Dorset is a hive of great golf courses. Packed full of entertaining heathlands and parkland courses which are some of the very best in the country.
I recently got the chance to play one of those golf courses – Broadstone Golf Club, and it’s safe to say it did not disappoint.
Here’s a quick review of the brilliant Broadstone Golf Club.
Broadstone Golf Club Reviews
Our Rating
Overall [4.7/5] | |
Course Design/Layout | |
Course Difficulty | |
Course Conditions | |
Green Conditions | |
Pace Of Play | |
Facilities | |
Hospitality | |
Practice Facilities | |
Food & Drink | |
Value For Money |
Course Information
Wentworth Drive, Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 8DQ. Opened in 1898.
18 Holes Course | Par 72 | 6393 Yards | Heathland
broadstonegolfclub.com
Location
Nestled away in 250 acres of Dorset countryside sits Broadstone Golf Club. The Dorset golf club sits on a vast expanse of rolling terrain that is a dream location for golf.
Originally built and designed in 1898 by a prolific designer of the period, Tom Dunne. The golf course was later redesigned in 1914 by one of the all-time greats, Harry Colt, known for his other work at Blackmoor and Brokenhurst Manor.
Broadstone Golf Club Green Fees
18 holes | |
Summer Midweek Monday to Thursday (1st Apr – 31st Oct) | £125 |
Friday / Saturdays / Sunday (after 2.00pm only) | £140 |
Broadstone Golf Club Scorecard
Broadstone Golf Club Slope Rating
Tee | Gender | Slope Rating |
White | Men | 139 |
Yellow | Men | 130 |
Red | Women | 119 |
Pre-round Thoughts
Dorset is a brilliant place for golf. If you’re booking a golf trip, the whole area offers a wonderful place for a golf break which includes world-class golf courses, great nightlife, and a superb location.
Having played a few of the other top Dorset golf courses previously, Broadstone Golf Club had until now, been missed off.
Ranked 87th in the Top 100 golf courses list and number one in Dorset, sitting above the likes of Remedy Oak and Parkstone. I knew I absolutely had to tick this heathland golf course off my list. The club has also hosted many top national tournaments including the English Amateur Championship in 2023.
For a green fee, Broadstone Golf Club isn’t cheap to play as you might expect from a course ranked so highly. The cheapest rate you’ll get in the Summer season is £125 which is a lot of money in anyone’s book.
However, we managed to jump on a really great Winter offer which got us golf and some food for £70, which is certainly easier to stomach.
When we arrived, the club was very friendly indeed. A warm welcome in the well-stocked and presented pro shop, as well as the bar for our pre-round breakfast.
It’s a Winters day in February. The sun is shining, albeit it’s still a little chilly and the wind is blowing.
The Course
Broadstone Golf Club is a big heathland golf course that gives you everything you would want from this style of golf course.
Heathland golf provides a wonderful test of golf, with heather and gorse surrounding the fairways and greens. Each fairway at Broadstone Golf Club flows freely through the swathes of wonderful heathland course elements.
The great mix of holes gives a good variety to enjoy. A heathland fan’s dream, this course features several holes that are up and down, with vast slopes and magnificent views across the 250 acres of land and throughout the Dorset countryside.
If you’re missing fairways, it can easily ruin your scorecard as the heather and gorse are very dense, and finding a ball, let alone hitting it, becomes challenging.
When you get to the greens, they’re a sloping array of difficult undulations and tiers. On the day, the greens were surprisingly slow. However, for a February round, it’s totally reasonable to be protecting the greens for the Summer.
For a par 70, it’s not an overly long course at 6393 yards off the back tees. Both nines offer a difficult set of holes, with a couple that you can make your score on.
Front Nine
The front nine features the only two par 5s at Broadstone Golf Club, plus a nice range of par 4s and a couple of really strong par 3s. If you can pick up a few shots early on, it will help ease you into the round.
Par 3s – 6th, 8th
The first par 3 at Broadstone Golf Club is one of my favourites. The 6th plays slightly uphill and club selection is very important. Anything short will fall away into the rough or one of the three bunkers. Clubbing up is a better option as the bank at the bank will help anything too aggressive.
Next up is the 8th hole and the 194 yards par 3 is an excellent test. Carrying it over the deep heather and gorse which runs across the hole is crucial. Favoring the left side is the better play for most golfers. Once you get to the green you can look back onto a visual treat. Amazing views across the vast expanse of land.
