St Albans Rd,
Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 4RE
Office
+44 (0)208 441 7649Pro shop
+44 (0)208 440 4009Fax
+44 (0)208 440 2757Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Lee Cox (Director of Golf)Academy
The Shire AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Gently undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Rural countryside.
Designer:
Original design by Seve Ballesteros, with later improvements by Matt McGarey (2018).
Above distances are for the 18-hole Masters course. Also at The Shire is the nine-hole Ballesteros Academy course (a mix of par-3 and par-4 holes, on a smaller scale to the championship Masters course).
51.663838
-0.209244
21 miles N of central London.
Leave the M25 motorway at exit 23 (A1 London/A1081 Barnet). From the roundabout under the motorway, do not follow the A1. Take the smallest road leading off the roundabout, the A1081 direction Barnet. After 1.5 miles golf is on your right.
The Shire London: Set within 220 acres of predominantly open Hertfordshire countryside, The Shire combines three distinctive course styles: links, parkland and American. With an equal number of par-3s, 4s and 5s, the Ballesteros-designed Masters course lays down a demanding test for players of all abilities.
This pleasantly undulating and varied layout offers a number of different visual aspects. At times you'll enjoy a linksy feel with gorse and high fescues lining the generally good-width fairways. At other times the woodland plantations exude more of a parkland environment, while small lakes, ponds and ditches create an American style with water in play on 12 holes. Except for the par-4 9th and 10th, no two consecutive holes are the same par.
The opening four holes all bring water dramatically into play and add up to as fearsome an opening test as you'll experience anywhere. Seve's layout continually keeps you on your mettle, and builds to a very testing long par-4 18th. Here the final green is defended by an S-shaped lake (the S standing for Seve), which presents one of the toughest long approach shots you'll experience anywhere in the UK.
The course's visual variety mirrors the pleasant patchwork of rural countryside and woodland that occupies the gently undulating landscape beyond the course. Alongside the championship golf course and its contemporary clubhouse, The Shire London is also home to the Shire Golf Academy.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire.
Good
The Shire is the first and only Seve Ballesteros designed course in the UK, and one of the Bridgedown Group portfolio of golf courses in north and west London. These include: The West London Family Golf Centre (9-hole course, range and academy), and 18-hole courses at The Shire (2007), The Inspiration Club (2024), and The Legacy Club (2027). The Bridgedown Golf Group is owned by the Menai-Davis family.
Cockfosters Rd, Hadley Wood, London EN4 0PY
+44 (0)208 216 3900
Visit websiteThe historic mansion house of West Lodge has been in the Beale family for three generations. Here in a quiet rural setting you will find a top-quality North London hotel that offers a country retreat within a short drive of the capital. An excellent array of golf courses are all accessible from West Lodge.
No
Hadley Wood; Old Fold Manor; The Shire.
Brookmans Park; Porters Park; The Hertfordshire; Hanbury Manor; Brocket Hall; Mill Hill; Pinner Hill; Finchley; Chingford; Abridge; Moor Park; Sandy Lodge; The Grove.
Barnet By-Pass, London WD6 5PU
+44 (0)870 443 1271
Visit websiteSituated on the A1, one of the main arterial roads into London, the Holiday Inn London-Elstree offers extensive Leisure Club and dedicated conference facilities, as well as the onsite O'Sullivan's restaurant. Spacious, modern guest rooms have wireless Internet, power showers and complimentary tea and coffee.
No
Hadley Wood; Old Fold Manor; The Shire.
Brookmans Park; Porters Park; The Hertfordshire; Hanbury Manor; Brocket Hall; Mill Hill; Pinner Hill; Finchley; Chingford; Abridge; Moor Park; Sandy Lodge; The Grove.
124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.
79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).
Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.
Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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