Hadley Wood Golf Course

Hadley Wood Golf Club is a private members’ golf club in Barnet, North London, England. Founded in 1922, the course was designed by Alister MacKenzie, the Scottish architect later responsible for Augusta National, Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne. The club is generally regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of MacKenzie's work in the south of England and has developed a strong reputation in golfing architecture circles in recent years following an extensive restoration programme carried out between 2023 and 2025. Hadley lies around 25 minutes from Central London by rail and close to Junction 24 of the M25. History The course occupies former hunting land connected to historic Enfield Chase and was developed around Beech Hill Park, whose Georgian mansion now serves as the clubhouse. Hadley Wood officially opened in May 1922. Early exhibition matches involved some of the leading professionals of the period, including Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. Vardon reportedly returned a score of 71 against a bogey standard of 78 during the opening event. MacKenzie's routing made use of naturally undulating ground uncommon for a London parkland course. Elevated greens, diagonal bunkering and strong internal contours became defining features of the layout and, in retrospect, many of the ideas later associated with Augusta National were already visible in embryonic form at Hadley Wood more than a decade earlier. Over time, tree growth and incremental architectural changes softened some of the original strategic intent of the course, although the underlying strength of the routing continued to attract architectural interest. Restoration works In 2023 the club commenced the most significant course renovation programme in its history. The project was led by golf course architect Clyde Johnson, with Brett Hochstein involved in shaping and restoration detailing. The aim was not to dramatically alter the golf course, but rather to recover many of the strategic and visual characteristics associated with MacKenzie's original design philosophy. Works carried out over the two-year programme included: reconstruction and repositioning of bunkers, green expansions, tee enlargements, drainage and irrigation upgrades, selective tree removal, turf replacement and re-grassing, and the restoration of lost sightlines and playing angles. Particular attention was given to bunker styling, with irregular “MacKenzie-style” edges and flashing intended to reconnect the course visually with its Golden Age origins. A number of holes, especially the 3rd, 10th, 14th and 17th, received notable architectural attention during the works. Expanded green surrounds and more open playing corridors altered both strategy and presentation while remaining sympathetic to the original routing. The completed project drew widespread attention across golf architecture media and significantly raised the club's national profile. Course Hadley Wood is a par 71 parkland course characterised by rolling terrain, elevated greens and strong natural movement through woodland and open corridors. Although relatively short by modern championship standards, the course is known more for positioning and strategy than brute length. Many greens fall away sharply at the sides and place a premium on approach play from the correct angle. The closing stretch is often regarded as one of the strongest sequences on the course, particularly the short par-4 15th and the heavily bunkered 17th, both of which reflect MacKenzie's preference for risk-and-reward golf. The club has frequently been described as one of the most architecturally interesting courses within the London area. Rankings and reputation Following completion of the restoration works, Hadley Wood rose notably in several golf course rankings and has increasingly featured in discussions surrounding the best courses in and around London. The course has been included in national and regional rankings by publications including Top 100 Golf Courses, Golf World and National Club Golfer. Top 100 Golf Courses described Hadley Wood as occupying “a genuinely singular position in English golf architecture”, citing both the quality of the original MacKenzie design and the sympathetic nature of the recent restoration work. The club has also received favourable commentary from golf architecture writers and content creators, particularly for the way the restoration exposed more of the land movement and strategic character that had become obscured over time. Transport and accessibility One of Hadley Wood's distinguishing features is its accessibility relative to other highly regarded English golf courses. Hadley Wood railway station is within walking distance of the club and provides direct access into Central London. Journey times to King's Cross and Moorgate are typically under 30 minutes. The club is also located close to the M25, making it readily accessible from Heathrow, Luton and Stansted airports. References