With plenty of great golf courses in Surrey, it’s not difficult to find one of top quality. However, a lot of these will cost you a lot of money to play.
Pyrford Lakes Golf Club in Woking, on the other hand, is a much cheaper alternative to the likes of West Byfleet or Woking Golf Club.
I recently got the chance to play Pyrford Lakes and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. In this article, we’ll have a quick look at what to expect if you make the trip to Pyrford Golf Club.
Pyrford Golf Club Reviews
Our Rating
| Overall [3.5/5] |    |
| Course Design/Layout | |
| Course Difficulty | |
| Course Conditions | |
| Green Conditions | |
| Pace Of Play | |
| Facilities | |
| Hospitality | |
| Practice Facilities | |
| Food & Drink | |
| Value For Money | |
Course Information
Warren Lane, Pyrford, Woking, Surrey, GU22 8XR. Opened in 1993.
18 Holes Course | Par 72 | 6235 Yards | Other
pyrfordgolf.co.uk
Location
The golf course at Pyrford Lakes is set in 23 acres of lakes in the Surrey countryside. The area of outstanding natural beauty combined with deep woodland gives the golf course a distinctive and unique characteristic.
Designed in 1993 by the great Peter Alliss and Clive Clark, the club is very accessible by car, just 5 minutes off the A3 and M25.
Pyrford Golf Club Scorecard
Pre-round Thoughts
Surrey is widely known for its great golf courses. A huge selection of world-class venues for playing golf. But with that comes a hefty price tag, which is either out of budget or just a waste of money for a lower-standard player.
I’d heard a lot of good things about Pyrford, mostly that it’s pretty good value for money and an interesting test of golf.
At £45 for a Saturday afternoon tee time, I was happy to pay that and see for myself.
Getting to the club is pretty easy. A short drive up the A3 and then a few minutes off it through country roads and magnificent woodland.
As you drive into the club, you get a sense of what’s to come with a view down the heavily watered 10th hole.
We’ve got a really nice day for golf, albeit a little busy but it is Saturday afternoon after all.
The professional shop staff are really friendly and give us a warm welcome on arrival. The sun is shining and there’s a gentle breeze – perfect weather for golf!
The Course
The Pyrford golf course is split into two separate nines, with the front nine on the other side of the road and the back nine on the clubhouse side.
The club is set in the Pyford Lakes area of outstanding natural beauty with the course working its way through the various lakes, mounds and surrounding woodland, all of which feature a host of wildlife and gentle undulations.
This layout means that the course’s main defence is water hazards. Pretty much every hole is protected with some form of water hazard, that’s ready to swallow up wayward golf balls.
As well as the water, the golf course has plenty of long rough just off the fairways which can be tricky to find a ball, let alone play out from.
Pyford golf course is all about positioning and does require a careful strategy to keep your ball in play. It’s certainly not a long golf course, at 6235 yards from the back tees, the par 72 is protected by the number of hazards in play.
Front Nine
The front nine is the shorter of the two nine holes. It has a good mix of holes and features the longest hole on the course.
Par 3s – 2nd, 6th
The first par 3 comes at the 2nd and plays 164 yards from the backs. The circle green is guarded with three front bunkers and plays slightly longer than the yardage.
Number 6 is the shortest hole at Pyrford, playing just 127 yards. It’s vitally important to hit enough club to clear the front pond, which can be tricky with the wind swirling. The green slopes from back to front, so it’s best to keep your tee shot short of the flag here.
Par 4s – 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th
The 1st is a slight dogleg left par 4 with a pond running across the front of the green. The long kidney-shaped green is narrow at the front it all slopes away from the front.
The 3rd is one of the tougher tee shots, with water all down the right-hand side. Playing further left off the tee is the safe play, but it will also open up the green for the approach.
The 5th plays fairly straight with a narrow green and a few bunkers for protection.
7 and 8 then follow and are fairly similar holes with water to carry from the tees and a green guarded by bunkers short. Both holes are a good chance to pick up a birdie if the tee shot is played into the correct position.
