Ferndown Golf Club

The Old Course opened in 1921 with Harry Vardon in the inaugurating fixture, though Harold Hilton, three-time Open Champion, had sketched out the routing nine years earlier. Lack of funds delayed construction, but when the course finally came to life it was worth the wait. At 6,452 yards from the tips, this is a heathland layout that demands accuracy over brute force, threading fairways between pine, heather and gorse with enough elevation shift to keep the ball moving and your club selection honest.

Golf Monthly included Ferndown in its top 100 British courses back in 2002, and it's long been regarded as one of the stronger heathland tests in the area. The Old Course offers heathland golf that rewards strategy, course management and a well-struck iron. Expect firm, fast-running fairways in summer, subtle breaks on the greens, and enough variety in hole design to keep every club in the bag earning its place.

It's championship golf with a members' club feel and it rewards repeat plays. Drive it well and you'll find fairways, but stray into the heather and gorse and you'll be scrambling. The greens are subtle, with movement that isn't obvious until you're standing over the putt, and they firm up beautifully in summer, demanding proper control with your approach shots. In firm conditions, controlling your distance is everything, especially into greens with more break than you first think.

The routing uses the natural contours of the land without forcing anything, so you're constantly adjusting for lies, wind and the way the ball runs on springy turf. It's the kind of course that gets better the more you play it, and if you're putting together a few days around the coast, Ferndown is an easy win to include.

The nine-hole Alliss Course might be shorter, but it's far from a token addition. With two distinct sets of tees, you can play it as an 18-hole loop that offers genuine variety and a different challenge second time around. The routing is relatively flat, making it an easy walk, and the design is forgiving enough for learners or higher handicappers without feeling trivial.

It's the perfect complement to the Old Course, ideal for a quick nine before dinner, a warm-up round, or simply a more sociable game when you want good golf without the full championship examination. Named after the Alliss family who shaped Ferndown's reputation, it's a fitting tribute, offering the kind of enjoyable, well-maintained golf that keeps you coming back.

If you're travelling with mixed handicaps, the Alliss Course is the one that keeps everyone happy. Strong players can make a score by being sharp with wedges and putting, while higher handicappers get a more forgiving round without feeling like they're just knocking it round a field. It's also a good option if you arrive early and want to stretch your legs before your main tee time, or if your group fancies a quick competition after lunch.

If you want to play it twice from the two tee sets, treat the second loop as a different course. Change the angles into the greens, pick different clubs from the tee and you'll find it asks different questions, even though you're on the same holes. The greens are well-protected, so you'll need to be accurate with your approach shots, and the bunkering is smart enough to catch anything lazy. It's a great extra round to build into a Dorset itinerary, especially if you want 27 holes and a bit of flexibility without feeling like you're just filling time.