‘Putt’ an early swing into autumn golfing breaks with Airport ‘Par’-king & Hotels’ guide to UK airport hotel golf courses
Booking a stay at an airport hotel the night before a trip not only allows travellers to catch a few more hours of sleep before a long day of travel but can also allow golfers to enjoy an extra round of golf before leaving the UK at a nearby golf club. For golfers eager to tee-off at a UK golf course before heading to one of Europe’s golf courses this Autumn, the award-winning airport parking operator and retailer APH has compared the facilities of 19 golf clubs near 21 of the UK’s airport hotels.
The research compares the facilities, course offerings and green fees for golf clubs situated within a 20-minute drive from an airport hotel serving 10 airports in the UK, including Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester.
For a quick game of golf before catching a flight, three of the clubs located near airport hotels are home to nine-hole courses, with 14 offering an 18-hole golf course. Travellers from the West of England looking for an even larger course are in luck, since Stonebridge Golf Club near Ibis Birmingham Airport and Woodspring Golf & Country Club near Hampton by Hilton Bristol Airport both offer 27-hole courses. For those who want to improve their golf swing, three of the golf clubs located near airports also boast driving ranges, including Styal Golf Club, which is just 10 minutes’ drive away from Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport.
Tech-savvy golfers travelling from London can book a session at the indoor golf simulator centre Lets Golf Horley, which is located just a 5 minutes’ drive away from the Holiday Inn Gatwick and offers three high-definition golf simulators that allow visitors to play on world-famous golf courses virtually against PGA professionals. Similarly, Stockwood Park Golf Centre near the Holiday Inn Luton Airport allows guests to play ‘footgolf’, which is a combination of football and golf.
To help golfers ‘fore’-get the everyday routine ahead of their travels, facilities away from the greens at the 19 golf clubs researched include club houses at the majority, including Ringway Golf Club near Manchester, which also boasts two full sized snooker tables. For a spot of pre-flight pampering, Golf World Stansted offers massages, nail treatments and more at the on-site health and beauty salon.
Green fees for a round of golf at each club ranges, with the lowest priced option costing £11 for a weekday tee-time after 3pm at Stockwood Park Golf Centre, which is within a 10 minutes’ drive away from London Luton Airport. The highest priced option is at Bishop Stortford Golf Club, which is just a 5 minutes’ drive away from Novotel Hotel Stansted Airport and charges £58 per non-member to play the 27-hole course.
Golfers should keep in mind that tee-time bookings at golf courses near their chosen airport may need to be made in advance. For example, Gogarburn Golf Club near the Holiday Inn Express at Edinburgh Airport requests that bookings are made at least seven days in advance and this increases to 16 days for those who wish to play at Stockley Park Golf Club near London Heathrow.
TALL PINES GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Hampton by Hilton Bristol (5 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, bar and restaurant
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £26
• Booking is required and is taken seven days in advance
WOODSPRING GOLF CLUB & COUNTRY CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 27-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Hampton by Hilton Bristol (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house with function rooms, plus a private bar for up to 150 people and free parking spaces
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £14 for nine-holes
• From £22 for 18-holes
ST ATHAN GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• Nine-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Celtic International Hotel (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house with function rooms, a bar and free car parking spaces
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £15
BRYNHILL BARRY GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Celtic International Hotel (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Wedding and function rooms, a bar, golf shop, changing rooms and showers
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £15
TURNHOUSE GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• Two loops of nine holes
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh (10 minutes’ drive)
• Holiday Inn Express (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house with function rooms and practice facilities
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £15
• Booking must be made at least five days in advance
GOGARBURN GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 12-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh (10 minutes’ drive)
• Holiday Inn Express (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £11
• Booking must be made at least seven days in advance
RENFREW GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Normandy Hotel Glasgow (1-minute drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £25
LETS GOLF
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• Indoor Golf Simulation Centre
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Holiday Inn Gatwick (5 minutes’ drive)
• Crowne Plaza Felbridge Gatwick (10 minutes’ drive)
• Sandman Signature London Gatwick (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• HD Golf Simulators, golf shop, restaurant and F1 racing simulators
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• Golf simulator session from £19.99
• Learn from a pro from £39.99
IFIELD GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Holiday Inn Gatwick (10 minutes’ drive)
• Crowne Plaza Felbridge Gatwick (10 minutes’ drive)
• Sandman Signature London Gatwick (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house and bar
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £20
THORNEY PARK GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Crowne Plaza London – Heathrow (10 minutes’ drive)
• Sheraton Heathrow Hotel (10 minutes’ drive)
• Thistle London Heathrow (15 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, restaurant, changing rooms and shower facilities
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £15 for 18 holes
• From £15 for nine holes
STOCKLEY PARK GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Crowne Plaza London – Heathrow (5 minutes’ drive)
• Sheraton Heathrow Hotel (10 minutes’ drive)
• Thistle London Heathrow (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Bar and restaurant
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £10
• Booing must be made at least 16 days in advance
STOCKWOOD PARK GOLF CENTRE
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
• Footgolf facilities
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Holiday Inn Luton (5-minute drive)
• Hilton Garden Inn Luton North (15 minutes’ drive)
• Courtyard Luton Airport (5 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, pro shop, free car parking spaces, changing rooms and shower facilities, bar and café
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £11
CADDINGTON GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Holiday Inn Luton (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, car park and buggy hire options
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £12
SOUTH BEDS GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Hilton Garden Inn Luton North (15 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, snooker room (members only) and a bar
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £20
BISHOP STORTFORD GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Ramada Stansted (5 minutes’ drive)
• Novotel Hotel Stansted (5 minutes’ drive)
• Holiday Inn Express – London Stansted Airport (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, bar and restaurant
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £24 for nine holes
• From £48 for 18 holes
• From £58 for 27 holes
GOLF WORLD STANSTED
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• Nine-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Holiday Inn Express – London Stansted Airport (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Venue hire, gym, fitness class, health& beauty salon, café, bar, pro shop and caravan site
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £14
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STYAL GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
• Footgolf facilities
• Driving range
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Britannia Airport Hotel (15 minutes’ drive)
• Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house with bar, practice facilities and golf shop
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £22.50
RINGWAY GOLF CLUB
GOLF COURSE TYPE
• 18-hole course
NEARBY AIRPORT HOTELS
• Britannia Airport Hotel (10 minutes’ drive)
• Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport (10 minutes’ drive)
FACILITIES
• Club house, meeting room for up to 20 people, snooker room, changing rooms, bar, restaurant, golf shop and buggy hire options
GREEN FEES PER ADULT
• From £20 for nine holes
• From £30 for 18 holes