Woburn Golf Club

In 1974, the Marquess of Tavistock (later to become 14th Duke of Bedford) had the foresight to see that a world-class golf facility could be created at Woburn. He was inspired by the traditions of sportsmanship and courtesy he saw in the game of golf, values which he considered highly important.

The first of Woburn’s three courses, the Duke’s Course, was opened in 1976 and this was followed in 1978 with the opening of the Duchess’ Course.

The late Alex Hay came to Woburn as the Club Professional in 1978 and in 1985 was appointed as Managing Director. Together with the Duke of Bedford, Alex Hay was instrumental in the development and success of the club. They were also the driving force behind tournament golf coming to Woburn and in the creation of the Marquess’ Course.

It is now the 15th Duke of Bedford that strives to ensure his father’s vision is delivered for the benefit of all those who are able to experience the three tournament hosting courses and enjoy the wonderful clubhouse facilities.

Woburn is the first 54 hole venue to have all three courses featured in Golf Monthly Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in the UK and Ireland and Golf World Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in Britain and Ireland.

Woburn Golf Club is extremely proud to have Ian Poulter as one of its Touring Professionals, a relationship which started in 2003. Charley Hull, a member of the victorious European Solheim Cup Team in 2013, also became a Woburn Touring Professional in 2014, having been a member of Woburn since the age of 11. Lauren Taylor, the 2011 Women’s British Amateur Champion and ‘BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year’ winner is also a member of the Club.

The Duke’s Course

The Duke’s Course designed by Charles Lawrie opened in 1976 and was the first of Woburn’s three courses to be constructed. The 6,983 yard Duke’s course sports fairways lined with pine, silver birch and chestnut trees. Heather, bracken and gorse add to the charm of the course, as well as providing some of the natural hazards of each hole.

It was the location for the British Masters for 20 years, as well as hosting the Women’s British Open Championship and more recently the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters.

The Marquess’ Course

The Marquess’ Course, designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark, European Golf Design (Ross McMurray) and Alex Hay opened in 2000. The course was named after the then Marquess of Tavistock and was soon referred to as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’.

Set within 200 acres of mixed woodland the Marquess’s course overlaps the county boundary dividing Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and presents a variety of rolling and undulating terrain. The predominant tree species are pine, spruce, sweet chestnut and oak, while there are a number of rare specimens such as Corsican pine, yew, rowan and beech.

Within a year of opening the Marquess’ Course hosted the first of two British Masters and hosted the English Amateur Championship in 2011.

In 2014 The Marquess’ Course was one of four courses in the country to be used to stage Final Qualifying for The Open Championship and in 2015 the British Masters returned to The Marquess’ and provided a tough challenge for some of the best golfers in the world.

The Duchess’ Course

The Duchess’ Course is sometimes considered to be the least challenging of the three Woburn courses, the junior sibling lying in the shadow of well respected and much heralded family members.

However, like many younger siblings, it’s not a charge the Duchess’ takes lying down. Nor is it one recognised by true aficionados. Anyone who has played the course knows this is a layout that demands as much respect as the adjacent Duke’s and Marquess’ courses.