Stunning new Clubhouse with bar/catering facilities. Function room, Proshop. Practice facilities still being constructed.
Founded in 1924, Richmond Golf Club is set in Richmond Park, (one of London's seven Royal Parks and, covering 2,400 acres, the largest of the Royal Parks).
Richmond Park has two courses, the Princes opened in 1923 and the Dukes opened in 1925. The courses are owned by The Royal Parks Agency and open to the public on a 'Pay & Play' basis.
Contact the club for tee times and prevailing costs.
This is a public course very close to central London and I have rated it accordingly. For the money you really couldnt ask for more. There are two 18 hole courses and good driving range. The clubhouse is very welcoming as are the staff. I have played both courses and the Princes is probably the hardest of the two. And the hillier. And the ground staff do a pretty good job of keeping it very playable and open in all conditions.
I started to learn to play golf at RPGC 25+ years ago; this is the new layout for the 5,204 par 68 shorter Princes course; opened in May 2014. The 'new' course includes some new holes plus a few that were part of the original Dukes course. Generally I was happy with the layout of the new Princes course. However, it has to be said that the condition of the bunkers was appalling; either because of insufficient sand in them or more gallingly too many examples of animal burrowing holes under the bunker rims. Secondly; some of the greens were in poor condition because of the effects of recent hollow-tining maintenance. At the £15 seniors green fee it was reasonable VFM; at the full rate I'm not so sure. I expect that the course will be in better condition with a further winter/spring maturing period.
Played the Princes course. Pretty course with some lovely views. Recently re-modelled to facilitate the position of the new clubhouse (which is very nice). The greens on the whole were good but speed varied between old and new ones, which wasn't easy when you didn't know which was which. Fairways were a bit bare in places but overall not too bad. The rough wasn't bare at all! Tee boxes were the biggest let down as the grass needed cutting on many of them and others were bare and marked. That said, it was great value for money, especially if you are a senior, and I enjoyed it.
The 18th is a totally new short Par 4, look straight and easy but danger awaits: a stream/ditch some 60 yards from the green, 3 or 4 bunkers carefully guarding the green and the large new lake at the back of the green......very interesting.
The new greens are good but not as firm as the originals which have always been excellent by their conditions, contours & ondulations but still a pleasure to putt and 1st class for local Pay & Play courses.
The layout is fluid, well sign posted, fairways could be better, the 1st cut could be shorter, the rough is tough, always take provisional off the tee if you are not a straight hitter as no guarantee you will find your ball. Old tee boxes could do with TLC.
Due to the disappearance of the old members of staff, one does not feel yet the warm atmosphere that used to be @ Richmond Park but I am sure that in a few months time, things will get better.
The outside terrace overlooking the new lake is a real pleasure on a sunny day like today .
Still a very popular venue, there could have been more thoughts put into new layout, placement of the two 18th greens, ie. nearer the terrace so one can watch the final putts whilst enjoying a drink. The air blower/shoe cleaner is in the wrong place, at the start of the 2 courses, so when you finish your round you are 100 metres away from it......no way to leave your golf bag in view when enjoying the 19th hole, so one must return to the Car park for safety.