The great seasonal golf debate — and let me just say, I’m absolutely here for it. Because if summer golf is the loud, overconfident guest at the party who doesn’t know when to leave, then autumn golf is the seasoned host who knows exactly what music to play, how hot the room should be, and when to crack open the good bottle of red.
You’re not wrong to say, “Thank God summer’s over.” Between the sun cream leaks, the crusty glove fingers, and fairways that feel more like airport runways, this summer pushed the limits. Beautiful, yes — until your 7-iron bounce-skips 30 yards past the green into someone’s backyard and you’re drinking lukewarm water that’s been in the cart since 8:15 a.m. Brutal.
Autumn Golf Courses Look Like Art You Can Walk On
The trees are on fire. Not literally, thankfully — although the way some of those maples light up in late October makes it feel like you’re teeing off inside a Bob Ross painting. Golden yellows, deep reds, rusty oranges — chef’s kiss. Greens are still hanging on, giving you that lush versus crisp interplay that makes every round feel like a postcard. Sugarloaf and Formby in the fall? Come on, it’s not even fair.
But it’s not just about the looks. The crowds thin out. The tee sheets relax. Suddenly, you’re playing your home course again without waiting on every tee box or hearing, “Mind if we play through?” every third hole. You start to remember why you joined in the first place — the peace, the rhythm, the smell of damp leaves and freshly cut rough.
Better Conditions, Less Traffic — What’s Not to Love?
And here’s where it gets sneaky good: the course conditions. Less traffic means healing turf, smoother greens, and just enough softness in the fairways to stop your 5-wood from running into the next postcode. Greenkeepers might curse the worm casts, but you? You’re flushing mid-irons like you’ve found something in your swing (spoiler alert: you haven’t, but autumn makes it feel like you have).
Then there’s the post-round ritual. In summer, sure, a cold beer is a classic. But in autumn? Oh, give me that spicy parsnip soup with a dash of cracked pepper. Better yet, a sneaky sip of Shovril at Royal St George’s? You’re living in the pages of a golfing novel. That hot sausage roll? Careful — third-degree burns to the roof of your mouth do heal, but the memory lasts longer than your summer birdie streak.
Cheaper Green Fees and Zero Pressure Make Autumn Irresistible
And don’t even get me started on green fees. Peak summer pricing? Eye-watering. Autumn deals? A revelation. That top-100 track you’ve been eyeing since lockdown suddenly drops its rate and voilà — you and your mates are lining up putts on championship greens for the price of a mid-week curry. Now that’s value.
But maybe the best part? Autumn is forgiving. No pressure. The comps are done, the medals are over, and the only leaderboard that matters is the one you scribble on the back of a scorecard with a half-broken pencil while your buddy tries to remember how many putts he took on 14. Try a new grip. Work on the fade. Miss it all and still smile, because it’s quiet, it’s crisp, and the game feels more fun than it has in months.
So yeah — give me crunchy leaves underfoot, foggy mornings on the practice green, a thermos full of something questionably legal, and the soft hum of a leaf blower in the distance. Autumn golf, my friend, is where the magic lives.
