Welcome to Colchester! A town famous for being Britain’s First City back in Roman times. But what most people don’t know is that you can also find some excellent golf courses in Colchester too.

Set in the county of Essex (where there are 76 golf courses in total), some of the best Essex golf courses are concentrated around Colchester.

With plenty of visitor attractions, historic sites, along with lots of cool places to eat and shop, you can find so much to do here to make this a solid holiday spot.

In this article, we’ll be covering some of the best golf courses in the area that are a must play!

Best Golf Courses Near Colchester

Below you’ll find some of the best golf courses nearby. They are all within a 30 minute or so journey from the centre of Colchester.

1. Colchester Golf Club

📌 Location: 21 Braiswick, Colchester CO4 5AU | 💷 Green Fees: from £35

If you want to check out the “officially voted” best golf course in North Essex, then Colchester Golf Club is where you need to be! 

The course is only one mile north of town, so it is quick and easy to get to.

This tree-lined layout was founded in 1907 and designed by James Braid. It’s a parkland-style course measuring in at 6,357 yards, and features a variety of different holes: two separate par 5s, four different par 3s, and a par 70.

The course is kept in great shape and is easily walkable for those casual golfers. 

It’s also played host to some pretty reputable tournaments! The likes of the Essex Open (PGA), the Essex Amateur Championship and the East Anglian Amateur Championship have all been played here. 

2. Five Lakes Golf Club

📌 Location: Colchester Rd, Maldon CM9 8HX | 💷 Green Fees: from £20

Located between Colchester and Chelmsford is a great pair of courses at the Five Lakes Golf Club. 

The Lakes Course is, as the name implies, based around some nice water features and designed to be your typical championship layout. It is a challenging par 72, 6,313 yard course that requires a bit of skill and power to your shots. 

The Links Course on the contrary is a shorter 5,813 yards, par 71. It has narrower fairways and difficult greens, placing a premium on accuracy. 

The new owners of Five Lakes Golf Club are however looking to turn the Links Course into a 9 hole par 3 course. 

Along with these two fantastic courses, there are practice facilities that you can use to brush up on your game before your tee time. This area features putting and chipping greens, a driving range.

Whatever you are looking for to enjoy your golf game, you can find it at Five Lakes Golf Club.

3. Stoke by Nayland Golf Club

📌 Location: Keeper’s Ln, Leavenheath, Colchester CO6 4PZ | 💷 Green Fees: from £30

At the Stoke by Nayland Resort in the Dedham Vale area, you can find two stunning championship-style golf courses to play.

The Gainsborough and the Constable courses were both established in the early 1970s and named after local artists. 

Both courses offer plenty of natural beauty, which in turn creates natural challenges for your game! 

The Gainsborough Course has an undulating terrain that is designed around four large lakes! It stretches to over 7,000 yards from the back tees, making it one of the tougher courses in the area. 

If you’re not a fan of the lakes, the Constable Course is built in more of a wooded countryside setting. It reaches 6,544 yards from the back so is a little shorted than the Gainsborough, but the occasional water hazards are there to catch you out!

Both of these courses get used for tournaments throughout the year, so join in on the fun during your visit!

4. Birch Grove Golf Club

📌 Location: Layer Rd, Colchester CO2 0HS | 💷 Green Fees: from £19

If you’re looking for a shorter course designed for golfers of all handicaps, you should try out Birch Grove Golf Club in Colchester. 

This layout may not be long, but it still has its challenges. It’s a classic parkland course that is protected with water, tree-lined fairways, complemented with well-kept greens. 

The club prides itself on its warm and welcoming environment, and with green fees available from just £19, you’ll struggle to find a better offer in the region!

5. Braintree Golf Club

📌 Location: Kings Ln, Stisted, Braintree CM77 8DD | 💷 Green Fees: from £45

Located 15 miles west of Colchester on the outskirts of Braintree is Braintree Golf Club. 

Founded in 1891 (albeit originally on a different site), it’s one of the oldest golf clubs in Essex.

The course reaches 6,185 yards from the back tees (par 70) and offers some great views throughout the round.

The current layout was well-designed by Fred Hawtree in the 1970s featuring well maintained greens and perfectly manicured fairways. 

Along with the 18 hole course, there are plenty of practice areas to hone in your long game, chipping or putting before heading out on the course. 

6. Frinton Golf Club

📌 Location: 1 Esplanade, Frinton-on-Sea CO13 9EP | 💷 Green Fees: from £28

For a golf game with a side of history, it’s worth heading out a little further to the coast to check out Frinton Golf Club. 

This course has gone through some challenges of its own through the years. From its original creation as a 9-hole course in 1895, to an 18-hole course designed by Willie Park Jnr in 1904, to then to being recreated post-WWII (after it had been turned into a minefield by the army)!

Today there are still two courses to choose from: the 9-hole Kirby Course and the 18-hole Havers Course. 

Both are beautifully designed and will provide a nice challenge to golfers of varying skill levels. Situated next to the seaside, they are links style golf courses, albeit you can’t see the sea due to the high sea wall! You will however notice the wind and the undulating fairways that require lots of course management. 

Final Thoughts

While there are plenty more golf courses in the surrounding areas, these are some of our personal favourites here in the Colchester area.

If you want to know about any other golf courses in the surrounding areas check out our page on all of the golf courses in Essex.

Alternatively, you can always search by postcode or town on our full UK golf course database to find the closest golf courses to you. 

Otherwise, we’ll leave you with a recap our 6 favourite golf courses near Colchester once more:

• Colchester Golf Club
• Five Lakes Golf Club
• Stoke by Nayland
• Birch Grove Golf Club
• Braintree Golf Club
• Frinton Golf Club