Kings Lynn Golf Club

King’s Lynn Golf Club — woodland golf in the Castle Rising woods

Turn off the road at Castle Rising and King’s Lynn Golf Club unfolds through the trees, its fairways carved into rolling woodland where the corridors of oak, pine and silver birch make every drive feel narrower than the card suggests.

King’s Lynn Golf Club is a mature, tree-lined course at Castle Rising, a few miles north-east of King’s Lynn in Norfolk. Founded in 1923 and settled on its present wooded site since 1975, it plays to a par of 72 over around 6,605 yards from the championship tees. Designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas as the very first course of their celebrated partnership, it is widely regarded as one of the finest inland courses in East Anglia, demanding straight, controlled driving through the trees.

Key Details

• Location: Castle Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 6BD
• Length: approximately 6,605 yards (championship tees)
• Par: 72
• Designers: Peter Alliss & Dave Thomas (present course, 1975); original 1923 course by James Braid
• Established: club founded 1923; present Castle Rising course opened 1975
• Notable: among Norfolk’s top-ranked courses; the celebrated 10th is rated one of the best holes in the East of England

History and significance

The club traces its origins to 1921, when a group of local businessmen first met to form a golf club; the original eighteen holes, laid out by the great James Braid at Leziate a few miles east of King’s Lynn, opened on 30 May 1923 as the King’s Lynn & District Golf Club. The club joined the Norfolk County Golf Union in 1926 and built its reputation over the following decades.

The defining change came in 1975, when the club moved to its present home in the woods at Castle Rising. The new course was the debut design of the partnership between Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas — a pairing that would go on to shape courses across Britain and Europe — and their routing through the mature woodland has given King’s Lynn its distinctive, tree-lined character ever since.

The course and how it plays

This is classic woodland golf: rolling, well-drained ground threaded through dense stands of trees, so that each hole plays down its own secluded corridor. The fairways look narrow from the tee, and being straight is far more valuable than being long — stray into the trees and par disappears quickly.

The greens are true and the wind, funnelled and swirled by the woodland, can be surprisingly tricky to read, so club selection is rarely straightforward. It is a course that asks for discipline and shot-making rather than raw power, which is exactly why good players rate it so highly among East Anglia’s inland tests.

Signature holes

King’s Lynn is admired for the consistent quality of its woodland holes rather than a string of gimmicks, but one hole stands above the rest.

Hole 10 (Par 5)

The 10th is the course’s most celebrated hole and is regarded as one of the best in the East of England. A genuine three-shotter that plays through the Castle Rising woods, it tempts the bold while punishing anything loose with the ever-present trees, making it as strategic as it is beautiful.

Around it, the rest of the round keeps up the pressure: tight, tree-lined driving holes where position off the tee dictates everything, and greens that demand a precise approach. It is the overall standard, hole after hole, that leaves the strongest impression.

Why play King’s Lynn Golf Club

You play King’s Lynn for a proper test of driving and shot-making in beautiful, secluded woodland. It is a course that rewards the thinking golfer and holds its condition well on free-draining ground, with a genuine design pedigree as the first Alliss and Thomas collaboration.

Paired with the history of nearby Castle Rising and Sandringham, it makes an excellent centrepiece for a golfing visit to west Norfolk.

Clubhouse and facilities

The spacious clubhouse looks out over the closing hole and the putting green, with comfortable lounges and Hanlon’s restaurant serving everything from breakfasts and light lunches to full dining. There is a well-stocked professional’s shop, where tee times and tuition can be arranged, and a putting green for warming up. A function room adds to the club’s appeal for societies and events.

Green fees and booking

Visitors are welcome, generally midweek and on Sundays, with tee times booked through the professional’s shop or online. As a guide, a full round typically costs around £100 on weekdays and about £110 at weekends, with lower rates for twilight play, county card holders and juniors. A smart-casual, soft-spike dress code applies.

Fees are reviewed regularly, so treat these as an approximate guide only. For current green fees and tee times, check the official website.

Getting there and parking

The club is in the village of Castle Rising, a few miles north-east of King’s Lynn.

• By car: follow the A149 King’s Lynn to Hunstanton road and take the turn signposted for Castle Rising village, from where the golf club is well signed.
• By public transport: the nearest railway station is King’s Lynn, around four miles away, with onward local bus or taxi to Castle Rising.
• Address & parking: King’s Lynn Golf Club, Castle Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 6BD. On-site parking is available.

Where to stay

There is no accommodation at the club, so the natural base is King’s Lynn, with plenty of choice a short drive away.

Dependable options in and around the town include the Premier Inn and Travelodge in King’s Lynn, while the Best Western Plus Knights Hill Hotel & Spa at South Wootton offers a more resort-style stay close to the course. Together they cover everything from a simple overnight to a comfortable base for a longer west-Norfolk golfing trip.

What to pack

Woodland golf rewards accuracy, so bring the clubs you drive most reliably and a healthy supply of spare balls for the tree-lined holes. Pack layers for the Norfolk wind, which swirls unpredictably through the trees, along with waterproofs and well-gripped shoes for the undulating ground. A smart-casual outfit will keep you comfortable in the clubhouse afterwards.

Nearby attractions

West Norfolk is rich in history and coastline, with several highlights close to the course.

Conclusion

A Braid heritage, an Alliss-and-Thomas design and a setting deep in the Castle Rising woods — King’s Lynn is one of Norfolk’s most rewarding inland courses, a driving test of real quality that stays in the mind long after the trees close in behind you. For any golfer in west Norfolk, it belongs on the list.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Can visitors play King’s Lynn Golf Club?

Yes. King’s Lynn welcomes visiting golfers, generally on weekdays and Sundays, with tee times booked through the professional’s shop or online. A smart-casual, soft-spike dress code applies both on the course and in the clubhouse. Societies and larger groups are also catered for and are usually arranged through the club office in advance. As this is a well-regarded members’ club on a popular woodland course, booking ahead is recommended, especially in the busier summer months. For current visitor information, availability and tee times, check the official website, which carries the up-to-date details.

How much are green fees at King’s Lynn Golf Club?

Green fees are charged by day of the week rather than a single flat rate. As a rough guide, a full eighteen-hole round typically costs around £100 on a weekday and about £110 at a weekend, with better value available through twilight rates, county card discounts and reduced junior fees. Because the club reviews its prices regularly, these figures are indicative only and should not be treated as exact. For the current green fees, twilight and society rates, and tee-time prices, check the official website, which always lists the up-to-date visitor charges.

What makes King’s Lynn Golf Club special?

Its combination of design pedigree and setting sets it apart. The present course, opened in 1975, was the first ever collaboration between Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas, laid out through mature woodland at Castle Rising, while the club’s roots go back to a James Braid course of 1923. The result is a tight, tree-lined test that prizes accurate driving over sheer length, with the celebrated par-five 10th regarded as one of the best holes in the East of England. Add its free-draining ground and consistent condition, and it ranks among Norfolk’s finest inland courses.

How do I get to King’s Lynn Golf Club?

The club is in the village of Castle Rising, a few miles north-east of King’s Lynn in Norfolk. By car, follow the A149 King’s Lynn to Hunstanton road and take the signposted turn for Castle Rising village, from where the golf club is clearly signed; the postcode for sat-navs is PE31 6BD and there is parking on site. By train, the nearest station is King’s Lynn, around four miles away and served by direct services from London King’s Cross and Cambridge, with a short local bus or taxi ride to complete the journey to Castle Rising.