Par 5s – 4th, 9th
Number 4 is the first of four par 5s at Pyrford. This relatively short par 5 has a narrow fairway. Most players should be able to get over the water running across the fairway in two shots, but for some, it will require a layup.
The 9th is perhaps the most interesting and difficult hole on the course at 579 yards and with water running most of the way up the right-hand side. Even with a good tee shot, the dogleg right hole will require an accurate layup to avoid the water. The approach shot will then be all the way over water to a sloping green.
Back Nine
The final nine takes you back to the same side as the clubhouse and are the tougher of the two.
Par 3s – 10th, 17th
The 10th hole is certainly one of the more spectacular and probably the signature holes at Pyrford. In front of the onlooking clubhouse and practice green, the tee shot plays all the way over water, with the bailout down the left. It’s certainly a nervy tee shot from the back tee box.
The 17th again heavily features water, with a good tee shot required to carry the large pond.
Par 4s – 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th
The 11th plays the longest of the par 4s and is the hardest on the card. The real challenge here comes from the length and the fairway bunkers. If you can get a good tee shot away, it will make the approach shot a little easier.
13 plays slightly uphill and doglegs to the left. The tee shot needs a good carry-over water and so does the second shot into the green.
The 14th is a classic risk and reward hole, with a reachable green that has water running all up the left-hand side. The safe shot is a layup down the right, with more room than it appears from the tee. Longer hitters will be able to take the green on, but there’s little room for error.
15 is another short hole, with the same pond as 14 down the left side. Out-of-bounds right tends to push you towards the water from the tee but the fairway is fairly wide.
The final par 4 comes at 16, playing 361 yards from the black tee box and features another mighty water hazard just left of the green.
Par 5s – 12th, 18th
The 12th and the 18th are both really interesting par 5s, with a whole lot of water to ruin a score. The 12th is tight and difficult to pick the right line, which most likely leaves a layup for the second shot and a short pitch shot on.
18 is a good finishing hole and if played well, a good chance to finish the round well. For longer hitters, a driver might be too much club as water runs out at about 290 yards. If you’re going for the green in two, the bail-out is right as water plays all up the left.
Our Verdict
After an enjoyable round at Pyrford Golf Club, it’s clear to see that it’s a lovely spot for a round of golf.
The course is set up in fantastic condition and for the time of year, the greens were rolling well. Not overly quick and a little furry, but certainly true.
The rest of the course was well maintained, with fairways and aprons in very good condition. There had been a lot of rain leading up to us playing, so some areas were struggling a little with drainage and a couple of the lakes were overflowing.
I’m not overly sure how the course would hold up in the wettest Winter months, but the club claims the extensive drainage ensures it is playable.
Some areas around the tees and putting surfaces were also a little worn, but overall the condition was good.
The course itself is a good test of golf. It’s definitely not long compared to some of today’s modern designs, but it’s certainly not a place you can overpower.
For longer hitters that are confident off the tee, there’s a few good chances to go for the longer carries but this will often require flirting with a watery grave.
For the less experienced player, the hazards might almost be too challenging to contend with. Unfortunately, this also means slow play and it certainly wasn’t a quick 18 holes for us.
Overall, I think for the price, you won’t find many better courses in the area than Pyrford Golf Club. The unique design ensures an interesting few hours of golf, which will challenge even the best players in achieving a good score.
Whether it’s a casual game or an important match, Pyrford Golf Club is an ideal place for 18 holes and the relaxed clubhouse atmosphere is a great way to end the round, especially with one of their wood-fired pizzas.
What I Love:
- Interesting layout
- Smooth greens
- Good value
- Superb clubhouse
What Could Improve:
- Speed of play
- Greens speed
Final Thoughts
If you’re after a good test of golf in the Surrey area, that won’t cost you too much and will offer an enjoyable place to spend a few hours, Pyrford Golf Club could be a great choice to play golf.
A great course and friendly atmosphere, well worth a visit if you’re after some good golf.
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.
