Stoke by Nayland – The Gainsborough Golf Course
We get the best tee timesPTS Protected · ATOL for flightsSince 1981 · 4.9★ on GoogleA specialist replies promptly
About Stoke by Nayland – The Gainsborough Golf Course
The Gainsborough Golf course at Stoke by Nayland on the Essex and Suffolk border is one of two courses on this picturesque complex.
Regarded as the tougher test, the Gainsborough Course measures 7,000 yards with a Par of 72. The beautifully undulating terrain and four substantial lakes provide golfers of all abilities with a challenging test of their skills.
The 10th requires a drive and second shot over the same lake, when played from the medal tees, and has been voted one of the most outstanding holes in East Anglia by the Professional Golf Association. Undulating, and if you feel a little peckish, there are plenty of fruit groves around the course to choose from!
You can play and stay at the very comfortable hotel just a chip shot from the first tee.
- Play and stay at the hotel and spa
- 36 holes
- Buggies
- Trolleys
- Clubhouse - restaurant and bar facilities
- Driving Range & Academy
Our take
At 7,000 yards the Gainsborough is the tougher of Stoke by Nayland's two courses, and its four big lakes get involved far more often than four suggests.
- Serious golfersThe 10th is the hole you will talk about, a drive and then a second shot back over the same lake off the medal tees. At full stretch it asks serious questions of your long game.
- Higher handicapsWater waits on a big share of the holes here, so play a forward set of tees and the carries shrink to something sensible. Come armed with more balls than pride.
- SocietiesTwo courses on one complex makes the 36 hole day simple, with the Gainsborough as the morning headliner and its gentler sister saved for the afternoon.
Tell us who’s coming and how you like to play, and we’ll shape the right trip around you.
What you are actually facing
The walk. Flat, and an easy walk.
The wind. The wind is usually south-westerly, averaging 14 km/h, gusting to 43. It is the club selection that catches people out, not the yardage.
The water. 17 hazards in play. Bring a few more balls than you think you need.
Terrain and prevailing-weather data, read hole by hole. It is our own assessment of how the course plays, not an official course or slope rating.
The course at a glance
WHERE TO STAY
Places to stay while you play Stoke by Nayland – The Gainsborough Golf Course
Base yourself near the course — every venue here includes Stoke by Nayland – The Gainsborough Golf Course in your golf holiday.
Tap a hotel to open it, or zoom in on the satellite view to see how close each one sits to the first tee.
Where to stay while you play Stoke by Nayland – The Gainsborough Golf Course
1 hotels package this course — cheapest first, every one tailored to your group.
View detailsFromGolf resort
Thorpeness Golf Club & Hotel
Golf at Stoke by Nayland – The Gainsborough Golf Course
Stay & play — from