Golf's Most Exclusive Address
Queenwood opened in 2001 with a simple ambition: to be the best-conditioned, most private golf club in England. American entrepreneur Frederick D. Green funded the project, appointing Scottish architect David McLay Kidd – fresh from designing Bandon Dunes in Oregon – to build a course that would recall the golden age of Surrey heathland golf. The 18 holes (par 72, approximately 6,850 yards) run through mature woodland and restored heathland on the edge of Ottershaw, just a few miles from Wentworth.
The course draws from the heathland tradition of Sunningdale, Walton Heath, and Woking – sandy subsoil, firm fairways, heather-lined corridors through birch and pine. But the conditioning is closer to what you'd find at an elite American club. Greens are maintained to tournament standard year-round. The practice facilities are extensive. Everything about the operation is focused on the playing experience.
A Membership of Major Winners
Queenwood hosts no public tournaments and seeks no publicity. Its membership, capped at a few hundred, reads like a Who's Who of professional golf: Ernie Els, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Darren Clarke are all reported members, alongside figures from business and entertainment. Joining requires a shareholding (reported at approximately £223,000) plus annual subscriptions of around £15,000. There are no corporate memberships.
Controversy and Litigation
The club has not been without difficulty. In 2024, a group of members including Dermot Desmond and Ron Dennis brought legal proceedings alleging improper payments exceeding £6 million to founder Fred Green and associates between 2009 and 2023. The High Court ordered pre-action disclosure in December 2024. The dispute, centred on governance and financial transparency, was ongoing into 2025.
None of which diminishes the golf. Queenwood's course and conditioning rank among the best in the country, and for those who can secure an invitation, it delivers an experience that few clubs anywhere in England can equal.
