The clubhouse would be demolished to make way for what could become one of the best places to play golf in the area
The golf club a short drive outside of Guildford could be set for a major refurbishment(Image: Merrist Wood Golf Club)
A formerly popular golf club in Guildford could be set for a major refurbishment as recently submitted plans detail proposals for a spa, wellness centre, driving range and a gym at the site.
Merrist Wood Golf Club has been closed for more than a year, but its future could soon be secured through significant investment from owners, Ultimate Golf who acquired the site in 2025.
The land is the centre of recently submitted redevelopment plans which could see the club brought back to the forefront of golfing in Guildford.
The 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course could be set for a complete make-over. Recently submitted planning documents share plans to rebuild the clubhouse and improve the course, build a spa and wellness centre, driving range, ‘golf academy’, short game area and a gym.
These proposals, which are in their early stages, would see Merrist Wood arguably become one of Surrey’s best places for golf; just out of a sheer volume of facilities.
The entrance to Merrist Wood Golf Club on Holly Lane(Image: Google)
Plans submitted to Guildford Borough Council by Ultimate Golf earlier this month request the council to consider whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would be required as part of the planning process for this development.
This submission does not represent a full planning application. It would not be the first application submitted for Merrist Wood in recent years.
In 2024, then-owners submitted plans to redesign and reconstruct the existing course on Holly Lane. The council responded to this application, raising a number of concerns with the nature of the development.
By March 2025, Savills put the golf course up on the market with an asking price of £2.25million. The deal was sealed by July, with Ultimate Golf Group II Limited taking ownership of the course, which has not reopened since.
Ultimate Golf’s plans for Merrist Wood are in their early stages. In planning documents the developer states: “Ultimate Golf has acquired the Site with the intention of repositioning the former club as a high-quality golf club and wellness centre, which will include a spa, padel tennis and a state of the art golf academy.
“This will involve the owners injecting very significant capital into the course and associated facilities, which will involve improving the playing surfaces, rebuilding the clubhouse, providing a driving range, short game area and an academy building, which will include swing studios, a gym and conditioning facilities.”
An aerial view of the Merrist Wood Golf Club in Worplesdon(Image: Savills)
Ultimate Golf Group also owns the Sunningdale Heath Golf Club in Ascot. The company believes their experience running a “highly successful” course in the area will give them the resources to create a “leading” golf course and teaching centre in Guildford.
Merrist Wood Golf Club opened in the late 1990s. The course spans over 250 acres and was designed by prominent course architect David Williams.
Located in Worplesdon, not far outside Guildford, the course was voted as one of the UK’s ten best new courses constructed in the 90s by Golf World.
Past plans to refurbish the club were set to be created in partnership with leading former European Tour professional golfer Sam Torrance. As part of this, nine of course’s holes were closed in Autumn 2023.
According to recently submitted planning documents, a large portion of the club will need to be refurbished or demolished. New drainage systems will need “significant improvements” according to plans.
Due to the early nature of the proposals, it is currently unclear what is planned for the course itself. Planning documents detail an intention to use a ‘cut and fill approach’, which would see land redistributed across the course.
Planning documents submitted by Ultimate Golf Group II Limited for Merrist Wood Golf Club can be viewed online on Guildford’s Planning Portal.