Hadden Hill Golf Course

Hadden Hill sits just outside Wallingford in Oxfordshire, a proper 18-hole course that's been around long enough to have character but not so famous that you'll be queuing for a tee time. The layout meanders through countryside that actually feels like countryside - proper rolling fairways rather than some sterile residential development shoe-horned into the stockbroker belt.

It's a straightforward affair, the kind of place where golfers go to play golf rather than to be seen playing golf. You'll get a solid afternoon out of it, usually finishing in four to four and a half hours without the sort of pace-of-play headaches you get at fancier clubs. The greens are maintained to a reasonable standard and the rough will punish you if you're off-line, which keeps things honest.

This works well for holiday-goers camping nearby - Benson Waterfront and Bridge Villa are only a few miles down the road, so you can knock off an eighteen holes without wasting a day of your break on the road. It's the sort of course that appeals to mid-range golfers rather than beginners or serious competitors. If you're just after a pleasant morning's golf while holidaying in the area, you could do far worse. Worth ringing ahead to check membership requirements and green fees - some clubs have restrictions for casual visitors, though most will take you on for a day rate.