Gog Magog

Gog Magog Golf Club is a 36-hole private members club located at Shelford Bottom, approximately four miles south-east of Cambridge city centre, set on the chalk escarpment of the Gog Magog Hills in Cambridgeshire. The club was formally founded in October 1901 by John Bascombe Lock, though a rudimentary nine-hole course had been laid out in 1898 by W. Duncan, the resident professional at Coldham's Common, following an initiative by the Council of Gonville and Caius College. The course was extended to 18 holes the following year. Willie Park Junior visited in 1902 to advise on bunker placement, and subsequent modifications have been attributed to John Abercromby and Martin Hawtree over the years. The club today operates two distinct 18-hole layouts built on free-draining chalk downland, which gives both courses firm, fast-playing conditions throughout the year.

The Old Course plays to a par of 70 over approximately 6,398 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 71.7 and a slope of 121. It occupies hilly, undulating terrain that surprises many visitors expecting the flat fenland landscape typical of Cambridgeshire, and the opening holes climb steadily from the clubhouse to reveal panoramic views across Cambridge and northward to Ely Cathedral rising above the Fens. The course emphasises accuracy over length, with tricky, sloping greens regarded as among the most demanding in the region.

The Wandlebury Course, designed by Hawtree Ltd and opened in 1999, plays to a par of 72 over 6,735 yards with a course rating of 72.5 and a slope of 133. It is built on ground that was the site of an ancient Iron Age hillfort, and Stone Age flint tools were discovered on the fourth fairway during a mandatory archaeological survey prior to construction. The Wandlebury has USGA specification greens and offers a more open test with room to use fairway woods, though deep rough penalises wayward shots significantly.

In terms of tournament pedigree, the Old Course is home to the annual Lagonda Trophy, one of England's most prestigious amateur stroke play events, whose past winners include Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Andy Sullivan. The Wandlebury Course served as a Regional Qualifying venue for The Open Championship from 2007 to 2011. The club was historically associated with the University of Cambridge, with membership at one time reserved for graduate members.