Bentley Golf & Country Club

Bentley Golf & Country Club sits in Pilgrims Hatch on the western edge of Brentwood in Essex, approximately twenty miles northeast of central London. The course occupies gently rolling countryside characteristic of this part of the Thames Basin, with mature woodland and established parkland forming the setting. The design is attributed to Swan, though detailed records of the original layout and subsequent modifications are not widely documented in major architectural references. The course serves a private membership that includes both golf and broader country club amenities typical of Essex clubs established during the twentieth century. The routing makes use of the natural topography, with holes moving through corridors of trees and across more open ground. Drainage and playing conditions benefit from the region's clay-based soils, common to courses in this part of Essex. Bentley functions primarily as a members' club for the local Brentwood and surrounding Essex communities, offering regular club competitions and social golf rather than hosting professional tournaments or major amateur championships. The club facilities include dining and social spaces that support the traditional country club model prevalent in the Home Counties. The course provides a straightforward test of golf suited to a range of abilities, with length and challenge appropriate to club-level play rather than championship demands.