Why Windmill Lodges is a Great Base for a Golfing Holiday

Many people start thinking about booking their summer holidays around this time of year, to give them something to look forward to during the depths of winter. A perfect option would be one of our hot tub holidays in Suffolk; you could use us as your base for a golfing holiday. Here we explain the advantages Windmill Lodges can offer, whatever standard you play at.

The Number of Local Courses

There are plenty of local courses in Suffolk within easy driving distance of our location in Saxtead. These include:

Aldeburgh – this club has two courses, a Championship course (18 holes) and a River course (nine holes). If you fancy playing either of them you should contact the pro shop (unless you are part of a larger group and want to play the Championship course, in which case you should contact the club secretary). It’s about 16 miles east of us and would make for a great day out on the Suffolk coast.

Thorpeness – Just to the north of Aldeburgh (and around the same distance from us) Thorpeness is an 18-hole championship course in the heart of Suffolk’s heathland coast (so expect to come up against plenty of gorse and pine trees). General play for visitors and green fee payers is available from 09.32am and 17.56pm (and can be booked online).

Ufford Park – this 18-hole course near Woodbridge (just over 11 miles to the south of Saxtead) is open to non-members as well as golf societies. The site also boasts a bar and restaurant, putting and chipping greens, as well as a floodlit driving range. Next door to Ufford Park is the family-friendly Congo Rapids Lost World Adventure Course, where you can just turn up and play (although it can be booked out for hen and stag dos, school trips, family occasions and corporate events).

Woodbridge – like Thorpeness, this venue at Bromeswell Heath has an 18-hole (Heath) course and a 9-hole (Forest) course as well. You will need a WHS handicap to play the Heath course. Visitors should book in advance, and this can be done online.

Fynn Valley, Witnesham – just under 12 miles south-west of us, this course was only established in 1991 but offers a nine- and an 18-hole course, a driving range, putting greens and a practice bunker. Green fees are up to £20 for a round on the nine-hole course, and between £35 and £160 on the main course (the last figure is for a weekday fourball). You can book online.

Stonham Barns – This course near Stowmarket (about 12 miles to the west of us) has an 18-hold adventure course called Smuggler’s Bay and should be something the whole family can enjoy. Like the Congo Rapids Course near Ufford Park, there’s no need to book – you can just turn up and play.  There’s also a driving range for some more serious practice.

Advantages of Using Windmill Lodges as a Base

Not only is Windmill Lodges in a convenient location for many of Suffolk’s courses, we also offer the chance to rest and recuperate in your own private hot tub after you have finished a day playing. Many golfers – particularly those who play a lot – can suffer from a variety of niggling aches and pains in their back, knees, wrists and hands, elbows and shoulders, and feet and hips.

Most of these issues involve muscle tightness, inflammation, tension and stiffness – all of which can be alleviated by a good soak in one of our hot tubs. In fact, some professionals have been known to use a tub as part of their exercise regime, before as well as after their round. For a full rundown of the health benefits of a hot tub, check out our previous blog post here.

And if you want a really healthy holiday in East Anglia then there are plenty of other activities you can enjoy. Our swimming pool is open over the summer, while there are plenty of walks to enjoy in the neighbouring Suffolk & Essex Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and there are a number of cycle routes through the area as well.

You can check out the latest availability of all our lodges here link or call 01728 685538. Our cabins are all fitted with fully-equipped kitchens, living rooms with TVs and DVD or CD players, plus a shower room or bathroom.