Hampshire, England
Burley Golf Club is a 9-hole heathland course set within the New Forest in the village of Burley, Hampshire, accessible from both the A31 and A35. The club was established in 1905 on forestry land and the course has remained largely unspoiled in character since its foundation, retaining the natural sandy subsoil, coarse heathland vegetation, and undulating terrain typical of the region. Though the layout comprises nine greens, two sets of tees are used to provide a differentiated 18-hole experience, with the front and back nines presenting notably different challenges. From the men's tees the course plays to a par of 71 over 6,151 yards, with a course rating of 69.3 and a slope of 116.
The setting is one of the course's most distinctive characteristics. New Forest ponies and other wildlife roam the course freely, and views across the open heathland are a constant feature of the round. The sandy subsoil provides exceptional natural drainage, keeping the course playable throughout the year and typically within a couple of hours of heavy rain. The landscape shares qualities with the heathland courses of the Surrey sand belt — open vegetation, firm turf, and natural humps and hollows — giving it a character closer to a heathland links than a conventional parkland layout.
The club's history includes some modest structural evolution. During the Second World War the clubhouse was requisitioned as a military billet, with the army paying a rental for its use. In the 1970s, new holes were designed at the third and fourth, with working parties of members undertaking the clearance of gorse and old ground to create two new par 5s. The course hosts an annual Festival of Golf each July, with open competitions across several formats including a Seniors Open, Ladies Open, and Mixed Open, as well as a regular autumn fixture against the Hampshire County side.
