THE GRAND TOUR

Rob Smith reflects on a fulfilling journey as he passes the major milestone of 1,000 British Isles golf courses

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Seven years ago, and perhaps as proof of a misspent adulthood, I reached the landmark figure of having played 1,000 golf courses around the world. And to quote editor Neil Tappin, “but none of them properly!” He has a point, and while I then thought this could well be my final significant golfing milestone, I more recently realised I might also be lucky enough to make it to 1,000 courses, not in total, but far closer to home... within the British Isles. As you can imagine, playing somewhere for the first time generally requires longer journeys away from my home in Kent, but I am pleased to say that on November 13, 2025, I played my 1,000th such course. While I have also been lucky enough to play getting on for a further 300 courses in more than 40 other countries all over the world, this seems like the perfect time to reflect on what has been an amazing domestic journey.

The early years

The first course I ever played was in the summer of 1977, the enthusiastically named Championship course at Addington Court near Croydon. In those days, it was a council-run municipal and a great asset for the community. Such was the naivety of youth that I ventured out on a Saturday morning with two college friends having never hit a ball before or even had a lesson.

I have no idea how we had managed to borrow clubs or how we survived the stares and wailing of those behind, but somehow we made it round and the seeds had been sown. I cannot remember now if it was love at first sight, but even if not, I was soon smitten with the game and a lifetime's obsession was up and running.