Wildernesse Club

Wildernesse Club: quietly tucked away just below the village of Seal, and open to visitors on a Thursdays-only basis, here you'll find another in London's seemingly inexhaustible supply of excellently designed and well-groomed parkland golf courses.

Consistently rated amongst the top courses in the county of Kent, this absorbing and natural course effortlessly flows through the woodland sections of the Wildernesse Estate. The layout's handsomely tree-lined fairways and perimeter, contain a wonderful array of mature oak, beech, copper beech and birch.

The layout's gently undulating contours lead to greens, many of which are long and narrow. From the fairways, they present what look like relatively small targets, perched above their indomitable bunker defences. Straight driving and avoiding the attractive fairway and greenside bunkering will serve you well here. That said, the good-width fairways and second-cut of rough should generally inspire confidence rather than intimidation from the tee.

At just over 6,500 yards from the tips, the course weaves its way out and back for 13 holes. The 14th tees-off close to the large, modern, comfortable clubhouse, to start a final five-hole loop. That it still remains difficult to beat par, is a tribute to the original design, which has stood the test of time for decades.

Pick of the holes: amongst many attractive holes, there are three attractive par-3s on the back-nine. The uphill par-3 15th, with its wooded backdrop, has something of a Sunningdale feel to it. The three back-nine par-5s, at 11, 12 and 18, are also holes that catch-the-eye.