Hampton Court Palace Golf Club

The golf club sits on the grounds of Hampton Court Palace, which means you're swinging clubs metres away from where Henry VIII once walked. It's a proper exclusive setup - this isn't a municipal course you can just roll up to. The club has serious heritage, occupying land that's been tied to royalty for centuries, and the whole experience is wrapped up in that weight of history.

You'll need to be a member or have an invitation to play here, so this isn't a casual drop-in sort of place. The course itself winds through manicured grounds with views of the palace itself, which is frankly the main draw. Non-golfers won't get much from it, but if you're a golfer with access and you fancy telling people you've played where kings have ruled, it's a cracking story.

If you're staying at Walton on Thames Camping and Caravanning Club Site just down the road, you're only 2.5 miles away. Close enough to make it part of a proper day out - though again, you'll need membership or connections to actually play. Chessington World of Adventures Resort is 3.3 miles away if you've got kids who need adrenaline-fuelled distractions instead. The palace itself is free to explore the grounds if you just want to walk around and soak up the atmosphere without the golf club side of things. Worth knowing about, but only genuinely useful if you're a golfer with the right credentials.