Meyrick Park Golf Club provides a historic parkland challenge right in the heart of Bournemouth, making it an excellent addition to a Dorset golf holiday. Established in 1894, the 18-hole championship course occupies around 120 acres of mature, tree-lined parkland. Its sandy soil helps the course remain playable throughout the year, while the undulating terrain and tight playing corridors place far more emphasis on accuracy and course management than outright distance.

At a little over 5,600 yards, Meyrick Park may appear relatively short by modern standards, but its layout quickly proves otherwise. The round begins with one of its most memorable challenges: a par-three opening hole measuring more than 200 yards, played across a valley to an elevated green. Peter Alliss regarded it as one of golf’s toughest opening holes, so there is very little time to ease yourself into the round.

The 14th is another standout. This tree-lined dogleg demands accurate positioning from tee to green and was famously praised by Henry Cotton. Across the course, mature woodland, elevation changes and narrow approaches mean golfers are continually asked to think about where to leave the ball rather than simply hitting driver from every tee. The closing 18th returns towards the clubhouse, finishing the round with another approach where position and distance control matter.

A practice area is available for warming up before play, while visitors can also hire equipment through the pro shop. The on-site Lodge makes Meyrick Park particularly convenient for stay-and-play breaks, with Bournemouth’s restaurants, bars and seafront also close by.

For groups building a longer Bournemouth golf break, Meyrick Park combines particularly well with Parkstone, Broadstone, Ferndown and Isle of Purbeck, giving golfers access to an excellent mixture of parkland, heathland and coastal golf within a relatively small area.