricky pitch up a sharp bank. Not a shot you would want in summer!

The course continues its form through 10, 11 and 12 with a long par 3, a driveable par 4 and the exceptional par 4, 12th.

The 12th at Swinley might be the best heathland par 4 I have come across. The view from the tee was ethereal, with sun and shadow dancing through Swinley trees to great effect. On the approach you glimpse humps and bumbs reminiscent of mogles on a ski slop or the “Himalayas” at St Andrews. Miss in the wrong place and the plateaus on the green are perilous.

The 12th hole at Swinley Forest - tee shot, approach and green site

Reflections on the course design

Throughout the round I was impressed that several holes challenged my preconceptions of what I like in a golf course.

Up hill approach shots like at the 6th, 15th and 18th , usually an instant turn-off, were delightful. Perhaps it is Swinley's natural advantage that its mild undulations are perfect for good golf, or perhaps Colt's genius bunkering and greensite design are truly illustrated here.

Colt could have made different decisions leaving the course with several short, flat, dull par 4s. Instead he and the Swinley green staff make them shine with heathery artistry, attractive bunkering and stunning pine frames. Holes like the 7th, 14th and 16th you feel like the architect earnt his money, the canvas offered little, but the brushwork much.

Immensely playable, and with no boring holes, Swinley, I can’t wait to come back and take on those fairway bunkers and green sites when its running firm and fast. In a previous opinion piece I specultated that West Sussex might have the best set of par 3s in England; Swinley is a challenger.

Golf Lists Rating

Golf Lists uses the GolfLists Score © to rate golf courses.

Course - 88/100

GL Score Breakdown

Front 9	Score (1-5)	Back 9	Score (1-5)
1	4	10	5
2	3	11	5
3	5	12	5
4	5	13	5
5	5	14	4
6	3	15	5
7	3	16	4
8	4	17	5
9	5	18	4
Sum	37	Sum	42
Condition	4	Playability	5
GL Score		88

Opinion Details

• Reviewed by: Michael_GolfLists
• Played in: November 2023
• Weather on the day: Mild day, wet under foot.
• Score shot: 73 (+4)
• Round Duration: 4 ball, 4:10