Bedfordshire is one of the smallest counties in England for golf, with just 28 golf clubs in the area. However, what it lacks in quantity, it certainly makes up in quality.

Some of the finest clubs in Bedfordshire boast a stellar reputation, long history and a picturesque course. Alongside this, the ecological progress being made in this county was a pleasure for our team to work with and learn more about.

Dunstable Downs Golf Club

Dunstable Downs Golf Club is, at 800ft above sea level on the Chiltern Hills, one of the highest inland courses in the UK with fantastic views over the Downs and on into Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire beyond. It is a true downland course which in itself is fantastic for course drainage. We spoke to George Little who is Head Greenkeeper at the club, who gave us some great insight into the course and its ecology.

The main advantage of Dunstable Downs being a downland course is that fescue grass grows in abundance. This is high-quality grass that is a joy to play on. From an ecological perspective, there are now between 5 and 10 small wildflower areas spread throughout the course. These encourage not only the growth of the flowers but also attract butterflies and other wildlife. A good healthy population of buzzards and kites (of the bird variety!) can also be found flying over the course.