Abercromby’s 1919 heathland, being cleared back to its original lines by Frank Pont.
The Addington is a heathland course inside the London boroughs, on the Shirley Hills above Croydon and close to a tram stop. It has a single 18 and a story that runs from royal patronage to decades of neglect. Since 2020 the club has been stripping out trees, enlarging greens and rebuilding bunkers to bring back the course J.F. Abercromby finished in 1919. Visitors book online, at one fixed price from Monday to Thursday and another from Friday to Sunday.
Visitor tee times are booked online through the link on the club’s visitors page, and the price is the same whichever day of the week you pick in each band. The club does not publish a handicap limit, a booking window or visitor-time restrictions on that page, and it notes that restoration work can affect play, so call the pro shop before you book if the condition of the course matters to you. Groups of 16 or more can ask for a limited number of golf-day packages through the club’s contact page. The club office is on +44 (0)20 8777 1055 or info@addingtongolf.com.
Visitor green fee, Monday to Thursday. Friday to Sunday and bank holidays £195. The club publishes a single rate for each band, not seasonal prices.
| Monday–Thursday | £175 |
|---|---|
| Friday–Sunday & bank holidays | £195 |
Abercromby, a stockbroker with a plus-six handicap, set out to build a course to rival Woking, Walton Heath and Sunningdale. According to the club, he brought in Harry Colt for The Addington. Construction took place in 1914, but the war delayed the opening until 18 October 1919. Bobby Jones and the 1930 American Walker Cup team practised on the club’s second course, the New, which opened in 1923 and is now a housing estate. The surviving course is par 69 and about 6,300 yards from the white tees, so it is short by modern standards. It plays across rolling, wooded ground with heather and a run of strong par threes. The longest, the 13th, is 230 yards. Frank Pont of Clayton, DeVries & Pont, the restoration architects, has called it a Rembrandt found in the attic.
The Addington suits a round that fits around a day in London rather than a full golf trip. The practice area is compact: a short-game area with two greens, a four-bay practice net and a full-size putting green, but no full-length range, so warm up with wedges and putts. The head professional, Phil Womack, offers lessons that start with a 60-minute assessment, booked by email. Because the course is being restored in stages, some holes may have new bunkers, wider corridors or temporary greens when you visit.
Gatwick is about 20 miles south and London City about 15 miles north-east, each roughly 40 minutes by car; Heathrow is closer to an hour. Addington Village tram stop is the nearest public transport, and East Croydon station, with fast trains from London Bridge and Victoria, connects with the tram. The club is at 205 Shirley Church Road, CR0 5AB.
Nearby: 1. Walton Heath Golf Club (17 km) · 2. St George’s Hill Golf Club (29 km) · 3. Sunningdale Golf Club (41 km) · 4. The Grove (45 km) · 5. Hindhead Golf Club (57 km) · Compare all London & Surrey Heathland tee times
With no rooms at the club, most visitors stay in central London or Croydon. East Croydon has several chain hotels next to the station, a short tram ride from the course. Bromley and Beckenham, a little further east, offer quieter suburban hotels. If you are combining The Addington with Walton Heath, a base around Reigate or the Gatwick area covers both within half an hour each way.
Walton Heath is about half an hour south-west and offers a far more open, exposed heath. St George’s Hill is around 45 minutes west on the M25. Royal Blackheath, one of England’s oldest clubs, is about 25 minutes north. For a break from golf, Addington Hills viewpoint, a short walk from the club, looks over the whole London skyline, and central London is about 30 minutes by train from East Croydon.
These packages have a confirmed round at The Addington Golf Club in the itinerary, with the other courses, nights and hotels listed so you can compare like with like.
7 nights B&B, 5 rounds
Rounds: Royal St George’s · Royal Cinque Ports · The Addington · Walton Heath · Sunningdale
Stay: 3 nights at The Bell Hotel in Sandwich, 4 at Macdonald Berystede near Ascot
Two Kent links that have hosted The Open, then the Surrey and Berkshire heathlands, with Heathrow and Gatwick both close at hand.
Prices are Golfbreaks’ published per-person guide prices in US dollars, checked November 2026; your quote depends on dates and group size. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we work
The club publishes one rate per day band rather than seasonal prices, so a winter round costs the same as a summer one. The restoration runs in stages, and the club asks visitors to speak to the pro shop about how current work affects a given date. Regenerating the heather is part of the plan, so the course will look different from year to year.
Explore golf by monthYes. The club takes visitors online through its own booking system, at £175 Monday to Thursday and £195 on Fridays, weekends and bank holidays. Groups of 16 or more can ask about a limited number of golf-day packages.
J.F. Abercromby, a London stockbroker who also commissioned Worplesdon and Coombe Hill. The club’s history says he enlisted Harry Colt. Building began in 1914 and the course opened in October 1919.
Since 2020 the club has worked with Clayton, DeVries & Pont to restore Abercromby’s design. The work involves heavy tree clearance, bigger greens, a full bunker renovation and regenerating the heather.
Take a train to East Croydon, then the tram to Addington Village, the nearest stop. The trip takes about 45 minutes from central London, and the club is on Shirley Church Road.
Last checked 11 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
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