PARKSTONE GOLF CLUB
🏴 Poole, Dorset, England
Designed by Willie Park Jr.
Parkstone Golf Club sits on heathland terrain in Poole, Dorset, designed by Willie Park Jr. and opened in 1910. The course occupies sandy, well-draining soil typical of England's southern heathland belt, sharing geological characteristics with courses in the Surrey-Berkshire corridor. Park, a two-time Open Championship winner who became one of Britain's most prolific golf architects, routed the layout through natural heather, gorse, pine, and silver birch. The design reflects the strategic principles Park favored in his work, emphasizing thoughtful positioning over length and incorporating the natural contours and vegetation of the site.
The course measures around 6,250 yards from the back tees and plays as a par 72. The routing takes advantage of the property's gentle elevation changes and sandy subsoil, which allows for firm, fast-running conditions particularly valued in British heathland golf. Heather and gorse frame many holes, demanding accuracy from the tee, while the bunkering follows Park's characteristic style of strategic placement rather than purely penal design. Several holes move through corridors of mature trees, while others open to broader heathland vistas.
Parkstone has hosted regional amateur competitions and qualifiers over the decades, serving as a respected venue within Dorset and the broader southwest of England. The club maintains traditional members' golf culture typical of established British clubs, with the course remaining a well-regarded example of Willie Park Jr.'s heathland design work from the Edwardian era.
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Parkstone was designed by Willie Park Jr..
Yes. Parkstone at Parkstone Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Parkstone is 71.
Parkstone plays 6,251 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Parkstone is 143.
Parkstone is a 18-hole course.