Studland, Dorset, United Kingdom
Isle of Purbeck Golf Club, founded in 1892, features two courses set within a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Dorset. The Purbeck Course is a heathland layout characterized by gorse, heather, and rare flora situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty overlooking Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island, and the Solent. The fifth hole is particularly notable, with views King Edward VIII famously described as among the finest in his kingdom.
The course demands strategic play rather than raw power, with four par-3s each facing different compass points, creating distinct wind-dependent challenges. Recent conditioning improvements have enhanced playability. Today's Golfer ranked the Purbeck Course 67th among X-Factor courses in the UK. The club works collaboratively with the RSPB, National Trust, and Natural England on a landscape restoration programme, removing approximately 80 percent of gorse and non-native trees to reintroduce natural heathland and encourage wildlife. The clubhouse, built in 1966, features distinctive architectural elements including giant fossils in its walls, reflecting the club's rich history and its connection to the Wilkinson Sword Company.
