Three of Dorset’s top golf clubs have established their place in the latest Great Britain & Ireland Top 100 rankings issued by leading consumer golf titles.
For the first time, Parkstone, Ferndown and Broadstone are all featured in Golf Monthly’s top 100 courses rankings, following a rigorous two-year assessment process, which saw multiple visits from a range of reviewers. Testing everything from the layout of the course, to the quality of the playing surfaces, as well as the off-course facilities, the new rankings saw Parkstone climb nine places to 82; Ferndown’s Old Course became the highest new entry at 90; while Broadstone re-entered the list at 96.
The three courses work closely together, along with other quality local courses such as Isle of Purbeck and Brokenhurst Manor, to promote the area as a golfing hot spot. Generating over £1 million for the local economy through visiting golfers alone, the area is hugely popular as a golfing destination, with players enjoying stunning courses from a variety of venues of their choosing.
Mike Harris, editor of Golf Monthly, commented: “It is fabulous to get the three historic Dorset clubs in our prestigious rankings, all are great clubs which continue to challenge the benchmarks each one sets. The golfers of Bournemouth and Poole are fortunate to have these magnificent courses on their doorstep.”
Michael Sawicki, manager of Parkstone, paid tribute to those involved. “This climb up the rankings has been a real team effort from the staff and members of the club, both past and present, and it is great to see their hard work rewarded.”
Ferndown’s general manager, Ian Walton, who has been at the club for nearly five years and has overseen a number of changes and improvements to both the Old Course and the recently re-named
Alliss course, was also thrilled. “During my time here, we have made huge strides forward and being the highest new entry in Golf Monthly top 100 is proof that all of these improvements have paid off.”
Broadstone’s manager, Ed Richardson, was also pleased to see the club, which was once described by Bernard Darwin as ‘the Gleneagles of the South’, back in the list. He commented: “It is fantastic to be back in the top 100. Our golf course, set in a rare unspoilt heathland with SSSI status, is a real treasure and the staff and members here are rightly proud of the club’s history and the golf course. These pats on the back are just rewards for the staff, but also spur us on to keep improving.”
All three clubs have renewed their commitment to promoting the area by working with Golf Tourism England to enhance links with hotels and tour operators. This will help ensure that Dorset remains a fabulous place for golfers to visit which adds to the other numerous attractions of the area. Having three courses now ranked within both Golf Monthly and Golf World’s Top 100 rankings ensures that it is a hard package to beat.
For details on golf breaks to play Dorset’s top heathland tracks, visit http://dorsetheathlandgolftour.co.uk