1 Night, 2 Rounds
Bulbury Woods is a 6,000 yard parkland course on the outskirts of Bournemouth, and it's one of those places where straight hitting beats trying to overpower the card. The fairways are framed by trees for much of the round, so if you're spraying it off the tee you'll be pitching out more often than you'd like.
It's a really enjoyable layout for a mixed-ability group because it doesn't rely on length to defend itself. There are plenty of dog-legs that ask you to pick a sensible line, shape a shot if you've got it, or simply take less club and keep it in play. The standout moment comes at the par-5 9th where you get a cracking look towards the Purbeck Hills and across Poole Harbour before you get back to the job in hand.
Off the course, the modern clubhouse works well for societies and group days, with a large outdoor patio looking over the 18th, a fully licensed bar and a restaurant that leans into local produce. Bulbury Woods is part of the Hobourne Group, who also run Crane Valley Golf Club nearby, so it's an easy one to pair up if you're building a short Bournemouth break.
Groups of eight or more can add food packages, and there's also a simulator you can hire for nearest-the-pin or long-drive competitions after your round. The location puts you handy for the coast and Bournemouth's bars and restaurants, with Purbeck views framing the course throughout.
Who is this for?
Golfers planning a Bournemouth short break who want a parkland test that prioritises accuracy, plus strong clubhouse facilities for groups.
Who is it best for?
Societies and mixed-ability groups, plus mid-to-high handicappers who play their best golf when they keep it in play.
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
At 6,002 yards Bulbury Woods looks manageable on paper, but it plays best when you treat it like a placement course rather than a driving contest. The tree-lined corridors tighten your angles and the dog-legs make you think about where you want your next shot from, not just how far you can hit it.
A good tip here is to pick a club you trust off the tee and stick with it. Keeping the ball on the short grass gives you far more chances to take on pins, and it takes the big numbers out of play. Miss the fairway by a yard or two and you can find yourself blocked out quickly, which is where course management really matters.
The greens have a strong reputation locally and are usually a highlight of the round. They're consistently firm and true, so if you're on the right line with your approach you'll have plenty of birdie chances. The flip side is that they'll punish a loose short game, so it's worth spending a few minutes on the practice green before you tee off.
The par-5 9th is the hole everyone remembers. Take a second on the tee to enjoy the view across the Purbecks and Poole Harbour, then focus on position. It's a dog-leg that rewards a smart first shot and a tidy lay-up more than a hero line through the corner. Get your angles right and you'll have a short iron in, but force it and you'll be scrambling.
If you're travelling as a group, the clubhouse set-up is a big plus for a post-round drink and a bit of banter, and the simulator is a fun add-on if you want to run a quick competition before heading into Bournemouth for the evening.
Include Bulbury Woods on your next Bournemouth golf break and pair it with Crane Valley for an easy two-course trip.
Edward
✓24 Mar 2026
Great course, well kept and very enjoyable.
Dave
✓27 Oct 2025
Mark
✓18 Sep 2025
Excellent, hidden gem, we will return again.
Dan
✓8 Sep 2025
Great greens and a decent layout
Lee
✓13 Aug 2025
Lovely little course, starts of fairly easy and then each gets better with some great positioning play holes.
Andrew
✓29 Jul 2025
Buggy needed again.
Gary
✓10 Jun 2025
Excellent course although rain spoilt day.
Gordon
✓1 Jun 2025
Dan
✓20 May 2025
We would never visit here again even if it were that last golf course on earth, the clubhouse was ok though and the head pro was very helpful.
David
✓5 May 2025
The greens were a disgrace. There was big gorges all over some of the greens. The fairways where to hard, so much so that it was hard to hold your ball on the fairway. Not impressed.
Tim
✓6 Apr 2025
Amazing tight and tricky course, conditions were really really good and the staff were amazing they greeted us on arrival and showed us around also felt like a really nice atmosphere from the off. Definitely going to visit again.
Paul
✓20 Aug 2024
Lovely golf course but you need to be accurate and straight off the tee from the 1st tee to the last. The greens were in very good condition but very slow but overall I would recommend playing Bulbury Wood Golf Club
Marc
✓15 Jul 2024
Decent enough course and the greens were very good. Some of the tee boxes could do with some work. Not one for hitting driver of the tee but more plotting your way around.
Tony
✓22 May 2024
Again handicaps 4 to 24 and enjoyed but course more average than other two. Easy course for walking and difficulty is in the greens. (Unfortunately ease of course not reflected in my score)
Susan
✓22 May 2024
Beautiful course, very had for a person newish to golf with lots of trees, a testing course. The course was in great condition would definitely recommend
Lenny
✓12 Sep 2023
Very good
Waldemar
✓22 May 2023
Very fast greens , tricky pins position very good fairways. Our favourite course from the golf trip.
Paul
✓24 May 2022
These budget three day things Friday Saturday Sunday home are great fun. A nice coarse to start Remady Broadstone Ferndown And two Fair coarses for the Saturday Sunday.For us we like Bulbury it’s the second time we have finished with it . It works
Michael
✓16 May 2022
Played this course many years ago, a tight course but enjoyable and in good condition
Neil
✓9 Nov 2021
Ron
✓12 Oct 2021
This was a very challenging course, and it's important to stay on the fairways, accuracy is the key here, but overall, a very enjoyable round.
Tony
✓30 Sep 2021
Tricky course with loads of trees surrounding fairways
John
✓18 Sep 2021
Very nice course in great condition but would not play in the winter as could be very wet
Glenn
✓15 Sep 2021
Tight fairways with lots of trees. Good greens with challenging slopes. Tricky to read putts
Simon
✓14 Sep 2021
Difficult to enjoy a game of golf when you are waiting on every hole. The course in places needed some TLC.
Jason
✓13 Jul 2021
A good society course to play as it wasn’t too long but very narrow in places due to the tree lined holes. The greens were in good condition and so were the fairways. Our round was over four and a half hours long though which is frustrating but we would still probably return.
Gary
✓11 Jul 2021
Colin
✓25 Jun 2021
excellent
Rachel
✓16 Mar 2020
I enjoyed the round
Dave
✓18 Sep 2019
Average golf course
Kevan
✓25 Aug 2019
Very good course and in great condition. Superb greens and we will play next year
David
✓10 Aug 2019
Very pleasant
Bob
✓22 Jun 2019
A friendly welcome on arrival. The course was in very good condition with some feature holes on the front nine. The back nine was a bit 'up and down'. Overall, very enjoyable.
John
✓18 Jun 2019
Graham
✓2 Jun 2019
A returning visit and as before made very welcome by the staff. The course and greens were in excellent condition. Will go back again.
