Abercromby's Heathland Gem
Worplesdon completes the celebrated "Three Ws" of Surrey heathland golf, alongside Woking and West Hill. J.F. Abercromby laid out the course in 1908, with Willie Park Jr contributing the greens and bunker work. The result is 18 holes of par-71 golf over 6,500 yards, weaving through heather, pine, and silver birch on the sandy subsoil that defines the best Surrey heathland.
What distinguishes Worplesdon from its neighbours is its variety. The front nine is tighter, working through denser woodland, while the back nine opens up with longer carries across heather. The par-3 10th – 139 yards over Bridley Pond to a green defended by three bunkers – is one of the most photographed short holes in Surrey.
The Mixed Foursomes
The Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes has been held every autumn since 1921 and remains one of the most respected amateur foursomes events in English golf. Joyce Wethered – widely regarded as the greatest female amateur golfer of the 20th century – won it eight times between 1922 and 1933. Until the 1960s, the event attracted many of the best amateur players in the country, and it continues to draw strong fields.
Recent Restoration
Between 2019 and 2021, Worplesdon undertook a major restoration programme led by Tim Lobb of Lobb + Partners. All 80 bunkers were renovated, extensive heather was replanted, and the horseshoe bunker on the par-3 13th was reinstated to its original design. The work returned the course to something closer to Abercromby's original intent – firm, fast, and demanding of accurate iron play.
Worplesdon is ranked 79th in Great Britain and Ireland. It is a course that rewards repeated play – the subtleties of the greens and the strategic options off each tee take time to learn. Members know the value of that.
