Cleeve Hill Golf Club

Overview: Cleeve Hill is an 18-hole course laid across the open ground of Cleeve Common above Cheltenham. At roughly 330 metres, the setting feels exposed and expansive, with broad views across the Cotswolds and few enclosing tree lines. The fairways follow the contours of the hill, asking players to judge how the ground will shape a running shot and how the wind changes the distance. Its character comes from the shared common landscape as much as from the golf itself.

History: Cleeve Hill’s course dates to 1891 and is associated with Old Tom Morris. The setting is Cleeve Common, a protected landscape where golf takes place alongside conservation and public access. The course has maintained that open, hilltop character over more than a century, while later consulting work has focused on preserving its relationship with the common rather than imposing a heavily built resort style.

Did You Know? Cleeve Common is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sheep and cattle graze the common, so golfers share the terrain with livestock and with the people who use its paths. That combination of golf, grazing and conservation is a defining feature of a round here, and helps explain why the course feels so different from a conventional enclosed parkland layout.