Basingstoke Golf Club: A £20m Downland Masterpiece

When I stood on the first tee at Basingstoke Golf Club, I realised that I’m not just about to play a round of golf, far from it in fact. I’m actually about to club my way into the next chapter of a century-old North Hampshire story. The green rolls gently upland, the fairways stretch out like ribbons of green velvet and somewhere behind the tee box, the low hum of conversation drifts from the clubhouse terrace, where I hope the promise of lunch and a few boasts (or laughs) at my performance awaits.

I’d been genuinely excited to visit Basingstoke Golf Club for a while now. But this wasn’t just any tee time. I was here with a friend, invited to spend a day playing, dining and experiencing what has quietly become one of Southern England’s most ambitious golf projects. A £20-million transformation that has turned it into a modern masterpiece of English golf hospitality.

The Heritage

The story begins with tradition. Founded in 1907, the original Basingstoke Golf Club was laid out at Kempshott Park with fairways shaped by none other than James Braid, the five-time Open Champion whose designs still define some of the country’s most cherished courses. For more than a century, it was a local favourite, known for its tree-lined tranquillity and understated charm.

But history, however revered, is not immune to progress. In 2021, the club took the bold decision to relocate just over the M3 to Dummer by acquiring the land once occupied by Dummer Golf Club.

It was a move of quiet audacity. A geographical nudge of barely half a mile that symbolised a seismic shift in ambition. With Weller Designs (the acclaimed golf architecture firm behind Woburn and The Berkshire) commissioned to create a new downland layout, the stage was set for something remarkable.

The new course began to take shape around 2023, each hole sculpted to celebrate the natural undulations of the Hampshire countryside. Gone is the previous aesthetic; in its place, a sweeping, fescue-framed landscape with strategic water features and broad fairways that invite as much as they challenge.

As the new general manager, David Green, put it, the project was an opportunity few in golf ever get: “a chance to start almost completely from scratch”. And in doing so, Basingstoke has created not a reinvention of its past, but a celebration of what golf in the 21st century can look like when given the opportunity.

The Investment

If the relocation was bold, the investment was nothing short of transformative. An estimated £20 million has been poured into the redevelopment, not merely in bricks, turf and technology but in the thoughtful creation of a community destination. The new clubhouse (designed by Feilden+Mawson) is a study in contemporary English architecture. Elegant without ostentation, spacious without sterility, its interior blending natural oak tones, soft lighting and panoramic windows that spill sunlight across the bar and restaurant.

It’s the kind of space that invites you to linger long after your round. From the veranda, the view sweeps across rolling fairways towards the distant Downs. An image of serenity interrupted only by the soft thud of a well-struck iron from the 18th.

The club’s new facilities reflect its forward-thinking ethos: a driving range equipped with the latest ball-tracking technology (which opens in May 2026), expansive short-game areas and putting greens designed to challenge even the most disciplined strokes. Sustainability, too, sits at the heart of the project. Two vast lagoons now store over 33,000 cubic metres of water, providing self-sufficient irrigation for the course. The introduction of fescue and ryegrass ensures durability, reduced maintenance and a return to the natural downland character that defines this corner of Hampshire.

Behind the greens and fairways, a new leadership team has been quietly assembled to steer the club into its next era. In February, the Club will see the appointment of Jake Field as course manager - another statement of intent. Having earned his stripes at Edgbaston Golf Club and with experience at PGA National Sweden and Harbour Town Links in South Carolina, Field brings both international pedigree and a perfectionist’s touch.

His mission: to elevate Basingstoke’s conditioning to a level befitting its ambitions and provide the kind of playing surface that enhances the play of every visiting golfer.

The Course

Our day began under soft, overcast skies. The new downland layout, as reimagined by Weller Designs, immediately impresses. It’s a course that rewards precision and creativity rather than brute force. The opening holes set the tone: wide fairways framed by tawny fescue, subtly contoured greens and a design that feels both deliberate and natural.

From the back tees, the course stretches to over 6,800 yards but it never feels too punishing. Instead, it demands game management as each hole offers multiple lines of play, each risk tempered by reward. A few stand out even after a single visit. The par-5, 4th that tumbles down towards a water hazard for instance, is as visually striking as it is strategic. The short par-3, 5th that follows requires nothing more than a precise mid-iron, yet anything less than perfect will see your ball rolling into a hungry bunker below the green.

There’s a tangible newness to everything right now. The greens, a blend of creeping bent are true and firm, their subtle breaks demanding attention rather than guesswork. Around them, the conditioning is already superb and offers the kind of detail that only comes from a greenkeeping team with both skill and pride.

What struck me most, however, was the sense of shelter when needed. Downland golf can so easily feel windswept or exposed, but here the rolling topography offers shelter and rhythm in several places. It’s as if the land and layout have found a mutual understanding and the 13th is a perfect example of that.

The Clubhouse and Dining: Modern English Hospitality

After 18 holes and a brief moment to collect ourselves, we made our way to the clubhouse, a building that perfectly mirrors the course’s blend of tradition and innovation. Inside, the atmosphere was warm and refined.

We were met by staff who carried that rare balance of professionalism and genuine warmth, attentive without intrusion, friendly without familiarity. Over lunch, as the afternoon sun finally began to appear, it became clear that the hospitality offered by Max Rauber and his team is as much a part of its offering as the golf itself.

The restaurant, still gleaming from its recent opening, is more than a clubhouse dining room; it’s an event space in its own right. Locally sourced ingredients anchor a menu that’s seasonal and elegant without pretension. My dinner, a Cottage Pie with seasonal vegetables, was more a challenge to see if it was better than mine - of course, I lost that particular battle. My playing partner’s 1907 Prime Burger with gem leaf, onion jam and thousand island dressing disappeared without a trace.

Leadership and Legacy

Much of this transformation has been guided by David Green, whose tenure as general manager has brought both vision and calm authority to the project. A former PGA professional with a background spanning some of southern England’s most scenic clubs, Green speaks of Basingstoke not as a business venture, but as a community reborn.

Under his stewardship, membership demand has soared - the waiting list now full - and the club’s ambition to earn a place among the UK’s Top 100 courses no longer feels fanciful. Later this year, Basingstoke will unveil its full practice complex, completing the transformation that began just a few years ago.

For Green and his team, however, the project is not simply about prestige. It’s about continuity, building a new legacy that honours more than a century of golf in Basingstoke while embracing a sustainable, forward-looking future.

A Club Reborn

There’s an unmistakable sense that Basingstoke Golf Club has a new stride. It has the bones of a great course, the heart of a welcoming club and the polish of a luxury retreat. For members, it’s a home reborn; for visitors, a course well-worth travelling for.

https://www.basingstokegolfclub.co.uk/