William Gadsby Peet goes in search of the finest gastronomical golfing experiences in and around Berkshire
There’s nothing quite like a gorgeous summer’s day spent driving, chipping and putting your way across a golf course. It is as close to enjoyable as exercise can get, and one of the few sports in which you can spend several hours playing and socialising simultaneously.
And what does one fancy after a hard day chasing birdies? A slap-up meal of course! Fortunately Berkshire and the surrounding area contains an embarrassment of riches when it comes to gastronomic golfing.
Fore! starters we’ve got the gorgeous Oakley Court right in the heart of Windsor. Now whilst the resort’s miniature 9-hole course is closer to a pitch and putt than a full golf course, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable way to pass an hour or so and its brevity is more than made up for by the delights on offer at Oakley Court’s various eateries.
The kitchen has its own smoke room that produces a variety of mouth watering cured meats and there’s even a walled garden for fruit and veg, providing plenty of fresh, seasonal ‘soil to plate’ ingredients.
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Oakley Court's terrace
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Gary Fielder
Oakley Court
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WILL JOHNSTON
Oakley Court
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WILL JOHNSTON
Oakley Court
On a warm summer’s day guests can dine al fresco on the terrace with a view over the stunning landscaped gardens and river Thames, and if it’s just a drink you’re after you can even sit by the river bank and have your poison of choice delivered to you on the resort’s wonderful beverage buggy.
If you’re looking for a sterner test of your golfing mettle, Donnington Grove on the outskirts of Newbury is home to one of Berkshire’s most challenging courses. The 18-hole parkland course has hosted two European Pro Tours and benefits from the river Lambourn running through it, providing plenty of natural beauty for golfers to enjoy and some tricky water hazards to circumvent.
The chefs at Donnington’s restaurant are clearly followers of Curnonsky’s ideology that “In cooking, as in all the arts, simplicity is the sign of perfection.” The kitchen specialises in no nonsense British food that is low on frivolity but high on quality. Expect classics like slow-braised beef shin, pan-fried venison and confit duck leg, cooked to perfection with plenty of fresh seasonal veg.
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Stoke Park
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Maureen McLean
Stoke Park
Stoke Park
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Maureen McLean
Stoke Park
Stoke Park
And finally for the pick of the bunch, I’d recommend Stoke Park country club in Buckinghamshire, just North of Slough. The club’s championship standard, 27-hole golf course is a sprawling thing of beauty, and can even boast the high honour of having been the filming location of James Bond’s epic golfing duel in the 1964 classic 007 movie, Goldfinger.
The food on offer is no less impressive with a variety of dining options including afternoon tea at the Orangery, and some classy Mediterranean fare at the club’s San Marco Italian Brasserie.
However, the crème de la crème at Stoke Park has to be Humphry’s, winner of three AA Rosettes under head chef Chris Wheeler, and an absolute hole in one (sorry!) of a restaurant. The food really is good enough to justify a visit even without a round of golf, and I would particularly recommend the seven-course tasting menu that is a scrumptious journey through modern British cookery with some smart little twists like sherry glazed onions and lemon grass dumplings.
Add to that panoramic views of the Stoke Park grounds and you’ve got an overall experience that’s well below par for the course.
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