One of Dorset's main claims to fame is that it has been the home for so many important literary figures over the years, including Wordsworth, Hardy, Stevenson, Fielding and Townsend-Warner. All lived here at one point or another in their lifetimes, and all fell in love with the same majestic scenery that, nowadays, attracts golfers from all over the country, and indeed beyond, to take to the tees in the region.
Indeed, someone once commented that the region offers the "best of both worlds" and this is certainly true as far as golf is concerned. Whether you enjoy links or parkland style golf, you will find plenty here to whet your appetite. The Dorset Golf and Country Club, near Poole, encapsulates this notion of finding something that appeals to all, as it offers two distinctly individual courses. The Championship Lakeland course, designed by Martin Hawtree, is laid out on generous fairways with marvellously constructed greens, which contrasts considerably with the Woodland course, which has tighter, tree-lined fairways and is carved through a forest of rhododendrons. Other courses of note include Moors Valley, Canford Magna and Highcliffe Castle. Truth be told, however, every one of these courses will appeal to discerning golfers and those who appreciate spectacular countryside.
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