The Dorset Golf & Country Club sits within a 650-acre estate roughly 30 minutes from Bournemouth and about 15 minutes from the Jurassic Coast. The golf comes in three nine-hole loops – Lakeland, Parkland and Woodland – all designed by Martin Hawtree, who has consulted on Open Championship venues for the R&A. That pedigree shows. Large clover-shaped bunkers and undulating greens are consistent throughout, though each nine has its own feel. The Lakeland and Parkland loops are the longest, with water in play on around half the holes. The Woodland nine is shorter but winds through rhododendron forest, and it’s particularly worth playing in May or June when the course is in full bloom.

The course holds USGA-spec greens and tees and is ranked inside the top 150 in England. It has hosted the South West PGA Championship and a MasterCard Tour event, but it doesn’t carry that exclusivity about it – it welcomes all levels and mid-handicappers will enjoy it without feeling out of their depth. Accommodation ranges from a 4-star hotel with 16 en-suite twin rooms to five-star Scandinavian log homes and luxury cottages sleeping up to 10. The log homes come with private saunas, log-burning stoves and balconies – genuinely good value for a group trip. Most packages include dinner, bed, breakfast and free golf each day, which keeps things straightforward and good value.

Dining centres on the Fairways Restaurant, run by a classically trained chef with double-rosette experience, using locally sourced Dorset produce. The clubhouse bar is relaxed, well-stocked and a natural place to wind down after a round. Beyond golf, there’s fishing on private lakes, woodland walking and cycling trails, a fitness centre, and a bowls arena on site.