Par 4s – 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th
The par 4s on the front at Broadstone Golf Club provides a good mix of long and short holes. Number 2 is a tough uphill hole to a green which is heavily elevated.
The 3rd goes the opposite direction back down the hill and plays much shorter. A tee shot short of the small pond in front of the green, will leave you a short pitch to a green that slopes from front to back.
The 4th hole is another which plays uphill and the second shot will need more than you think to get it all the way back. Number 5 provides a nice risk/reward short par 4, which if you choose to layup, is not an easy shot to get right.
The 7th at Broadstone Golf Club is a truly unique hole that I’ve never experienced anything quite like before. The hole is broken up into 4 sections, the tee box, the first fairway, the second fairway and the green area. Follow the maker off the tee and then avoid the cross bunkers and fairway heather short of the green. The 7th is certainly a hole that helps to have some prior course knowledge.
Par 5s – 1st, 9th
The two par 5s at Broadstone Golf Club bookend the front nine. The 1st is a nice start to the round, as long as you can find the fairly narrow fairway. Stick to the left side as this will take the water hazard and heather out of play on the right.
The 9th is slightly longer at 510 yards from the white tee box. A slight draw with driver is the play here as it will leave a straighter approach shot to the green. The slight dogleg left brings into the play the small trees on the right side of the fairway about 130 yards short.
With a good tee shot, the two par 5s at Broadstone Golf Club provide a good opportunity to pick up a birdie and are great golf holes.
Back Nine
The back nine at Broadstone Golf Club features seven par 4s and a couple of interesting par 3s. Fewer opportunities to pick up a shot and some really stunning holes to enjoy.
Par 3s – 11th, 15th
Despite being stroke index 15, the 11th is a good challenge that can be a nightmare for any shorter hitters. Slightly longer than the 174 yardage, getting the ball all the way up to the flag isn’t easy. The green is two-tiered and surrounded by four imposing bunkers.
15 plays downhill and features some wicked green undulations which can really catch you out. At 196 yards, it certainly isn’t a guaranteed 3 and will require a well-placed tee shot to a friendly position on the green.
Par 4s – 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th
Following a fairly long walk from the 9th green, the 10th hole is one of the only real holes where the tee box is the same elevation as the green. Favor the left side as everything will off right towards three menacing bunkers. The green has a tough slope on the left side which will leave you a tricky up and down if your ball does miss left.
The fairly short 12th plays all the way uphill and the fairway winds up through the heather. Next, you’ve got the long 13th, playing 442 off the backs and one of the toughest at Broadstone Golf Club. The fairway narrows the further you hit it off the tee and then the green feeds down to the left. The front-to-back slope can be difficult to stop the ball on.
14 is perhaps my favourite hole at Broadstone Golf Club offering a brilliant elevated tee shot down to a fairway that slopes upwards to the green. With a good tee shot you won’t be left with too much club for an approach that again needs more club than the yardage.
The 16th is another of the longer, more challenging holes that plays the distance from the backs. 17 is a little shorter and does play downhill so it feels much shorter. The small ditch that runs across the fairway shouldn’t be an issue for most and the green includes a bunker on either side.
18 is a fairly gentle finishing hole, after what has been a pretty brutal test of golf. Keep your drive up the right and let it feed around with the contours. Hit the green in regulation and end in style.
Our Verdict
There’s no doubt that Broadstone Golf club is one of the finest examples of a heathland golf course on the South coast. It truly is a heathland fan’s dream place to play golf.
The golf course has absolutely everything required for a proper test of golf and provides something that is truly memorable. It’s hard to really find any faults in the layout or condition of the course, and not one hole feels out of place or un-thought out.
It’s certainly not a course for the faint-hearted, and having a pretty good golf game and a level of fitness is required if you want to get the best out of your round.
The greens were in good condition and probably the only thing that let them down was the speed was a little slow. But for the end of February, it’s hard to really complain.
It’s safe to say, the Broadstone members get an absolute treat getting to play this golf course regularly. The great layout, through the rolling terrain, has so many fantastic holes to test your game and several holes offer magnificent views of far and wide.
Great condition, stunning views, an epic test of golf, and a friendly team and service – Broadstone Golf Club is a delight that must be experienced by any serious golfer.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for our look at the fantastic course at Broadstone Golf Club. If you’re in the area, it’s a must-play, especially if you enjoy a heathland course with amazing scenery and beautiful golf holes.
If you enjoyed this review of Broadstone Golf Club, check out other reviews of similar golf courses such as Liphook Golf Club and Blackmoor Golf Club.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.