Malden Golf Club

Malden Golf Club occupies a compact parkland site in New Malden, a suburban area in southwest London within the historic county of Surrey. The course was laid out by Alex Herd, a professional golfer who won the 1902 Open Championship at Hoylake and later turned his hand to course design in the early twentieth century. Herd's work here reflects the practical constraints of limited acreage near the capital, where golf clubs established themselves on whatever land remained available as London expanded outward. The layout makes efficient use of its modest footprint, with holes routed across gently undulating terrain typical of the Thames basin suburbs. Mature trees line many fairways, and the course requires accuracy rather than length, a common characteristic of parkland designs hemmed in by residential development. The playing corridors are generally straightforward, though strategic bunkering and the need to position drives carefully provide interest within the available space. Malden serves primarily as a members' club for local golfers, offering accessible parkland golf within easy reach of central London. The club has maintained its course through the decades as the surrounding area developed, preserving a green space for the community. It represents the type of modest suburban layout that has long formed the backbone of English club golf, providing regular play for members rather than seeking attention as a championship venue or destination course.